Merch Splits With Venues
Venue merch cuts can materially change the profitability of a product line.
Advance the terms
Ask percentage, base, taxes, card fees, seller labor, location, settlement, and whether the cut applies to all items.
The answer belongs before the table is set up.
Know the venue cut before you print the tour quantity.
Merch Deals
Merchandise can turn a break-even show into a profitable night, which is why venue percentages matter.
Ask before arrival
Some rooms take no merch cut, some take a percentage, some provide a seller for a fee, and some have rules about where sales occur.
Advance it.
Merchandise is a business line, not free money after the show.
Merch Rights
Merch rights cover whether merchandise may be sold, where, by whom, and what percentage or fee the venue receives.
Advance the table
Location, table, lighting, payment access, seller, storage, and post-show time all affect sales.
A great merch deal is useless if the table is hidden.
Merch rights include the physical operation, not just the percentage.
Merch Revenue
Merch revenue can be a major road income stream when inventory, margins, venue cuts, and taxes are managed deliberately.
Know unit economics
Sale price minus production cost is not final profit. Add venue percentage, sales tax where applicable, card processing, freight, damaged stock, and storage.
A popular item can still have a weak margin.
Merch profit lives in the margin, not the line at the table.
