The band and its management have successfully turned merchandise sales into a lucrative and booming enterprise. They did this intentionally and with a plan. Their marketing is brilliant. They roll out one shiny thing after another and we all race to open our wallets. I have no problem with this. I am a willing consumer in the market. But at the end of the day we are customers and customers do have a right to know when sales will begin, where sales will be held, and when sales will end. Eager customers are a good problem for any company to have.
I completely agree with you but I have never seen an organization make it so difficult to take our $$. Long lines, limited quantities - I have a feeling that they could sell so much more merch if more was produced and if there was a more effective distribution system.
The band and its management have successfully turned merchandise sales into a lucrative and booming enterprise. They did this intentionally and with a plan. Their marketing is brilliant. They roll out one shiny thing after another and we all race to open our wallets. I have no problem with this. I am a willing consumer in the market. But at the end of the day we are customers and customers do have a right to know when sales will begin, where sales will be held, and when sales will end. Eager customers are a good problem for any company to have.
I completely agree with you but I have never seen an organization make it so difficult to take our $$. Long lines, limited quantities - I have a feeling that they could sell so much more merch if more was produced and if there was a more effective distribution system.
Nike/Jordan brand has been doing it since the late 90's.
Austin, TX - 9/16/95 ~ Charleston, SC - 10/5/96 ~ Dallas, TX - 7/5/98 ~ San Antonio, TX - 4/5/03 ~ Denver, CO - 7/2/06 ~ EV - LA #2 - 4/13/08 ~ Austin, TX - 10/4/09 ~ Los Angeles, CA #1 - 11/23/13 ~ Los Angeles, CA #2 - 11/24/13 ~ Seattle, WA - 12/6/13 ~ NYC #1 - 5/1/16 ~ Boston, MA #1 - 8/5/16 ~ Boston, MA #2 - 8/7/16 ~ Boston, MA #1 - 9/2/18 ~ Boston, MA #2 - 9/4/18 ~ Louisville, KY - 9/17/22 ~ Ft. Worth, TX #1 - 9/13/23 ~ Ft. Worth, TX #2 - 9/15/23 ~ Austin, Texas #1 - 9/18/23 ~ Austin, Texas #2 - 9/19/23
The band and its management have successfully turned merchandise sales into a lucrative and booming enterprise. They did this intentionally and with a plan. Their marketing is brilliant. They roll out one shiny thing after another and we all race to open our wallets. I have no problem with this. I am a willing consumer in the market. But at the end of the day we are customers and customers do have a right to know when sales will begin, where sales will be held, and when sales will end. Eager customers are a good problem for any company to have.
I completely agree with you but I have never seen an organization make it so difficult to take our $$. Long lines, limited quantities - I have a feeling that they could sell so much more merch if more was produced and if there was a more effective distribution system.
Nike/Jordan brand has been doing it since the late 90's.
The band and its management have successfully turned merchandise sales into a lucrative and booming enterprise. They did this intentionally and with a plan. Their marketing is brilliant. They roll out one shiny thing after another and we all race to open our wallets. I have no problem with this. I am a willing consumer in the market. But at the end of the day we are customers and customers do have a right to know when sales will begin, where sales will be held, and when sales will end. Eager customers are a good problem for any company to have.
I completely agree with you but I have never seen an organization make it so difficult to take our $$. Long lines, limited quantities - I have a feeling that they could sell so much more merch if more was produced and if there was a more effective distribution system.
I hear you. When I saw the Fenway 2 setlist shirt mentioned with "details to follow", I assumed that would mean online sale. Never figured it would mean another sale at Fenway the day after the show.
What’s one item Blink and Non-Blink you are proud of to have helped create, and one you’re not so proud of?
The other two things are Pearl Jam based. I emailed Frank Kozik who I have looked up to for the last 25 years. I asked him if he would like to do a Pearl Jam poster. I figured I would never hear back. He emailed back in roughly 5 minutes saying yes he thought that would be fun. I was and so far am the only person that he has done gig posters for in 11 years. That is amazing to me. He is the most amazingly nice guy.
The second Pearl Jam thing is the Vs. series of posters that we have been doing this year. To me PJ set the standard for the rock poster business. They are the best there is and the best there ever will be. Every band looks up to them for this. Since so many bands are doing these now a days I wanted to show everyone how to do it. I spoke with Jeff about doing a Vs. series where we would get two of the most amazing artists available to create a poster together. Jeff liked the idea and then I had to try and track everyone down. There was a list that got put together. We only had a couple folks that could not do it and that made total sense. I was so happy that the whole thing came together. For a little bit I was getting nervous. This was not an easy task and took about 7 months to pull off. I am proud that I could help the band do this and they loved everything.
The second Pearl Jam thing is the Vs. series of posters that we have been doing this year. To me PJ set the standard for the rock poster business. They are the best there is and the best there ever will be. Every band looks up to them for this. Since so many bands are doing these now a days I wanted to show everyone how to do it. I spoke with Jeff about doing a Vs. series where we would get two of the most amazing artists available to create a poster together. Jeff liked the idea and then I had to try and track everyone down. There was a list that got put together. We only had a couple folks that could not do it and that made total sense. I was so happy that the whole thing came together. For a little bit I was getting nervous. This was not an easy task and took about 7 months to pull off. I am proud that I could help the band do this and they loved everything.
The band and its management have successfully turned merchandise sales into a lucrative and booming enterprise. They did this intentionally and with a plan. Their marketing is brilliant. They roll out one shiny thing after another and we all race to open our wallets. I have no problem with this. I am a willing consumer in the market. But at the end of the day we are customers and customers do have a right to know when sales will begin, where sales will be held, and when sales will end. Eager customers are a good problem for any company to have.
I completely agree with you but I have never seen an organization make it so difficult to take our $$. Long lines, limited quantities - I have a feeling that they could sell so much more merch if more was produced and if there was a more effective distribution system.
Nike/Jordan brand has been doing it since the late 90's.
grocery stores were doing it way before nike
they found that if you put an arbitrary limit on green beans, people bought more of them
Are we really that much crazier than other bands fans?
I've been going to 60-70 shows a year for the last 15 years or so and I've yet to encounter anything like Pearl Jam fans when it comes to merch. I used to post here a bunch, but the angst over tickets, posters, records, etc. just got to be too much. It's a vicious cycle where people tear their hair out about scalpers/flippers without the self-awareness that they themselves are creating the demand that makes it viable.
I popped back in for the Fenway shows and to keep tabs on what was going on. Thought all involved did a fantastic job running the stands. Despite the availability of dozens of items and plenty of stretches where there was little-to-no wait, it was a bummer to see the shitting on poster designs and lamenting availability of limited items hadn't gotten any better. It's a tough crowd and I'm not surprised that it wears them down.
I see a lot of problem alerters and not a lot of problem solvers. Whats the solution? You know there is no good answer. Its a no win situation for a band this big. They cannot win.
Maybe they should just mass produce all the items and make it so everyone that wants one can get them right? Can you imagine the complaints then? Even when they make it much much better like they did at Fenway, people feel they get screwed.
Pre-order for shows you get 10c tickets to? In theory that works. Can you imagine the complaining when they don't like the poster?
How are they supposed to know what the demand is on certain items until they actually go on sale?
I could care less, will figure it out when I get there. Might not even wait in line if i think it will deter from the overall experience.
This was us in 2013. The lines were insane and so was the heat. Way too much else to do in Chicago. I wanted a poster and a T-shirt. I left town with neither.
The band and its management have successfully turned merchandise sales into a lucrative and booming enterprise. They did this intentionally and with a plan. Their marketing is brilliant. They roll out one shiny thing after another and we all race to open our wallets. I have no problem with this. I am a willing consumer in the market. But at the end of the day we are customers and customers do have a right to know when sales will begin, where sales will be held, and when sales will end. Eager customers are a good problem for any company to have.
I completely agree with you but I have never seen an organization make it so difficult to take our $$. Long lines, limited quantities - I have a feeling that they could sell so much more merch if more was produced and if there was a more effective distribution system.
Nike/Jordan brand has been doing it since the late 90's.
But back in the 80s they were easier to obtain. Late in the 90s when the retros starting coming out is when they decided to limit the amount made, thus building the hype....like some of the prints for these shows. Plus sneakers have been flipped like crazy for about 15 years or so to the point that its hard just to get a pair of kicks you want at regular price.
Austin, TX - 9/16/95 ~ Charleston, SC - 10/5/96 ~ Dallas, TX - 7/5/98 ~ San Antonio, TX - 4/5/03 ~ Denver, CO - 7/2/06 ~ EV - LA #2 - 4/13/08 ~ Austin, TX - 10/4/09 ~ Los Angeles, CA #1 - 11/23/13 ~ Los Angeles, CA #2 - 11/24/13 ~ Seattle, WA - 12/6/13 ~ NYC #1 - 5/1/16 ~ Boston, MA #1 - 8/5/16 ~ Boston, MA #2 - 8/7/16 ~ Boston, MA #1 - 9/2/18 ~ Boston, MA #2 - 9/4/18 ~ Louisville, KY - 9/17/22 ~ Ft. Worth, TX #1 - 9/13/23 ~ Ft. Worth, TX #2 - 9/15/23 ~ Austin, Texas #1 - 9/18/23 ~ Austin, Texas #2 - 9/19/23
I could care less, will figure it out when I get there. Might not even wait in line if i think it will deter from the overall experience.
Speaking the truth there, my brothah. Fuck all this noise. I'm ready to fucking drink some adult beverages and rock the fuck out!
For sure, really looking forward to it, but don't get me wrong, I love me some posters, I just don't want to give up an entire afternoon, I'm only in Chicago for three days
I was at a GNR show this past weekend, and the merch lineups were such a slog. I also noticed the same thing when the tragically hip played our small arena last month. I don't think it's only the merch craze that causes the lineups. I'm seeing most people paying with credit cards, which takes the attendant at least a minute (or more) to process. Plus you've got people want to try stuff on, see something closer up.. etc... What happened looking, know what you want when its your turn and quickly pay withing cash?
I was at a GNR show this past weekend, and the merch lineups were such a slog. I also noticed the same thing when the tragically hip played our small arena last month. I don't think it's only the merch craze that causes the lineups. I'm seeing most people paying with credit cards, which takes the attendant at least a minute (or more) to process. Plus you've got people want to try stuff on, see something closer up.. etc... What happened looking, know what you want when its your turn and quickly pay withing cash?
Because there are six posters, four different jackets and hoodies, 6 t-shirts, three different stickers, three different buttons/pins, baseball card packs, three different hat, two banners, koozies..... It will take more time probably counting out the cash, plus people are spending hundreds of dollars and not many people carry that much cash anymore.
Maybe at GNR though if people are just buying a poster and a shirt they could pay in cash and it would be faster.
Very odd that the first show is 4 days away and no details on the merchandise...no merchandise shop plan and no visual on any of the stuff...tshirts, pennant flags...nothing. This was already communicated by this time for Wrigley '13 and the Fenway shows
Comments
Jordan 2, made in Italy, released June 1986
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
What’s one item Blink and Non-Blink you are proud of to have helped create, and one you’re not so proud of?
The other two things are Pearl Jam based. I emailed Frank Kozik who I have looked up to for the last 25 years. I asked him if he would like to do a Pearl Jam poster. I figured I would never hear back. He emailed back in roughly 5 minutes saying yes he thought that would be fun. I was and so far am the only person that he has done gig posters for in 11 years. That is amazing to me. He is the most amazingly nice guy.
The second Pearl Jam thing is the Vs. series of posters that we have been doing this year. To me PJ set the standard for the rock poster business. They are the best there is and the best there ever will be. Every band looks up to them for this. Since so many bands are doing these now a days I wanted to show everyone how to do it. I spoke with Jeff about doing a Vs. series where we would get two of the most amazing artists available to create a poster together. Jeff liked the idea and then I had to try and track everyone down. There was a list that got put together. We only had a couple folks that could not do it and that made total sense. I was so happy that the whole thing came together. For a little bit I was getting nervous. This was not an easy task and took about 7 months to pull off. I am proud that I could help the band do this and they loved everything.
Singlin interview from before.
The second Pearl Jam thing is the Vs. series of posters that we have been doing this year. To me PJ set the standard for the rock poster business. They are the best there is and the best there ever will be. Every band looks up to them for this. Since so many bands are doing these now a days I wanted to show everyone how to do it. I spoke with Jeff about doing a Vs. series where we would get two of the most amazing artists available to create a poster together. Jeff liked the idea and then I had to try and track everyone down. There was a list that got put together. We only had a couple folks that could not do it and that made total sense. I was so happy that the whole thing came together. For a little bit I was getting nervous. This was not an easy task and took about 7 months to pull off. I am proud that I could help the band do this and they loved everything.
they found that if you put an arbitrary limit on green beans, people bought more of them
I popped back in for the Fenway shows and to keep tabs on what was going on. Thought all involved did a fantastic job running the stands. Despite the availability of dozens of items and plenty of stretches where there was little-to-no wait, it was a bummer to see the shitting on poster designs and lamenting availability of limited items hadn't gotten any better. It's a tough crowd and I'm not surprised that it wears them down.
07-09-95 Milwaukee
10-07-96 Ft. Lauderdale
06-29-98 Chicago
09-22-98 West Palm Beach
07-19-13 Wrigley Field
10-14-14 Memphis
04-26-16 Lexington
08-20-16 (Wrigley I)
08-22-16 (Wrigley II)
08-18-18 (Wrigley I)
08-20-18 (Wrigley II)
Maybe they should just mass produce all the items and make it so everyone that wants one can get them right? Can you imagine the complaints then? Even when they make it much much better like they did at Fenway, people feel they get screwed.
Pre-order for shows you get 10c tickets to? In theory that works. Can you imagine the complaining when they don't like the poster?
How are they supposed to know what the demand is on certain items until they actually go on sale?
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
Maybe at GNR though if people are just buying a poster and a shirt they could pay in cash and it would be faster.
Potential for a very ugly poster
Cincinnati 2014
Greenville 2016
(Raleigh 2016)
Columbia 2016
"...I changed by not changing at all..."
This was already communicated by this time for Wrigley '13 and the Fenway shows
'98: Seattle: Memorial Stadium 1 & 2
'00: Columbus: Polaris
'03: Columbus: Germain
'10: Columbus: Nationwide Arena
'11: East Troy: Alpine Valley - PJ20 1 & 2 + EV Detroit
'12: Missoula + EV Jacksonville 1 & 2
'13: Chicago / Pittsburgh / Buffalo / Seattle
'14: Cincinnati / St. Louis / Tulsa / Lincoln / Memphis / Detroit / Moline
'15: New York City - Global Citizen Festival
'16: Greenville / Hampton / Raleigh / Columbia / Lexington / Ottawa / Toronto 1 & 2 / Wrigley 1 & 2
'17: Brooklyn - Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
'18: London 1 & 2 / Seattle 1 & 2 / Missoula / Wrigley 1
'22: Nashville / St. Louis
http://www.livefootsteps.org/user/?usr=170