A Word On Merchandise

IGotId13

Let me preface this by saying, in the grand scheme of things, a poster and a shirt are not a big deal. 
And second, this in no way soured my experience in Seattle this past weekend. Pearl Jam taking over an entire city like that, the buzz around town, the 10C shirts everywhere, the MoPop exhibits, the Ames Pop Up, hunting for Home Show beers (took 6 stores to find some!) and the show itself. It was all amazing and something I'll remember forever. 

I got lucky. A friend was in Seattle two days prior to my arrival and was going to wait in line anyway so she grabbed me two posters and a shirt. Much appreciated. That all being said, there has got to be a better way to handle the merchandise situation. They are hyper-vigilant (with good reason!) about scalped tickets. The same effort I think needs to be put toward merchandise. The lines were long, yes, but they were also PAINFULLY slow. And when you got up there, sizes were gone, posters gone, etc. Night 2 Setlist shirts are on Ebay right now for over $100. Ames had a whole thing at their pop up about discouraging flippers, and I'm all for that. But then you got to limit how many people can get, or release some online to 10C, or open up more than just one tent outside the stadium. Something. 

Again, this is all peanuts compared to the show and atmosphere, not to mention the cause. But...man, I wouldn't mind having a setlist shirt.

helplessdancer

merch and me are done. come with me people. there is a light at the end of the tunnel worth chasing. imo

2-feign-reluctance

pashapasaman

My best show so far i bought nothing

Gern Blansten

IGotId13 said:

Let me preface this by saying, in the grand scheme of things, a poster and a shirt are not a big deal. 
And second, this in no way soured my experience in Seattle this past weekend. Pearl Jam taking over an entire city like that, the buzz around town, the 10C shirts everywhere, the MoPop exhibits, the Ames Pop Up, hunting for Home Show beers (took 6 stores to find some!) and the show itself. It was all amazing and something I'll remember forever. 

I got lucky. A friend was in Seattle two days prior to my arrival and was going to wait in line anyway so she grabbed me two posters and a shirt. Much appreciated. That all being said, there has got to be a better way to handle the merchandise situation. They are hyper-vigilant (with good reason!) about scalped tickets. The same effort I think needs to be put toward merchandise. The lines were long, yes, but they were also PAINFULLY slow. And when you got up there, sizes were gone, posters gone, etc. Night 2 Setlist shirts are on Ebay right now for over $100. Ames had a whole thing at their pop up about discouraging flippers, and I'm all for that. But then you got to limit how many people can get, or release some online to 10C, or open up more than just one tent outside the stadium. Something. 

Again, this is all peanuts compared to the show and atmosphere, not to mention the cause. But...man, I wouldn't mind having a setlist shirt.

A lot of the issue could be solved with purchase limits. 

I really don't understand why they don't just go online with it.  That way they can control quantity rather than printing 1000 shirts that don't sell very well.  I would certainly rather have the artists make money off of me rather than resellers.

pjl44

Gern Blansten said:

IGotId13 said:

Let me preface this by saying, in the grand scheme of things, a poster and a shirt are not a big deal. 
And second, this in no way soured my experience in Seattle this past weekend. Pearl Jam taking over an entire city like that, the buzz around town, the 10C shirts everywhere, the MoPop exhibits, the Ames Pop Up, hunting for Home Show beers (took 6 stores to find some!) and the show itself. It was all amazing and something I'll remember forever. 

I got lucky. A friend was in Seattle two days prior to my arrival and was going to wait in line anyway so she grabbed me two posters and a shirt. Much appreciated. That all being said, there has got to be a better way to handle the merchandise situation. They are hyper-vigilant (with good reason!) about scalped tickets. The same effort I think needs to be put toward merchandise. The lines were long, yes, but they were also PAINFULLY slow. And when you got up there, sizes were gone, posters gone, etc. Night 2 Setlist shirts are on Ebay right now for over $100. Ames had a whole thing at their pop up about discouraging flippers, and I'm all for that. But then you got to limit how many people can get, or release some online to 10C, or open up more than just one tent outside the stadium. Something. 

Again, this is all peanuts compared to the show and atmosphere, not to mention the cause. But...man, I wouldn't mind having a setlist shirt.

A lot of the issue could be solved with purchase limits. 

I really don't understand why they don't just go online with it.  That way they can control quantity rather than printing 1000 shirts that don't sell very well.  I would certainly rather have the artists make money off of me rather than resellers.

The site seized up for an hour when they sold one poster last week. Not sure leading with online sales is the right move.

Gern Blansten

There are quite a few items up for sale on this site right now.  I can understand having a limit on posters (although it would be nice to give 10c members a poster to purchase if they want it) but T-shirts and other items shouldn't really have a sell out.  You take orders on your website and then let your supplier know you need more if they sell out.  PJ makes money, the supplier makes money, the reseller makes $0.

cp3iverson

Im in week 3 of my PJ poster retirement.  It feels great not checking ebay or Lost Dogs every six hours

mpedone

No more merch outside the venue. Purchase limits will cause that one person buy 10 shirts to become 5 people buying 2 each. Sell merch inside, only (and, yes, with firm limits). Sure, there will still be flippers willing to buy a ticket to get stuff, but given how quickly these shows sell out, I'm willing to bet the amount being flipped on eBay would plummet.

pjl44

Gern Blansten said:

There are quite a few items up for sale on this site right now.  I can understand having a limit on posters (although it would be nice to give 10c members a poster to purchase if they want it) but T-shirts and other items shouldn't really have a sell out.  You take orders on your website and then let your supplier know you need more if they sell out.  PJ makes money, the supplier makes money, the reseller makes $0.

I think there are other factors like the bandwidth to process/manage/pack/ship all that stuff, the merch tent enhancing the event, unlimited quantities impacting future sales, etc.

Gern Blansten

pjl44 said:

Gern Blansten said:

There are quite a few items up for sale on this site right now.  I can understand having a limit on posters (although it would be nice to give 10c members a poster to purchase if they want it) but T-shirts and other items shouldn't really have a sell out.  You take orders on your website and then let your supplier know you need more if they sell out.  PJ makes money, the supplier makes money, the reseller makes $0.

I think there are other factors like the bandwidth to process/manage/pack/ship all that stuff, the merch tent enhancing the event, unlimited quantities impacting future sales, etc.

Right but to compare the sale of a limited quantity of one poster to my suggestion of selling tour merch online over an unlimited period makes no sense.

xjoshfromworkx

For the merch being sold outside days in advance, it would be nice if you had to be a ticketholder to purchase posters or something. Granted, not everyone is getting a ticket that may want a shirt or something small, that's fine, but to buy something SHOW specific, it should be for ticketholders. The lines move slow enough, they might as well add 30 more seconds to have the buyer prove they are going to the show.

Wrigley 2016, I just kept seeing hoards of people walk by with 5+ tubes, arms and bags loaded, and I couldn't tell if they're just flippers that were in line or actual ticketholders. Yes, ticketholders will flip too, but for someone that lives in the city and didn't pay to travel or get a ticket is going to make a monster profit if they can buy whatever they want.

pjl44

Gern Blansten said:

pjl44 said:

Gern Blansten said:

There are quite a few items up for sale on this site right now.  I can understand having a limit on posters (although it would be nice to give 10c members a poster to purchase if they want it) but T-shirts and other items shouldn't really have a sell out.  You take orders on your website and then let your supplier know you need more if they sell out.  PJ makes money, the supplier makes money, the reseller makes $0.

I think there are other factors like the bandwidth to process/manage/pack/ship all that stuff, the merch tent enhancing the event, unlimited quantities impacting future sales, etc.

Right but to compare the sale of a limited quantity of one poster to my suggestion of selling tour merch online over an unlimited period makes no sense.

Gotcha. So take website performance off the table.

AlexDuquette

Anyone have an extra homeshows poster with the camper and sasquatch on it? Would be willing to trade for my baseball poster.

know1

I've never bought any Pearl Jam merchandise other than music and videos, but the whining about making things fair is pretty pathetic. They are doing what they can. It will be far from perfect. People will always try to game the system. Nothing will ever be fair, though, so why even try? If you like merchandise and it's a priority for you, then act accordingly. If not, then don't worry about it.

cincybearcat

know1 said:

I've never bought any Pearl Jam merchandise other than music and videos, but the whining about making things fair is pretty pathetic. They are doing what they can. It will be far from perfect. People will always try to game the system. Nothing will ever be fair, though, so why even try? If you like merchandise and it's a priority for you, then act accordingly. If not, then don't worry about it.

Yeah I hear you.  But it's a bit disappointing considering the lengths they go to to stop ticket scalping and they overall stance on it.  With merch it's like they want the scalping to occur.  They can control it more than they do for sure, but they like the hysteria and the sense of scarcity (which is funny considering they sold outside the stadium for like what 4-5 days?  I guess nothing is really that scarce then is it?).

But it is how it is, and you are right. Either you determine it's worth it and you stand in line or you don't and you do something else.  Still under your control.

Gern Blansten

pjl44 said:

Gern Blansten said:

pjl44 said:

Gern Blansten said:

There are quite a few items up for sale on this site right now.  I can understand having a limit on posters (although it would be nice to give 10c members a poster to purchase if they want it) but T-shirts and other items shouldn't really have a sell out.  You take orders on your website and then let your supplier know you need more if they sell out.  PJ makes money, the supplier makes money, the reseller makes $0.

I think there are other factors like the bandwidth to process/manage/pack/ship all that stuff, the merch tent enhancing the event, unlimited quantities impacting future sales, etc.

Right but to compare the sale of a limited quantity of one poster to my suggestion of selling tour merch online over an unlimited period makes no sense.

Gotcha. So take website performance off the table.

of course....go buy a t-shirt right now and tell me how the process goes

https://pearljam.com/shop/apparel/space-needle-drop-shirt

D-Rod

If everyone stopped purchasing from flippers then their would be no flippers.  I have never purchased anything from a flipper and I never will.  

Gern Blansten

D-Rod said:

If everyone stopped purchasing from flippers then their would be no flippers.  I have never purchased anything from a flipper and I never will.  

I have...but nothing that was too far off.  I think I paid $70 for a $35 poster 

mpedone

know1 said:

I've never bought any Pearl Jam merchandise other than music and videos, but the whining about making things fair is pretty pathetic. They are doing what they can. It will be far from perfect. People will always try to game the system. Nothing will ever be fair, though, so why even try? If you like merchandise and it's a priority for you, then act accordingly. If not, then don't worry about it.

That's a pretty defeatist attitude. It will never be perfect, but that's no reason not to try to make it better.

Gern Blansten

cincybearcat said:

know1 said:

I've never bought any Pearl Jam merchandise other than music and videos, but the whining about making things fair is pretty pathetic. They are doing what they can. It will be far from perfect. People will always try to game the system. Nothing will ever be fair, though, so why even try? If you like merchandise and it's a priority for you, then act accordingly. If not, then don't worry about it.

Yeah I hear you.  But it's a bit disappointing considering the lengths they go to to stop ticket scalping and they overall stance on it.  With merch it's like they want the scalping to occur.  They can control it more than they do for sure, but they like the hysteria and the sense of scarcity (which is funny considering they sold outside the stadium for like what 4-5 days?  I guess nothing is really that scarce then is it?).

But it is how it is, and you are right. Either you determine it's worth it and you stand in line or you don't and you do something else.  Still under your control.

Exactly....they most certainly aren't "doing everything the can"...they might be doing what they want but that's a different story.

As a businessman I can't fathom PJ leaving all this money in the hands of others.

pjl44

cincybearcat said:

know1 said:

I've never bought any Pearl Jam merchandise other than music and videos, but the whining about making things fair is pretty pathetic. They are doing what they can. It will be far from perfect. People will always try to game the system. Nothing will ever be fair, though, so why even try? If you like merchandise and it's a priority for you, then act accordingly. If not, then don't worry about it.

Yeah I hear you.  But it's a bit disappointing considering the lengths they go to to stop ticket scalping and they overall stance on it.  With merch it's like they want the scalping to occur.  They can control it more than they do for sure, but they like the hysteria and the sense of scarcity (which is funny considering they sold outside the stadium for like what 4-5 days?  I guess nothing is really that scarce then is it?).

But it is how it is, and you are right. Either you determine it's worth it and you stand in line or you don't and you do something else.  Still under your control.

I'd argue that the performance is the most sacred aspect of the whole thing. I appreciate that they do everything in their power to get tickets in the hands of fans at a reasonable price. Merch is the commercial side so if that's a priority for anyone, get in the ring.

MedozK

cp3iverson said:

Im in week 3 of my PJ poster retirement.  It feels great not checking ebay or Lost Dogs every six hours

I feel the same way. Let a lot of my stuff go earlier this year and have really not looked back,

helplessdancer

D-Rod said:

If everyone stopped purchasing from flippers then their would be no flippers.  I have never purchased anything from a flipper and I never will.  

i am proud buyer from a flipper. i paid 3x face for a emek telluride poster. it was awesome! it showed up delivered to my door.
there was no way i was going to wait in that merch line while in god's personal paradise....
the fact that i bought from a flipper is not the problem. waiting in line 3 hours is.

Gern Blansten

They had port-o-squats for the merch area for Wrigley '16....I plan on taking a cooler and some beers and dealing with it on Friday so I don't have to worry about it the rest of the time.

know1

Gern Blansten said:

cincybearcat said:

know1 said:

I've never bought any Pearl Jam merchandise other than music and videos, but the whining about making things fair is pretty pathetic. They are doing what they can. It will be far from perfect. People will always try to game the system. Nothing will ever be fair, though, so why even try? If you like merchandise and it's a priority for you, then act accordingly. If not, then don't worry about it.

Yeah I hear you.  But it's a bit disappointing considering the lengths they go to to stop ticket scalping and they overall stance on it.  With merch it's like they want the scalping to occur.  They can control it more than they do for sure, but they like the hysteria and the sense of scarcity (which is funny considering they sold outside the stadium for like what 4-5 days?  I guess nothing is really that scarce then is it?).

But it is how it is, and you are right. Either you determine it's worth it and you stand in line or you don't and you do something else.  Still under your control.

Exactly....they most certainly aren't "doing everything the can"...they might be doing what they want but that's a different story.

As a businessman I can't fathom PJ leaving all this money in the hands of others.

"Everything they can" is all relevant, though. Sure, they could make more money (likely at our expense) to afford more resources to do things differently, but again, it's relative.

The merchandise stands were open for days. If you want merchandise so badly you'll be upset if you don't get any, then do what's necessary.

IGotId13

mpedone said:

No more merch outside the venue. Purchase limits will cause that one person buy 10 shirts to become 5 people buying 2 each. Sell merch inside, only (and, yes, with firm limits). Sure, there will still be flippers willing to buy a ticket to get stuff, but given how quickly these shows sell out, I'm willing to bet the amount being flipped on eBay would plummet.

I've never understood the merch being outside the venue. I mean, I understand it because I'm not naive, but you know what I mean. You got a ticket? Great, you get access to merch. No ticket? No merch I guess. So it goes. I'd spend more on a ticket package that guaranteed a poster. It's almost always the only merch I really want. I would have grabbed a setlist shirt in a heartbeat but 2+ hour wait on Saturday and Salumi was calling my name. Passed.

IGotId13

Again, they went above and beyond to ensure tickets weren't scalped and that's appreciated. I'd rather deal with some elaborate process like the mobile ticket thing to get a poster and shirt than spend 5 of my 48 hours in town waiting in line. 

I've bought from a flipper. Wasn't happy about it but didn't seem like there was much in the way of choice. Wrigley '13 merchandise was nuts. Lines around the stadium for days. I enjoy collecting the posters from the shows I go to and I'm proud of the relatively modest collection I have. There has to be some way to streamline the process. 

JB56195

I'd be curious how many people would preorder merch sight unseen?  I like to get posters for the shows i attend.  I'd preorder a poster pack without seeing them.  I'm not a fan of the Shuss poster but I wouldn't care if I bought and was disappointed.  The 35 bucks is fine compared to the time it took to wait in line.

Biggest issue is efficiency.  I bet 25% of the line on Wed morning was people coming back through to get things that sold out the day before.  Why is the system so screwed up those people cant get what they want first time through.

Also why hold stuff back to sell at the venue?  Keep putting it out until it's gone.  As long as limits are enforced and you must have a ticket to attend the show fine.

RoleModelsinBlood31

Hey bro! You hittin’ the merch line?

cincybearcat

pjl44 said:

cincybearcat said:

know1 said:

I've never bought any Pearl Jam merchandise other than music and videos, but the whining about making things fair is pretty pathetic. They are doing what they can. It will be far from perfect. People will always try to game the system. Nothing will ever be fair, though, so why even try? If you like merchandise and it's a priority for you, then act accordingly. If not, then don't worry about it.

Yeah I hear you.  But it's a bit disappointing considering the lengths they go to to stop ticket scalping and they overall stance on it.  With merch it's like they want the scalping to occur.  They can control it more than they do for sure, but they like the hysteria and the sense of scarcity (which is funny considering they sold outside the stadium for like what 4-5 days?  I guess nothing is really that scarce then is it?).

But it is how it is, and you are right. Either you determine it's worth it and you stand in line or you don't and you do something else.  Still under your control.

I'd argue that the performance is the most sacred aspect of the whole thing. I appreciate that they do everything in their power to get tickets in the hands of fans at a reasonable price. Merch is the commercial side so if that's a priority for anyone, get in the ring.

Well I certainly like the performance most.

But is it the "most sacred".  How long were the concerts?  How long was the merch stand opened....not counting the stands inside the venue?