Presale online buying option is the way to go. I don’t understand why they don’t do this. They get 1,000 orders for a shirt, make a thousand shirts.
I'm betting they make a ton on all the things you impulse buy after waiting in line for hours... extra shirts, stickers, buttons, etc. If there was just a line for posters you wouldn't see nearly as long a line for all the other items.
Ding ding ding. "I just waited 5 hours, I'm getting everything I can!" If you had the option to just order what you wanted online, you wouldn't buy nearly as much. At least, most people wouldn't. I'm absolutely guilty of this. Did I need stickers and license plates? No, but I bought them. They know what they're doing.
I hear this, but I’ve also impulse-bought plenty of shit I don’t need via the online store (funko pops???). And I know I’m not the only one.
Got real bad at the height of the poster insanity around 06 on the Avocado tour. Got worse at PJ20, then yet still worse at all the wrigleys.....I stopped givining a shit about shirts and posters and it has made my experience way more enjoyable
All these people lined up for merch are likely keeping the price of tickets from costing more money. You should thank each one of them on the way into the show.
A friend of mine who lives in a diiferent state from where I live, He flips, The way he looks at, the more he stands in line, the more he can flip, According to him, it can pay for most of his concert expenses, we went to Mikwaukee in 2014, He flipped the Ben Frost one, i told him i had no interest in flipping it, and that I have a policy of keeping all the posters I get for 10 years, Last April I sold mine for $550. At the time he was happy to get $100-$125 at the time. so, I have no problem with people standing in line flippping merch. If they have 5-6 hours to spare, go fo it. Once the dust settles and they find out that more people flip, there are always people who flip for less , and not to mention the extras usually end up on their website, which ends up driving MOST prices down.
Presale online buying option is the way to go. I don’t understand why they don’t do this. They get 1,000 orders for a shirt, make a thousand shirts.
If people could get it that easily they won’t want it. Now the shirt proves you were at the show and that you had to be pumped with an IV of fluids to get the shirt that cost $4 to make that you paid $45 for…
the merch obsession is just dumb at this point. And the hate for the flippers is almost as bad. If you want to make some $$$ because you pissed your pants standing in line for 6 hours… I’m cool with it. Cuz I’m not gonna do it.
If the band has a problem with people flipping the posters and shirts… make it so all the 10c members that won tickets for that show can buy on-line the morning of. But they won’t because people will buy dog terds in a ziplock bag if they write “Pearl Jam” on it at this point.
Presale online buying option is the way to go. I don’t understand why they don’t do this. They get 1,000 orders for a shirt, make a thousand shirts.
If people could get it that easily they won’t want it.
Yes and no - some people will be like that. But not everyone.
Using myself as an example, there were shirts that I considered this week but rejected because the lines for merch were huge when I looked.
On the other hand, I had no problem buying some other stuff that I hadn't planned to get originally (stickers etc) because I was at a stand in St Paul around encore break time and the line was non-existent.
GnR did a thing this summer where they sell event specific shirts both at a venue during the show and online on the same day. But the online sale is *only* that day. I think that's a fair compromise between positions. And GnR got money out of me because of it that they wouldn't have done if I'd only had the option of queuing in the venue.
You'll never please everyone completely, of course. But there's positions in between the extremes.
Presale online buying option is the way to go. I don’t understand why they don’t do this. They get 1,000 orders for a shirt, make a thousand shirts.
Imagine this as a ten club paid member benefit. Guaranteed opportunity to buy a show shirt or poster for shows you have tickets to. Everyone that’s complained about the annual price would get their value right there.
The problem with this is the hype would vanish, as would the crazy demand and this could possibly destroy the merch revenue streams that this band has built up over many years. Most bands would do anything to have the frenzy over merch that Pj shows have. You have to respect them for how they have developed that, I was a springsteen show not too long ago and I could walk to any merch booth and buu anything I wanted in seconds. Virtually everyone was walking right on past.
Too much supply, creates less demand. especially in collecting circles.
I will never order a poster from ebay again. There are too many who flip and the last two I ordered, one from Eddie and the Eathlings came wrapped in Christmas paper, and not normal wrapping paper, but the fancy kind that was aluminum. And i ordered one from the recent Chicago show, it came in not even wrapped at all, and had a dink mark on it. I'm sure not all are like that, but twice in a row, a year and a half apart, semms like the norm. I know everything is expensive nowadays, but if your gonna flip, at least go to Walmart and buy a roll of Craft paper.
Presale online buying option is the way to go. I don’t understand why they don’t do this. They get 1,000 orders for a shirt, make a thousand shirts.
I'm betting they make a ton on all the things you impulse buy after waiting in line for hours... extra shirts, stickers, buttons, etc. If there was just a line for posters you wouldn't see nearly as long a line for all the other items.
Ding ding ding. "I just waited 5 hours, I'm getting everything I can!" If you had the option to just order what you wanted online, you wouldn't buy nearly as much. At least, most people wouldn't. I'm absolutely guilty of this. Did I need stickers and license plates? No, but I bought them. They know what they're doing.
I hear this, but I’ve also impulse-bought plenty of shit I don’t need via the online store (funko pops???). And I know I’m not the only one.
Two Viewmasters, anyone? 😂
I'm writing everyone's screen name down in my Pearl Jam moleskin notebook and I'm going to throw it on stage at Indy. Don't worry, I have another one that's still mint.
I got in the merch line inside the doors on night 1 and it was just infuriating. I can't believe how many 40-50 year olds get up there and then don't know what the heck they're going to buy. And then to see men holding t-shirts up to themselves to see if they are a good fit or not. Damn pick a size and move on. It's just weird. People are all in a panic the whole time like the building is on fire.
Here's a thought that I would think Pearl Jam could get behind. Outside lines SUCK for many reasons. First and foremost, they're open to anyone. Don't think this is a problem? Do a quick eBay serach on Pearl Jam. I guarantee you that minutes after the lines open, you see that days shirts and posters selling for hundreds of dollars. That equates to fans who are attended the show being unable to get date-specific merch while an outsider makes a career out of shopping at merch tents and pop-ups.
A couple of thoughts.
Continue to sell merch outside if you want, but restrict date-specific purchases to inside the venue only.
Allow pre-orders of merch via the Ten Club for any date that fans have won tickets for. Limit it to two per.
If shirts run out inside the venue, allow fans to order them for later at-home delivery.
I love the shows, and I don't even mind standing in line for a reasonable amount of time. But when you get to the front of the line only to see them pull the shirt you've been waiting for, that sucks. Thankfully I got everything I wanted, but I feel for those who didn't.
Here's a thought that I would think Pearl Jam could get behind. Outside lines SUCK for many reasons. First and foremost, they're open to anyone. Don't think this is a problem? Do a quick eBay serach on Pearl Jam. I guarantee you that minutes after the lines open, you see that days shirts and posters selling for hundreds of dollars. That equates to fans who are attended the show being unable to get date-specific merch while an outsider makes a career out of shopping at merch tents and pop-ups.
A couple of thoughts.
Continue to sell merch outside if you want, but restrict date-specific purchases to inside the venue only.
Allow pre-orders of merch via the Ten Club for any date that fans have won tickets for. Limit it to two per.
If shirts run out inside the venue, allow fans to order them for later at-home delivery.
I love the shows, and I don't even mind standing in line for a reasonable amount of time. But when you get to the front of the line only to see them pull the shirt you've been waiting for, that sucks. Thankfully I got everything I wanted, but I feel for those who didn't.
All the ideas people float around are great and would work wonderfully……
Now one more time for the people in the back…..Pearl Jam loves it this way. The hype around the merch is insane and people by all kinds of shit they normally would not for fear of missing out. So to be clear, Pearl Jam loves, absolutely LOVES that people form these long lines and wait all day to buy this shit.
Ames was sold out inside N2 within 10 mins. That was a first for me.
6/26/98 & 6/27/98 - Alpine Valley, 10/9/00 - Allstate Arena - Rosemont, IL 6/18/2003 - United Center, 5/16/2006 - United Center, 5/17/2006 - United Center (7th row center, caught Eddie's pick), 6/29/2006 - Summerfest with Tom Petty, 8/24/2009 - United Center, 7/19/2013 - Wrigley Field, 10/3/2014 - St Louis, 10/17/2014 - Moline (GA), 10/20/2014 - Milwaukee, 5/14/2015 - Pete Townshend/EV, 8/20/16 & 8/22/16 Wrigley Field Part 2&3, 8/18/18 & 8/20/18 Wrigley Parts 4 & 5, 9/18/2022 - St Louis
Ames was sold out inside N2 within 10 mins. That was a first for me.
If it was like St. Paul, the sold they majority on the day between shows, and then before doors on the day of. Kind of bull, but it seems like the distribution hasn't been great in that regard. I don't think they should sell the event stuff the day before at all, but if they are going to, it needs to be in limited quantities.
Yeah the merch lines are nuts. I'm going down to Indy for the show Sunday and my buddy who is going with me isn't all too thrilled that we are leaving 3 hours earlier than we would otherwise, just so I can try and get a poster and a t-shirt. Maybe an Indiana license plate if they have one too. That is stupid when you think about it. The alternative is no merch, or paying $250+ if its a decent poster from ebay.
Yeah the merch lines are nuts. I'm going down to Indy for the show Sunday and my buddy who is going with me isn't all too thrilled that we are leaving 3 hours earlier than we would otherwise, just so I can try and get a poster and a t-shirt. Maybe an Indiana license plate if they have one too. That is stupid when you think about it. The alternative is no merch, or paying $250+ if its a decent poster from ebay.
The merch stand in Indy will open at 12. They specifically said that no early lines formed are allowed. Sounds like right on 12 the money,it'll be a mad dash.
Yeah the merch lines are nuts. I'm going down to Indy for the show Sunday and my buddy who is going with me isn't all too thrilled that we are leaving 3 hours earlier than we would otherwise, just so I can try and get a poster and a t-shirt. Maybe an Indiana license plate if they have one too. That is stupid when you think about it. The alternative is no merch, or paying $250+ if its a decent poster from ebay.
The merch stand in Indy will open at 12. They specifically said that no early lines formed are allowed. Sounds like right on 12 the money,it'll be a mad dash.
Sure people will still line up. How can't you? I heard that in Boston 2018. Still lines formed and if you show up at 12, I almost gaurentee a line...unless someone stands there kicking people out all til then. Just don't be surprised to find a line there. Hope you all get what you want and have a blast.
Yeah the merch lines are nuts. I'm going down to Indy for the show Sunday and my buddy who is going with me isn't all too thrilled that we are leaving 3 hours earlier than we would otherwise, just so I can try and get a poster and a t-shirt. Maybe an Indiana license plate if they have one too. That is stupid when you think about it. The alternative is no merch, or paying $250+ if its a decent poster from ebay.
The merch stand in Indy will open at 12. They specifically said that no early lines formed are allowed. Sounds like right on 12 the money,it'll be a mad dash.
Yeah the merch lines are nuts. I'm going down to Indy for the show Sunday and my buddy who is going with me isn't all too thrilled that we are leaving 3 hours earlier than we would otherwise, just so I can try and get a poster and a t-shirt. Maybe an Indiana license plate if they have one too. That is stupid when you think about it. The alternative is no merch, or paying $250+ if its a decent poster from ebay.
The merch stand in Indy will open at 12. They specifically said that no early lines formed are allowed. Sounds like right on 12 the money,it'll be a mad dash.
Admittedly, I don’t have much insight into the economics of the concert industry but do we think the band takes home more money from the ticket sales or the merch?
Admittedly, I don’t have much insight into the economics of the concert industry but do we think the band takes home more money from the ticket sales or the merch?
With this band merch must be right up there.
brixton 93
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
I found this really interesting from Jeff Rosenstock where he breaks down what cut of the merch the venue takes on a city by city basis, ranging from 0 to 25%.
No doubt Rosenstock isn’t in the same merch league as some bigger bands, but I just find the peak behind the curtains on the business side of being in a band fascinating.
Comments
Nuclear fission
the merch obsession is just dumb at this point. And the hate for the flippers is almost as bad. If you want to make some $$$ because you pissed your pants standing in line for 6 hours… I’m cool with it. Cuz I’m not gonna do it.
Too much supply, creates less demand. especially in collecting circles.
9.03-04.11 PJ20!!!
7.19.13 - Wrigley!!!
10.19.14, 10.20.14 (Yield!!)
A couple of thoughts.
- Continue to sell merch outside if you want, but restrict date-specific purchases to inside the venue only.
- Allow pre-orders of merch via the Ten Club for any date that fans have won tickets for. Limit it to two per.
- If shirts run out inside the venue, allow fans to order them for later at-home delivery.
I love the shows, and I don't even mind standing in line for a reasonable amount of time. But when you get to the front of the line only to see them pull the shirt you've been waiting for, that sucks. Thankfully I got everything I wanted, but I feel for those who didn't.Now one more time for the people in the back…..Pearl Jam loves it this way. The hype around the merch is insane and people by all kinds of shit they normally would not for fear of missing out. So to be clear, Pearl Jam loves, absolutely LOVES that people form these long lines and wait all day to buy this shit.
5/17/2006 - United Center (7th row center, caught Eddie's pick), 6/29/2006 - Summerfest with Tom Petty,
8/24/2009 - United Center, 7/19/2013 - Wrigley Field, 10/3/2014 - St Louis, 10/17/2014 - Moline (GA), 10/20/2014 - Milwaukee,
5/14/2015 - Pete Townshend/EV, 8/20/16 & 8/22/16 Wrigley Field Part 2&3, 8/18/18 & 8/20/18 Wrigley Parts 4 & 5, 9/18/2022 - St Louis
Just don't be surprised to find a line there.
Hope you all get what you want and have a blast.
Long live ETM
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
https://exclaim.ca/music/article/jeff_rosenstock_breaks_down_the_math_on_venue_merch_cuts
No doubt Rosenstock isn’t in the same merch league as some bigger bands, but I just find the peak behind the curtains on the business side of being in a band fascinating.