Merch is often an artist’s most profitable revenue stream, which is exactly why everyone wants a cut of it. Venues take percentages, managers take commission, and merch companies take their share. Without clear agreements, the table that should fund your tour ends up funding everyone else.
Splitting It Right
Negotiate venue merch cuts before signing the show deal — anything over 20 percent deserves pushback. Pay your merch seller a flat rate or fair percentage, not vague promises. If you work with a merch company, understand who owns the designs and inventory. Track every unit sold against inventory so nothing walks out the back door uncounted.
Count your shirts like you count your streams. Merch money is real money, and clear splits keep it flowing to the people who earned it.
Venue merch cuts are negotiable more often than artists realize. The standard venue take runs 15 to 25 percent of gross merch sales, but that number moves when you negotiate it as part of the overall show deal rather than accepting it as fixed. Always clarify whether the percentage applies to gross or net, and whether it covers all items or just certain categories. Your performance contract should explicitly grant you the right to sell merch — never assume it. For the table itself, invest in presentation: good lighting, clear pricing signage, and card readers increase per-head spending dramatically. Track inventory in and out every night, because the difference between estimated and actual sales is where money quietly disappears.
Your merch table is a retail store that travels with you. Run it like one: track inventory, price confidently, and never let anyone’s percentage go unquestioned.
About the Author – Ruben Burgos: Ruben Burgos brings over 25 years of music expertise and more than 15 years of model guidance to the table. He is the indie major pinnacle to retaining credits for musicians and helping them navigate this wicked industry without the fuckery.