Internationally, merch is a billion-dollar lifeline for artists. In India, it stays underdeveloped, captured in between cultural practices, cost level of sensitivity, and irregular facilities
Art Work by Sharanyaa Nair
Merch has actually constantly been more than material and ink. For fans, it’s memory and identity; for artists, it’s expected to be among the couple of levers they manage in the earnings stack. In numerous parts of the world, merch has actually developed into an organization design, not simply an afterthought. MIDiA Research jobs that the worldwide music product and physical products market will reach $16.3 billion by 2030, highlighting the growing significance of product to the artist economy. AtVenu’s 2023 settlement information reveals that, on average, little and mid-tier artists create 8 times more in one night’s gross product sales than in a whole year of streaming royalties. That contrast alone describes why worldwide trips are now as tactical about merch tables and online drops as they have to do with the music itself.
If you desire a sense of how effective this culture can be, take a look at K-pop. Lightsticks, tee shirts, and antiques have actually ended up being billion-dollar motorists for the category. Fans regularly pay $80 or more for Bluetooth-enabled products that function as both a show prop and a badge of commitment. The culture is so instilled in the zeitgeist that purchasing main merch isn’t viewed as optional; it’s nearly part of the ticket cost.
In India, merch is still dealt with more as a novelty than a requirement. In spite of a flourishing live music scene– Reuters reported over 27,000 live occasions in 2024, a 35 percent boost year-on-year– artist merch seldom creates significant earnings. The facilities is irregular, fan practices are still forming, and the economics are stacked versus independents. Current advancements hint that this might lastly be beginning to alter.
Take AP Dhillon, who simply revealed his Among One India trip this December. In addition to 8 arena-scale dates, his group verified that main product will be offered straight together with tickets. That information matters since it indicates a shift: merch isn’t being dealt with as a side table in the foyer, however as part of the show’s organization strategy. When a star with Dhillon’s cross-border reach embeds merch in the fan journey, it stabilizes the practice.
Other artists have actually checked the waters in their own methods. Prateek Kuhad has actually long been connected with having a “MERCH” tab on his main website, and previous runs consisted of vinyl and garments by means of partners like Ambient Inks and The Souled Store. As of now, his shop does not note active items– highlighting simply how irregular and delicate artist-driven merch environments are in India. Divine, by contrast, took advantage of business support. Throughout Budweiser’s Kolkata occasion, his program included special Budweiser product as part of the live activation, a brand-backed design that seeded merch culture through sponsorship muscle.
The hip-hop neighborhood has actually likewise begun exploring. Seedhe Maut has actually launched restricted merch runs– including their “Shutdown” T-shirt drop and the Nayaab minimal line– which offered out rapidly amongst their increasingly faithful base. These examples show that when artists lean into merch attentively, fans react. The scale is still small compared to the earnings the product creates abroad.
What’s holding India back? Part of it is cultural. Unlike in the West or in K-pop fandoms, Indian listeners aren’t conditioned yet to see purchasing a 1,000– 1,500 tee shirt as an act of assistance. For numerous, it seems like an optional high-end, not a crucial part of being a fan. Without that state of mind shift, even the most magnificently created hoodie winds up as deadstock.
The monetary truths make it even worse. Making quality merch needs in advance capital– minimum order runs, excellent material, and dependable printing. Independent artists frequently can’t pay for the danger. Rate level of sensitivity indicates that reducing expenses frequently causes less expensive quality, which weakens repeat sales. Raise the rate to cover margins, and you run the risk of alienating your audience. It’s a lose-lose formula numerous artists prevent completely.
There’s circulation. E-commerce in India is effective in city cities however irregular in Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns, where much these days’s fan development is taking place. Dealing with logistics, returns, and sizing concerns is tiring for little groups. At live programs– the location where merch offers finest worldwide– artist stalls are frequently sidelined in favor of sponsor activations. And without presence, merch merely does not move.
It does not have to remain this method. There are services the Indian market can embrace if it takes merch seriously. Ticketing business might incorporate merch into presales and packages, turning it into part of the occasion circulation instead of an afterthought. Platforms like The Souled Store, Comet, and Redwolf might establish small-batch, artist-friendly services that do not need huge in advance invests. Independent collectives might pool resources to develop shared satisfaction centers for smaller sized artists, decreasing expenses. Celebrations might mandate devoted artist merch locations, developing presence and sales chances. And most significantly, artists themselves can reframe the story: merch isn’t boodle, it’s assistance. When fans purchase a t-shirt, they’re straight moneying the music they wish to keep hearing.
The stakes are high. India’s live music economy is broadening at breakneck speed, and brand names are putting cash into performances and celebrations. If merch does not develop together with it, the nation threats leaving a significant earnings stream on the table– one that might make the distinction in between survival and sustainability for independent artists. Till the flywheel turns, merch here will stay what it is today: an area loaded with imagination and capacity, however still waiting on the facilities, routines, and market vision that might turn it into a powerhouse.