In recent years, the trend of selling festival merchandise online has experienced a significant surge, driven by the increasing popularity of music festivals, cultural events, and seasonal celebrations. Festival goers spend about $344 per festival, which creates tremendous opportunities for eCommerce sellers to grow their sales.
This article explores some of the best festival merchandise ideas and how to effectively sell them online, ensuring your eCommerce venture stands out in 2024.
Top 9 Festival Merchandise Ideas
1. Themed Clothes
Themed t-shirts, hoodies, and other apparel make excellent festival merchandise ideas due to their broad appeal. Fans love wearing clothes that express their festival pride and memories for all to see.
When designed well, themed clothes can be your best sellers. T-shirts make affordable and comfortable options to wear for days on end during the event itself. Hoodies and sweaters extend your brands into the colder seasons as fans stay cozy in your designs. Onesies and bodysuits add humor to social media photo ops.
It's important to choose designs that truly capture the essence, lineup, themes, or artwork of your festival merch. Bright colors and bold graphic prints will stand out in crowds and photos. Opt for soft cotton blends for all-day comfort. And offer various styles and fits to include both men and women.
One of the top-selling merchandise examples is the sparkle clothes of Nasty Gal. The brand’s online store has a page dedicated to selling festival merch named “Spring Shop” where shoppers can buy mini dresses, bikini sets, boho outfits, graphic tees, etc. By displaying a variety of festival-themed clothes on a single page, Nasty Gal creates a seamless shopping experience for shoppers which will result in high sales.
Image source: Nasty Gal
2. Festival Costumes
Costumes allow fans to fully embrace the experience and express their inner festival persona. Whether it's fun hats, boas, light-up accessories, or themed onesies, costumes create engagement through playful self-expression.
These festival merchandise ideas let creativity run wild. Consider a wide range of pieces like animal ears, brightly colored wigs, tutus, sunglasses with LED lights, inflatable accessories, and more. Costume items should be portable, reusable, and not restrict movement so fans can dance the night away in style.
When selecting costumes, make sure to choose pieces that coordinate with your festival's themes, headliners, or artwork. This could be anything from flower crowns for a forest festival to glow sticks for an EDM event. Keep sizing inclusive and durability in mind for the chaos of the crowds.
Smiffys brings to customers lots of merchandise examples for festival costumes. These costumes are inspired by history, movies, fairytales, video games, anime, etc. Shoppers can easily filter out costumes to select the best-fit one.
Image source: Smiffys
3. Caps and Hats
Caps and hats are festival merchandise ideas that serve both fashion and function for festivals. In the hot sun or rain, branded hats provide valuable protection while also making strong walking advertisements for your event.
Ballcaps and bucket hats are a staple for any merch lineup. Consider structured or flex-fit caps adorned with your logo or artwork. Bucket hats with wide brims shield faces and come printed with colorful designs. Beanies, knit hats, and sun hats expand the options for any weather or style.
Quality is key in these festival merchandise ideas. Opt for breathable, quick-drying materials like cotton and nylon. Adjustable closures ensure one-size-fits-most accessibility. And don't forget to waterproof hats intended for wet weather festivals.
Hats By The Hundred has a collection of merchandise examples for hats. The brand sells festival hats in a wide range of forms, sizes, colors, materials, etc. This is the all-in-one place that you need to visit if you want to purchase a festival hat.
Image source: Hats By The Hundred
4. Sunglasses
No festival goer's outfit is complete without a pair of shades to protect eyes from the sun. Sunglasses let them see in style while representing their favorite events.
Festival ideas for sunglasses come in all shapes and colors to suit any persona. From oversized round frames to cat eyes, choose silhouettes on-trend. Don't forget polarized lenses for true UV protection. Materials like acetate or plastic withstand crowds and weather.
Customization options like colored or mirrored lenses add a unique flair. Engrave logos subtly on arms or legs rather than overwhelming the design. Sunglasses make an impulse purchase that fans will enjoy all season long as a fashionable accessory.
iHeartRaves sell lots of merchandise example for glasses and sunglasses. From LED glasses, fairy wings glasses, and flower glasses to summer sunglasses and adventure sunglasses, shoppers can surely find their favorite glasses that fit with each festival’s vibe.
Image source: iHeartRaves
5. Tote Bags
Tote bags are one of the most practical festival merchandise ideas. Durable and roomy, they provide the perfect way for fans to haul their multi-day essentials in style.
Choose bags made from heavy-duty canvas, nylon, or recycled polyester for resilience through any weather or amount of gear. Decorated totes can hold blankets, clothes, towels, picnic items, and more. Dimension options suit personal items or full camping kits.
Customize totes with large-scale screen prints or embroidery that won't fade over time and washing. Reinforce seams and handles for longevity. Be sure to accommodate optional shoulder straps for comfort during long festival days and nights.
Glastonbury is one of the most popular festivals in England that is held from June 26th to June 30th every year. However, organizers have multiple festival merchandise ideas to sell around the year including clothing, posters, books, bottles, cups, tote bags, etc. Amongst them, tote bags are one of the best-selling items because of their aesthetic design and functionality.
Image source: Glastonbury Festival
6. Reusable Drinkware
With an increased focus on sustainability, reusable drinkware has become one of the must-have festival ideas for merchandise. Fans appreciate being able to stay hydrated while reducing waste.
Stainless steel water bottles, insulated coffee tumblers and can koozies come printed with vibrant artwork. Choose BPA-free plastic or acrylic for lighter options. Durable double-walled vacuums keep drinks hot or cold during long festival days and nights.
Customizable options include sleeve colors, cap styles and carry straps. Etch or silkscreen logos that won't fade over time. Pitch products as eco-friendly festival essentials that can be enjoyed all season.
Survive Your Festival is an online shop that specializes in selling festival merch. It offers a wide range of festival bottles in different sizes, materials, and colors. Moreover, the shop also has a customized service that allows shoppers to print words or small images on the bottle they purchased.
Image source: Survive Your Festival
7. Umbrella
With unpredictable festival weather, a portable umbrella provides valuable protection against rain and sun. Mini foldable umbrellas especially make for eye-catching advertisements as fans wander festival grounds.
Choose compact umbrellas no bigger than 16 inches for optimum portability. Materials like nylon taffeta or polyester repel water well without added weight. Customize with large-scale prints or silkscreen logos that won't fade.
Opt for sturdy yet lightweight construction including fiberglass ribs for resilience against winds. Convenient wrist or handle straps keep umbrellas handy on the move. And don't forget color options to suit every style!
If you are looking for eye-catching festival merchandise examples, let’s take a look at umbrellas from One Stop Rave. The brand brings to customers 17 different umbrellas which are designed by following festival and maximalism style. The most special thing about these umbrellas is they get the reflective effect in the dark.
Image source: One Stop Rave
8. Fans
Folding fans and hand fans make perfect festival accessories to combat the heat. Not only do they keep attendees cool, but they're a subtle yet effective walking advertisement for your event.
Choose durable materials like paper, plastic, or wood for folding fans. Opt for designs that can be easily folded or opened with one hand. Hand fans come in a variety of sizes - mini versions fit easily in pockets while larger styles become a fun prop.
Customize fans with your festival's artwork, lineup, or themes. Vibrant colors and visuals will stand out in the crowd. Be sure prints can withstand heavy use without fading. Consider bundled packages including sunscreen for a practical combo.
One of the standout merchandise examples for fans is from The Rave Cave. This online store focuses on selling folding fans in big sizes with eye-catching graphics on them. As the brand said, keeping these oversized folding fans will make festival goers look cool and stylish any time.
Image source: The Rave Cave
9. Sun Cream/ Sunscreen
With sun protection top of mind, branded sunscreen makes for a practical merchandise option. Festivalgoers will appreciate the UV protection that branded formulas provide.
Choose mineral or chemical sunscreens in travel-sized tubes or spray bottles. SPF 30 or higher offers serious protection for long festival days in the sun. Bundle formulas with complementary items like lip balm and bug spray for a convenient sun safety kit.
Customize packaging with your event's logo and colorful artwork. Focus on natural, eco-friendly ingredients for sensitive skin. Portion kits attractively so fans feel good about the purchase.
Sun safety items are a staple for any festival merchandise lineup. Sun cream can be found in almost all skin care online stores. Let’s take Boots as an example. This marketplace is where you can find all sun cream brands and choose the best products or bundles based on your needs.
Image source: Boots
Last but not least, sun cream and other merchandise ideas like sunglasses and tote bags are not only in high demand during festivals but also are the best summer products to sell in 2024.
Don’t limit their potential only to festival events. Let’s prepare well to boost their sales in this upcoming summer season.
How to Sell Festival Merch Online Well
Choose the Right Festive Merch
When starting your festival ideas, it's important to first research the current market trends to see what styles and products are most popular among fans. Evaluate what is selling out at the biggest events to get an idea of the trends. You'll also want to consider the potential profit margins of different festival ideas for merchandise as you develop your lineup.
Highly personalized merchandise tailored to specific festivals has proven to be very lucrative. For example, designing customizable apparel for iconic events like Coachella, Jazz Fest, and EDC allows you to tap into those built-in fanbases.
A Coachella tee printed with the lineup or a Jazz Fest button-up embroidered with the dates and fleur-de-lis logo gives fans a way to authentically represent their favorite experience.
EDC's popular customized Kandi bracelets are also a big seller, as attendees love trading and gifting mementos of unique set times and artists.
Catering festival merchandise ideas in this way to major festivals is a strategic way to see high profits and demand as fans look to rep their favorite events all year long.
Design A Festival Style
When it comes to selling your festival merch, a well-designed online store is a must. Start by creating an optimized store using a tool like Foxify Smart Page Builder. This will allow you to build a sophisticated, fully functional store without any coding knowledge.
It's important to design your store with a cohesive theme that truly captures the vibes of your festival merchandise ideas. Play around with bright colors, graphics, and fonts that align with each event's aesthetic. Whether it's tropical prints for a beach bash or neon hues for an EDM fest, the design should transport customers straight to the experience.
Foxify makes it easy to customize every aspect of your stores. Utilize its wide selection of templates, one-click editor, and integration features to create a seamless shopping experience. Don't forget to add lifestyle imagery of real fans rocking your looks - this will help potential customers visualize themselves at the festivals.
Image source: Foxify demo
With the right tool like Foxify, you can showcase your entire festive product lines in a professionally designed online space that encourages multiple purchases and keeps the shopping experience as fun and memorable as the festivals themselves!
Launch Marketing Campaigns in Advance
Time your promotions strategically. Start teasing new styles 1-2 months before peak festival season via daily social media posts. This allows excitement and demand to build over time.
Here’s a quick guide on how to craft social media posts for the festival season.
Moreover, you’ll need to craft a comprehensive marketing plan and follow it strictly to maximize the return. Here are a few suggestions on how you can launch your marketing activities:
- Partner with micro-influencers in the festival scene. Send them early access pieces to rock on platforms like Instagram. Their organic posts will extend your reach. Learn how.
- Launch email promotions 1 month out with an exclusive sneak peek sale. Offer 20% off for those who sign up for alerts via Mailchimp or Constant Contact.
- Work with festival playlist curators on Spotify. Sponsor a track in exchange for a merchandise shoutout to new audiences. Here’s how.
- Run Facebook and Instagram ads targeting active communities. Retarget them with reminders as event dates are near to boost sales.
- Reward loyal fans with early discounts to keep engagement high. They'll be your best brand ambassadors as the season kicks off!
Let’s Prepare to Sell Festival Merch From Now
As festival season approaches, now is the perfect time to gear up and prepare your eCommerce business for success. By taking the proactive steps outlined in this guide to prepare your eCommerce business for the festival season, you can attract customers, drive sales, and make a splash in the market for festival merchandise ideas. Get ready to unleash your entrepreneurial spirit and capitalize on the excitement and energy of festivals!
