E-commerce 101 for Musicians

The world of e-commerce can be a confusing one for independent musicians. With brands like Shopify and SquareSpace to research and terms like drop shipping to learn, it’s tough to just get started, let alone have success.

That’s why we’re here to give you a crash course in e-commerce. We’ll cover platform options, things to be aware of when getting started and even some merch ideas. But first, let’s answer the basic question…

What is e-commerce?

E-commerce is any arrangement of the buying and selling of goods on the Internet as opposed to in real life such as at a store. When you buy something on Amazon, you’re using e-commerce. Pretty simple!

So how can you the independent musicians use e-commerce to sell your music and merch? And what options do you have?

Which e-commerce platform should I use?

Bandzoogle: CD Baby’s partner for artist website hosting. Bandzoogle has an integrated merch store, so no need to use another platform if you’re hosting your artist site through Bandzoogle. They’re also commission free and they integrates with the print on demand service Printful. CD Baby artists get two free Standard album submissions per year with an annual plan.

Shopify: This is the current number one e-commerce platform. Shopify integrates with your artist website and social media profiles Facebook and Instagram.

Bandcamp: If you’re already selling your digital downloads on Bandcamp, you can add physical products as well. CDs, shirts, you name it, you can sell it on Bandcamp.

How do I choose an e-commerce platform?

There are three things to consider when choosing an e-commerce platform

Cost: This is the big one. Times are tight right now and you don’t want to pay for something that offers more than you need. Which leads to…

Needs: How much merch are you selling currently? Do you need an on-demand printing service? Are you just starting out and only have a few items to sell?

Outsourcing: There’s a middle ground between going to the post office all the time and using a dedicated shipping service. A service like Print Station can print shipping labels at home and find you the cheapest shipping method.

Things to be aware of when shipping your merch

1. Shipping rates

Understand where your fans are. Lean towards the high side for shipping rates and you can always set a discount later.

2. How you package your product

Consider slimmer options for CDs to lighten the package and lower shipping costs.

3. Volume

How much merch are fans ordering? Set aside time each week to ship orders. Think about printing on-demand instead of in bulk if your volume is lower.

4. What kind of products you’re selling

If you offer unique merch some places won’t sell them and you’ll have to sell and ship it yourself.

5. Think about popularity of items

If you have a few shirts that sell a lot, it could be worth it to print a lot of those and ship them on your own. You can print in bulk for cheaper and ship lots of packages from one trip to the post office.

DIY merch ideas

Are you ready to sell some merch online but not sure where to start?

Here are some merch ideas for indie musicians:

CDs: Yes, people still buy CDs! And they’re high margin items, which means they cost little to make and you can charge $10 or more for each. Personalize them to incentive people to buy them. Eco options instead of normal jewel cases make it even cheaper.
Think outside the box: Everyone sells shirts. Make merch that is unique. Personalized notes or signed drum heads. Even one of a kind items.
Limited merch: Only make a certain amount of an item to entice people to buy something limited edition.
Make videos for your merch: “How it’s made” showing you making your merch. Unboxing videos of you opening one of them.
Look local: There might be a merch shop in your area. A place that prints shirts near you that you can visit and check out their quality. Lower shipping to you too.
Buttons: Super cheap and you can do a set for people to order multiple different buttons. Pure Buttons is a great option.
Factor the form factor: Books are easy to package but can be expensive by weight. Posters are annoying due to the tubes they ship in.
Digital merch: PDF booklets instead of physical books. Use them for lyrics or liner notes or extra art so people who don’t want the CD can still access extras. Tab books for people to learn your songs. Easy to host on your website and cheap. Sell your full digital discography in one zip file so new fans can access your entire catalog for one price.

Tips for selling merch

And finally, a few tips for selling your merch online:

Don’t be afraid to actively sell: Advertise your merch on your social profiles and in your emails.
Follow up with people: Use a site’s “abandon cart” messaging. Track people who add your items to their cart and don’t check out.
Sweeten the experience: Use cool packaging. Put bonus things like stickers in the package with the merch your fans have bought. If it’s a surprise and their experience is good, they might want to buy more from you.
Keep notes on who’s bought what: If you offer an item you have too much of at a discount, make sure you don’t send the email for that offer to someone who already bought it at full price.
How to move items that aren’t selling: Tell your fans you’re putting items on sale. “Everything must go!” Fans know you’re offering them a deal.
Lead with your story: Provide your fans some value so they buy into your brand.
Experiment with price: Don’t be afraid to lower or raise price based on what’s selling.