Who needs real people when you’ve got machines doing all the hard work for you?
If you’re a traveling artist or a band, taking merchandise with you on the road is definitely a lot of hard work. You’ll have to load box after box of your merchandise so you’re able to make a clean sale once you’re done playing. However, a new company aims to streamline the merchandising process.
Founded by Natalie and Sarina, both of whom have 10 years’ experience touring under their belts, the Merch Roadie brings merchandising to your next trip, with a machine that looks pretty easy to set-up. The product description reads,
“The Merch Roadie brings ease and automation to live event merchandise. Use The Merch Roadie as a primary or additional location to scale merch sales. When you bring your Merch Roadie on tour or use one at a partner venue, no longer do you need to worry about hiring a seller, advancing, settling, paying out the venue or handling customer disputes. We handle it for you, included with the Merch Roadie.”
Sounds simple enough, right? On their website, the company describes how you can use the service. You can use it as a cost-effective primary merch location, or add it as a second location. If you’re on tour, you can take it with you at all of your stops. Venues can use it for incoming artists. The website even says advancing, settlements, payouts, and promotional marketing support are included in the service.
So, what are the benefits? Apparently, it’s 100% transportable. It can cut your tour overhead, analyze sales data as well as capture fan e-mails. There isn’t any human error involved, and it works only with credit cards. Plus, you’ll have access to live security footage. You can take a look at the clip below and judge for yourself.
Wow.
Transportable by what? Rail? It’s at last 6 feet tall and half that wide. Loaded it has to weigh several hundred pounds. At least no one can steal it. But I can’t see it going into the van with the drums and amps. You’d need several to accommodate merch demands at the arena level, which changes the ROI significantly. Interesting idea but can’t see it being practical for touring. Fixed installation in venues is another story.