THE PROBLEM

Traditional merch is broken for independent artists.

You front hundreds of dollars to print boxes of shirts that live in your car, you drag them to every show, and when the tour’s over you’re stuck with a garage full of unsold medium-sized hoodies. The hustle is real, but the math almost never works out. Many people view merch as an advertising expense. If they don’t make a profit, at least they’re getting their branding out there.

We built VertMerch because that model is overdue for an overhaul.

We feel that merch sales should generate income for artists right away. Not maybe someday down the road. VertMerch allows you to start selling custom merch to your fans with no upfront costs. Every sale is pure profit from day one.

HOW IT WORKS

Your merch campaign, handled in five phases.

Phase 1: Creative Definition

We sit down with you (or your team) to nail the look. Bring your own art or let us build something from scratch. Either way, we make sure the design is ready to sell before a single item is produced.

Phase 2: Digital Integration

Your store goes live with 3D product mockups, a Shopify-backed storefront, and tracking links so you can see exactly where every sale comes from.

Phase 3: Offline-to-Online (O2O) Prep

We print custom venue cards, QR code banners, and display stands — everything you need to turn your next show into a buying moment for fans.

Phase 4: Multi-Channel Live Launch

Your QR codes go up at the venue. Your merch links hit your social. If you’re streaming through Nexus Events, overlays put your store directly in front of your livestream audience.

Phase 5: On-Demand Fulfillment

A fan buys. We produce, pack, and ship the order direct to your fans usually within 2 - 4 business days. Some orders can ship as soon as the next day. You never touch the inventory.

MEMBERSHIP TIERS

Four ways to sell. Pick what fits your stage.

VertMerch is built for artists at every level, from your first drop to full-time touring operations. Start free, upgrade as you grow. Each tier unlocks more design slots, more products, and increasingly hands-on creative support.

THE ECONOMICS

Transparent payouts. No surprises.

Here’s how the math works on a standard $25 tee (production cost: $10):

The formula is simple and scales with your tier: Your Payout = (Retail Price − Production Cost) × (Your Tier’s Artist Split %)

You set the retail price. You always know exactly what you’re earning before fans buy.

The math pays for itself fast: Sell just 15 tees on the Engage tier and you’ve covered your annual subscription. Everything after that is profit.

THE SCAN-TO-BUY DIFFERENCE

No merch table lines. No cash handling. No inventory to babysit.

Most artists treat merch as an afterthought — a folding table in the corner that gets set up 20 minutes before doors open and packed away before the encore.

VertMerch flips that completely.

We provide you with high-quality, custom physical signs and QR code display stands to place around your venue — at the entrance, near the stage, at the bar, on the seat backs. Fans scan with their phone, pick their size, check out in under two minutes, and your merch ships home.

We turn your entire venue into a decentralized cash register.

No merch runner. No change to make. No leftover boxes to load back into the van. Every show becomes a sales channel, and every fan becomes a buyer the moment they decide they want to.

GROW AS YOU GO

Every tier is built for where you are right now.

Start free on Connect and test the waters. As you sell more and your designs evolve, upgrade to unlock more creative freedom, higher payouts, and hands-on design support from our team.

The best part? Your upgrade cost pays for itself in just a few sales. A $60/year Engage membership breaks even after selling just 13–14 tees. Premier pays for itself in 17 sales. By the time you’re at VM Pro, you’re keeping 70% of every dollar — that’s the industry’s best artist payout, period.

No contract. No penalties. Upgrade or downgrade whenever your needs change.

VERTMERCH MONDAYS

High urgency. 48 hours. Maximum FOMO.

VertMerch Mondays are limited-window drops. 48 -hour campaigns that open Monday and close Tuesday night.

Why it works: scarcity is real. Fans who know an item disappears by Tuesday night actually buy it Monday. No “I’ll grab one next time.” No next time.

It’s a proven drop format designed to spike demand, move units fast, and keep your audience checking in regularly for what’s next.

Not sure? Start free on Connect and upgrade whenever you’re ready. No commitment.

Your next show is already a merch opportunity. Let’s make sure you’re ready for it.