PMApub / Academy lessons / Module 7

Setting Up E-Commerce and Merchandise Stores

By PMApub Academy · Last reviewed 2026-10-13 · About 6 min read

Choose products your audience will actually want

Start small. Two or three well-chosen items beat a catalog of twenty that nobody asked for. Think about what your fans already do at shows or in comments.

• Music formats: CDs and vinyl suit listeners who like owning a physical copy. Some genres have especially strong collector interest.
• Apparel: T-shirts and hoodies with your logo or artwork are the usual starting point.
• Small items: stickers, patches, or posters are inexpensive to produce and easy to ship.

Maya asked her followers to vote between two shirt designs before ordering anything. That small step told her what to make before she spent any money.

Print-on-demand or held inventory

This is the biggest early decision, and each approach has tradeoffs.

Many new artists start with print-on-demand to test designs, then move proven best-sellers to a small printed run. Order a sample of any product before you sell it so you know exactly what customers will receive.

Prepare your design files

Your lesson workflow involves uploading design files, so prepare them carefully. Ask your print partner or supplier for their current file requirements, since size, resolution, and format needs differ between products and providers.

• Keep your original artwork in a high-resolution format and save a copy of every final version.
• Make sure you own or have permission to use every image, font, and logo in the design.
• Preview how the design looks on each product and color before publishing.

Do not use artwork, samples, or brand logos you do not have rights to. If you hired an illustrator, confirm in writing that you may use their work on merchandise.

Price with your real costs in mind

Pricing is simple arithmetic that many artists skip. List every cost for one item: production or base cost, packaging, shipping you will absorb, payment processing fees, and any platform fees. Subtract the total from your selling price to see your actual profit per sale.

Check current fee schedules with your payment processor and print provider, because they change. Then compare your price with similar items from artists at your level. Aim for a price that feels fair to the fan and leaves you a margin you can reinvest.

Consider offering a bundle, such as a digital album plus a shirt, since bundles can raise the order value without much extra effort.

Connect payments and test the checkout

The ReleaseReady workflow uses Stripe as the payment processor for capturing merch sales directly on your landing pages. Connecting it usually involves creating or linking a Stripe account and verifying your identity and business details. Follow Stripe's current instructions for this, as requirements vary by country.

Once connected, place a test purchase from start to finish. Check that the confirmation message makes sense, the order appears where you expect it, and you receive notice of the sale. Also publish clear policies for shipping times, returns, and contact details so buyers know what to expect.

Income from sales may be taxable, and sales tax or VAT rules can apply depending on where you and your buyers live. Speak with a qualified accountant about your situation.

Launch, ship, and keep customers happy

Announce your store to your email list first, since those fans are the most likely buyers, then share it on social channels. Tie the launch to a release or a show so people have a reason to buy now.

Fulfil orders promptly and communicate if something is delayed. A handwritten note or an extra sticker costs little and encourages repeat buyers. Review your sales monthly, retire items that do not sell, and expand only on what your fans clearly want. The Exit Strategy and Legacy Planning template attached to this lesson is a good prompt for thinking about the long-term value of your catalog and brand, including merchandise.

For labels, managers, and teams

A label with several artists needs a merchandise system, not a collection of separate shops. Start by choosing who is the seller of record: the label, the artist, or a shared entity. That decision affects who receives payment, who is responsible for refunds, and where sales tax and income tax obligations land. Get it settled with an accountant before the first order, not after.

Put merchandise terms in each artist agreement. Cover how revenue is split after costs, which costs come off the top, who approves designs, who owns the artwork, and how long the label may sell the items. If a designer or illustrator creates artwork, get a written license or assignment from them as well.

Budget per product, not per store. For each item, record base cost, shipping subsidy, payment fees, and the share owed to the artist. Review a simple sales sheet monthly and retire slow items. Reconcile payments against orders so every artist statement matches the numbers in your payment dashboard.

Delegate routine work. One person can handle fulfillment and customer messages, another can check design files and samples. Keep written shipping and returns policies consistent across the roster.

Compliance matters at scale. Sales tax can apply depending on where you and your buyers are located, and the rules change, so consult a tax professional. Payments to artists or contractors may bring reporting duties, and the IRS publishes guidance on how workers are classified.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Ordering a large inventory run before testing demand with a pre-vote or a small batch.
• Selling an item without ordering a sample first.
• Using artwork, fonts, photos, or logos without written permission.
• Setting prices without counting packaging, shipping, and payment fees.
• Skipping a test purchase before announcing the store.
• Leaving shipping times, returns, and contact details unclear.
• Assuming merchandise income and sales tax are not your concern because the store is small.
• Launching without a reason to buy now, such as a release or show.

Action checklist

1. Survey or poll fans to pick two or three products.
2. Decide between print-on-demand and a small inventory run.
3. Confirm you own or have written permission for every design element.
4. Check the supplier's current file requirements and prepare your artwork.
5. Order and inspect a sample of each product.
6. Work out cost, fees, and profit per item before setting a price.
7. Connect your payment account and complete the identity steps it requires.
8. Place a full test purchase and review the confirmation and order record.
9. Publish shipping, returns, and contact policies.
10. Review sales monthly and retire items that do not sell.

Key terms

• Print-on-demand: A model in which an item is produced and shipped only after a customer orders it.
• Held inventory: Products you pay for in advance, store, and ship yourself.
• Base cost: What the supplier charges to make one item before shipping, packaging, or fees.
• Profit per item: Selling price minus all costs attributable to that sale.
• Margin: Profit expressed as a share of the selling price.
• Payment processor: A service that accepts card payments on your behalf and sends the proceeds to your account.
• Stripe: The payment processor used in the ReleaseReady workflow to capture merchandise sales on landing pages.
• Test purchase: A trial order you place yourself to confirm checkout, confirmation, and notifications work.
• Sales tax: A tax collected on certain sales; rules depend on where the seller and buyer are located.
• Bundle: Two or more items sold together, such as a digital album and a shirt.
• Seller of record: The legal entity that sells the goods and is responsible for the transaction.