Me
Back
— ·

🎸 Free E-Commerce Consulting for Musicians: Finding the Right Shop Strategy

Many musicians eventually ask themselves: How do I build my own merchandise shop? And more importantly – which strategy fits my budget, my fanbase, and my long-term vision?

As part of a free consulting service, I worked with a musician to explore exactly this. The goal: to make a well-founded, strategic decision that takes into account time, resources, and vision – without wasting energy on costly missteps.

Behind the Scenes

Artists today often walk a tightrope between creative passion and economic pressure. From marketing and merch to logistics and legal challenges – it’s a lot.

This free consultation was not only meant to provide real help, but also confidence and direction. Together, we went through a structured process:

The Consulting Phases:

  • Initial Talk & Needs Analysis: Understanding goals, current status & challenges
  • Strategy Development: Based on short- and long-term plans
  • Actionable Tips: From social media to shop systems to merch ideas
  • Follow-up Planning: What’s next and what tools are needed?

Step 1: Asking the Right Questions – Our Questionnaire

A core element of the consultation was a structured questionnaire, serving as a compass for developing the shop strategy:

Questionnaire:

  1. What’s your main goal for the online shop?
    → Revenue

  2. Where do you see yourself in 2–3 years?
    → Scaling planned starting 2026/27

  3. How big and active is your current fanbase online?
    → We still need the numbers (followers, tour visitors, etc.)

  4. What products do you plan to sell – and what does your audience expect?
    → Tickets, merch, music (vinyl/CDs), possibly NFTs

  5. How much time and internal know-how can you invest?
    → Prefer outsourcing

  6. What’s your budget for setup, operations & maintenance?
    → Needs to be calculated in detail

  7. Do you already have merch or are you starting from scratch?
    → Only T-shirts available so far

  8. Any experience with e-commerce platforms?
    → Not specified

  9. How important is design & tech control over the shop?
    → Not important

  10. What matters more: High profit margins or low effort?
    → Low effort > margin

Step 2: The Four Shop Options at a Glance

Based on the answers, we identified four realistic shop strategies – each with its pros and cons:

Option 1: Shopify – The Quick Start

  • Low entry cost (from €27/month)
  • No coding skills needed, lots of templates & apps
  • Transaction & extension fees
  • Good ROI with existing fanbase (e.g., Instagram shop)
  • Shipping, storage & returns must be handled manually

Best for: Artists with limited budget, minimal tech knowledge, and an existing fanbase
Use case: Quick go-to-market, MVP testing, DIY spirit

Option 2: Custom-Built Shop – The Pro Setup

  • High initial cost (€10,000+), plus maintenance
  • Full control & scalability
  • Requires dev skills or agency
  • Long-term ROI possible with growth
  • Logistics must be handled manually

Best for: Artists with higher budget, brand vision & growth plan
Use case: Full independence, tailored user experience

Option 3: All-in-One Provider – Minimal Effort

  • 📦 End-to-end: Design, production, storage, shipping
  • 🖨️ Print-on-demand = no stock risk
  • 💸 Lower margins due to platform fees
  • 🧘 Great if time & skills are limited
  • 🔁 Examples: Printful, Shirtee, etc.

Best for: Artists with little time & desire to outsource
Use case: Easy launch, side project, low-stress setup

Option 4: Hybrid Strategy – The Best of Both Worlds

  • Start with Shopify for fast entry
  • Migrate to a custom shop later
  • Investment spread over 2–3 years (€4,000–10,000)
  • Mix of short-term ROI & long-term control

Best for: Artists planning to scale over time
Use case: Test first, grow later – flexible and smart

Key Insights from the Consultation

What we learned: There is no one-size-fits-all solution – only the right one for your context.

Our Takeaways:

  • Custom beats cookie-cutter
  • Actionable advice is what counts
  • Networks matter: Collaboration creates momentum

Conclusion: Strategy Starts with the Right Questions

Whether it’s Shopify for a quick start, an all-in-one platform for ease, or a long-term custom solution – the right choice is the one aligned with your goals, your time, and your fanbase.