The best time to show a fan your shirt is while your song is playing. Spotify now lets you sell merch on its own platform, right next to the music, and it connects to Shopify to do it.
If you thought Facebook and Instagram shops were the only option, add Spotify to the list.
Why sell merch on Spotify?
A fan hears the song and can buy the tee with your album art right there. Same listener, second income.
How do you connect Spotify and Shopify?
Spotify built this feature around Shopify, so most of the setup happens there.
- Already on Shopify? Find the Spotify for Artists app in the Shopify App Store and connect it. You can then show up to 250 items from your Shopify store on Spotify. Solo act or band, it keeps all your stores in one place.
- Not selling merch yet? The Shopify Starter Plan is an easy place to begin. If you want more room, the Shopify Basic Plan has a free trial. To skip buying inventory up front, connect Printful, a print-on-demand service, and design and list products without holding stock.
- Choose what fans see. In Spotify for Artists (on the web or iOS), you decide how your merch shows up. You can feature up to three items on your artist profile, tag merch to specific releases, and let Shopify match merch to your music automatically.
- Know what iOS fans see. Fans on iOS can browse everything you’ve listed by tapping “See more” or “Browse all merch.” That store never closes, so keep it stocked and keep it fresh.
When do fans actually click on merch?
Right after a release. Spotify’s Fan Study found that more than 50% of all merch clicks come in the first 24 days after a release. If there’s a limited edition tee, that’s its window.
Most of those clicks come from devoted fans, so sell things that fit the music they’re devoted to. New listeners look too, often right after they find you, so have something up from day one. And stock for the season: vinyl in spring, cozy hoodies in winter.
This week, connect the Spotify for Artists app in Shopify and pick the three items for your profile. If a release is coming, have the limited tee ready for those first 24 days.
