Merch for indie artists

Why merch matters

For a lot of independent artists, merch is the money that actually shows up. A fan who buys a tee at the gig pays you more in one tap than months of streams, and then wears your name around Brisbane for free.

It's also the easiest place to lose money. A box of 100 shirts in the wrong size, in a colour nobody wanted, sitting under your bed for three years. We've seen it. This guide is here so that doesn't happen to you.

General information only, not legal, tax or financial advice. Prices below are quotes we checked in October 2026 and will move, so always get your own.

Print-on-demand vs ordering stock

Print-on-demand (POD) means a company prints each item only when a fan orders it, then ships it straight to them. You pay nothing upfront, carry no stock, and never guess sizes. The trade-off is a higher cost per item, so your margin (what you keep after costs) is thinner, and you can't sell POD items at a gig because there's nothing in your hands.

Ordering stock means you pay a printer to make a batch, usually with screen printing (ink pushed through a stencil, cheap per shirt at volume but with a setup fee per colour) or digital printing (printed straight on the garment, no screens, better for small runs and full-colour art). You pay upfront and carry the risk, but the cost per item drops, and you have stock to sell at shows.

• Use POD when: you're testing designs, selling mostly online, or you don't play live often yet.
• Order stock when: you're gigging regularly, you know roughly what sells, and you can afford to wait to get your money back.
• Do both: keep one or two proven designs in stock for gigs and put the rest on POD.

What stock really costs: real A$ quotes

Here are real numbers we checked. One Australian merch supplier lists the AS Colour Staple Tee (a common blank) at A$13.60 each undecorated, excluding GST, with a 20-unit minimum, plus A$59.95 setup per print location. Their one-colour print price starts at A$5.88 per unit and goes up from there depending on quantity ^[1].

A different Australian printer's 2026 guide gives all-in screen-print ranges for a one to three colour print in one location: A$15 to A$25 per shirt for 25 to 49 shirts, A$10 to A$16 for 50 to 99, and A$8 to A$12 for 100 to 249. It puts setup at A$50 to A$80 per colour, and digital (DTG) printing at about A$12 to A$18 per shirt with no screen setup ^[2]. These are one business's estimates, not a market rate, so treat them as a sanity check for the quotes you get.

Worked example: 50 tees for gigs

Let's use the first supplier's numbers above ^[1] and keep it simple: 50 tees, one colour, one print location, and you're not registered for GST.

1. Blanks: 50 x A$13.60 = A$680.00.
2. Print: 50 x A$5.88 = A$294.00 (the lowest listed one-colour price; your quote may be higher).
3. Setup: A$59.95. Subtotal A$1,033.95 ex GST.
4. Add 10% GST you can't claim back: about A$1,137.35, or A$22.75 a shirt.
5. Sell at A$40. Card fees at 1.6% in person on one common reader ^[6] are about A$0.64 a sale, so you keep about A$39.36 per tee.
6. Break-even (when you've paid back the order) is 29 tees. Sell all 50 and you're about A$830 ahead. Sell 20 and you're still about A$350 behind, with 30 shirts in a box.

Print-on-demand: how to check the maths

POD platforms each publish a base price per product, and many print overseas, so shipping time and cost to Australia vary a lot. We couldn't confirm a single reliable A$ base price to quote you, so do this check yourself before you pick one.

The formula is the same for any provider: your sale price, minus the provider's base price, minus any shipping you absorb, minus payment and platform fees, equals what you keep. As an illustration only: a A$45 tee with a A$32 base price and free shipping you cover at A$9 leaves you A$4 before fees. Charge shipping to the fan instead and you keep about A$13. Small differences in base price and shipping decide whether POD is worth it.

• Order a sample to yourself first. Check print quality, sizing and how long it took to arrive.
• Check where it ships from. Long international shipping times mean more 'where's my order?' messages.
• Read the returns policy. You still have obligations to your customers under Australian Consumer Law (see below).

How to price merch

This is our opinion, from selling a lot of tees: price for the fan you have, not the fan you wish you had. A good starting point for stock is to aim for at least double your real cost per item, then check it against what similar-sized local acts charge.

Round numbers sell faster at a gig. A$40 is easier than A$37.50 when someone's tapping a card at 11pm. Bundles work: a tee and a sticker, or a tee and a download code, for a little more than the tee alone.

If a venue takes a cut of merch sales, know before the night. Music Victoria suggests asking in advance, and making sure the venue provides a seller and a well-lit table if they take a cut ^[3]. Build that cut into your price.

• Tees: price so you clear at least double your real cost.
• Stickers and badges: cheap to make, great add-ons at the merch desk.
• Hoodies: higher cost and higher risk. Order small runs or use POD.
• Physical music (CD, vinyl, cassette): high upfront cost, so pre-sell if you can.

GST basics

GST is the 10% tax on most goods and services. You must register for GST once your GST turnover reaches A$75,000 ^[4]. Turnover means total business income, not profit, and you must register if either your current turnover (this month plus the past 11) or projected turnover (this month plus the next 11) hits the threshold ^[4].

You have 21 days to register once you exceed the threshold, and you need an ABN first ^[4]. You can also register voluntarily, but you generally have to stay registered for at least 12 months ^[4]. If you register late, you may owe GST on past sales even if you didn't charge it ^[4].

Most new artists won't be near A$75,000. But remember turnover includes all your business income, not just merch. If you're getting close, talk to a registered tax agent.

Australian Consumer Law: what you owe your fans

When you sell merch, you're a business selling to consumers, and consumer guarantees apply automatically. Goods must be of acceptable quality, match the description you gave, and be fit for any purpose you promised ^[5]. You can't remove these rights with a 'no refunds' sign ^[5][7].

If something has a major problem, such as a print that peels off after one wash or a hoodie that's very different from the photo, the customer can choose a refund or a replacement ^[8]. For a minor problem, you can fix it for free ^[8].

Change of mind is different. If someone got exactly what they ordered and changed their mind, they aren't entitled to a refund under the consumer guarantees. But if you have a change-of-mind policy, you must stick to it ^[8]. Wrong size is usually a change-of-mind situation, so a clear size chart saves a lot of messages.

• Use photos that show the real product and colour.
• Publish a size chart and your returns policy on your store.
• Never put up a 'no refunds' sign at the merch desk ^[5].
• If you're using POD, check the provider's process for faulty prints. The customer will still come to you.

Selling at gigs: card readers and the merch desk

Most people don't carry cash anymore. A card reader that connects to your phone is a must. As one example, Square lists an in-person fee of 1.6% per transaction for sellers who signed up on or after 30 May 2024, and 2.2% for online and manually keyed payments ^[6]. Compare a few providers and read the fees page before you buy hardware.

Music Victoria suggests asking the venue about EFTPOS and organising a cash float if you need one ^[3].

1. Charge the reader and your phone. Bring a power bank.
2. Test a A$1 payment before doors.
3. Make a big, readable price list. Prices on the wall, not in your head.
4. Lay out every size so people can see what's left.
5. Have a friend run the desk while you play, and stand there yourself after your set. Fans want to say hi.

Copyright and your designs

In Australia, copyright protection is free and automatic once the work is documented. You don't register it ^[9]. Your logo and artwork can be protected by copyright, and a logo can also be registered as a trade mark with IP Australia, which, unlike copyright, needs registration and a fee ^[9][10].

If you pay a designer, they usually keep the copyright unless they assign it to you, and an assignment only works if it's in writing and signed ^[10]. Get a simple written agreement for every design you commission.

Don't put other people's work on your merch without permission. Copying a logo, a character, a photo or a recognisable part of one will usually infringe, and changing a small percentage doesn't make it okay ^[10].

Using AI image tools for merch art? Check the tool's terms for commercial use, avoid prompting for other artists' styles or characters, and be upfront with your fans that the art is AI-assisted. Honest labelling, same as the music.

Common mistakes

• Ordering 100 shirts for the first run because the per-shirt price looked better.
• Too many XLs, not enough smalls. Ask your fans what they wear before you order.
• Forgetting the 10% GST on quotes when you're not registered.
• No card reader, or a flat battery.
• Using a design you didn't clear or didn't get in writing.
• A 'no refunds' sign ^[5].

Questions people ask

Sources

General information, not legal or financial advice. Last checked 2026-10-26.

Keep reading