Musical artists are increasingly using “pop-up” shops to generate promotional buzz and to sell limited edition branded merchandise to fans, often at eye-popping prices.

The trend, documented in this interesting article from Glossy, represents a potential opportunity for promotional products distributors.

Increasingly, artists are using pop-ups to sell exclusive merchandise that fans can only get if they visit these locations, typically hosted in major cities like New York City and London https://t.co/l2m33KXD0S

— Glossy (@glossyco) June 26, 2019

As Glossy senior reporter Katie Richards explains, Billie Eilish, Justin Timberlake, Shawn Mendes and Playboi Carti are among the top artists to sell exclusive merchandise that fans can only get if they visit the limited time pop-up locations. Often, the sites are in major cities – think New York, London and Los Angeles. Relatedly, Glossy reports, musical acts are launching their own apparel lines and engaging in swag collaborations with other brands – all part of the rise in sales of promotional products in the music world, as Counselor has similarly documented.

“There’s so much more access now — so many more opportunities to private-label or collaborate on goods. Having a pop-up with branded merch is no longer a difficult thing to do,” Syama Meagher, owner and chief retail strategist at Scaling Retail, told Glossy. “People in the industry are looking to find a way to be more than just music to their customers, and they are looking to take a piece of that market.”

And, they’re charging a pretty penny. In one of the examples Richards reports, Justin Timberlake had a pop-up shop last February to help hype his “Man of the Woods” album. He charged $85 for hoodies, $300 for Pendleton blankets, and $200 for Nike Air Jordan sneakers.

For in-depth insights, check out the full Glossy article.