Preparing a merchandise inventory before touring is an important step in running a professional and financially successful tour. For many early career artists, merchandise sales can be one of the most reliable income streams on the road. Having a clear inventory ensures you know exactly what stock you have, how much you can sell, and when you may need to reorder items. An organised inventory also helps prevent lost stock, cash discrepancies, or missed sales opportunities.

The final data can also share interesting fan behaviour geographically, provide clarity on what your fans desire and connect with, and how much merch you should take on the next tour.

When creating a merchandise inventory for a tour, you want to track enough information to understand what you have, what you’ve sold, and how much money you’re making. A good inventory makes end-of-tour accounting much easier.

Here are the key things you should track:

Item details

• Item name (e.g. Tour T-Shirt, Vinyl, Poster)
• Item category (clothing, physical music, accessories)
• Design or variation (eg. a tour shirt in blue or in yellow)
• Size variations (for clothing: S, M, L, XL etc.)

Stock levels

• Starting quantity (how many items you have at the start of the tour)
• Quantity sold per show
• Quantity remaining
• Damaged / lost or giveaway items

Pricing & costs

• Retail sale price
• Production cost per item
• Potential profit per item

Sales tracking

• Total sales per show
• Sales per head (an average of spend per ticket buyer)
• Cash sales
• Card / digital sales
• Online sales (if applicable)

Tour financial summary

• Total items sold per show
• Total revenue per show
• Total revenue for the tour
• Total stock remaining at end of tour

Download the template below to get started.