Ninety-seven percent of fans want custom merch when they go to live events. But 63% of fans walk away from merch purchases because of long queues and out-of-stock items, new research reveals.
The study by digital identification specialist Avery Dennison revealed that 52% of fans are willing to pay upwards of $15 (£11) more for personalisation of custom merch during a live event. However, only 20% of fans would queue for longer than 20 minutes for merch to be customised during an event.
According to Avery Dennison, digital solutions are being introduced to streamline the ordering process and enhance the fan experience at live events, including its product Custom Studio.
Custom Studio’s self-service ordering kiosks allow fans to browse, personalise and order merchandise in minutes. This is “drastically reducing” queue times. Embelex, Avery Dennison’s apparel embellishment platform is powering this customisation ecosystem.
“Every minute in line cools the emotional pull that drives impulse purchases in the first place,” said Sergio Shmilovitch, VP/GM Embelex, Avery Dennison. “Poor inventory management magnifies the situation, as too often a fan reaches the front of a line only to find their size or player name unavailable. The result is an abandoned sale and a disappointing experience. Custom Studio was designed to eliminate this friction.”
RFID-enabled inventory system
Integrated into Custom Studio solution is Clear Count. This is Avery Dennison’s RFID-enabled inventory system, which helps operators optimise inventory flow to reduce waste and drive increased profitability. “RFID tags on stock packs make component inventory checks almost instant, helping ensure fans aren’t disappointed with non-availability of names and numbers on the day. Real-time stock visibility also helps reduce the need to hold excess components and minimises the risk of unused inventory.”
The company reports that for the San Francisco 49ers, self-service kiosks and streamlined printing cut production times by more than 55%. For the Dallas Cowboys Clear Count integration saved 912 hours of labour annually.
“Fans want to express themselves through custom merchandise. They are prepared to pay more for personalised keepsakes that take them back to a moment, game or experience. But speed and availability decide whether that sale actually happens,” said Sergio. “Custom Studio puts co-creation in the fan’s hands and real-time inventory control in the operator’s. It means clubs, brands and retailers stop losing sales they should be winning.”
The study surveyed 1,400 people across the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Benelux, Italy, Spain and Portugal. The findings are published in a free-to-download white paper – ‘From the Stands to the Store: Unlocking Untapped Revenue in Live Event Retail‘.
Visit the Avery Dennison website
