The ability to accept credit and debit cards at you merchandise table can greatly in-
crease your revenue. Many people carry little, if any, cash these days. Plastic is just an
easier and often safer option. In addition, with plastic, people tend to be a little more im-
pulsive and not think as much about costs as they do with cash.
Getting set up with Paypal is easy and pretty straight-forward. If your band or act is
“officially” a business, a corporation, Sub-Chapter S or LLC, for example, and it has a
bank account in the band’s name, get set up with a Paypal Business account and also get
verified by Paypal. Verification increases Paypal’s security and also enhances the tie be-
tween your bank account and Paypal. It also gives you additional information about your
customers. Verification also aids in building trust on the customer/fan end.
Promoting and Manning the Merch Table and Bean Counting
Have everybody working the table wear a band shirt. That should be a no-brainer, but it’s
often overlooked. If you’re blessed with roadies, or just some friends helping out with set
up and tear down, have them wear your shirts, too.
Have a cashbox at the table with real cash in it. You’re going to need to make change.
Have an e-newsletter signup sheet and ensure you can read the addresses. If possible, get
them into a laptop or tablet as quickly as possible. Ask the fan to verify the address, as in,
“Is that [email protected]?” Have a poster, or other display item, with a sample of your
e-newsletter and some compelling points why fans should sign up. A quality printout and
decent color copies of a sample newsletter can do the trick, as well. Those points might
be show dates, merchandise specials for subscribers, band news and the likes. A poster
might simply be an oversized printout from an office supply store that’s mounted to