SoundCloud launched a merch marketplace called SoundCloud Store that will allow artists to sell their own designs and fan merch. The first edition of the store features designs from Wiz Khalifa, Denzel Curry, wolfacejoeyy, Bktherula, Armani White, and other people I've never heard of before.
Here's how it works:
- The artist submits a design.
- Soundcloud creates mock-ups for them.
- SoundCloud produces the goods for the artist and lists the items on the SoundCloud store.
- From there SoundCloud handles fan engagement and social promotion for the merch.
- The service currently does not take any fee from the artists and passes on 100% of the profits from sales.
That is definitely different than how I thought the store would operate when I read the headline.
Given how SoundCloud caters to independent artists, I assumed that the merch store would be independently operated by the artists themselves. In other words, I figured the artists could simply upload their designs and launch their stores in minutes.
However to start, it appears that SoundCloud is catering towards larger artists on its platform and controlling more of the design and output process. I think this is a smart move, as it creates a better designed and more curated store, and subsequently a better first impression for first time shoppers, as opposed to creating a POD mega-store filled with low resolution crappy designs from music artists who don't know the first thing about putting out a t-shirt design.
Perhaps SoundCloud will open the platform for artists to DIY their designs in the future, but for now, I like the approach.
The new merch store will open to fans in the US, Canada and Europe at launch.