Ask fans what they’ll do first when the doors open and a lot of them will say the same thing: get to the merch before it sells out. Exclusive items, limited runs and event-only designs turn the stand into the busiest place in the building at exactly the moment everything else is busy too.
Staff it for the busiest hour
Square Enix expected most fans at the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival to head straight for the merchandise stand when doors opened. So it got the biggest single team in the building: 29 people. In the final fortnight the client asked us to grow it again, and we did.
- 29on the merch team at ExCeL
- 20helped build the stand
- 6,000fans through the doors
Twenty of our team also spent the Thursday before the show helping the client build the stand. That’s worth doing if you can: people who built the shelves know where every size is.
Choose leads who can manage stock and cash
A merch team needs leads who can run a till, a queue and a stockroom at the same time. At the Apex Legends Global Series Split 2 Playoffs at the Copper Box Arena, our merch team was two team leaders and seven staff. In Birmingham for the Year 3 Championship it was two leads and three assistants. The ratio matters more than the size: someone has to own stock counts at open and close, and someone has to be free to restock without leaving a till short.
People who built the shelves know where every size is.
Plan the queue outside the stand
At arena events, fans queue for merch from the morning, often outside. Agree where that queue goes, who manages it and how it’s cut off when something sells out. Fans should know what’s left long before they reach the front, so post sold-out sizes along the queue as soon as they happen.
Know what you’re selling
Fans ask about the designs: which character, which event, whether it’ll be online later. Staff who know the game sell more and answer questions with confidence. Brief the range like a product: what’s exclusive, what’s limited, sizing, payment methods, and the returns answer.
Checklist
- Team sized for the opening rush
- Leads who can manage stock and cash, and reorder
- A planned queue outside the stand
- A brief on the designs and characters
- Help with the stand build if you need it
Common questions
How big should the merch team be?
Big enough for the rush. At the Final Fantasy XIV Fan Festival 29 people worked merch, the biggest team in the building.
Should staff help build the stand?
Twenty of our team helped the client build the stand the day before the show.
What makes a good merch lead?
Someone who can run a till, a queue and a stockroom at the same time, count stock at close and reorder.
Send us your range and expected crowd and we’ll size the team.
