How Merch Companies Help Artists Thrive

This week on the New Music Business podcast, Ari sits down with Tersha Willis, co-founder and CEO of terrible*, a UK-based merch company known for its artist-first approach. With a background in fashion, Tersha brings a fresh and progressive perspective to the merch game. terrible* runs merch for artists of all levels including Japanese Breakfast, The xx, CMAT, King Krule, Fever Ray, and more. She’s been recognized on the AIM Altpower100 Music List and has spoken at events like BBC Introducing, SXSW, and AIM, as well as being featured in outlets including BBC, C4, Wallpaper Magazine, Vox, and MusicAlly for her innovative work in the music merch industry.

 

Tersha and Ari discuss the challenges artists face in turning fan support into income—especially in an era dominated by streaming and large conglomerates taking cuts from merch sales. Tersha explains how terrible*’s unique approach, including a merch operating system, helps artists create sustainable income through high-quality, data-informed campaigns. The conversation also covers the nuances of live versus online sales, the power of pre-orders, and innovative direct-to-fan strategies that can turn merch into a vital piece of an artist’s long-term success.

https://www.instagram.com/terriblegrp

https://www.instagram.com/tersha_willis/

03:40 – Introduction: Ari welcomes Tersha Willis.

05:41 – The Digital Landscape: Streaming and social media metrics.

09:11 – Terrible Merch: Tersha’s company and approach to merch.

13:41 – Merchandising Operations: How merch companies work.

18:41 – Revenue Models: Ways artists profit from merch.

23:41 – Tips and Merch Sellers: The tipping debate at merch tables.

28:41 – Online and Live Operations: Blending online and live sales.

33:41 – Pre-order Campaigns: Why pre-orders help artists.

38:41 – Creative Merchandising: Engaging fans through merch.

43:41 – Marketing Strategies: Selling artist merchandise.

48:41 – Genre Differences: How genre impacts merch sales.

53:41 – Final Thoughts: Tersha’s view of success.

58:41 – Closing Remarks: Ari wraps up the episode.

Edited and mixed by Peter Schrupp

Music by Brassroots District

Produced by the team at Ari’s Take

Order the THIRD EDITION of How to Make It in the New Music Business: https://book.aristake.com

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