This Band Just Made The Wildest Statement of 2023
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- Опубліковано 6 чер 2024
- Recently on tour, UK band Tesseract discovered that their Merchandise Manager was making more in tips than they were comfortable with, leading their drummer, Jay Postones, to make one of the wildest statements I've seen from a band in a while, saying they deserve a cut of all tips. In this video we'll go over that statement, discuss tipping culture in the US, and talk about how much work merchandise managers are actually doing.
00:00 Intro / Story Background
01:00 Where Is Your Tip Money Going?
03:16 $30,000 In Tips
07:35 Splitting Tips With The Band/Crew
10:19 Taking Tips From Employers Is Illegal
15:33 Transparency? Or Just Bitter?
17:09 The Attempted "Apology"
19:31 The Band's Merch Manager Speaks Out
23:47 Devaluing The Merch Manager's Work
26:26 Outro / Final Thoughts
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1 minute in: I'm German. We assume people get payed by their employers. It shouldn't be the customers responsibility. This whole tipping culture thing is weird to me.
same here
It's insanely weird. I hate that I'm living withinin this weird tipping culture. It's awkward and manipulating.
I’m a merch manager in the US. Tipping definitely isn’t expected for merch though it is appreciated when given. I get paid well by the tours I’ve been on (wouldn’t agree to the pay otherwise) and don’t rely on tips to make a living wage.
Only time tipping is really expected is when eating out at a sit-down restaurant. While I’d much rather servers get paid directly by their employer, it’s expected that servers will get 20% and not tipping is only going to screw over people that rely on that money, not the people with the power to make that decision.
Same in sweden.
The thing in the US people just ask for tips for no good reason. They ask to see if they can get more money for no reason. Just because some place asks for a tip does not mean they NEED tips to live. It prays on people’s good will.
I have never tipped a band for buying merch. That's insane.
That’s what I’m thinking…Maybe I might have thrown change in a cup but I also assumed they were paid fairly.
Had I known or if it was the case that merch personnel were paid below minimum I would tip.
TBH, Tipping in the US is out of control.
12:30 I’m also glad somebody mentioned that there are labor laws regarding tip-sharing.
Umm…it’s not insane? Some bands that don’t have crew take those tips and help pay gas/food expenses. Think a little harder.
@@MusiciansIgnite Get a job on the side then. How is you're gas/food expenses my or anyone elses problem? Artists these days are so damn entitled.
Been going to shows for decades and never tipped a band for buying merch. Also surprised that the band isn't making $ off merch sales or am hearing this wrong. Thought merch was 1 of the main ways a band made $ touring.
Whenever I go to see a small band (rather go to those shows than to big ones), I buy their merch (if they've got it) to support the band. No need to tip further. I but at least a cd, some stickers, maybe a shirt (even though they all look the fuckin same)
I've visited the US and understand the tipping culture as it relates to restaurants. Honestly NEVER even heard of tipping merch sellers anywhere in the world before this story blew up
I grew up in Norway but have been in the States for 25 years. I feel obligated to tip any time there is that line on the credit card receipt that I sign. 😂 I have at times paid 25% on a to-go food order. Ugh…
@@janmage78 don't do it.
Its also not about bringing anyone up to a " livable wage" , it's to reward positive interactions between staff and customers. Merch sellers get tips because they directly interact with their customers, the tips are an incentive to be pleasant
It's a reward for good customer service. European service sucks most of the time, they act like you being in their restaraunt is a nuisance. US/Canada - service staff try really hard. I dont think someone giving me an overpriced low quality (for like 99% of band merch) tshirt deserves any sort of tip.
@@Three60Mafia Where in Europe have you experienced this? And fyi, Europe isn't a all the same, each country has a different culture
In Germany, I have never had the experience you are describing and I've been living in Germany for 4 years
US concert-goer here. i’ve always assumed my tips at the merch table went to the people physically selling the merch. it’s generally $5-$10 and i’m happy to do it because i know their job sometimes sucks 😬 i support the band themselves by buying their albums, tickets to their shows, and their merch that they already make some money from. let the awesome folks at the table keep the monies they earned by being awesome.
$5-$10 is a pretty big tip for a $50 T-shirt and I don’t think your job really sucks it sounds kind of fun.
I'm not tipping on a $50 black T-shirt. The tip is included in the 400% markup
Fr
Especially when all they do is reach in a box and hand it to you
For real. I tip the bartender, not the merch table.
@@CrownlessStudios all they do is pour you a drink with a giant markup as well. So you don't tip one for the same thing the bartenders are doing, but the merch people work harder 😂. Wow..brains
Good for you bud. I’d like to know where you came up with 400% markup. Did you include the fact that venues take a 15-25% cut? How about printing costs for that multi-coloured print being at least that percentage higher since 2018? How about the small (but still a factor) wage of that merch seller? Of course it’s marked up. No one is printing merch because they wanna feel all warm and fuzzy insidd seeing their band merch in public; they’re doing it because it’s a business.
As someone who has done a lot of different roles out with bands, merch people get paid way less base wage. You can not tip all you want, but proclaiming it for the world like this makes you look like that cheap asshole at a restaurant who tells their server they will not be tipping for the meal at bill time.
In most of the world, if your business can't handle you paying your staff reasonably, you don't have a business. Basing it on customers paying your staff is not a viable business idea.
welcome to america!
You just described every single restaurant in America
A lot of things are very backwards in this country.
Tbf I was a bartender for a year in Spain and ate shit. I made like 7 euros per hour. Not a liveable wage. I just hoped this was true.
That's actually how all business works. Customers pay for everything. In America, and pretty much everywhere else, your advertised price has to be competitive. So shifting some of the cost in a way that hides the true cost, such as encouraging or requiring tips, is common.
Whether it's tipping, or some other creative accounting, you as a customer are going to pay for staff wages, overhead, gas, etc... The business covers all expenses and then some with your money.
I’m a merch manager on tour at the moment. Tips definitely aren’t expected from customers (though they’re appreciated when given). I wouldn’t take a gig that was paying me little enough that I would need to rely on tips to pay my bills.
The POS systems on my current tour have an option for customers to tip. If the band or management chose not to allow tips I’d remove it.
But even the thought of splitting my personal tips with anyone that wasn’t also working the merch booth is ridiculous. If you’re not interacting with fans, you don’t get a cut of the fan tips, unless for some reason agreed upon prior to the start of tour.
In the UK tip culture in for example a restaurant ot bar is normall for all tips to be pooled and shared between all bar staff and waiting staff not kept as a individual also its normal for front of house to share the tips they receive with back of house . Like the kitchen staff . Also if you went to a hotel in Europe and left a tip it would be pooled and shared by all staff . That's different in America culture. So if you are a small band touring and British you might expect the tips to be pooled and shared between crew
I am SO grateful for your channel, Tank! Thank you so much for giving us the information we need to support our bands, merch managers, and crews!
I'm 46, I've probably been to well over 100 shows. I have bought a shirt at the majority of these shows.
I have never once even thought to tip the person selling me a shirt.
A lot don’t. I can count on one hand times I’ve made a liveable wage (agreed on wage plus tips) on a tour. A show may last 4 hours, but a merch person is working hours before and after, and projecting what they’ll probably sell, organizing reorders mid tour, etc.
@@bradkohl99
I dont doubt the work and effort that goes into it. I just never thought to give a merch stand a tip.
@@bobsheriff4756 To be fair, even when I was doing merch, I never EXPECTED anyone to tip me for doing that job.
@@bobsheriff4756 oh for sure. Most people don’t think about it. This is basically the same thing as when bands were talking wbout merch rates at venues over the last few years openly; most didn’t think about it.
America is the only country where workers rely on tips to top up their wages to a living wage. Pay people a decent living! I give tips in restaurants, if the service warrants it. I wouldn’t dream of tipping someone who sells me a t-shirt. You can get mad all you like, but you really shouldn’t be surprised that people from outside of the USA think your system is fucked up.
im in the usa and i agree with you 100%
I don't think anyone's getting mad. Most Americans think the tipping culture here is insane too.
Funny thing is, a lot of servers and bartenders that complain about the weird fed min. Wage crap, don't actually want it to change since everyone feels so obligated to tip, they make a killing, and would actually make less if employers paid well and there were no tips at all.
Don't worry, I won't get mad. Just like I don't get mad that you probably live in a country that tells you what you're allowed to say and might actually send you to jail if you happen to say something that someone else might find offensive. Because for the time being at least, we still have free speech here in America. Which is something that is disappearing in many parts of the rest of the so called "free world" where you people seem to think you are so morally superior.
@@DamageInc86 it's true. I know waitresses who make 20-25$/hr.
Idk if it was the case at all the electric Callboy stops but where I saw them the merch manager was the only person working the merch table she was super professional and super friendly she was working her buns off the whole night and seemed to be having a blast meeting fans and doing her job she deserves the world
She was working her buns off, though, I gotta be honest - I was a bit disappointed in how **not** friendly I found her to be.
I still tipped - though, it had nothing to do with our interaction; and everything to do with respect to the job.
I respect anyone who says “working her buns off”
I was talking to a member of a small band from East Asia this morning. They are starting a three week tour in Europe next month, supporting a well-known band within their scene, and the only thing in the entire tour that they aren't doing themselves is booking venues. The only time I've seen any kind of merch tipping in Europe though was on their UK tour last year, when news spread that the promoter from their first show had done a runner with the ticket money. Fans were paying double for merch etc. The singer was almost in tears because of the generosity to her and the band.
$2 fucking dollars in minimum wage?! What the actual hell is wrong with the US wage culture?!
It sounds abysmal, but the right person working in the right place at the right time makes $30+/hr in tips alone bartending or waitressing.
What I want to know is when did the world culture start to get added to everything? It's not a fucking culture for Christs sake. This is about as ridiculous as people from Boston calling everything "wicked".
Well as you know, the US has a history of slavery, and the rich people want to back to those good ol' times 😒
Go ask tipped employees if they'd rather make tips or $15 an hour with tipping not allowed. 99.999% are going to want to stay at their current rate with tips.
I have honestly never seen a tip jar at a merch table. So I would have never been inclined to do so. I just always assumed the band paid them well.
Its the US. They just automatically give you 20%+ as a tip lol. No tip jar needed. Its weird as all fuck, and for some reason they are even proud of the fact that so many jobs are so low paying that tips are literally essential to survive.
@@Equilibrium2903 Most of us are not proud of tipping culture, I honestly think its crap. Tips should be a bonus for great service, not an expected cost of going out. But you can't not tip as these people depend on that money to pay rent & I don't own a business so I can't pay anybody better myself lol.
Always tip merch
When I saw mudvayne a few months ago when I paid with my card the phone they used to pay with the card they asked for a tip but nothing asked with money
Never seen a tip jar in the last concert I went to soo this is new to me
Tank, a few years ago, I came to this channel because of your reactions and the roadie insight that you provided. Seeing you lately, providing non-reaction insight into bands, management, touring etc on top of music reactions is a very nice development imo (well, I guess TECHnically you did react to the post in question, but you know what I mean). Keep up the good work, I wish you much success!
EDIT: Almost forgot the interviews you do, those are great too!
Thank you, man. To be honest, I enjoy doing content like this a lot more than doing reactions the majority of the time.
Thanks Tank the Tech, this was a super informative insight on the workings behind a tour. Love your videos.
as a german we have a different culture in tips
only anectotal things
1. a famous band from finland was on tour and the tips from merch was split between the whole crew but not the band
2.my brother has a cafe here in germany and the tips are collected and then split between the service and the kitchen
more differences though
1. minimum wage in germany is 12 € before taxes
in the US it is $ 7,25 afaik. so ~6,86 €
For that kind of miney, I'd not have worked even during high school.
@Neithan02 Minimum in the US is $7.25... Unless it's a job that can be tipped on, and then the federal minimum is $2.13. They've very much made it so that people in the US in service industry jobs rely on tips to even make a livable wage.
My family had a pub/inn (in Germany, for several generations, until a couple years ago) and yes, sometimes tips were split between service and kitchen. Depending on the the day, event and so on. Most of the time service would keep their tips and whatever tips my mum (the boss, service as well) got, was split between the kitchen crew. The buisness (my mum) would not keep any tips. AND everyone got paid the same (per hour), so splitting is kinda fair. (Service still has to deal with the people and I think they deserve the tips a bit more.)
And even with this being different from the US tipping culture - I don't know anyone who'd asume that tips would go to the band (unless the bandmember is at the merch table and selling stuff on their own/helping out and receives the tip directly). Tips are for the service or they share it with the team, but not the "boss", company, band whatever.
@@TankTheTech gotta love the systemic oppression of the lower class... this has been the standard, as well as the political status quo in the US since 1966.
@@TankTheTech In Ontario (Canada) it's $16.55 but it's Canadian so it's $12.05, but everything here is monopolised so if you scale it by living expenses it's worse due to price gouging. To make matters worse, here in Canada the tips don't even go to the waiters at all. It's straight up wage theft, and everyone's gotten away with it. Even as bandleader myself, I'd much rather be the one to be earning the least from our music than try to take away tips from someone's already burdening wage.
I didn't need another reminder that the tipping culture in the US is just out of control, but this is a bad take on the situation in a direction I never expected.
i agree im in the usa and well it so crazy and confusing so i just dont do it
A merch attendant is essentially responsible for running a retail outlet in some of the most unruly environments imaginable at times. They deserve all the tips. Kudos to them for getting the bag
Great video, Tank. These conversations are important. 👍👍
Our tipping culture in Germany is very different in the US. On big venues we think the tips get to to the person in front of me. But with tiny Bands I would have guessed, that they split it.
The culture is so very different that I'd never in a million years would entertain the idea to tip someone who sold me a T Shirt :).
Yeah. I’m in canada rn where the tipping culture is similar. Confusing af
Well for tiny bands it's different. If you talk tiny unsigned underground "hobby" bands playing tiny club gigs and stuff like that. I'm merch girl for my brother band (whenever I'm at one of their gigs) and our non-profit small festival. All the tips go to the band/festival. But I don't get paid to be merch girl at the first place (I even pay for the merch I want myself). And being around this scene for 15 years now, that's usually how it works. Most merch people are siblings or partners of a band member or just friends of the band in general, go to gigs with them, have a good time and help with merch and other stuff. But this tiny bands, the members (or some of them) come to the merch table after the show anyway.
I've only done it a few times, but I know that I'm tipping the merch person if I do it. I wouldn't call it customary in the slightest. I typically did it with merch people who were covering a really large selection and were alone at the table. Watching them be kind to all the weirdos who hemmed and hawed for way too long to just buy the most basic shirt on the wall. It's a "thank you for your service" tip. Buying the merch is my thank you to the band.
I've been following your channel since you started... keep up the good work and all that jazz
Wow, ty for talking about something I've been wondering about for the past 2-3 years
Great topic Tank… working musician here, but I also still occasionally run the merch table for a band I won’t name (mostly club act these days, but had major success in early ‘90s); most people who tip me there usually say something like “use that for gas in the van”- which leads me to believe they assume it’s going to the band; in my situation the band pays me very well, so all tips do indeed go to the band (we use Square like everyone, and I turn all the cash in). I know our situation may be unique, but wanted to add this perspective… also my guys typically do come hang at the merch table after the show to sign/ chat with fans- to your point about working it harder- couldn’t agree more…
From a German perspective, i have to say that I always thought the Tips are going to everyone who worked on the show. So for Lighting, Techs etc.
Because "we" are so used to split the Tips for everybody involved. I work in the hospital and everytime we get tips from patients, the money is shared between everyone on the station.
Because you are a team and everyone is working together to make the show happen. I learned that the balance is quite favored towards "Front" people because they are the ones working with customers.
Something like tipping the chef in a restaurant etc.
100%. This is common everywhere except for in music.
Idk, if you compare a band on tour with a hospital I'd say the band would be like the board of directors and the other crew members are like different stations of that same hospital. And I'm pretty sure you don't share the tip of your station with the director of your hospital or other stations, do you?
only, if you are salaried (as in angestellt), your tip is exempt from tax, if you are, however, self employed, your tip isn't. ^^
You just blew my mind by saying people tip in hospitals. I've never heard of that happening in the US.
@@TankTheTechI know about tips in hospitals but only if you had a long stay and the staff (nurses etc) treated you well. It's definitely not mandatory, so you can decide to not tip at all or buy some pralines or only a thank you card if you want to. (sometimes tips get out of hand though... my aunt worked as a nurse at an hospice and one of the patients hid a huge bag with money in their room that they should keep as tip - he wrote a letter. obviously that was so much money they weren't allowed to keep it though xD)
Love everything about this vid. 🔥
Great video! I subbed like a few months ago and must say your channel is one of my favorite channels right now. I really appreciate your insights! Keep up the great work!
Really wish the US would take the formula from the rest of the world and just do away with tipping culture. I don't know if the kid behind the counter making me a coffee is getting paid hourly or only in tips like a bartender. I have no problem giving extra $$ is someone goes above and beyond or giving cash to my UPS guy at Christmas and shit like that, but it's gotten out of control.
Nobody in the US is getting paid only in tips. (Effectively, it's true, though, as taxes on tip wages would eat 70-80% of my hourly paychecks.) More than a few positions are recognized as "tip earning" by federal law and are allowed to be paid only around $2.20 per hour--restaurant servers, coctail servers, bartenders (though most bartenders, at least where I am, get paid good wages plus tips as good bartenders are hard to train and keep around) are what come to mind. Think jobs that are historically filled by minorities or women in the US. Additionally, law requires these places to guarantee minimum wage pay (currently $7.25 or so, which hasn't been raised since 2005 or thereabout) if the employee isn't earning tips to cover the difference. Some states have done away with this along with raising the minimum wage. Tips then become that--a gratuity for good service, and usually trend back towards a few dollars per table rather than 10, 15, 20% of the bill.
There's no incentive for the parent companies to get rid of "tipping culture", because it allows them to pay their employees _less._ So the [social] pressure is on the customer to just not tip the employees, which _might_ then create pressure on the company to improve wages. Maybe.
@@Trepanation21 But that seriously fucks over the employees and can be a gamble, correct? The incentive from the employer should come in form of federal labor laws
@NPK476 the government isn't even working rn, they can't even agree if the sky is blue. we have to do it socially or nothing will get done.
Great information and video Tank! I wish more people would remember the HALT rule. Don't do or say anything when you are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
lol someone remembers their weekend safety briefs
Said it once and ill say it again. I love these videos when you pull back the curtains to educate us on theninner workings of the undustry. They have opened my eyes and i see things differently and have new appreciations when i go to shows. Thanks dude keep up the good work. 🤘👹🤘
Ok, so I'm Polish and at the moment living in Italy... but the tipping culture in Poland and Italy is completely different than in the US. Honestly I thought that the tip is being split between all the crew and the band members. So thank you for the info 😅
I've taken merch jobs where I would be paid minimum wage because I KNEW I would make up the difference in tips, because I work the ish out of my customer service skills for those tips. And customers were absolutely aware that those tips were coming to me because they would say, here's your tip, you were great, you deserve it.
Who in the world tips the merch table? Why? You're buying a product, they're not providing a service. It's not like they're taking your order out in GA, getting it, and serving it back to you. wtf.
If your like me and assumed that atleast part of that money went to the band. Then it's not so crazy. It's no secret that bands don't make what they should.
Also to be fair most of the time those merch people work their asses off. And deserve a tip. That said if I would've know ALL the money went to the merch person then I wouldn't have tipped so much.
When I buy 100$ of merch. And tip 100$ I expect atleast some of that tip to go to the band. After all do you really think I'm going to go give someone a 100% tip?
Again, it's because a lot of merchandise managers are paid less, and try to supplement it by taking tips. You don't HAVE to tip. Nobody does. And you're not a better or worse person if you do or don't. I do because I've been a merchandise manager, know how much work goes into it, and know they're probably getting paid less than the rest of the crew.
I always tip the merch crew they get paid shit so to me it's kinda like a restaurant. You order they serve you, you tip the server not get up and go tip the chef or manager
@@TankTheTech the reality is, low skilled jobs at the bottom of an "exciting" industry (music), are just always going to be horrible. Because it's the easiest way to get your foot in the door. hell you could stop paying them completely and you'd still probably find volunteers that would do it for some tickets and to be backstage at their fave bands shows. I mean, they'd fuck it up, probably, but you'd find someone. Or maybe they wouldn't? IDK. Same with film, fashion, pro sports, honestly anything relating to high level entertainment. Some people will give their left nut just to be close to it. And that drives down the market value to a staggering degree.
Dude, no. They are providing a service. They have to set up the store, manage the payment, find your size, keep track of inventory. If they weren't there, how would you get the shirt you want to buy? Is it just going to materialise out of thin air?
I have to say, thank you for the (informed) perspective. I had a very different understanding of the situation when i first saw this post. But that was without the context of there already being an existing sign, them firing their merch manager, and the actual scale of merch sales/potential tips for said band at said level. I think this video does a great job of bringing all sides to the discussion and not letting anything get out of hand.
I did merch for a smaller band for 3 days and it was insanely difficult. Mad respect to people who do that for full tours!
Had no idea about the separation between the band and the Merch managers. Thanks!
I remember one time I took a cab to our hotel in Austin (I'm from Mexico), I payed the driver and moved to our room, only to realize the guy stayed outside for like 10 minutes, I was confused by what was happening. After some months I somehow realized I was expected to tip the guy, it's mindblowing how broken and disrupting tipping culture is in the US, 15% extra for anything that has to do with services... instead of it being added and priced to the final cost, it's an absolute mess as it creates a lot of dumb controversies like this one, employeers should pay better instead of expecting customers to play the weird tipping game, I would gladly pay extra for food and services instead of getting stuck in awckward situations like this one.
I've never tipped taxi drivers. I always just pay the fare.
"I'm from Mexico" "I'd pay more for food when visiting the US" as someone that isn't from the US, maybe just go home instead of trying to raise food costs across the board on a country of 330 million people that you aren't a part of aside from a week here or there, yeah?
@@jishani1 oh, I'm so sorry Mr. Racist, I forgot to mention that this crap culture also goes down to our country with people moving here ilegally in a reverse way... what an ignorant lad you are
@@jishani1 I found the racist pos
@@jishani1 He is just saying that instead of making customers pay tips, add those tips to wages and then reflect the additional expense in the final cost of the service. Customers will pay the same amount in the end, but they will have a clear idea how much it will cost them, rather than being shamed into giving tips just because employers cannot be bothered to provide decent wages. Also, you will avoid a cultural misunderstanding like the example above, as not everyone is obliged to know that in the US, you are supposed to pay 15-20% in services (and not only, from what I have been reading lately).
And I get the argument in favour of low wages + tips, as it usually improves the service provided. However, I would argue it is better not having people in the service industry stressed all the time, because they need always to wonder if customers are happy. Instead, have them earn a decent income, be more relaxed, and you may get the same level of service quality anyway, and certainly less turnover. In short, don't be an asshole to people, and you will be rewarded.
What a great video. No diss to TesseracT, love their music, but this whole merch stuff that you've talked about in the video was highly educational for me. I really learn a lot from your content. Thank you so much brother!
I've always thought tips at the merch tables went to the vendor and as someone who works in the industry I completely agree that vendors deserve them for all the work they do and the BS they go through. Customer service is a pain in the ass and merch is not a position I'd choose willingly. I do tend to go to smaller shows far more than big arena ones so If I'm just there attending and I feel like tipping the band I'll catch them after their set and hand them cash, buy them a round, or whatever. If I'm working as a stagehand, I'm not expecting a tip because my position is not a guest focused one and I'm already being paid to be there. On festival's I've had bands randomly "tip" me, by giving me some merch or catching me later and buying me a beer, but its never an expected thing and actually surprises the hell out of me when it happens
I think the waters might have been muddied a bit by leading your poll with "no one thinks the tips go to the band do they?". No one wants to look like an idiot.
Full disclosure: I fell into the 19 or whatever percent that thought it went to the band. Totally not scientific anecdote, but I was curious and I asked the folks in the music slack channel at my work who they thought the tip went to, and it was almost entirely "the band".
Glad to hear your expertise on the subject! Honestly I was so confident it was "the band" that I never even thought about it heh.
I think a lot of people assume that staff on merch stalls are part of the band entourage, rather than venue staff, particularly in small and medium venues. I still wouldn’t tip though.
Tipping culture its a cancer in labor society.
It's a way to cope with business owners fleeing from fair wages putting on a customer their obligations.
While this keeps running the same way, people will never be paid which is due.
As customer i don't want to be force to pay something that should be paid by the owner if he wants to deliver a good service and have retention in his business. He should be the one preoccupied with this features of his business.
That tipping culture was one of the things that, once i discovered, made me uninterested in fullfilling my childhood dream that was visiting the west coast.
i've only done merch for smaller, local bands where I'm based and a local, small, festival twice. i did it for free since the band was either my friends band, or it was an event my friend had a hand in organizing. i never had a tip jar (though a couple customers mentioned I should!) because i was just doing this to help a friend & to see a show for free lol.
I had a ton of fun but there's was so much to do. From setting everything up, running the booth on my own, interacting with fans/customers, and at one point battling hail at an outdoor show (that was wild), it was a lot. looking back, i wish i had a tip jar at some of these events because i did put in a lot of work (and had to deal with a lot of people). hoping to do merch at some more shows in the future and i'll definitely implement some sort of tip jar if able.
side note- i think my years of being a girl scout really helped with working the merch booth. like, i was doing cookie sales from ages 5-13 for free! let me tell you, getting business men and women to buy your cookies on a cold January day in DC is not an easy task. but those skills came in handy when it came to selling merch at a show on a cold November day 😂
I want to know more !!! GREAT Insite to the behind the curtain :)
See, I don't understand the US tipping culture at all coming from the UK (as in, I know what it is and how it works, but I disagree with tipping as a solution). And whilst I think sharing the tips would be weird when it seems people in the US know it goes to the vendor (I've never seen a tip jar at a gig in all my years of going to them), I do think it is fair to question why merch gets tips but nobody else does. Everyone in there is working intensely hard, but if you're the kind of person to tip, there is no method of tipping other parts of the setup. I'm not even taking about the band, they do get money from the merch, but the crew aren't getting tipped even though without them the show could not run, it does come across to me as a punishment for not doing a front-facing job.
And even with that, plenty of front-facing jobs on the planet don't get tipped at all, I worked retail for years and there was never a dream of having tips. Over here in the UK we were at the same minimum wage servers were but tips still exist if you work at a fancier restaurant, it just seems weird to pick and choose. The original point of a tip was that it was a bonus for exceptional service hence why it's in service industries. However now the US just uses it to supplement paying people dogshit wages, and it seems like every time this conversation comes up, people just get angry at anyone that questions the tipping, instead of at the companies not paying enough.
Exactly. I usually enjoy Tank’s videos, but this one is typically of many threads where any criticism of Murca’s culture from people outside the US is met with defensive BS. American tipping culture is fucked up. End of.
As salary/ tipping culture is quite different here in Germany and I don't go to shows on a regular basis, I didn't knew one would tip the merch person. When I was at the merch stand of The Dark Side Of the Moon, when they were guests on the Feuerschwanz tour, I noticed the merch lady had a tipping jar on the table and automatically assumed, those tips would go to her. Just like I was sure the tip jar at the cloakroom counter would be for the people at that place.
The merch lady had discreetly mentioned that she (speaking of herself in the third person 😄) would appreciate a tip, most likely a good idea, as sales people usually aren't tipped here. And, as she had openly doubted my size when I asked for 2XL, I happily contributed. 😉
Great Video 👍👍
I have always been interested in the economics in the music industry and stumbled upon your channel last week so I have been going through the ones that focus on that and they have been very informative. I think it would be interesting if you went through a band let’s say at a level of EC and say at the end of their tour here in the US after everyone got paid the band gets X. You did that with Disturbed to a certain extent and you probably don’t have or can’t give specifics, but after everyone got paid the band probably walked away with X. I don’t know the band in this clip, but it was good to get perspective from the merch manager and the band member. When anyone starts with a word salad like he did it’s not a good sign. Thanks and keep it going
I wish tip culture just went away entirely, globally. Employers are supposed to pay their employees directly, not the consumer. Consumers pay for a service and/or product. They don’t pay for wages.
I generally agree with this statement. Expect for in instance where your the boss asking for tips for yourself. Like UA-cam creators doing Patreon for example.
But in most cases your right. Tips shouldn't be thing. You shouldn't be able to pay someone an hourly wage of 2.50 ish. That's just messed up. Even if you are giving them tips on top of that.
@@firefox1033 To be fair, and I say this as someone who DOES have a Patreon, the majority of the time there are incentives and bonuses involved. I don't expect anyone to give me money for nothing.
I support bands by streaming &/or buying albums, buying tickets, & driving 1-3hrs to see a show. I always tip the merch people.....aint no way in hell I could do that job. They deserve 100% of every cent.
You can't reach behind you and grab a XL shirt for 500 fat guys over 3 hours?
There are definitely many, MANY jobs that I would relate to as "aint no way in hell I could do that job". Grabbing t-shirts and such, even in a fast paced environment, for 3-5 hours is definitely not one of those jobs. Not even close. Like, what about it makes it something that you could in no way in hell do?
Very strange sentiment, imo. I'm not saying that these people don't deserve whatever tips they're given. That said, I think having tips at all for this sort of thing is problematic and annoying for fans. And if they're extracting $30k over a few weeks from fans, that's kind of messed up. They should be paid a reasonable wage for performing a minimum skill job, albeit in a potentially more stressful environment than an average job.
Love your channel, and I appreciate the insights you provide into the business of touring.
Anecdotal example:
I went to see a show over the weekend for a band with a decent sized but devoted fan base. Venue occupancy was 1k.
The person working the merch table was also responsible for the VIP M&G, so definitely with the band, not a local.
I bought my usual stack of loot, and the total was about $300. When I paid, the POS system popped up the usual 10/15/20 tip screen. Out of habit I hit 15%. No biggie.
In retrospect tho, I just tipped almost 50 bucks to a person that helped me for less than 2 minutes.
That line was pretty busy almost the whole night , so I can easily imagine that if people were only tipping 5% on average, he was still pulling in $200+/hr in tips.
On a 4-5 hour day x 4-5 shows a week, it's maybe 3500-5000 a week in tips.
tl; dr: based on recent experience, I can totally see a touring merch person making bank. I also think it's highly situational.
I typically only go to smaller venues here in Chicago (Talia Hall/Lincoln Hall) and the best part is that the artists will do their own merch or at least some out to meet fans there. The singer Hatchie does her own merch.
Literally never tipped at a Merch table and I've seen a tip option at maybe 5% of concerts I've ever been to. Tipping culture in North America has gotten fucking ridiculous.
As someone from USA, i find US tiping culture really bizzare. Me, being introverted, i don't interract much with waiters, if i had a choice i'd prefer to have tablet menu and robots bringing me food, so, i just don't get why it has to be me who pay some extra for waiters. I'd rather complement cook, if anyone, but then, i'd rather have them all being adequately paid by the restaurant.
Tipping culture exists as a way for companies to pass their employees wages on to the customers. I totally get what you're saying about being introverted and not wanting to interact with people; I'm the same way most of the times. Just keep in mind, tips are supplementing the fact that they're getting paid below minimum wage. However, that could be a whole giant conversation for another time.
@@TankTheTech yeah, i learned why it is the way it is now in US, it is just sad that not only US government not dealt with sub-minimum wage stuff but it seems like it somehow became worse.
I mean no matter the side of political specter you are it is just bs) Like if you are left leaning it is obvious that basic living wage should be guaranteed, if you are some kind of right wing capitalist whatever, isn't mandatory tipping above advertised price is just false advertisement?)
It’s a socialistic way of living without actually knowing lol
@@kingdick8390 what is socialistic in worker-employer relationship?) or it is like "anything that is no 100% not like we do it in US is socialism"? )
@@kingdick8390 not knowing that there is a thing like legal subminimum wage is socialistic?! )))
We in Europe don't do the tip thing. We have this other thing you may have heard of called a "salary". 😅
Was recently at a concert where country singer Hannah Ellis was the first of two opening acts. After he set she said I’ll be at the merch table all night long if anyone wants to hangout. She isn’t the biggest artist out there but has a couple big hits and still is willing to work the merch table. Fans leave happier and you are likely to sell more merch if the artist themselves is selling the merch
I can't imagine buying a $40 t shirt after paying $15 a beer and $50 for parking and then leaving a tip. It's literally never going to happen.
I've volunteered doing merch in clubs and arenas. Even as a cashier it's a wild and exhausting job. And I did load in and load out for it and for stage crew. Stage crew was always so much easier than merch
IMO, what more times than not makes a good boss over any "subordinate" is someone who has done the job, understands what is involved, and has remained in touch with the reality of the work they do. That can apply to any job. I see it at my work almost daily. It definitely appears to apply here. That is why I believe Tank is a fantastic TM. If I were in need of a TM, he would be on the list to try to get.
This is wild to hear.
As someone in a band that hasn't been on tour yet (hopefully next spring 🤞) this isn't something that I've had to deal with. Don't bands make money off the merch? If they have someone working the merch, I would think that person gets the tips. The only time I've tipped at a merch table and thought the band was getting it is when the band members themselves are working the merch table. Otherwise I assume the person that's on the other side of the table from me is getting the tip. Being that my wife is a bartender, I tip heavy. Anywhere from 25% on the low end (because everyone has bad days) to more than 50%. People that work in these fields put up with a lot of shit and I like to show my gratitude.
As someone who tips between 25-75% on literally single show merch purchase, partially because I assumed my tips were split among the entire tour package, this was a very interesting and informative watch. Learned a lot! I won't stop tipping, nor will I give less money than before, but it really sucks that we live in a world where people involved in the arts (in any nom-corporate capacity) struggle so much to make a comfortable living for their households.
75%?!?!
@@ThomasTheCure yeah, I'll buy $40 of merch and tip another $30. I live somewhere that bands usually skip for tours, so I want them to feel appreciated for making the trek out
@@drauth A 30 dollar tip for a guy that hands you a shirt that was sitting right next to him, unreal.
@@MadAlhazred It sounds unreal because that's obviously not what I'm tipping for. I'm not giving an extra $30 because I think it's difficult to pull a shirt out of a cardboard box. I'm giving an extra $30 because it's difficult to leave your family for months at a time, spend hundreds of hours in boring van rides, having access to nothing but unhealthy food, not having consistent places to shower, etc, all in service of playing music in different cities for a wage that's so low that you'll need to pick up 1-2 jobs to support yourself anyway when you're back home. The economics of being a touring musician or roadie are silly, but I would like people to still be able to do it. The cost of an extra meal is really not much above the bare minimum I could do.
Jalabolas
I'm not a touring guy, I'm just local IATSE so I have to take Tank's word on the pre-tour and off day work but I can say I've noticed that very often Merchandise Managers are usually setting up right along with us on the "in" and tearing down with us on the "out/strike". They put in hellish hours day in and day out and deserve every tip they get.
at the show i went to, the tip QR code at the merch stand was separate from the checkout machine and was labeled as going to the band
I haven’t even looked at the merch the last 5 concerts I have been to. They have started not opening the doors till an hour before the show the lines are very long getting into the venue, then when you get in the lines are long to get anywhere near the merch.
As a European, I expected for the tips to go to the entire band. Maybe because tipping sellers isn't really common here.
Though if I do tip, it's only small bands who I know don't earn nearly as much as big bands do with their tour. I guess that small, home-grown feel makes them all feel like a family who'd share the money. But I don't mind if sellers at those shows took the tips, cause again, small show = not earning huge amounts.
As an european i dont expect to tip.
I expect the band to their math and "include the tip" on the profit margin of their merch if they find it suitable.
As an American, you don't have to tell us you're cheap.
@@supfreshitsourturnbaby you're the ones not paying enough to the employers so they depend on tips. Lol
I negotiate my salary, i dont need tips for doing for my work.
Is OK bro. Let me know next time you're upset that other people disregard your culture's customs
@@supfreshitsourturnbaby Why would we have to respect your customs that make the lives of the people involved objectively worse? That's just a dumb copout.
I sincerrly think that he did not say anything wrong: they need both kind of tips, both to the band or the merch store depending on what everyone thinks. European by the way
Agreed. As someone who tips every show. I thought atleast part of that money went to the band. They should make that more clear as to who exactly your tipping. And having 2 separate tip jars I think would help alot with that.
That said I think they could've worded it better. Because the way it comes across is that their trying to take the merch person's money. But I do agree with Tank. That if you going to complain about the merch person making more then anyone else. Then you should show that your actually paying them a living wage.
Being from the UK, and attending concerts across Europe - giving the merch stand people a tip when you buy a shirt or whatever, sounds utterly fucking odd. It is not a thing. So interesting to read an US industry perspective and argumenr for why this is the case.
Thanks for deep inside merchant sellers world awesome chat
Most fans have no clue where the money for merch goes. I know people who thought the tips were going to the band. I feel like people are freaking out about this because they look for things to be outraged about. Also, the BAND is the reason the merch gets sold at all. Nobody is buying merch from the merch manager. Nobody is buying merch from the crew. EVERYONE is there to see the band.
That's like saying tipping in a coffee shop should result in the coffee farm getting the tip
@@muzlee7479 Or tipping a bartender and the beer company getting the money.
Paid $60 (cdn, each)for shirts at the recent maiden show in Edmonton. Leaving a tip never even crossed my mind.
I was just at the Heilung show in my town. The venue deployed its own people with POS systems to sell you their merch. It asks for a tip first prompt
Touring Sound Engineer here. I whole heartedly agree with everything you’ve said in this video
Ill be honest, i thought the tip was going to the band. Just saw Tesseract in Chicago, along with Intervals and Alluvial. I only bought a shirt from the Alluvial merch booth as im a fan of Wes Hauch, and when the gal gave me the card reader to sign, i saw the tip option, and while that was unusual to me as ive never come across that at a concert before, i assumed the tip was going to the entire band and crew, so i put a pretty generous tip on the purchase. Now i dont know if Alluvial gets the tips and splits with their crew, albiet small, but now seeing this, ill be sure to question that from now on.
I was a merch manager for a local bluegrass band made up of work friends for a couple of years. Even at that level of non-fame, I was running myself ragged hawking their shirts and CDs. I often got paid by being on the band's tab, but I never had the time to have a meal or even a beer while I was working. If I didn't get tips, I was more often than not working for free.
Then you should've been paid more - not ask for tips.
@@mangos2888 the band itself was basicly being paid with food and beer, and the profit from the merch was almost nothing. How can I ask to be paid when the band itself wasn't getting paid? Perhaps you shouldn't assume I was just getting screwed over and going along with it. The band absolutly would have paid me if they could have.
Why would you do that
@@lucyfuir6386 honestly, it was pretty fun. It started as a favor for work friends and just kept going because I enjoyed it. I know I came across as bitter in my original post, but it was quite the opposite. I still look back at that time rather fondly 15 years later. Not everything is about money.
@@jeezycreezy4220 oh cool. Thanks for clarifying. You did sound bitter lol
I remember seeing Dead to Fall and singer was selling shirt jumped on stage for his set and RAN back to booth to continue selling merch!
Couldn’t agree more with this!
I’ve been in extremely small bands in tiny venues and we always kept a tip jar out which our band never saw a dime of
I assumed the tip was going to the merch guy or girl. However thinking about it . Would be cool to split 50 50 to the band/crew etc.
Didn't even know tipping merch sales was a thing. Here in the UK, it doesn't happen (at least at the gigs I've been to including american bands). Tip culture here is pretty wishy washy. Most people don't but we also don't have a minimum tipped wage, just a minimum wage. There is no expectation that a server's income is supplemented by tips to get to a liveable wage.
I've lived in the US my entire 51 year life and this video is the first I've ever heard of tipping the guy that reaches in a box and hands you a shirt.
This video/conversation was great. For all the 100's of concerts I have gone to over the years (Thank you to my buddy Matt Dunn a tour promoter) for giving me a prize of free shows for life years ago) if I can't afford to buy the merch because it tends to always be quite expensive. I at LEAST put some money into the merch persons tip jar to try and help them out. 100% every time.
Bit confused about this for some different bands: I saw a band last week and gave them a good tip on a merch sale, and the person running the stand was the lead singer, so are the tips going to them? This only applies for bands where an independent contractor is selling, right?
Oh, I didn't know you are supposed to tip the person(s) at the Merch table. I would see them as a kind of Shop Assistant in a Retail Store, and you don't tip them do you?
I apologise if I offend someone with this, my excuse is that I'm 68 and I have never been to a Concert so I have never encountered a Merch table.
Cheers / Mr_B_Dublin
To be fair, you don’t HAVE to tip the merch person at a show, and it’s not necessarily expected. But people choose to sometimes.
@@TankTheTech - I need to modify my answer a bit as one Concert a very long time ago came to mind. Bob Marley in 1978, that's the only Concert I ever been to. But it was at the Gröna Lund Amusement Park in Srockholm, Sweden and they didn't have a Merch table there. About 25.000 though.
Cheers / B.
How in seven hells did you manage to post a comment 2 days ago when the video just premiered on UA-cam?
@@Tho_Me - As a Patreon you get early access to Tank's videos. / B.
@@mbo191 Ah, ok, that totally makes sense. Hadn't thought about that. Thanks for clearing that up 👍
I've never ever seen something like that around here (nordics), so I honestly don't even know how I would react in the moment, although I do have opinions on this practice as a whole. I think the post etc was a little bit ill advised tho.
This case aside, I think tipping culture is the larger problem and is incredibly toxic; it should be abolished anywhere it exists. In a dream world, tips only exist as a sign of gratitude/good service, but this is obviously not gonna be allowed to remain organic in a human society. We see the evidence as wages begin to be designed around them, ending up in a vicious guilt and peer pressure system. Also it's very hard to quantify the impact within the same country since you have so little to compare with. I simply don't think tipping can exist in our commerce system, it only works small scale outside of the larger body.
Earlier this year I was at a show of the Haken/BTBAM tour and their opener was Cryptodira. Their frontman was also working the merch table after the show and we had a short chat and I thought that was really cool. Never seen a member of a band do that before. Got even more respect for him now after hearing how stressful that job can be.
I haven't been to a ton of shows, and also haven't been since pre-Covid. I had no idea tipping was a thing at merch tables! I've never noticed a tip jar or option on the receipt, and never would have even thought about it. I just would have assumed they were normally paid employees of the venue or crew with the band.
Not a big concert goer so I'm not saying one way or antother is correct, could someone explain why merch sales people should get tips? Tips are normally for service jobs and not for retail jobs. A merch rep isn't doing anything like a food server, a valet, a delivery driver, or anything else service oriented. I don't tip the cashier or shelf stockers at Walmart, so why tip the merch counter at a show? It has always been my understanding that only service industry positions should be tipped.
If I'm totally off base please let me know but honestly with my current understanding I wouldn't ever tip a merch table.
I've never seen the option to tip at a merch table, this is news to me
I've lived in the US my whole life. I'm 45 now and I've been going to concerts since I was 8 years old. This video is the first time that I've EVER heard of the concept of tipping merch sellers. I've never once seen a tip jar at a show or heard someone mention giving tips at the merch table.
I’ve lived on tips, I’ve been in the U.S. my whole life, I’ve thought about tip culture since I was a little kid, and I’m not familiar with tip culture in the us. Things got crazy and I don’t know what way is up anymore.
You can get away with paying a minimum wage of $2.13 per hour in the US?
That's the disgusting take away from this video for me.
Yes, only if the position can collect tips for their job. And I agree, it's disgusting.
Technically, anyone who doesn't make the normal minimum wage (the $7.25 one) with tips, has to have their pay supplemented by their employer until it reaches that threshold. You can imagine how often that gets "forgotten." And it should be pointed out that almost every state has it's own minimum wage laws that far exceed what the federal minimums are. As it should be. Someone living and working in bumfuck Wyoming where the cost of living is lower doesn't need to be paid as much as someone living in LA or NYC where the cost of living is frankly ridiculous.
Either way, the way it's set up is bullshit. Tips should be a reward for excellent service or someone going out of their way to make your experience better. It should never be included in the base pay for any job. It's taxable income, so there should be no difference.
@@KhronicD While this is true, I kinda doubt that you could make a living out of $2.13 an hour ANYWHERE in the US, whatsoever. So the federal minimum should still be updated.
@@Warfoki Again, no one is being paid $2.13 an hour, or if they are, it's 100% illegal. I get that seeing that number is insane, but by law, everyone makes at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr. Which is indeed also way too low. That's why almost every state has it's own minimum wage laws that are generally way higher than the federal one.
@@Warfoki minimum wage is a horrible thing. It is mostly for unions so they can jack up their own pay when it gets raised.
Growing up in the 80's & 90's, I've always been a big proponent of buying merch to support the bands because that's where I was always told they make the majority of their money (percentage wise) but not until just recently when I went to see Blue October (10/10) that I was handed the tablet to add a tip before signing my name. I did tip, although I had no real reason to as the girl behind the table was less than enthusiastic regarding her job but I kinda felt pressured to do so anyways. That was my first encounter, in over 40 years of seeing concerts and ALWAYS buying merch have I been asked to tip. In these trying economic times, I was less than thrilled to have to tip yet another person for doing their job.
The only time i saw a tip jar at the merch booth, it was a small bamd who were running their own merch table, and it was a gas can that said "please help us get to the next show" in sharpie.
How do people get into doing merch/tours?
A lot of the time, our merch guys would cover the rest of the crews drinks and food pretty regularly on days off or after show.
We helped them get their merch in the trailer, sometimes stairs with no hands.
Don't know what our merch people we're paid, but I know it was considerably lower than mine. They upsell, they make the band more money if they are good.
Period.
They are a UK band, tipping in the UK is always on top of minimum wage, never a replacement for it in employment. Things like restaurant pricing must list the amount the meal will cost at the end before even ordering. Wages must come out of those profits. Tips are entirely an extra on top of that, usually for the person we are officially dealing with, you could say share it with the chef, it would be up to them to split it evenly then. Same goes for merch sales at a concert venue, though tips wouldn't even be considered a required thing here, so while I wouldn't expect it to go to the band, I do not expect it to be necessary in the first place.
I do think he miscommunicated what he meant in the first message, leading to the weirdness. It is a mess also where in the US does Jay live, there is states in the US that have outlawed making up to minimum wage with tips.
This is a little off topic, but how the hell do the merch scalpers outside venues get the shirts they sell for cheap? Do they buy from the merch managers outside the show or just get them printed themselves?
I love it when band members work at their own merch stand. It gives us fans a chance to meet them and perhaps get a selfie and or autographs. But when it comes to tipping, my purchase at the merch stand is my tip to the band. I always ask the person running the stand if the tips in the jar go to them and when they say yes, I tip in cash.
Great video! I thought that it seemed disingenuous of the band to post this. No one thinks their tip to a bartender goes to the bar manager or the restaurant owner, and you can't pretend otherwise. And as for other crew members' unfair takes on what the merch person's job is, that's the danger of thinking that you're speaking from a position of knowledge when you don't realize that you have no idea what someone else's job involves.
I didn't even realize tipping someone who sells you a T-Shirt or some other stuff is a thing. I know US tipping culture is quite out of hand but if you tip a merch sales person at a show, do you tip the cashier at a clothing or grocery store? If not: Where's the difference?
I’m from the US and have never heard of this. I tip when dining in restaurants or ordering delivery food. Tipping for everything is something new to me.
I mean, it's a solid point to bring up. But, as someone who has worked both retail and merchandising on the road, the big difference is that working retail actually paid a set, livable wage based on your hours worked, and being a merchandise manager (in specific situations) does not. Often times merch gets paid lower than anyone else on the tour, and they supplement pay with tips.
I feel like I should have said it in the video, but I do not believe that everyone HAS TO or SHOULD tip at a merch table. I'm not trying to guilt people that don't. Just wanted to talk about this from a perspective of having done it and where your money is going.
never once have i been under the impression that i'm tipping a band, silent planet's merch guy from between 2016-2020(?) was one of my favorite people on this mortal coil and i would have been upset if i found out that money wasn't going to him. it's so weird that this is an issue. great video
I always tip the people working their asses off for us at merch especially since covid! I appreciate the hell out of everyone who work hard to bring us live music. Covid wreaked havoc on our lives especially on the music industry.