Using the Youtube Merch Store to Boost Awareness

As many people are aware, Google added a Merchant Store option to all Youtube Partner channels. The store allows you to sell your Cafepress, Topspin, iTunes, and Amazon products directly from your Youtube channel, and even appear as offers directly below the videos on your channel.

There are pros and cons to each merchandise provider. For example, Cafepress offers print on demand products (meaning the items are created only when they are ordered) but the prices tend to be higher for merchandise due to the limited printing quantities.

If you use TopSpin you can either make your own merchandise or order them locally, and then mail them to TopSpin. In exchange for a storing fee, TopSpin will then handle the shipment of orders that your customers place. Because TopSpin ships the items you send to them you can sell everything from t-shirts to DVDs to concert tickets.

One of the neatest things about the Youtube Merch Store is that it appears next to the video description of all videos on your channel. Using the arrow keys the viewer is able to see all the merchandise displayed on your store.






Personally I am selling bumper stickers, t-shirts, magnets, keychains and a laptop cover using Cafepress' print on demand products. This is because I want to gauge the demand for products without paying any upfront costs. Most of the products have a QR code on them, such as the bumper sticker and t-shirt.

I have the QR code set to go directly to my Youtube channel The RPG Fanatic Show. This means that whenever someone becomes curious and scans the code using their cell phone they will discover my channel.   The result is by selling merchandise your fans want you can tap into your fans to help build awareness of your channel.


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