How to Make Merchandise and Earn Money in 2026

Creating merchandise, or “merch,” can be an excellent strategy for brands and businesses interested in expanding and generating more revenue. The merchandise you sell not only helps generate income, but further promotes your company by building brand recognition and reach.

In addition to the immediate financial benefits of creating merchandise, businesses often find that these products help build a community around their brand. Customers can quickly recognize others who follow you, creating an exclusive club feeling.

We will explore, step-by-step, what to do if you want to create your own merch for your audience and start generating income through a new revenue stream.

How to make and sell merchandise

1. Identify your target audience

2. Pick products that match your brand’s vibe

3. Design your merch

4. Produce your merch

5. Promote your merch

6. Sell your merch

Step 1: Identify your target audience

You must learn about your audience to create effective merch. Enticing people to buy your merch requires firmly understanding what interests them and what types of products they would most likely buy and use.

Start by considering your relationship with your fan bases. Ask yourself the following questions:

• What platforms do your fans interact with the most?
• What demographics best describe your audience? Include their ages, genders, and target interests.
• What does your audience value about you and your brand?
• What are their shopping habits? In other words, do they like to buy home decor or do you have an audience that enjoys using accessories like phone cases or tote bags?

As you research your audience and their interests, it also helps to ask your audience directly what they like or would be likely to buy. Use information about your target audience to better understand the types of merch they might appreciate.

Poll your followers on social media platforms to learn more about which items they would likely buy. For example, create some markup t-shirts, mugs, and tote bags and display them on social media. Then, create polls that allow people to vote on their favorite items or select their preferred designs.

Step 2: Pick products that match your brand’s vibe

Various merch ideas can be effective in promoting your products. Select the one that fits best with your brand and the type of relationship you want to have with your audience. For example, if you have a business based on creativity and self-expression, you might choose notebooks or patches for people to add to their own accessories.

If you talk about shopping or sustainability a lot, merch like reusable tote bags that offer convenience and the ability to avoid using plastic bags might work better. We’ve created a list of some great merch ideas to consider. While many of these ideas are effective for a variety of brands, we’ve also suggested some products that might be especially attractive to specific influencers, entrepreneurs, and brands.

• T-shirts. These work great for brands that discuss style and self-expression or have inside jokes with their audience. Other custom merch variations might include hoodies, sweatshirts, and long-sleeved shirts.
• Mugs. If your brand deals with relaxation, rejuvenation, or starting the day, these mugs offer a great way to give followers a quick brand reminder as they enjoy their morning cup.
• Bags. Branded tote bags are an excellent choice for followers interested in shopping, sustainability, or convenience. A drawstring bag works well if your brand focuses on the outdoors.
• Artbooks or notebooks. Brands with professional or artsy followers might find success with various notebook designs. Depending on your audience, variations like datebooks or sketchbooks might also work well.
• Stickers, patches, or magnets. If you have a younger audience that enjoys marking their style, consider stickers, patches, or magnets. These are great options to go on backpacks, other tote bags, cars, notebooks, and more.
• Aluminum water bottles. Any brand focusing on the outdoors or exercise will likely want to consider aluminum water bottles. People appreciate that refillable bottles do not produce as much garbage and often keep the water colder than plastic water bottles.

Clearly, there’s a variety of branded merch options for promoting your brand and building your community. Read our article about branding merchandise ideas to learn more.

Step 3: Design your merch

Once you have some ideas about the type of merchandise you want to produce, your next step is to begin designing your merch.

You must consider a variety of different factors as you start to contemplate your design. If you have a great creative mind and know what you want to create with your merchandise, you might try creating the products yourself using a design platform like Canva.

Hiring an independent contractor from Upwork might be the best route if you don’t have the time to take on this project or you want a professional who has designed numerous successful product lines before. A graphic design professional can help create stunning visuals. A merch designer from Upwork will offer guidance and use their years of experience to bring your vision to life.

Here are some key factors to keep in mind as you begin planning how to design your products.

• Think about your brand and the types of colors and styles you want to create. If your brand already uses certain colors, determine how you want to leverage them in your product.
• Consider the mood you want to cultivate with your product. This will tie in closely with the type of product you want to create and your target audience. The mood you want to nurture will impact factors like the colors and fonts you select. If you want a more bohemian, carefree style, for example, don’t choose a fancy or overly formal script.
• Reflect on any inside jokes or messages you want your merch to carry. A particular slogan your followers appreciate or a joke you frequently use on your platforms might offer an excellent starting point for your merch design. Incorporating these messages into products can help build a community within your audience.
• Think about practical implications for your target audience. If you want to create a drawstring bag for people who love hiking and the outdoors, ensure the bag will hold a water bottle and basic supplies. If you sell clothing items and have a number of followers who live in cooler climates, have options like long-sleeved shirts or fuzzy sweatpants that they’ll appreciate.
• Remember the importance of high-quality products. While you likely want to create affordable products, customers notice quality. You probably won’t sell too many bags if they’re thin and gain a reputation for ripping. Stickers that peel off almost immediately won’t reflect well on your brand.

Designing your merch calls for careful consideration of how to create a product your customers will appreciate. Keep these different ideas in mind and allow them to guide you as you create products and merch your followers will appreciate.

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Step 4: Produce your merch

Now that you’ve chosen your design and the type of merch you’ll create, it’s time to begin producing products to sell. Explore a few options depending on your selling strategy and the type of products you’ll be producing.

Option 1: Print on demand

Companies offering print-on-demand services will typically provide a catalog of products, then you choose details like colors and print design. This option automates order fulfillment but limits the number of products you’ll be able to sell and the different ways of customizing them.

With these options, you’ll pay for the products your customers buy. It’s a good idea to order samples or mockups of your custom products to ensure you like the quality before you start selling merch to your customers.

Option 2: Design the product from scratch

If you have a unique product, you might also find a manufacturer that will produce your product according to your specifications. This allows you to create precisely the product you want, but will require more financing upfront since everything is created from scratch rather than a preset model.

Designing from scratch often works better for those creating something particularly unique, such as a custom board game, or those who just want more control over the manufacturing process. In these situations, it’s important to thoroughly investigate details like assurance that you retain intellectual property ownership and whether it’s a fixed cost or variable-based profit revenue share.

It’s generally a good idea to do a trial period with a selected manufacturer to ensure the company produces the products you like and that they are able to meet your order requirements promptly.

Option 3: Dropshipping

You might also consider alternative forms of fulfilling customer orders, such as dropshipping. With dropshipping, the seller doesn’t have to worry about managing inventory or merchandise. Instead, you place an order with a supplier after an order comes in to you and the supplier ships the product to the customer. This minimizes upfront costs and reduces the hassle of managing inventory.

As you consider your options for producing your products, you might also consider the benefits of working with a merch professional. Independent contractors on Upwork have helped other brands produce quality products to build their business and the fan community. They often are able to help you manage the manufacturing process, as well.

Step 5: Promote your merch

Now that your merch is ready for your audience, you want to promote it far and wide so your audience will find it and begin making purchases. You have a few different strategies to do this, all helping to build your audience and attract those interested in your brand.

Start on your existing channels

You’ve built your audience using particular channels, and that is how your customers expect to reach you. Whether you create YouTube channel videos or TikTok content, use your platform to reach your target audience.

Many brands have a primary means of reaching their audience, but will also have a presence on other social media platforms. For example, a successful YouTuber might also have Facebook and Instagram pages. Let people know about your merch across all of your channels.

Incorporate visuals to help your products look appealing. You should have samples from the production process, so show yourself wearing or using the products in your videos and posts and let people know how to order them. Include information in your “About” section and in the comments or post descriptions when featuring products.

Organic SEO

As your brand grows, you’ll also have people researching you through search engines to learn more about what you offer. Therefore, it’s important to incorporate organic SEO into your promotional strategy. Create strategic keyword content that promotes the quality and convenience of your products, appealing to your target audience’s sensibilities. Also, use meta tags on your images to help search engines like Google identify what your audience is seeking.

Paid search and social ads

Paid search and social ads can also help you reach your target audience. Social ads target demographics that align with your typical audience, introducing more people to your brand and the products you offer.

This process is enabled by search engines while potential customers browse the web. Use paid search to promote your products to people searching for your brand or keywords pertaining to your target message. If you teach people makeup tricks and sell makeup bags, for example, create ads targeting people interested in makeup bags or makeup storage.

Word of mouth

Word of mouth is one of the greatest tools you have at your disposal. Letting people know about your products and designing them to offer quality can attract positive attention. Since the products carry your brand, they will also help spread the word about you and what you offer. This may attract the attention of potential customers seeking new products.

You might consider running offers, promotions, and presales to get your products into the hands of members of your audience early and drum up conversation. Some brands will even host a giveaway and offer products as prizes for winners who engage with the brand in some way, or hire influencers to promote their products to a specific audience. For example, you might send a customer a t-shirt if they’re the first person to comment on a particular post from you or an influencer.

Step 6: Sell your merch

We’ve reached the last step in the process: selling your merchandise. Select from several different platforms when you’re ready to set up your shop. The platform you choose will depend on whether you produce and manage your own inventory or if you use a print-on-demand setup. You also want to consider how you run your own website and need something for merch that will integrate with your site.

A few options to consider include:

• Sellfy. This platform lets you create your own online store and offer print-on-demand products. You’ll set your own prices to determine how much you’ll make on each sale after subtracting the Sellfy charges.  Stock your own inventory, if you choose, and use your Sellfy store to sell it.
• Shopify. Shopify is another great option if you want to sell merchandise online. Shopify is an e-commerce platform that lets you use Printful when you set up your online store. Shopify lets you create your own branded store that you can promote.
• Printful. The Printful platform exists solely to fill your print-on-demand orders, which you are able to sell on other platforms. Sell the products you produce through this platform on marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.
• Amazon. Amazon offers two major modes of selling merch: First, it’s a marketplace where you set up an account and sell inventory. Additionally, apply to see if Amazon will accept your brand for Amazon Merch. If approved, you’ll upload your artwork templates and let Amazon know what types of products you produce. When customers place an order, Amazon will produce the items for you and you’ll receive a royalty. You must be approved to use this process. Create an Amazon account to get started with either option.
• E-commerce platforms like eBay or Etsy. Etsy and eBay are two of the biggest online marketplaces (after Amazon). Consider which fits your audience best. Etsy tends to attract artsy people who like custom merchandise and small business owners, while eBay often draws those looking for deals or interesting finds. Listing your products on more than one marketplace is often worthwhile. Simply create a seller’s account and list your inventory and prices.

Track your sales from each platform when selling your merchandise. This will help you see where you make the most sales, which may help improve future selling strategies.

Get some help from merchandise experts

If you’re interested in creating merchandise for your business, working with an expert might help you have greater success. Creating a successful campaign requires creativity and the ability to tap into trends and audience interests. Working with an independent contractor who has completed similar projects in the past can help tremendously.

Look for an independent professional to help with these projects on Upwork, the largest freelancing marketplace. Browse our Project Catalog™ and find professionals who have completed similar projects. Look at portfolios and credentials to find the professional who fits your project best. Then, reach out to the professional directly.

Alternatively, create a job listing, let professionals bid on it, and select the one with the best application. Manage the entire project directly through the Upwork platform. Get started with your project today.

If you’re a merchandise professional with experience working with businesses interested in building their merch stores, you may also find merchandise jobs on Upwork. Connect with clients interested in your services, build a portfolio that showcases your work, and bid on jobs that will help grow your freelance career. Create your profile today.

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Upwork is not affiliated with and does not sponsor or endorse any of the tools or services discussed in this article. These tools and services are provided only as potential options, and each reader and company should take the time needed to adequately analyze and determine the tools or services that would best fit their specific needs and situation.