Speakers at a recent education session on merchandise planning hosted by the Museum Store Association noted that “for too long income generation, innovation, and enterprise have been taboo in a sector that now desperately relies on success in these areas.”
If that isn’t reason enough to prioritize your shop, museum stores can also be the key to getting more people in the door:
Even if consumers don’t have an interest in your museum’s collection, they may have an interest in your museum shop’s merchandise. Museum shops exist where arts and culture meet commercial, which means they can draw in more diverse crowds. Of all the different areas in museums, shops arguably have the most potential for bringing in new audiences because of the alluring nature of retail spaces. (Source: From Souvenir to Success: Breathing New Life into Museum Gift Shops)
A museum shop should be considered part of your visitor experience — it’s worth the extra attention.
Let’s look at recent trends in museum shop merchandise, management, and the retail world at large. And remember, you always want shop merchandise to be in line with your museum’s mission, for tax purposes.
Round Up Programs
You’ve likely started seeing this at other businesses, a prompt at checkout asking to round up your total and put the spare change toward a charity organization. Consider this tactic as a way to collect micro-contributions for your museum. It’s simple; it adds up; and visitors can feel good about helping out.
Loyalty Programs
Loyalty programs are a key factor in where people choose to spend money these days, and museums are taking note. While situations vary by institution, a majority of a museum’s visitors are often locals. A loyalty program at your museum store could be another incentive to keep people coming back.
Related read: Square has a primer on types of loyalty programs and best practices.
Buying Local
This isn’t a new trend, but it continues to be a trend all the same. People are drawn to items not easily found elsewhere as mementos commemorating their experience. Local goods check that box and tend to sell well at every type of museum.
How do you increase your supply of locally made goods? Work with local artisans and jewelry makers on a consignment basis. Find local printers for your posters, shirts, and caps. Browse Etsy and set location parameters to find makers in your area. And don’t be afraid to reach out to those makers about wholesale pricing.
Food items that relate to your mission or your geographic area are also a good bet. Selling books can be tricky, since you have to compete with the mighty Amazon on pricing, but what about local history books or a local author who writes on subjects related to your museum?
Special Events
An increasingly popular way to boost revenue from your museum shop is to host events where shopping is encouraged. This can be an artisan market or even a shopping night with drinks and light bites. You can partner with local artists and take a percentage of every sale.
Events can be a lot of work, but think of it as a fundraiser for the museum. Depending on the scope and amount of legwork required, you could limit it to once a year, like a holiday market. Younger generations may not be donating gifts to museums, but they do like to show up for special events.
Branded Merch
When it comes to branded merchandise, go for items that are of good quality and, most importantly, good design. Never underestimate the power of a really cool t-shirt. If you’re able to offer several different logo/design options for your branded items, all the better.
Nostalgia
Nostalgia is huge in retail right now. Industry analysts say nostalgia marketing generally runs on a 20-to-30-year cycle, so use your museum archives and your own memories for inspiration here.
Related read: Is Nostalgic Escapism Driving Consumer Trends?
Site-Specific Items
People like to buy things they can’t get anywhere else. And considering you’re competing with the convenience and potentially lower prices of e-commerce, stocking original items becomes that much more important. Lean into the unique nature of the museum gift shop and offer unique items. Consider commissioning something bespoke from a local artist that can be used on multiple products like shirts, journals, or mugs?
Items That Sell Well
Again, not a new trend, but perpetual best sellers include stickers, magnets, totes, prints, postcards, greeting cards, and as mentioned above, local goods.
Look for well-designed products related to the mission of your museum. If you’re an art museum, seek out beautiful art kits. If you’re a historical site or history museum, sell toys and games from that period. And small, giftable items are always a good idea.
Museums should also look at reports from wholesale events to see what’s selling in the retail world, then let that information guide you. For example, Faire’s summer 2024 trends report notes that searches for charm necklaces increased 922% and iron-on patches went up 1,505% from last year. Things like charms and patches are inexpensive to stock and easy for visitors to impulse buy.
Side note: The Faire Learning Hub is a nice resource, with info on how to manage your store’s operating expenses and finances, retail tools you should know, gift card basics, etc.
Sustainability
You knew this one was coming. Sustainability is an issue affecting the museum sector, and thus, the museum store. Eliminating single use plastics, like plastic bags, is a biggie. Think about packaging and try to keep that minimal when possible.
Customers are also interested in buying eco-friendly items. When it comes to your vendors, do a little research: What are the manufacturing processes like for the brands that fill your store? Are they environmentally friendly? Locally made items will reduce your carbon footprint from the jump.
Hint: Companies that value sustainability also value transparency. Ideally, you should be able to fully trace supply chains and know if you are promoting ethical and sustainable trade. Certifications can be a clue, too. Here are 20 sustainable certifications you might encounter.
Related read: New Insights: Consumer Attitudes to Sustainable Products and Pricing
With sustainability comes potentially higher price points, so you’ll want to know if your visitors are willing to pay more for sustainable or eco-friendly products. Which leads us to the next section …
Market Research
From surveys to simple conversation, don’t be afraid to talk to your customers about what they would like to see (i.e., buy) in your museum shop. Pay attention to your customer demographic; determine who tends to buy and then see how to better cater to them — or think about ways to attract other demos.
Analyze your POS data, too. Buying and selling isn’t an exact science, but it’s important to look for trends. Combine your experience and intuition with the numbers. Analysis can be as expansive as detailed reports from a fancy POS system to invoice reviews and inventory awareness.
Seasonal Changes
Even if it’s just a single display, the best museum stores rotate schemes depending on the season or time of year. Winter holidays, cultural events, summer fun, mission-specific holidays … think about appropriate themes and stories you can continue to tell in the shop, even if your basic inventory remains more or less the same. Not only does it draw interest, but it also gives returning customers something new to look at.
Signage & Communication
Be sure to include signage, whether it’s highlighting a loyalty program, your locally produced items, eco-friendly goods, or the products that relate to an exhibition.
After the sale, don’t forget to thank customers and let them know their purchase supports the museum’s future programs and exhibitions. Your visitor walks away with a memento and a good feeling.
Pricing
Sector concerns, recession concerns, budget concerns, generational spending differences — how do you price museum store items smartly? Fortunately, we can look to the data-driven world of retail at large for information. Learn about the latest pricing strategies for small businesses.
In terms of volume sales for museums, historically, it’s always been a good idea to have a variety of items under $10, and that still holds true.
For a more formal dive into the museum shop milieu, I recommend Understanding the Impact and Potential of Museum Stores, which includes a case study/critical analysis of the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. And though it is paywalled, you might consider looking at the data from Engagement Insights from the Gift Shop: What Visitors Say Is the Best Thing About Museum Retail Experiences.
