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From screen to store: How summer TV shows drove merch sales

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Summer 2024 has been a hot season not just for the weather but also for TV shows, and with great shows come great merchandise.

From drama-packed series like Bridgerton and Emily in Paris to epic sci-fi and fantasy worlds like House of the Dragon and Rings of Power, fans have been showing their love in more ways than just streaming.

They’re buying merch. Lots of it.

Naturally, we dug into the numbers to see just how well merchandise from these shows is doing on Amazon during July and August. Here’s what we found:

Drama vs Sci-fi/fantasy

When it comes to merchandise, drama series are absolutely dominating. Bridgerton alone raked in an impressive $7,13M in revenue from 315K items sold, with its most popular product being a set of stylish satin hair scrunchies, which sold 84K units in two months – 26.66% of total sales. It’s clear that the stunning accessories featured in the show have really inspired the viewers to recreate that glamorous look for themselves

Emily in Paris didn’t do too badly either, with $1.87M in sales from 156K items sold, mostly from items like chic phone cases that resonate with the show’s fashionable vibe, and accounted for 26.03% of the sales with 40,6K units sold.

Monthly Merch Sales for Drama vs Sci-fi/fantasy

Meanwhile, Cobra Kai struck hard with $909K in revenue from 39.9K items sold, mainly driven by products like posters and party supplies, which accounted for nearly 2K units sold. Clearly, the show’s fans wanted to showcase their dojo pride.

On the other hand, sci-fi and fantasy shows brought in a decent haul but didn’t quite reach the same heights. House of the Dragon led the pack with $864K, mostly from collectibles like Funko Pop! figures, which sold 3,4K units – 9,9% of its total sales.

Rings of Power followed with $341K, with The One Ring (obviously) merchandise proving to be particularly popular among fans, contributing 24,4% of sales with 4,8K units sold.

Monthly Merch Sales for Drama vs Sci-fi/fantasy

Adding to the mix, The Acolyte generated $136K in revenue from 5,5K items sold, with the Padawan Jecki Lon action figure being the top-seller, moving 880 units, and making up 16% of the show’s total sales.

Umbrella Academy also contributed to the sci-fi/fantasy segment, bringing in $195K in revenue from 11,9K items sold, with Klaus Hargreeves Funko Pop! collectable emerging as a fan favorite, selling 540 units.

So, which show has the hottest merchandise right now?

Out of all the shows we looked at, Bridgerton is the clear winner in the merch game. With over $7,13M in revenue, it far outsells its competitors. Fans are clearly invested in not just the drama of the show but also in bringing a touch of its Regency-era glamour into their own lives.

The most popular item, those satin scrunchies, sold an astounding 84K units – proving that small items with a strong show connection can indeed make a big impact.

Monthly Merch Sales for Drama vs Sci-fi/fantasy

Should you start selling merch?

If you’re thinking about starting to sell merchandise, now might be the time. With fans more eager than ever to express their fandom through products, there’s a clear market for well-designed, show-related items.

Here are a few tips to increase your merchandise sales:

  • Tap into trends: Look at what’s hot in the show’s theme and style, and create items that fans will love. Bridgerton did it with scrunchies; what could your show’s equivalent be?
  • Offer variety: The more categories your merch spans, the more chances you have to appeal to different segments of your audience. Cobra Kai saw success across clothing, accessories, and home decor.
  • Focus on quality: Fans are willing to pay a premium for items that are well-made and feel authentic to the show’s universe.

With the right strategy, your merchandise could be the next big hit among TV show enthusiasts. Whether you’re selling scrunchies, posters, or action figures, the key is to connect with what fans love most about the show and offer them a piece of it to take home.

Aistė Jočytė
Article by

Aiste is a Jr. Content Marketing Manager at Omnisend. When she's not searching for the perfect synonym or refining her latest copy, you can find her curled up with her cat, binge-watching yet another TV series.