Multimillion-dollar
election merch industry:
What will happen to it
after elections?

In the lead-up to the 2024 election, we explored how Americans are showing support for their candidates, and how these choices are reflected in the merchandise sales of two prominent candidates: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

The results shed light on shifting political sentiments and the multimillion-dollar election merch industry that has flourished since Trump first launched his presidential campaign in 2016. This industry, driven by passionate supporters and critics alike, has continued to grow throughout his political career, making it a central part of the 2024 election.

Key findings

Methodology

The research consisted of a survey and an Amazon listing research. The survey was commissioned by Omnisend and conducted by Cint in August 2024. It included 1,000 respondents across the US, ensuring a nationally representative sample with a margin of error of +/-3%. The research was conducted using Jungle Scout software. We analyzed merchandise sales trends from April to September 2024 on Amazon, using keywords related to Donald Trump and Kamala Harris.

Our latest research at Omnisend reveals just how much political merch has become a major player in the 2024 election. It’s not just about showing support anymore — it’s about making a statement. From t-shirts to hats, Americans are gearing up, and a clear favorite candidate is emerging based on merch sales.

Throughout Donald Trump’s nearly ten-year political career, a multimillion-dollar merchandise industry has developed among his supporters. The newest research from Omnisend shows that from April to September 2024, Amazon sellers offering Trump-branded merchandise generated nearly $140M in revenue.

Currently, around 11K brands on Amazon are selling election merch, with 9K of them focusing on Trump products, reflecting the enduring loyalty of his base.

insight #1

Multimillion-dollar merch game

As the 2024 election season heats up, the merchandise market has become a powerful indicator of candidate support. Amazon sellers generated a staggering $140M from Trump-branded merchandise between April and September this year, reflecting the strong demand among his loyal base. From flags to MAGA hats, Trump’s merch continues to dominate the market.

Kamala Harris, though trailing Trump, has also seen significant sales, with Amazon sellers bringing in $26M from her branded merch. Harris’ rise in merch sales aligns with her increasing popularity and engagement since entering the race, signaling growing support for her campaign.

These figures highlight not only the scale of the political merch industry but also the fierce competition between candidates to capture voter enthusiasm through merchandise sales.

insight #2

Trump on t-shirts, Trump on flags, Trump on everything you can think of

Nine thousand out of 11K Amazon brands selling election merch dedicated to Trump’s name. This vast network of sellers highlights the immense market power Trump’s brand holds in the 2024 election season.

Flags have proven to be the most popular Trump-branded item, accounting for 30% of total sales and generating $40M in revenue. Alongside flags, nearly one million MAGA hats have flown off the shelves, solidifying Trump merch as a must-have for supporters.

Among the standout sellers is Walker’s earmuffs featuring Trump’s campaign logo, which brought in an estimated $3M for a single seller since being listed at the end of the summer. Many of the stores selling Trump merch also offer customizable items like t-shirts, cups, and hats. Some sellers, however, specialize exclusively in Trump-related items — such as Proud Patriots, which earned nearly $1M in just six months of the election race.

insight #3

A negative sentiment

A significant portion of Donald Trump merchandise on Amazon includes negative keywords, reflecting a trend in both praise and criticism through merchandise. 21% of Trump merch contains words like "anti," "fuck," or "sucks," compared to just 9% of Kamala Harris merch.

This data suggests that Trump merchandise may appeal to both supporters and detractors, while Harris merch is primarily purchased by supporters.

insight #4

Election merch — a popular accessory for 2024

Fifty eight percent of Americans have already purchased or plan to buy 2024 presidential election merchandise. This growing trend indicates a rising interest in using merch as a way to express political support.

Voters are increasingly exploring various channels for their political merchandise, but Amazon leads as the top platform, with 57% of Americans planning to purchase election merch there. Although a significant part of voters (20%) choose official campaign websites too, which shows a desire among voters to support campaigns more directly, knowing that proceeds typically go toward funding the candidate's efforts.

2024 election

What ecommerce brands should know

With more than half of Americans purchasing election merchandise, ecommerce brands have an opportunity to capitalize on this trend.

According to Greg Zakowicz, Senior Ecommerce Expert at Omnisend, brands don’t need to create politically charged products to participate in election season. Instead, they can design general, election-themed products that appeal to a wide audience without alienating potential customers.

"Brands can connect with customers by focusing on universal values and themes related to civic engagement, such as voting or community involvement. This approach ensures broad appeal without polarizing your audience."

Have any questions?

Reach out to our Public Relations team by email [email protected] for more details or schedule an interview with an Omnisend expert about the report. We're here to help and provide any additional information you might need.

Multimillion-dollar election merch industry: What will happen to it after elections?