Bridgerton hair scrunchies are the most sold TV merch item on Amazon this summer: 84K units in two months

Omnisend, an ecommerce marketing company, analyzed the sales of merchandise on Amazon during July and August, focusing on the most popular TV shows released over the summer and found:

• “Bridgerton” merch is by far the most popular with an estimated $7.13 million in revenue from 315,000 items sold on Amazon in two months.
• “Bridgerton” hair scrunchies became a surprise hit with 84,000 units sold during the two months, with an estimated 47,000 sold in July alone.
• Drama & Romance series outperform Sci-Fi & Fantasy shows by more than six times, with $9.92 million compared to $1.53 million from Amazon sales.
• Month over month, Drama & Romance merch sales on Amazon have increased by 27.4%, the opposite is true for Sci-Fi & Fantasy merch, which shrank by 13.1%.
• “House of the Dragon” is the most popular TV show in the Sci-Fi & Fantasy category, with an estimated $864,000 in Amazon merchandise sales.

Drama & Romance series, including “Bridgerton,” “Emily in Paris,” and “Cobra Kai,” collectively generated an estimated $9.92 million from 526,000 items sold on Amazon. In contrast, Sci-Fi & Fantasy shows like “House of the Dragon,” “Rings of Power,” “Umbrella Academy,” and “The Acolyte” brought in an estimated $822,000 from 37,000 items. Month over month, Drama & Romance merch sales on Amazon have increased by 27.4%, while the opposite is true for Sci-Fi & Fantasy merch, which shrank by 13.1%

“Sci-Fi & Fantasy shows often dominate cultural conversations, because series like Emily in Paris are often guilty-pleasure shows that people tend to talk less about, leading to a perception that Sci-Fi & Fantasy series are more popular. However, what our research has shown is that the more relatable settings of Drama series allow the production of more practical merch with wider appeal,” says Greg Zakowicz, Senior Ecommerce Expert at Omnisend.

“In contrast, as the declining sales numbers show, merch for fantasy shows, such as flashy t-shirts or action figures, mostly appeal to the die-hard fans and are a harder sell for casual viewers.”

Bridgerton hair scrunchies – a summer ‘24 hit?

Each show found success with different products. For “Emily in Paris” fans, the phone case used by the main character was the most popular item, with 26% of sales coming from this particular item. The most popular “Rings of Power” merch item was a replica of “The One Ring,” making up 24% of sales. In the case of “House of the Dragon,” an action figure of Alicent Hightower, one of the main characters on the show, was the most popular merch item, constituting 10% of sales. 

Interestingly, “Bridgerton”-themed hair scrunchies were by far the most popular item across the board, with an estimated 84,000 items sold in two months, generating $1.42 million in revenue – almost the same as the total merchandise sales from all four series in the Sci-Fi & Fantasy category combined, at $1.53 million.

“TV productions are increasingly integrating merch planning into their strategy, which also influences things such as costume or set design, or even the characters themselves to create more ‘shoppable’ content’. The ‘Bridgerton’ scrunchies are a great example of this trend, as it perfectly caters to the TV show’s audience and offers a small connection to the world of Regency-era England,” says Omnisend’s Greg Zakowicz.

Expert tips for boosting TV show merch sales

For those looking to capitalize on selling TV show merch, Greg Zakowicz recommends:

1. Tap into trends. Look at what’s popular 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?
2. Offer variety, but keep focused. House of the Dragon entices fans with action figures, Bridgerton does it with fashion accessories. Variety increases the chances you have to appeal to different segments of your audience, but market research allows you to be more targeted.
3. Focus on quality. Fans are willing to pay a premium for items that are well-made and feel authentic to the show’s universe.
4. Timing is key. Launch products to coincide with season premieres or significant plot events to maximize interest.
5. Secure licensing. To sell TV show merch or any type of items with copyrighted material, securing an agreement with the show’s owner is essential to not get into legal trouble.