What does... "merch" actually mean?

There are few words in marketing that can be interpreted in as many ways as merchandising. But the short form merch only knows one. But more on that later. The Duden dictionary has two. Firstly, the entirety of the sales-promoting measures and activities of the manufacturer of a product (product design, advertising, customer service, etc.). Secondly, the marketing of certain products associated with a movie, sport or similar.

However, there are many more interpretations. In retail, for example, merchandising means everything from product development to sales. The word includes everything from the placement and presentation of goods to store design. Job advertisements are looking for specialists such as visual merchandising/activity co-workers. In addition to the fancy job title, they are also advertised with statements such as "Are you creative, reliable and flexible? Then become part of the Boost family and get started in merchandising". And with less fancy tasks such as "replacing advertising posters, implementing special campaigns, attaching advertising elements to sales shelves". The collective term "merchandising" covers all POS communication, from shelf stoppers and the use of in-store media to interactive multimedia terminals. It's hard work, but anyone can choose what they like to do.

Driven by trade

Anyone who talks about merch today is usually talking about themselves and means something very specific. The cool abbreviation just stands for promotional items. Advertising for oneself and one's cause. Despite society's sustainability efforts, the term is extremely en vogue and what it means is very annoying. Every podcaster, influencer, half and half celebrity distributes or sells them. Merch is produced for every stag party, bridal shower or birthday party. "From 500 pieces" is usually written under prices such as 0.10 francs from suppliers such as BB Trading, Trikora, Temu, Source & Co. A bargain. Even if only 20 of them are needed. The rest can be thrown away. But the ballpoint pen for 10 centimes is at least made from recycled paper.

When it comes to merchandise, the motto seems to be: The main thing is availability in large quantities at low prices. Everywhere and by someone, these things are being thrown at you. Be it at concerts or events, after lectures or seminars, at train stations or in letterboxes (yes, they still exist) or at the above-mentioned private events - you are handed goods from low-wage countries without being asked. From the aforementioned ballpoint pens to drinking cups, bike pumps, microfiber cloths and hoodies or caps with printed or embroidered logos. All of this then piles up on the countless shelves in homes and offices before disappearing unused into the garbage after a while.

In the past, it was at least reserved for large corporations to have such things produced. Their marketing managers saw it as their main task to spend weeks leafing through the suppliers' catalogs and having designs created in the internal graphics department. The SKA cap or less popular, white paper SBG jackets from the 1970s send their regards and can almost be described as sustainable because they are still being auctioned off 50 years later for over 200 francs. Although the words sustainability and merch didn't even exist back then.