Paramore’s Merch Price Matching Has 3OH!3 Steamed
3OH!3 checked in with fans on their official web site blog on Saturday (December 4), upset about what went down at the 107.9 The End Jingle Ball in Sacramento where the band was on a line-up that included B.O.B., Jesse McCartney and Paramore. While not naming the act that instituted the “price matching” policy on merchandise, the headliner at ARCO Arena was Paramore. 3OH!3 write:
Recently, we have come up against touring policies that we think are unfair, both to bands, and, more importantly, to fans. Last night we were forced to do something called “price matching” at a concert in Sacramento. The practice of “price matching” is unfortunately a fairly common one, and it is fundamentally flawed, in my opinion. What it entails is the standardizing of merchandise prices by a “headlining” band – that is to say that the main act of the night will dictate a price at which the other bands may sell their merchandise. The thinking is that the main acts do not want to be “undercut” by opening bands that may be selling their merchandise at a lower price, and thus offer a more attractive deal to fans. Last night, we were forced to sell our t-shirts for $30, a price that we think was too high based on the ticket prices of the show, and unfair to fans.
In our touring career, we have never asked opening bands to “price match” their merchandise to ours. In our thinking, bands should sell their merchandise at whatever price they wish, and fans should be able to buy that merchandise accordingly. It is unfair to smaller bands to be expected to sell their t-shirts and other goods at the same price of larger bands, especially on our tours, when opening bands have depended fairly heavily on selling merchandise for their total income.
