Guides › Merch settlement and nightly merch counts
Merch settlement and nightly merch counts
Updated October 7, 2026 · 3 min read
Merch can be a band’s biggest income on tour, and it is easy to lose track of. Counting in and out every night and settling properly with the venue turns a box of shirts into numbers you can trust.
Free templates for this guide
Download and edit these for your own tour. No sign-up, no email required.
Merch count and settlement sheet
Count in, adds, comps and count out per item and size, with sold units, gross, venue fees on soft and hard goods, and net.
Cash and deposit log
Track cash in from shows and merch, bank deposits, and running cash on hand.
See the complete free resource library for budgets, riders, checklists and more.
Step 1: Count in
Before doors, count every item by size and write it down: this is the count in. Do it with the person selling merch (venue seller or your own). Note anything damaged.
Step 2: Track sales during the night
If you take cards through a point-of-sale system, sales are recorded automatically. For cash, keep a simple tally or use the count-out difference. Note any comps given away (radio, guests) so they aren’t counted as missing.
Step 3: Count out
After the show, count everything again: the count out. Count in minus count out minus comps equals units sold. Multiply by price for expected gross. Compare it to cash plus card sales. Small differences happen; big ones need explaining.
Step 4: Settle with the venue
Many venues charge a merch fee, often a percentage of gross, sometimes different for soft goods (clothing) and hard goods (music, posters). Some charge a flat fee or only take a cut if their staff sell.
- Agree gross sales by category with the venue’s merch contact.
- Apply the agreed percentage to each category. Card processing fees may or may not come off first; check your contract.
- Pay the venue its fee or have it deducted from the show settlement.
- Get the final merch numbers in writing.
Step 5: Record and restock
Log the night’s sales and the venue fee. Update your inventory so you know what to reorder before you run out of the popular sizes. See how much merch to bring.
Example (EXAMPLE numbers)
| Item | In | Out | Comp | Sold | Price | Gross |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tour tee M | 24 | 15 | 1 | 8 | $30 | $240 |
| Tour tee L | 30 | 19 | 0 | 11 | $30 | $330 |
| Vinyl LP | 15 | 9 | 0 | 6 | $35 | $210 |
Venue fee 20% soft / 10% hard on these numbers: $114 + $21 = $135. The template calculates all of this.
Merch tips
- Count every night, even when you’re tired. Missing counts compound.
- Agree the venue fee during the advance, not at settlement.
- Keep merch cash separate from settlement cash.
- Watch sizes: running out of medium on night four costs more than overstocking XL.
Card vs cash sales
Card sales are recorded automatically by your point-of-sale system, which makes them easy to reconcile. Cash sales depend on your counts and cash total. Check both against the count-out each night.
How TRMNGR helps
If you sell through Square, the TRMNGR Merch page (Production Office → Merch) connects to your Square account read-only and shows today’s and tour-total sales and units, on-hand counts per item with a size breakdown, and low-stock flags at a threshold you set. Daily sales reset at 7am. Each show’s settlement has a Merch Settlement worksheet with Merch Gross and Venue Merch % that calculates Merch Net to Artist. For cash-only nights, use the count sheet below.