Perhaps it was inevitable that Spotify and Shopify — with their similar-sounding monikers — would eventually join forces.
Spotify on Wednesday announced a new partnership with ecommerce provider Shopify to let artists list merchandise directly on their profiles on the audio-streaming giant’s platform.
Any artist globally can already link to their Shopify store if they have one from their Spotify profile. But now Spotify users will see featured product listings from Shopify on the service; during the initial beta period, Shopify merchandise will only be visible to Spotify listeners in five countries: the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.
To set up their virtual merch tables, Spotify artists must have a Shopify account. Shopify’s pricing plans range from $29/month for a basic ecommerce package up to $299/month for an “advanced” tier that includes enhanced reporting. Shopify is offering a 90-day free trial to all Spotify artists signing up for the first time.
Shopify provides inventory management features for Spotify artists; for example, out-of-stock items are automatically removed from your profile, while new products can be instantly added to Spofity. For artists just getting started creating lines of merch, Shopify offers print-on-demand services and the ability to connect with merchandise-fulfillment partners.
To list merch on Spotify with Shopify, in the Spotify for Artists dashboard on desktop, go to the “Profile” tab, and click “Merch” to get started. There you’ll be able to choose the three items from your Shopify store that you want to display on your artist profile. (You can link only one Shopify store per Spotify artist account.)
“For many fans, Spotify is the primary way they interact with an artists’ music, and we are excited to give artists a new way to capitalize on that moment,” said Camille Hearst, head of Spotify for Artists. “The integration of Shopify’s powerful backend for powering commerce presents a significant step forward in our efforts to help artists maximize additional revenue streams and give them agency over their careers.”
Remi Wolf, a musician and producer from Northern California who released her debut album “Juno” on Oct. 15, is already using the Shopify features on Spotify.
“Being able to display my newest merch directly on Spotify where my fans are already listening is huge,” Wolf said in a statement provided by Spotify. “I’m creating music, but I’m also building a business, a brand, and a community. My merch is another way for me to be creative and to connect with my listeners so that they feel a part of this journey.”
