Merch Mate

Merch Mate is a Norwegian merch company that designs, produces and sells merchandise for artists, festivals, sports clubs, nonprofits and businesses, with a print-on-demand service at the center of its offer. It sets up and runs the web shop, makes products when orders come in, ships them and deals with customer service and returns, and the client earns a commission on every sale. The homepage headline promises "Merch-løsninger for små og store artister, festivaler, klubber, foreninger og bedrifter" (merch solutions for small and large artists, festivals, clubs, associations and businesses). The company trades through MP Group AS, with an address in Sofiemyr, according to its footer.

The site is in Norwegian, and its tone is informal. The print-on-demand page opens with "Don’t worry, be happy" and a promise that you spread the message while Merch Mate handles the rest.

What the print-on-demand service covers

The print-on-demand page lists the jobs a seller no longer has to do:

• setting up and running a web shop
• agreements with card acquirers, payment providers and shipping companies
• purchasing, production, import and customs clearance
• stock and stocktaking
• packing, dispatch, returns and customer service
• accounting and bookkeeping for each sale, transaction and card fee

The company says it goes further than other print-on-demand suppliers. In its words: "Vi er ikke den eneste Print-On-Demand-leverandøren på markedet. Langt ifra. Men, vi er den eneste som faktisk fikser ALT." (We are not the only print-on-demand supplier on the market, far from it, but we are the only one that actually handles EVERYTHING.) Beyond purchasing, storage, production and dispatch, "kan vi også ta hånd om markedsføring, returer, kundeservice og sette opp og drifte deres nettbutikk" (we can also take care of marketing, returns, customer service and set up and run your web shop).

How the money works

Merch Mate explains the model in plain terms: "Vi står for lager og produserer dine produkter individuelt etter behov, altså når det kommer en bestilling. Du får provisjon av alle salg, eller betaler bare når du bestiller eget." (We handle stock and produce your products individually as needed, that is, when an order comes in. You get commission on all sales, or pay only when you order your own.) For clients selling to fans or supporters, the page says all you need to do is "markedsføre litt i dine kanaler og fakturere provisjon på alle salg en gang i måneden" (market a little in your channels and invoice commission on all sales once a month). No commission rate is published.

The shop itself can cost nothing. "Vår enkleste nettbutikkløsning er gratis" (our simplest web shop solution is free), and for a low monthly sum a client can get a shop on its own domain with advanced features. The homepage adds that Merch Mate can run a complete, fully managed web shop, or handle order processing and customer service for sales made through the client's own web shop. Larger shop setups can include a B2B module, an intranet shop and donations.

Two uses: selling and buying

The print-on-demand page splits the service in two. Selling to others is for sports teams, top clubs and federations selling supporter gear, musicians and artists selling to fans, influencers building a community, and nonprofits raising awareness and money. Merch Mate sets up the online store, takes orders, produces as needed and handles delivery, customer service and returns.

Buying for your own use is for companies and organizations that need workwear, promotional items or branded gifts in small volumes. Merch Mate can set up an online ordering system where the company, selected departments or even employees can order when the need arises. For wider choice, "flere trykk-muligheter og enda lavere priser" (more print options and even lower prices), this can be combined with its Made-To-Order service.

Getting started

The print-on-demand page describes three steps: design (make your own or get help turning your vision into a design), product (choose products that match your brand) and start selling (Merch Mate sets up the web shop). If a client needs artwork turned into print-ready files, "så kan våre designere bistå" (our designers can help). The homepage describes a similar 1-2-3 process that starts with a meeting about goals and options, moves to a tailored solution, and ends with launch.

On products, the page promises "et stadig større utvalg av produkter" (an ever larger range of products) from "våre nøye utvalgte leverandører" (our carefully selected suppliers), in the right quality and price range. It does not list product types.

Production capacity and other services

The homepage says Merch Mate combines "vår in house produksjonskapasitet med kvalitetsleverandører og produksjonspartnere i inn- og utland" (our in-house production capacity with quality suppliers and production partners in Norway and abroad), so quantities from 1 to 100,000 are possible. Its service menu covers design, production (print on demand, made to order and printing), e-commerce, warehousing and logistics, premium branding and marketing and sales.

Premium branding means details such as neck labels, hang tags, packaging and e-commerce bags in the client's own design. Warehousing covers everything from single web orders to consumers through to import, stock and larger B2B shipments to retailers, a political party's local branches or a company's departments, plus returns. On marketing, the homepage says the company does not leave clients alone once the shop is live: "Vi er med deg hele veien" (we are with you all the way).

The company claims more than 200 years of combined experience in production, marketing, sales and e-commerce with merch, promotional and supporter products. The footer links a sustainability strategy, certifications and a page on Norway's transparency act; the homepage itself does not summarize them.

Concepts by sector

Merch Mate packages its services into concepts: Sport Merch (with Club Mates, Club Mates Professional and Sport Merch Forbund for federations), Culture Merch for artists, influencers, festivals and media productions, Non-Profit Merch for charities and political parties, and Business Merch for companies, brands and DTC brands.

Contact

The footer gives the phone number +47 401 81 153 and the email post@merchmate.no, with links to delivery terms, exchange and returns, and complaints pages.

Who it suits

Merch Mate suits Norwegian artists, festivals, sports clubs, associations and businesses that want merch handled end to end, from design and a free or custom shop to stock, dispatch, returns and monthly commission. Clubs and federations get the most specific offer, with dedicated Club Mates concepts.

It fits less well a seller who wants a self-service catalog with published prices, or one whose customers are mostly outside Norway, since the pages do not say where Merch Mate ships. Terms are set in a meeting rather than listed on the site.