Merch Is Dying Again! That Means Only One Thing for Amazon's POD Sellers

In partnership with

Oh no, not again! Cue the violins, because Amazon Merch on Demand is “dying” for the umpteenth time—at least according to the doomsayers clogging up forums and X with their annual eulogies. Sellers are clutching their pearls, bemoaning sluggish Q1 sales, and swearing the t-shirt game’s gone belly-up. But here’s the delicious irony: every time these Chicken Littles squawk about the sky falling, it’s a neon sign that Merch is about to roar back like Tony Soprano after a coma. Spoiler alert: the sellers who stick it out, keep designing, and upload like their lives depend on it are poised to rake in serious cash. Let’s break it down—sarcasm included, profits implied.

Q1: The Seasonal Snooze Fest

So, sales dipped in Q1. Shocker! January to March is the post-holiday hangover—wallets are thin, and buyers are too busy returning Aunt Edna’s hideous sweater to splurge on your “Cat Dad Vibes” tee. It’s not a death knell; it’s a seasonal blip. Yet, every year, the same sellers cry “Merch is dead!” as if they’ve never seen a calendar. Newsflash: this dip’s as predictable as Carmela’s side-eye. The platform’s not crumbling—it’s napping. And while the faint-hearted flee, the smart ones see the truth: this lull is your cue to shine.

Q2: The Comeback Kid

Here’s where it gets juicy. Q2—April to June—is when Merch wakes up, stretches, and starts flexing. Historically, spring brings a sales bump as buyers gear up for summer wardrobes and Father’s Day gifts (hello, “Grill Master” tees). Online chatter’s already hinting at it: savvy sellers who didn’t ditch their accounts in a Q1 tantrum are reporting green shoots. More importantly, Q2 is planting season. Every design you upload now is a seed for the Q4 harvest—aka the Christmas cash bonanza. The data backs it: Merch sellers who grind through spring often see their biggest paydays late-year. So, while the quitters sob, you’re stacking the deck.

The Pipeline Whisper: Shhh, Don’t Tell

Oh, and here’s a little not-so-secret secret—don’t quote me, but some of us in the know hear whispers of new products in the Merch pipeline. Hoodies? Totes? Something juicier? Mum’s the word, but if true, it’s another reason the “Merch is dead” crowd’s about to look real dumb. Amazon’s not abandoning this golden goose—it’s prepping to fatten it up. Stick around, and you might be slinging more than tees by 2026. Wink, nudge, you didn’t hear that from me.

Don’t Be Foolish: Design, Upload, Win

Here’s the kicker: Merch on Demand is alive and kicking—more than ever. Sure, competition’s thicker than a Soprano family dinner, and snagging a sale might take sharper designs or smarter keywords (RIP, “gift” and “cotton”). But opportunities? They’re everywhere. X buzz says top sellers are still pulling six figures—some even seven—off niche tees like “Retro Gamer Dad” or “Pickleball Queen.” The platform’s not drying up; it’s just weeding out the impatient and unmotivated. Keep designing—think bold, test trends like TikTok’s “Guess Challenge” for inspo—and upload relentlessly. Q2’s your runway to prep for Q4’s jackpot.

Millionaires in the Making

Merch will mint more millionaires—no doubt about it. The catch? You’ve got to outlast the whiners. Every “dead platform” panic sends weak hands packing, leaving more pie for the persistent. Look at the vets: they didn’t strike gold in six months; they churned out designs for years, tweaking titles, riding waves like the Y2K nostalgia boom rocking Instagram now. By mid-2025, when Q3 heats up and Q4 explodes, the sellers who planted seeds today will be cashing checks tomorrow. The question isn’t “Can Merch make you rich?”—it’s “Will you stick around long enough to grab it?”

The Real Deal

So, let’s drop the sarcasm for a sec: Merch isn’t dying—it’s evolving. Q1’s a dip, not a grave. Q2’s your chance to build, and Q4’s your payday if you play it right. Amazon’s not dumb; they’re tweaking Merch, maybe even expanding it (shhh). Competition’s fierce, but that just means the rewards are sweeter for the scrappy. Design like a maniac, upload like it’s your job—because it is—and watch 2025’s second half prove the naysayers wrong. Opportunities aren’t gone; they’re hiding in plain sight. Grab ‘em, or someone else will.

Plant People's Multi-Channel Approach to Dominating The Wellness Space

Getting a customer to convert takes time. For most shoppers, it’s not one touchpoint and done — It’s multiple interactions, multiple impressions, and multiple platforms.

Plant People quickly, easily, and authentically hit those touchpoints by pairing large-scale micro-influencer pushes and paid ads across social platforms.

🌱 Plant People achieved this two-in-one approach campaign with minisocial. They tapped into quality, on-brand micro-influencers to facilitate the touchpoints needed for conversions.

Are you ready to give your marketing strategy the fuel it needs to hit your growth targets? Get 15% off your first campaign with minisocial. 🎉

Get Started Today