UFC announced that it will start working with Amazon Merch on Demand for branded products.
The collection, which is available on Amazon, includes licensed apparel like T-shirts, sweatshirts, long sleeve shirts and tank tops; as well as hard goods like smartphone cases, workout products and bags. There are hundreds of designs available, according to License Global.
Amazon has been bolstering its print-on-demand capabilities for a couple of years now, and having a partnership with such a large global brand like UFC shows that there is a customer desire for print-on-demand.
“We’re thrilled to work with an incredible company like Amazon to enhance our fan gear with a broad array of new products with original designs for UFC fans,” said Tracey Bleczinski, senior vice president of UFC Global Consumer Products, according to License Global. “UFC fans are deeply passionate and loyal, and our fan gear is an authentic way for them to show their love and pride for the sport and stay connected to the brand.”
UFC had a previous connection to Amazon from its partnership with Zappos.com, which is owned by Amazon.
Amazon’s expansion into (and of) print-on-demand certainly indicates that the technology has a major place in the branded merchandise industry moving forward. The model works well for certain applications, like smaller-quantity orders and, especially, e-commerce.
For smaller distributors, it makes sense because it doesn’t create inventory that sits on shelves forever.
But, while it works for some business models, it doesn’t work for others. The best counterpoint is the abundance of exclusive e-commerce drops, where brands release a finite amount of products in the hopes that it generates hype among customers, whether they get the product or not.
And other promotional campaigns need the guiding touch of distributors and selecting products that are tailor-made for a particular goal or event.
