Transfer window boom: Arsenal tops Premier League merchandise sales, Manchester City falls to bottom of ‘top six’

Making the top of the Premier League is as much about performance on the pitch as it is about merchandise, new Bloomreach data reveals. According to the eCommerce specialist, merchandise sales for the Premier League’s ‘top six’ clubs (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham) rose by average of 69% during the opening of the transfer window in January, helping the clubs boost their revenue.

Arsenal saw the biggest surge with a 124% increase in products sold, suggesting that even with limited signings, fans still rally behind the club. Liverpool follows 16 points below at 108%, which doesn’t reflect the club’s performance in the official league table this season.

Lower in the league, Chelsea saw a 92% increase in merchandise sales in January, showing a strong appetite for its brand despite a transfer embargo preventing the club from making any signings. After this, points drop drastically with only 64% for Manchester United and only 17% for Tottenham Hotspurs. Financial powerhouse Manchester City struggled at the bottom of the top six league with no signings during the transfer window and a weak 11% increase in merchandise sales.

Commenting on the findings, Michael Schirrmacher, UK MD at Bloomreach, said: “The January transfer window is an important time for clubs. It’s a perfect time to boost both their on-field performance and balance their books with new merchandise dedicated to the new signings that join the club’s ranks.”

“More and more, fan engagement takes place as much online as in the stadium nowadays. To deliver the kind of experience tech-savvy fans are craving, clubs must provide consistent touchpoints across the entire fan journey, whether it’s online, mobile, physical store or even a customer service call. Doing so will ensure that clubs make it easier for fans to find and buy new products as soon as they hit the store, keeping the fanbase happy while ensuring the club increases its revenue.”

Bloomreach’s research includes data from 14 leading European clubs, collated from August 2019 to January 2020. The company works with European powerhouses such as Inter Milan and Bayern Munich to improve the digital experience journey of their fans.