How Taylor Swift drives fan shopping behavior

A new survey indicates that Taylor Swift has substantial influence on how and why “Swifties” make purchases.

The survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers who attended any of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concerts or concert movie in 2023 (51% male) from Inmar Intelligence indicates 64% of respondents said the experience(s) prompted them to make purchases related to the concert such as apparel, footwear, accessories, cosmetics, and/or arts/crafts (like glitter, materials for signage, handmade accessories). 

The most popular pre-Eras event purchases were clothing (concert attire – 70%), licensed merchandise (59%) and fashion accessories (42%). In addition, 30% purchased makeup/cosmetics and 29% purchased footwear. 

One in four respondents said they had paid for any purchases related to the Taylor Swift Eras Tour using special discount codes, promotional offers or rewards programs. Top purchases made with these deals included clothing (concert attire – 62%), food (41%), transportation (39%), and stay (hotel, AirBnB, etc. – 37%).

About two-thirds of respondents (67%) said they had seen the Taylor Swift Era movie. Forty-five percent said the movie prompted them to make related purchases. Close to six-in-10 (58%) respondents said Taylor Swift's recent music releases influenced their purchasing decisions.

Among those respondents who bought specific clothing or accessories to wear to The Eras Tour concert and/or movie, close to six in 10 (57%) said they bought one color and/or size of an item and kept it following the concert/movie. But other respondents admitted purchasing clothing and/or accessories for a Taylor Swift event affected their returns behavior.

Specifically, 32% wore a specific item to the concert and returned it following the concert/movie, while 31% ordered multiple sizes and/or colors of an item to keep one option and return the rest (more than one answer allowed).

When asked what factors influence how they shop for event-related products, respondent answers included promotions (47%), exclusivity (44%), brand collaborations (43%) and loyalty programs (33%).

The era of Taylor Swift

In response to Taylor Swift’s wide-scale popularity, the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. has offered interactive events specifically aimed at “Swifties.” And in May 2023, Jeffries analysts looked at the 2.4 million “Eras” concert tickets that had been sold at that time and predicted Boot Barn stores could see a significant bump in sales of items such as cowboy hats, sequins, and Western boots (Swift began her career as a teen country star) fans wanted to wear to her shows.

[Read more: How Taylor Swift impacts brick-and-mortar sales]