Current:Home > FinanceRobert Brown|Swifties' friendship bracelet craze creates spikes in Michaels jewelry sales on Eras Tour -Elevate Capital Network
Robert Brown|Swifties' friendship bracelet craze creates spikes in Michaels jewelry sales on Eras Tour
SafeX Pro View
Date:2025-04-08 19:21:42
Since the start of Taylor Swift's The Robert BrownEras Tour, her fans have caused the ground to shake like an earthquake and helped boost hotel revenues. Now, they're helping a different part of the economy: bracelet material sales.
Thousands of Swifties have been buying the materials to make friendship bracelets — including colorful beads, letters, string, and charms — to trade with other fans that attend Swift's concerts.
The bracelets can consist of anything from a Swift song lyric to an album name to an inside joke among the fanbase. Originally, fans began making the bracelets to trade at the concerts because of a lyric in Swift's song "You're On Your Own, Kid" from the Midnights album.
"So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it / You've got no reason to be afraid" is the line fans are drawing inspiration from. However, this one line has led to a big increase in bracelet making material sales for some crafting stores.
More:Fans welcome Taylor Swift to Los Angeles: See the friendship bracelets, glittery outfits
Michaels art supplies and craft stores see 40% jewelry sale increase
John Gehre, the chief merchandising officer of Michaels Stores, wrote in an email to USA TODAY that the Swifties are a "large and loyal bunch" that have impacted the sales of jewelry for the company.
"Overall, sales in our jewelry category, including jewelry-making kits, are up more than 40% chainwide since mid-April, when the friendship bracelet-making trend really began to take off," Gehre wrote.
The increase in sales varies from place to place. Gehre wrote that in cities where Swift has tour stops, Michaels has seen a 300% sales lift in beads and jewelry categories in the days leading up to the concert.
"The largest jewelry category sales increase was more than 500% in Taylor’s home state of Pennsylvania, where she made two concert stops in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and the largest single-stop sales lift was more than 400% in Detroit," he wrote.
Michaels continuing to monitor inventory throughout trend
Gehre wrote the company has been following the bracelet-making trend since it began in April and adjusting inventory to make sure all Swifties are satisfied.
"As soon as we noticed the trend, our teams acted quickly to ensure inventory was available and well-merchandised in the stores to make it as easy as possible for customers to get in on the trend," he wrote.
While Michaels experienced a large increase in demand for craft supplies during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gehre wrote that this is the first instance in recent years where "demand has spiked so acutely around a specific pop culture event and product category."
"While we may not have anticipated that lyric would spark such a huge trend, we were quick to identify it, anticipate what our customers would need from us, and ensured our stores were well stocked with the best supplies for Swifties to get creative and join in," he wrote.
Additionally, Michaels stores around the country have started building their own bracelet-making displays and offering bracelet-making in-store classes following the beginning of the trend. Over 22,000 bracelets have been made in the classes.
Fans should get supplies early, Michaels chief merchandising officer says
As fans gear up for the end of Swift's first U.S. leg of her tour on Aug. 8 and 9, Gehre recommends they get their bracelet materials as soon as possible.
"Shop early for your supplies, as these categories are selling through quickly in stores and online, but most importantly: enjoy the process of being creative," he wrote.
Looking forward, Gehre wrote that Michaels will continue to provide fans with the materials they need for the next U.S. leg of Swift's tour in 2024.
"We’re excited to see that Taylor is already planning to tour again in 2024 and we’ll be ready with everything our Swiftie customers need to partake in the fun," he wrote.
More on Swifties:Taylor Swift fan's 'Fantasy Swiftball' game gives Swifties another way to enjoy Eras Tour
Kate Perez covers trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach her via email at [email protected] or on X at @katecperez_
veryGood! (516)
Related
- Megan Fox's ex Brian Austin Green tells Machine Gun Kelly to 'grow up'
- Online abuse of politically active Afghan women tripled after Taliban takeover, rights group reports
- Methodist Church approves split of 261 Georgia congregations after LGBTQ+ divide
- Taylor Swift Returns to Eras Tour Stage With Moving Performance After Death of Fan
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Alabama police chief says department policies violated in fatal shooting of Black man outside home
- French performers lead a silent Paris march for peace between Israelis and Palestinians
- 2 people killed, 3 injured when shots were fired during a gathering at an Oklahoma house, police say
- Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
- 3 major ways climate change affects life in the U.S.
Ranking
- Louvre will undergo expansion and restoration project, Macron says
- Who pulled the trigger? Questions raised after Georgia police officer says his wife fatally shot herself
- How America's oldest newlyweds found love at 96
- Rookie Ludvig Aberg makes history with win at RSM Classic, last PGA Tour event of season
- Trump issues order to ban transgender troops from serving openly in the military
- 3 decades after teen's murder, DNA helps ID killer with a history of crimes against women
- Taylor Swift postpones Saturday Rio show due to high temperatures
- Mariah Carey's Holiday Tour Merch Is All We Want for Christmas
Recommendation
Warm inflation data keep S&P 500, Dow, Nasdaq under wraps before Fed meeting next week
India and Australia set to hold talks to boost defense and strategic ties
How Patrick Mahomes Really Feels About Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift's Romance
Taylor Swift Returns to Eras Tour Stage With Moving Performance After Death of Fan
Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
Final inmate of 4 men who escaped Georgia jail last month is captured
Got fall allergies? Here's everything you need to know about Benadryl.
Albanese criticizes China over warship’s use of sonar that injured an Australian naval diver