When will my members earn merch?

So you’ve just set up merch benefits through Patreon for the first time – this article will explain how and when members earn their merch benefits.

Members earn merch

Members earn merch when they meet two requirements:

• They joined a tier that contains a merch item
  
• They’ve made a required number of consecutive payments in that tier. The number of payments depends on the type of merch programme you offer the item in (three months or loyalty programme)
  

The total time it takes members to complete the required number of payments can vary based on whether the member is new or existing and whether the member has any declined payments that are later settled.

Typically, members earn a month towards an item for each month of membership they pay for after the item goes live. If a member cancels their membership or switches to a tier that does not include the item, any progress the member has made towards earning that merch item is lost. The member can rejoin a tier that contains that item again later, which would restart their earnings progress from the beginning.

Let’s look at some examples to understand when members typically earn merch! For this example, we’ll use a merch programme that delivers an item once after three months.

Subscription billing example: 

If a creator who charges members up front adds a merch item to a tier on 15th May, existing members will have their next payment made after 15th May count towards their merch item. For example, a member whose billing anniversary was the 20th would make their first eligible payment on 20th May. On 20th June, that member would process their second payment towards earning that merch item. On 20th July, the member would earn the merch item. If a new member joins on 15th July, they will be charged immediately upon sign-up and process their first payment towards their merch item. The new member would process their second payment towards their merch item on 15th August and then earn the merch item on 15th September.

Charge up front example: 

If a creator who charges members up front adds a merch item to a tier on 15th May, existing members will have their next payment (1st June) count towards their merch item. On 1st July, those members would process their second payment towards earning that merch item. On 1st August, members would earn the merch item. If a new member joins on 15th July, they would be charged immediately upon sign-up and earn their first payment towards their merch item. The new member would earn their second payment towards their merch item on 1st August and then earn the merch item on 1st September.

Non-charge up front example: 

Suppose a creator who does not charge members up front adds a merch item to a tier on 15th May. In that case, existing members with a valid membership in that tier will earn their first payment towards that merch item on 1st June, eventually earning the item on 1st August. A new member who joins on 15th July would earn their merch item on 1st October.

As a reminder, you can always find what benefits your members have earned, including Merch for Membership benefits, on your Benefits page. 

FAQ

How will my current members earn merch?

Typically, existing members will earn their merch item on their third successful charge after the merch is added. Previous payments do not count towards a member earning merch. 

Will editing the design of an item affect how my members earn merch?

Will editing an item’s tiers affect how my members earn merch?