Merchdirect

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Type:	Private
Founded:	New York (2000)
Headquartered:	Long Island, New York USA
Key People:	Lee Tepper, Co-Founder Justin Beck, Co-Founder
Industry:	Music Merchandising
Website:	www.merchdirect.com

MerchDirect (a subsidiary of Factory 77, Inc.) specializes in merchandising and branding for the music and entertainment industry. The company was founded in 2000 by two musicians who were frustrated with the state of the industry. The existing products that merchandising companies offered for sale, along with the fact that artists were not making the money that they deserved, were just two of the areas that they felt needed improvement. Seizing the opportunity to change what they felt was an important but often overlooked aspect of an artist's career, the two converted their recording studio into an office and started the next generation merchandise company.

MerchDirect realizes that with the proliferation of downloadable music, fans will be looking for alternative ways to support their favorite artists other than buying records. While many see this as the demise of the music industry, MerchDirect sees this as an opportunity to reinvent the way consumers spend on music and entertainment related products and services. Unlike existing merchandise companies who just license designs from their artists, MerchDirect enters into a partnership with their clients.

MerchDirect is not a "middle man" between artists and other merchandise companies. All design, manufacturing, printing, sales, warehousing, and distribution are run out of the company's 20,000 sq ft facilities located in Bellmore, NY. The company currently employs a workforce of more than 50 full-time staff members and manages the merchandising for over 150 active clients.