Merch Mapping

“A community-driven aspect is key to creating a coveted Merch Mapping item”

The birth of the Merch Mapping trend has coincided with a rise in what I’m calling ‘sensation-seeking shoppers’. Sensation seekers have an intense desire for novel, varied, and thrilling experiences, and it’s suddenly no longer enough to get a souvenir at the airport or post on Instagram; you now need to track down a specific symbol to add legitimacy to your getaway. That way, it’s no longer simply a holiday – the trip has now transformed into a mission to be completed. Essentially, Merch Mapping is the new version of “pics, or it didn’t happen”.

Many people think that shopping provides a dopamine hit because owning new things makes us happy, but research shows that dopamine levels are highest in the lead-up to the purchase. Anticipation is, therefore, the strongest source of joy. Merch Mapping is not something you can easily come by. You can’t just pop into any store; there’s planning, sourcing and scheduling involved, and this effort provides the strongest hit of those feel-good hormones, which makes these items even more appealing.

Fashion brands have been leaning into this trend by providing more sensation-seeking style experiences from mystery bags to pop-ups, all of which you have to be “tapped in” to know about. This community-driven aspect is key to creating a coveted Merch Mapping item. When a bag, a tote, or a mug becomes sought after, it’s often positioned as something only a “real traveller” would know about. This positioning taps into our ingrained desire to belong and fear of being othered, which ultimately heightens the item’s desirability.”