GRiZ SMS Case Study: 98% Conversion Rate on Merch Drops

Audience: All Audiences | Read time: 14 min | Last updated: January 2026

Electronic artist GRiZ achieved something remarkable: a 98% conversion rate on SMS campaigns promoting limited merchandise drops. That means 98 out of 100 fans who received the notification purchased.

This case study breaks down exactly how he did it, the psychology behind why SMS converts so well, the platform infrastructure that made it possible, and how you can apply these tactics at any career stage.

The headline number is striking, but understanding the context makes it even more impressive.

98% conversion rate from notification to purchase. If 1,000 fans received the drop notification, 980 bought the item.

Most marketing channels see conversion rates between 1-5%. Email marketing typically converts at 2-5% for sales. Social media ad conversion rates hover around 1-3%. Traditional SMS marketing sees 8-15% conversion rates.

GRiZ's 98% represents a conversion rate roughly 10-50x higher than industry standards.

Platform: Laylo Multidrop integrated with Shopify

List type: SMS subscribers captured primarily through live show QR codes

Frequency: Maximum 2 SMS campaigns per month

Content: Exclusive early access to limited quantity merchandise

The results came from a specific combination of list quality, message scarcity, and genuine exclusivity. Understanding each element is critical for replication.

SMS has fundamentally different engagement characteristics than email. Understanding these differences explains why GRiZ's approach worked.

SMS open rates: 98% (essentially universal)

Email open rates: 20-30% (highly variable)

SMS response time: 90% of texts are read within 3 minutes

Email response time: Average email sits unopened for 6.4 hours

The difference is stark. When you send an SMS, the recipient almost certainly sees it within minutes. When you send an email, the majority may never open it at all.

Perceived value: Text messages feel personal and urgent. We associate them with communication from people we know, not marketing. When a text arrives, we check it.

Attention quality: SMS occupies a different mental space than email. Emails compete with hundreds of other messages in an inbox. Texts appear directly on the phone's lock screen.

Scarcity association: Most people receive relatively few marketing texts. Each one carries more weight because the channel isn't saturated.

Immediacy expectation: Texts imply time-sensitivity. Recipients assume that if you're texting instead of emailing, it matters now.

SMS subscribers represent a higher commitment level than email subscribers. Giving a phone number feels more personal than giving an email address. This self-selection creates a list of more engaged fans from the start.

GRiZ built his SMS list primarily through live show QR codes. This approach captures fans at a specific moment with specific characteristics.

Peak emotional engagement: Fans at concerts are experiencing your music live, surrounded by other fans, in a heightened emotional state. This is the moment they feel most connected to you.

Clear value exchange: Scanning a QR code at a show feels like joining an insider community. Fans want to be part of something exclusive.

Friction removal: QR codes eliminate typing. One scan, one tap, done. No remembering to sign up later.

Quality filter: People who attend live shows are already invested. They paid money, traveled, and spent their evening with your music. These aren't casual listeners.

SET.Live provides free tools for capturing fan data at live events through QR-based engagement.

How it works:

Experience types that drive signups:

Named users: Alicia Keys, John Legend, Jelly Roll, The Black Pumas, Sleater-Kinney, Miranda Lambert

Live show capture converts at 5-10x higher rates than social media requests because fans are at peak emotional engagement.

Text-to-join keywords: "Text GRIZ to 12345" announced from stage or displayed on screens

Website opt-in forms: SMS signup prominently featured alongside email capture

Checkout add-ons: SMS opt-in during merchandise purchases with incentive

Exclusive content gating: Access to unreleased tracks or behind-the-scenes content requires SMS signup

The list building method matters as much as the list size. GRiZ's list was built from fans who attended shows and actively chose to join. This is fundamentally different from a list built through aggressive online capture tactics.

Four specific tactics drove the 98% conversion rate.

Maximum 2 SMS campaigns per month. No exceptions.

This constraint is counterintuitive. Most marketers want to send more messages to drive more revenue. GRiZ went the opposite direction.

Why it works:

Anticipation building: When messages are rare, each one carries weight. Fans know that if they receive a text, it's something worth paying attention to.

Fatigue prevention: SMS fatigue is real and brutal. Over-message and fans unsubscribe or start ignoring you. The channel's power comes from its scarcity.

Signal quality: Two messages per month means only the most valuable content gets sent. This forces discipline about what actually matters.

Trust maintenance: Fans learn that your texts are worth reading. You've earned permission to enter their personal space, and you respect that permission.

Every SMS included exclusive early access to something.

Not announcements. Not reminders. Actual exclusive access that SMS subscribers got before anyone else.

What this looked like:

Why it works:

Real value delivery: Fans learn that being on the SMS list provides tangible benefits they can't get elsewhere. This reinforces the decision to subscribe and increases attention to future messages.

Insider status: SMS subscribers feel like VIPs, not just another marketing segment. This emotional positioning drives engagement and loyalty.

FOMO creation: When fans see items sell out before they knew they existed, they regret not being on the SMS list. Word spreads organically.

Limited quantity messaging: "Only 200 available. Link expires in 2 hours."

This isn't fake scarcity. The items actually sold out. The links actually expired.

Why it works:

Decision forcing: Unlimited time and unlimited quantity removes urgency. When fans know the item will disappear, they decide now rather than later.

Loss aversion: Psychologically, people are more motivated by fear of losing something than by desire to gain something. Real scarcity triggers loss aversion.

Trust building: Fake scarcity destroys credibility. Real scarcity builds it. Fans learn that when you say limited, you mean limited.

Completion psychology: Numbered editions and limited runs appeal to collector mentality. Fans want to own something rare.

Every message had one link and one call to action.

No multiple options. No "check out our new merch, also stream our new song, also buy tickets." One thing.

Why it works:

Decision simplification: More options create more friction. One clear action removes cognitive load.

Message clarity: Within 160 characters, you can only communicate one idea effectively. Trying to do more dilutes everything.

Conversion optimization: Every additional option reduces the conversion rate on your primary goal. Remove the secondary goals.

GRiZ's results aren't isolated. Other artists using similar approaches have achieved comparable outcomes.

Results:

Results:

Results:

Results:

The specific tactics scale down to any career stage. Here's how to implement them.

If you're not collecting SMS at shows, start now. SET.Live is free and works via QR code.

Setup process (10 minutes):

What to offer:

Platform options by career stage:

Early career (under 1,000 fans):

Growing career (1,000-10,000 fans):

Established career (10,000+ fans):

SMS is a privilege, not a right. Fans gave you access to their personal space. Don't abuse it.

Frequency rules:

Content rules:

Compliance rules:

Before sending any SMS, ask these questions:

Is this exclusive? If fans can get this information elsewhere, why text them?

Is there real urgency? If it can wait, it shouldn't be a text.

Is the action clear? If there's any ambiguity about what to do, simplify.

Have I earned this? If you've texted recently, wait.

Monitor these metrics for your SMS campaigns:

Delivery rate: What percentage of messages actually delivered? Low delivery rates indicate list quality issues.

Click rate: What percentage clicked your link? Low click rates indicate message quality issues.

Conversion rate: What percentage completed the desired action? This is your ultimate success metric.

Unsubscribe rate: What percentage opted out after this message? Spikes indicate channel abuse.

Revenue attribution: How much revenue did this specific message generate? Track this to justify continued investment.

Avoid these patterns that destroy SMS effectiveness.

The most common mistake is treating SMS like email. Sending weekly or even bi-weekly SMS destroys the channel's power. Fans will unsubscribe, stop reading, or block you.

The fix: Maximum 2-4 messages per month, period. If you have more things to communicate, use email for the rest.

If your SMS announces the same thing you posted on Instagram, why would anyone stay subscribed? The value proposition disappears.

The fix: SMS content should be exclusive, earlier, or different from what fans can get elsewhere.

"Only 100 left!" when you have thousands in inventory. "24 hours only!" when you extend it twice. Fans learn not to trust you.

The fix: Only claim scarcity that's real. If it's not limited, don't say it is.

"New merch just dropped! Also, stream our new song. And buy tickets for the tour!" This confuses and dilutes.

The fix: One message, one action. Send separate messages for separate goals.

Not providing clear opt-out instructions, or making the process difficult, violates regulations and destroys trust.

The fix: Every message includes opt-out instructions. Honor requests immediately.

If you have any budget, start with Laylo Pro at $25/month. It's built specifically for artists and handles both SMS and email. If you have zero budget, Laylo Free gives you 250 message credits monthly to test the channel.

You can start with any list size, but meaningful results typically require 200+ engaged subscribers. Focus on building the list through shows before running conversion-focused campaigns.

Yes, but only if you're offering early access or exclusive content to SMS subscribers. Don't use SMS to announce something fans could find out from Instagram.

Yes, but list building becomes harder. Use website opt-ins with strong incentives, checkout add-ons for merch purchases, and exclusive content gating to build your list without live shows.

SMS has higher open rates (98% vs. 20-30%) and faster response times (3 minutes vs. 6+ hours), but requires stricter frequency limits (2-4/month vs. weekly+). Use SMS for high-value, time-sensitive communication. Use email for regular relationship building.

If you're not collecting SMS at shows, start now.

This week:

For your first SMS campaign, offer something genuinely exclusive to your SMS list only. Track the conversion rate. Compare it to your email campaigns. Let the data convince you to invest more in the channel.

Use AndR to track how your SMS list performance correlates with overall fan engagement, merchandise revenue, and show attendance. Understanding which subscribers drive the most value helps you optimize both list building and messaging strategy.

Laylo Platform Documentation. Technical specifications and case studies for drop campaigns.

SET.Live Implementation Guide. Setup instructions and best practices for live show data capture.

SMS Marketing Association Benchmarks. Industry data on open rates, click rates, and conversion metrics.

TCPA Compliance Guidelines. Legal requirements for SMS marketing in the United States.

This article is part of the AndR knowledge base. Use AndR to connect your SMS marketing performance with streaming, social, and revenue data to understand which fans drive real career growth.