Merchandise & physical products
The BeatStore player is built for your audio catalog — beats and kits with streaming previews, license tiers, and filters (kind, genre, mood, BPM).
Merch, apparel, posters, and other non-audio products still sell through the same Easy Digital Downloads or WooCommerce backend. They just do not belong in the player list. Create them like any other EDD download or Woo product, then check Hide from player in the BeatStore panel so the player stays focused on music.
The rule of thumb
| Product type | Where buyers find it | BeatStore panel |
|---|---|---|
| Beats, kits, sample packs (with preview) | Player + optional EDD/Woo product page | Fill preview, BPM, kind, licenses |
| T-shirts, hats, vinyl, posters, stickers | EDD/Woo shop or product pages | Hide from player |
| Digital extras (PDFs, wallpapers) sold outside the player | EDD/Woo product pages | Hide from player (unless you want them in the player with a preview) |
BeatStore does not auto-detect “beat vs merch.” Every published download or product is a catalog candidate until you hide it.
WooCommerce (recommended for physical merch)
Use Woo when you already sell beats through Woo or when you need shipping, stock, and non-virtual products alongside your player.
- Products → Add New
- Choose Simple product (or Variable for sizes/colors — use normal Woo attributes like
Size, not the BeatStorepa_licenselicense rows) - Set price, images, and inventory. Leave Virtual unchecked so Woo can collect a shipping address and apply shipping rules
- Configure Shipping under WooCommerce → Settings (zones, flat rate, etc.)
- On the same edit screen, open the BeatStore panel and check Hide from player
- Optional: assign a Woo Product category such as “Merch” and link your theme menu to the shop archive (
/shop/)
Checkout, receipts, and fulfillment stay 100% WooCommerce. BeatStore only keeps those SKUs out of the player catalog.
Do not use the BeatStore license table in the metabox for t-shirts or hats. That table creates pa_license variations for beat licenses. Merch is a normal Woo product with its own price (or size/color variations).
Easy Digital Downloads
EDD is digital-first. Most producers use it for beats and downloadable kits only. It can still sell simple fixed-price items (for example a digital zine or a “pick up at the show” SKU you fulfill manually), but it is not a full shipping stack out of the box.
- Downloads → Add New
- Set a single price (or variable pricing for tiers that are not beat licenses — still avoid mixing that with the player unless you intend to)
- Add artwork and description. Skip BeatStore preview/BPM unless you want the item in the player
- Check Hide from player in the BeatStore panel
- Link to the download from your menu, a landing page, or EDD’s shop/archive templates
If physical merch is a core part of your business, WooCommerce is the better fit for shipping and inventory. You can run one Woo catalog for both beats (in the player) and merch (on shop pages).
Mixed store layout
A common setup on Woo:
- Home / Beats page —
[beatstore]shortcode or BeatStore Player block (audio only) - Shop / Merch — Woo shop grid or category pages for apparel and extras
- Navigation — separate menu items (“Beats”, “Merch”) so buyers know where to browse
Player filters (kind, genre, mood) apply only to items in the player. EDD/Woo product categories organize shop pages; they do not drive player filters.
Troubleshooting
Merch showing in the player? Edit the product and enable Hide from player. Clear any page cache and reload the player.
Beat disappeared from the player? Make sure Hide from player is off for that beat.
See also: Add New Music / Beats, eCommerce Plugin Selection.