EMP vs Impericon: Where to Buy Band Merch?
EMP vs Impericon: Where to buy band merch? If you order shirts, hoodies and fan items and sometimes send something back, we recommend EMP. The shop allows 30 days for returns and lets you register them free of charge in its returns portal, and Backstage Club members get 100 days. Your cashback also runs through our shop page. Impericon is a real alternative with its own range. Prices and promotions move, so check your basket. Status October 2026. We look at the German shops of both.
Shipping and delivery time
EMP charges a flat shipping fee of €5.99 per parcel in Germany, however big or heavy it is. Cash on delivery adds €8.40, and express shipping carries an €11.00 surcharge. If all items are in stock and you pay by PayPal, Klarna or credit card, the shop shows a delivery date within 3 to 5 working days. Parcels go with DHL or Deutsche Post, also to a Packstation, without needing a DHL account.
Available here with cashback
At Impericon shipping costs depend on the method. In Germany shipping is €5.99 with Hermes and €6.99 with DHL, for Austria the shop lists €7.99 shipping with Spring and for Switzerland 14.95 CHF with GLS. Orders leave in one parcel once every item is available, so there are no partial deliveries. Impericon also ships abroad, where customs charges can apply and you pay them yourself.
Returns and refunds
EMP names 30 days for returns, and 100 days in the Backstage Club. You register the return in the returns portal with your order number and postcode free of charge, and without a printer a QR code works at the post office. According to its help page the refund arrives within 3 to 5 working days after the receipt confirmation, on the payment method you used. A replacement item is not offered, you order again.
Impericon also gives 30 days from receipt. Under its terms you pay the return costs yourself, and the label from the portal shows the price before you finish. After the parcel is checked, the credit appears within 10 working days on your payment method. Impericon does not offer a direct exchange, so there you also order the item you want again.
Payment, club and discount codes
EMP accepts PayPal, Klarna (invoice, instalments, direct debit, instant transfer), credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, prepayment and cash on delivery. Impericon names PayPal, credit card, Klarna, Apple Pay, Google Pay and prepayment, plus eps, iDEAL and Bancontact depending on the country. At Impericon only one discount code can be redeemed per order.
The EMP Backstage Club brings free shipping, the 100 day return window, free items and discounts. You can test it free for 30 days, after that membership costs €19.95 a year. Whether it pays off depends on how often you order: with a flat fee of €5.99 per parcel, free shipping adds up over time.
How cashback works at EMP
Call up EMP at daily cashback (German-language page) first, and it takes you straight into the shop. Your booking then waits in your account for EMP to check it. According to the shop page the rate depends on whether you order as a guest, an existing customer or a new customer. EMP pays no cashback on items you send back, and codes from other sources that we do not list can put the claim at risk. Impericon is not part of our programme, so shopping there brings no cashback via us. For readers in the UK, EMP also runs its own UK shop page, and our guide to EMP country shops explains delivery and returns.
At a glance
| Question | EMP | Impericon |
|---|---|---|
| Shipping in Germany | Flat shipping fee of €5.99 per parcel | Shipping €5.99 with Hermes, €6.99 with DHL |
| Return window | 30 days, 100 days in the Backstage Club | 30 days from receipt |
| Return costs | Registering the return in the portal is free | you pay them under the terms |
| Refund | 3 to 5 working days after receipt confirmation | within 10 working days after the check |
| Exchange | no replacement item, order again | no direct exchange, order again |
| Payment | PayPal, Klarna, card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, prepayment, cash on delivery | PayPal, card, Klarna, Apple Pay, Google Pay, prepayment |
| Cashback at daily cashback | yes, with a shop page here | Impericon is missing here |
Who should pick which
- You order often and sometimes send items back: EMP, for the free return registration, the 30 to 100 day window and because our shop page makes cashback possible.
- You buy once a year for a concert: compare final price and shipping at both shops, because the EMP flat fee and the Impericon Hermes price are the same.
- You look for streetwear, gothic or vinyl: Impericon lists these areas in its menu, so browse its range.
- You live in Austria or Switzerland: Impericon names shipping prices for both countries, while the matching EMP country shop shows its own terms.
Available here with cashback