Eyesore Merch
8 December 2025
Sector: Retail
Location: Nottingham
Eyesore Merch is based in Nottingham on the banks of the River Trent, not far from Nottingham Forest FC and Notts County FC.
From the seed of an idea in 2010 that started in a box room at his home, the dream became a reality in September 2011 when Eyesore Merch was launched by Alastair Marr.
The business started as a music and entertainment-themed clothing and accessories retailer and has also expanded into selling vinyl records and CDs. Products are sold primarily online but the Eyesore Merch team also attend several music festivals throughout the year taking a large range of its merch and audio products. Festival attendance helps with its overall marketing, giving the team the opportunity to meet customers in person and be part of the wider music community.
Eyesore Merch now employs 11 people including Alastair and his wife Suad, who are owners and directors of the business.
Challenges faced
This year has proven to be challenging for Eyesore Merch, possibly the most difficult to date, excluding its startup days. It is facing heightened competition from new entrants, and many existing sellers have adopted increasingly aggressive pricing strategies, often accepting minimal margins, simply to secure sales.
The ongoing pressures of the cost-of-living crisis and sustained inflation across multiple areas of the business have added to the squeeze on margins. This has forced the business to increase prices, contributing to a reduction in sales. Striking the right balance has been exceptionally difficult for the business.
Eyesore Merch has also been affected by the introduction of US tariffs for its international business, a month-long shutdown of Canada Post and ongoing pricing and contractual difficulties with its main parcel carrier. Each of these things have added further complexity and cost to its operations.
Finally, like for many other businesses the recent increase in National Insurance contributions presents yet another financial burden it has had to absorb and mitigate as effectively as possible.
Solution – Support Given
Eyesore Merch identified that to strengthen its position and maximise online presence as well as brand visibility it needed to fully embrace the rapidly evolving rise of AI, which is increasingly shaping online shopping behaviours and driving searchability. Alastair said: “Our website and marketing practices must be configured correctly and robustly to tap into everything that this new and evolving landscape offers.”
To achieve this a number of Eyesore Merch’s employees have attended several of the funded Accelerator workshops. This includes Utilising ChatGPT for your Business, Vibe Coding – Using Prompts to Improve your Website, the Impact of AI on Search Engine Optimisation and Optimise your Social Media Profiles.
Alastair added: “These workshops have been extremely constructive and insightful, allowing us to develop our in-house skills and understand areas that to date, we have not been giving full attention.”
It was through attending these workshops and the associated marketing emails, the business became aware of the funded support available for Nottingham businesses through the Accelerator programme.
Alastair continued: “After registering I was contacted by an extremely friendly and helpful Business Adviser, Richard Crowden, who explained everything quickly and clearly. We identified that the best option for us is to focus on the implementation of new technologies and processes to boost competitiveness, focusing on AI and digital sustainability.
We already have a long-standing relationship with a web development company, so all I needed to do was to contact them, explain the required work and obtain a quotation. Within a couple of hours, I’d gone from the initial phone call with the adviser, to an approved quote and a completed Growth Voucher Application. The work is now under way and will be completed within a week!”
Alastair reflected that this has been one of the easiest support and funding opportunities he’s ever accessed in 15 years of running a business! Eyesore Merch have also booked a funded energy audit to see if there are any opportunities to help reduce its energy usage and bills.
Impact - The Difference it’s Made
Eyesore Merch’s adoptions of new technology and the use of AI in the business will dramatically improve its website framework and onsite SEO content, leading to improved discoverability through the various search engines and paid advertising services.
With increased visibility the business hopes to see an increase in sales, and with that increase, it hopes to recruit again in the new year.
“As the owner of the business and the one who has undertaken the application of the Accelerator Programme, I can honestly say that it has been extremely easy.
Clear information and friendly, fast and efficient support have resulted in us securing much needed funding that will help us improve our business for the year ahead.
Let’s hope that 2026 is a more positive and productive year.”
- Alastair Marr, CEO
