Taylor Swift in Tampa: Eras Tour merchandise truck will arrive early

As the Taylor Swift Eras Tour makes its way across the country before its April 13-15 stop in Tampa, word is getting out about the merchandise — and the merch truck that is in high demand.

The tour has announced that fans can buy shirts, posters and more a day early on April 12 in Lot 2 of Raymond James Stadium from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Then, when the tour arrives for a three-day stop, there will be merchandise trailers parked at the Ford Gate, Gate B and the South Plaza starting at 3 p.m. before the 6:30 p.m. show times. There will also be merchandise for sale inside the stadium, but they won’t have as big of a variety as the trucks outside.

At previous Eras Tour stops in Arizona, Texas and Las Vegas, hundreds of people queued up for what were sometimes hours-long waits at the merch trucks before the start of the concert in order to get their hands on show-exclusive goodies.

Fans wait in long lines to purchase Taylor Swift's merchandise before an Eras Tour concert in Texas. [ ELÃAS VALVERDE II | The Dallas Morning News ]

The cheapest items are the glow baton ($15), the reusable water bottle ($25) and the tote bag ($30). A highly coveted blue crewneck sweater, with the name of the tour printed on the front and the name of Swift’s studio albums and concert venues written on the back, will set you back $65. Hoodies are going for $75.

There are Eras Tour items available on her website, including the Eras bejeweled bracelet ($35) and several hoodie options.

Merchandise has been clouded by the similar anguish that her fans went through getting a ticket for this tour. The resellers’ market is snapping up those coveted hoodies and selling them for huge profits. That blue Eras long-sleeve crewneck has so far sold out at every tour stop, only to show up on eBay at inflated prices.

There have also been complaints that Swifties are discovering the ink fading after just one wash on their treasured shirts and hoodies.

Fans buy Taylor Swift merchandise before a Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert at AT&T Stadium in Texas. [ ELÃAS VALVERDE II | The Dallas Morning News ]

Not one to disappoint her fans, Swift’s team is offering replacements and also limiting bulk scalper purchases.

In a note to fans, Swift’s website assured fans that it was normal for a “faint fade” to appear on certain items in the tour collection due to “the particular ink curing process” and its “distressed, vintage look.” But for those that noticed “a dramatic loss of pigment or ink bleeding on your product,” Swift offered up an email contact to provide a replacement.