Thousands of Ghanaian football fans celebrated when the Black Stars qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For some traders, however, the excitement has turned into disappointment, with unsold jerseys, flags and other football merchandise piling up after Ghana’s early exit from the tournament.
The situation highlights a wider business lesson: ventures built around hype, short-term excitement and unpredictable events can generate huge profits, but they can also leave entrepreneurs counting losses when expectations change.
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Why event-driven businesses can become risky overnight
Businesses linked to major events often depend heavily on public excitement remaining high.
When demand is driven by a team’s performance, an election outcome, a celebrity’s popularity or a viral trend, traders can quickly find themselves with excess stock if circumstances change.
For some World Cup merchandise sellers, the biggest challenge is not just losing expected profits but finding buyers for products that were purchased specifically for a tournament that is no longer generating the same excitement.
The experience serves as a reminder that strong demand during a period of excitement does not always translate into sustainable sales.
10 high-risk businesses entrepreneurs should approach carefully
1. Sports merchandise
Jerseys, flags, scarves and memorabilia can become difficult to sell when a team performs poorly or exits a major tournament earlier than expected.
A successful run can create huge demand, but a disappointing result can immediately affect sales.
2. Political campaign merchandise
T-shirts, caps, flags and other branded items linked to political candidates can become almost worthless once an election ends, especially if a candidate loses.
Traders who invest heavily without confirmed demand risk being left with large amounts of unsold stock.
3. Concert and festival merchandise
Products made for music concerts, festivals and entertainment events can suffer if an event is cancelled, postponed or attracts fewer fans than expected.
4. Movie-themed products
Toys, costumes and collectables linked to blockbuster movies can become difficult to sell if the film fails to attract audiences.
5. Seasonal festive products
Christmas decorations, Valentine’s Day gifts, Easter items and other seasonal products have a limited selling window.
Businesses that fail to clear stock before the season ends may have to sell at significant discounts.
6. School admission merchandise
Customised clothing, souvenirs and orientation materials linked to expected student admissions can become risky if enrolment numbers fall below expectations.
7. Celebrity and influencer merchandise
Products tied to musicians, actors or social media personalities depend heavily on public interest.
A decline in popularity, controversy or changing consumer tastes can quickly reduce demand.
8. Device-specific accessories
Phone cases, chargers and accessories made for specific devices can become difficult to sell if a product launch disappoints or consumers switch to another model.
9. Event souvenirs
Items produced for conferences, exhibitions, tournaments and other one-off events often lose much of their value once the occasion ends.
10. Viral social media products
Products that suddenly become popular on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram can disappear from public attention just as quickly as they emerged.
Businesses that buy large quantities based on temporary trends may struggle when the hype fades.
How entrepreneurs can reduce the risk
The lesson from businesses affected by changing consumer excitement is not that entrepreneurs should avoid these opportunities completely.
Instead, business owners can reduce their risks by:
- Starting with smaller quantities before committing large amounts of capital.
- Restocking based on actual demand rather than predictions.
- Avoiding excessive borrowing to finance short-term trends.
- Diversifying products so one failed opportunity does not affect the entire business.
- Choosing items that can still be sold after the event or trend ends.
The biggest business lesson is simple: never confuse excitement with guaranteed demand.
Markets driven by hype can create quick profits, but they can also wipe out capital just as quickly. The smartest entrepreneurs prepare for both success and disappointment before investing.
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