Unusual Vendor Setup at Convention?

raelwv

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I was thinking about returning to a local steampunk convention this fall (it's improved the location and I should have a new book by then :hooray:), but the vendor setup sounds weird to me:


Market Street is a dedicated vendor hallway at the new . . . Hotel . . .. One big benefit about vending from your own room is that you choose your store hours.

I got some clarification from the organizer and, yup, it's just what it sounds like:


This year vendors will be set up in their hotel rooms. The vendor hall will be like market st with individual shops being the different rooms. . . .The hotel rooms are on the 2nd floor of the hotel and the “action” will be on 1st and 2nd floor of the hotel and in the conversation center next door.

This sounds bizarre to me, but she insists she's been to some other cons with a similar setup and did well as a vendor. Has anyone here had any experience with a similar setup? I'm hesitant to sign up to spend a weekend trying to sell books to the housecleaning crew when they come by.


Thanks!
 

frimble3

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Can you ask for the names of those other cons where she saw this? And, having those names, do you know anyone who attended who could fill you in on how it went? Because it sounds strange.

First, it assumes that all vendors will be staying at the hotel, ie local people who might not have stayed on-site will still have to book a room.

Second, it assumes that casual buyers will knock on random hotel room doors to see what's for sale. (To me, that's a real put-off - I can see from a few feet away if a booth has my kind of thing, and there's nothing worse than feeling trapped in a small space with a desperate seller, with those big hopeful eyes.)

Third, how many Con-goers will go out of their way to shop (or browse)? I'll bet a lot of them will stay on the 'main' floor, hear the speakers, see the costumes, etc. Wandering off to buy stuff is part of the fun, but how many will make an effort to seek out vendors on another floor?

And, fourth, 'set your own hours' HAH! You will be trapped in that room all day, praying that someone stops by. Then, awakened at all hours by wandering drunks who know that you're in there. (Also, so much for having a neighbouring vendor watch your booth while you duck out to check out the competition.)

I know very little about Cons, but lots about craft shows, flea markets etc. I have never heard of this sort of set-up.(And if it worked, someone would be doing it.) But it sounds a cunning way to rent more rooms, and save the costs of a big sales room. And will vendors get free passes to the Con? I'll bet not.
 

Ari Meermans

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As a vendor lack of sales would be of far less concern to me than security. Is the hotel providing readily available/dedicated security personnel to those two floors?

As a conference-goer, I think I'd find entering someone's "bedroom" to make a purchase more than a bit squicky (but mostly risky) and I don't think I'd do it. So security issues apply there, too.
 

katiemac

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I've never heard of this, but if the vendors are all going to be on the 2nd floor and it's advertised as such, then naturally anyone looking for merch will go to the 2nd floor to find the vendors. That said, I'd ask how the convention is communicating to fans the setup of the vendor hall, what other activities are taking place on that floor and what kind of signage will be onsite to point attendees to the second floor. And, are you guaranteed a hotel room on that floor if you are a vendor? I agree it sounds like a way for the convention to save money, but at least they aren't asking you to sell out of a random hotel room on any given floor where the rest of the vendors are spread out, too.

If you do decide to go, I suspect you'd keep your door open at all times so consider signage on/around the door that will be easy to understand from that perspective (as opposed to a booth setup where you can see the entirety of the booth in one glance). The good news is that you have the potential to get creative with signage and experientials inside the room if you're going to have the space. Do you know anyone else who is going to be a vendor at the convention, or could the convention organizer pair you with another bookseller? Maybe you can partner up and sell out of one of your rooms while having the other closed (where you can keep your personal things and take a break).
 
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