Swapmeet 2010

[Sunara Ishi]

I don't really care as long as Thurs. and Friday night stay the same. I like checking out swap meet the first couple days first before spending in dealer's. I don't want to wait all con and save money for a swap meet that I may not see anything I want. D:

Even though it is pretty packed, I prefer it two days because I get to see more on a single day. If it is spread out between three days, less people with awesome stuff on any single day.

I think a few of the dealer's were new to the whole convention selling. One even re-stocked some things on the last day but she was pretty cool about letting me skirt by without having the total for tax. Some of the dealers had things priced pretty low so I could see how they would refuse to haggle. 

[ShiftyGirl]

i love the swap meet and would like to see it on Saturday.  The only problem about the swap meet is that alot of people are in their walking all directions and it becomes difficult to see what people have to sale.  I am a short person and almost got trampled while looking at stuff to buy. 

I agree. Maybe having arrows on taped on the floor that everyone can follow, like a track?

[Lucifargundam]

I think the problem is that swap meet could become competition for the dealers if it were more than two nights.

Dealers dont have a real competition with swap meet, because they go on at different times and that the dealers have higher quality merchandise. On top of that, they are more likely to have stores outside the con that provide some sort of income irrelevant to the con.

3-day swapmeet should be pleasant and fine. I've never heard of any incidents between dealers and swapmeet vendors.

[KyraEnsui]

It is a good idea to extend swap meet on Saturday because of more attendees coming to see and what to get especially if anyone were looking for something hard-to-find items, after the dealers' hall is closed.

However, at the same time, it is Saturday night! I am a swap meet seller too, but I don't like the idea of sitting to sell my stuffs AND I don't want to have my friends to take over my spot so I can enjoy while they sit their butts off to sell that might not fly even if everything goes one dollar. I like it where it was only Thursday and Friday, not the busiest days, but getting a few bucks to have on the weekend before Monday. I'll enjoy.

[sunrise-oasis]

I have to admit, having an extension on fanime swap meet is a good idea!

[Jelly Soup]

I think the problem is that swap meet could become competition for the dealers if it were more than two nights.

Dealers dont have a real competition with swap meet, because they go on at different times and that the dealers have higher quality merchandise.

Playing devils advocate here, but that's not strictly true. People are always going to try for ways to cheat the system.

In '07, one clever person bought all of a particular product (it was some kind of plushie or something, I don't really remember) from every stall in the Dealers Room on Friday, they jacked the price up and sold them all off at the Swap Meet that night (then again, this is rather common. People were doing that with the Final Fantasy potion drinks last year.).

In '08, a dealer had one of his/her employees manning a spot at the Swap Meet, selling the same things at the same prices they were in the Dealers Room and making better sales (to quote the dealer, "Con-goers tend to think EVERYTHING at a Swap Meet is cheaper than everywhere else, even if it's not." I was a salesman for a number of years, I can vouch for that being true.).

In '09, there was one store (selling used video games) that confessed to me that it was cheaper for her to just reg and get a Swap Meet spot instead of a Dealers spot. In fact, the fact that a majority of her stock was used made it more likely that better money would come from the Swap Meet.

Not that I'm using these as reasons for not having three days of Swap Meet (personally, I'd love it). Just stating uncomfortable truths that need to be understood.

[Liquid]

Jelly Soup does make good points. If there is a way to abuse the system, then people will find it and do it. Having the Swap Meet on all days would hinder the honest vendors in the Dealer's Hall. Fanime's guests would benefit from having both a Swap Meet and a Dealer's Hall, but Fanime's funding and the Dealers themselves would suffer.

Having a larger Swap Meet would push away Dealers from wanting to come to Fanime or force them to join the cheaper Swap Meet. This would mean that Fanime would not gain as much funding from the added price of a Dealer's Hall slot. Eventually the Dealer's Hall would probably be nixxed due to the lack of participation from the competition provided by a Swap Meet.

You can say that having them at different times will not affect anything, but in reality it would. Many guests bring only a limited amount of cash. If this is spent at the Swap Meet, then it is not spent at the Dealer's Hall. If Dealer's do not make money, then they are less likely to show up the following year. With less funds due to that, Fanime would not be able to better itself every year because the funding would be smaller. I'm sure that Fanime would rather grow the Dealer's Hall than a Swap Meet due to this issue. It is true that the guests would enjoy a bigger and better Swap Meet, but if you look at it from Fanime's perspective, than it looks like a bad idea and it would just cause bad tensions with the loyal Dealers.

[Jelly Soup]

Many guests bring only a limited amount of cash. If this is spent at the Swap Meet, then it is not spent at the Dealer's Hall. If Dealer's do not make money, then they are less likely to show up the following year.

And this is the root of the problem. I'm finding that many guests (myself included) just don't buy from the Dealers Room at all. We'd rather save money and buy things from the Swap Meet. I'm sure there are other factors at work here. As in my case, I like games and I tend to be able to find rares and commons at exceptional prices at the Swap Meet over the Dealers Room. On the other hand, I have a friend who is a huge book worm. She gets her books from the Swap Meet because, 8 times out of 10, the sellers there are just trying to get rid of product, so you get way more bang for your buck (the last few times I've sold at the Swap Meet, I did this too).

There really is no quick or slow fix for this. People are always going to try and get something for nothing and bend every rule they can to do it. It seems like a much better idea to focus on weeding out the Dealers trying to take advantage of the Swap Meet than anything else.

[Wyte]

Anyone know when we'll be able to sign up for swap meet!?!?!?!

[PrincessPolka]

I would also like to see the saturday swap meet because I never get to go! I get there on saturday morning and always missed the actual event!  :-\

[ewu]

You will most likely not see registration till March or April. A third day of swap meet is looking very unlikely due to a few issues, but we will keep you updated on this matter.

[Jerry]

I was seriously disappointed with the lack of flexibility on the part of most dealers.  eBay exists, whether they like it or not.  They need to be realistic in terms of pricing on DVD and manga.  At every other convention (of different types) that I have gone to, a little negotiating is part of the whole experience.  I actually had a dealer verbally assault me when I asked him to go a few dollars lower on something.

Keep in mind that the Dealers are still retailers still NOT to be confused with a flea market where its assumed you can haggle. If I was a dealer i would consider understandably being annoyed if someone was asking me to lower my prices.---

now I dont know all the details of what was said between you and the dealer in question, so if it was event was particular upsetting to you I would recommend reporting what happened and the Dealers staff will look into it.

Going back to the topic on Hand.

Would it be possible to run/open the Swap meet opposite of the Dealers hall closing for the evening?
That way there's no direct competition and we semi-reinforce that the Swap meet & Dealers room are mutually exclusive.
That and sometimes some people might have honestly missed out on Thursday and Friday evenings [hypothetically].

That plus the Swap meet people dont miss out on going to the Dealers room themselves.
Say like an 1/2 hour or hour gap after the Dealers room closes for the evening. The Swamp Meet opens?

Would that be a compromise? [ assuming that staff can handle an extra day of Swamp meet registration and Facilities blocking off the area for another evening ]

Remember attendees, as you request/suggest/promote new ideas and venues.... - we also need the manpower to make it happen. So please be appreciate and understanding even if these dont pan out.  :)


---- Random idea: [after people start registration for Swap meet]
Would it be plausible to start like a semi "preview thread" sorta like the WTB/WTS thread but for swamp meet 2010 because I have tons of stuff I want to sell but I'm too lazy to lug it all the Con if it hypothetically doesnt sell :P

would anyone be interested in a "preview of items to be sold at swamp meet" thread?

[Persona]

I agree with Jerry. I've actually never been to swap meet since I've been going on Saturdays the past few years, but more time slots would be really great.

The only issue I can see is that people will spend all/most of their money on the Dealers' Room, which will impact sales in the swap meet right after, or people will save up and hold out for the swap meet, taking business away from the Dealers' Room. While one can say that people should plan better and put aside a percentage of their budget for both, we all know that most people won't think that far ahead.


As for a pre-sale/what I'm going to sell thread, I'm all for it. I have a ton of Japanese magazines and old Ribon issues that I would rather not log to the con just to find that nobody wants them.

[abcbadcat]

Presale thread = great idea :D

[ewu]

Would it be possible to run/open the Swap meet opposite of the Dealers hall closing for the evening?
That way there's no direct competition and we semi-reinforce that the Swap meet & Dealers room are mutually exclusive.
That and sometimes some people might have honestly missed out on Thursday and Friday evenings [hypothetically].

That plus the Swap meet people dont miss out on going to the Dealers room themselves.
Say like an 1/2 hour or hour gap after the Dealers room closes for the evening. The Swamp Meet opens?

Would that be a compromise? [ assuming that staff can handle an extra day of Swamp meet registration and Facilities blocking off the area for another evening ]

We have weighed several options including that and currently it is still a no. Still looking at other options, but I would stick with no for now. Its a combination of staffing, sellers permits, space, and dealers.

[Roguethe]

Saturday Swap-Meet would be amazing. I sold Friday last year, and I know there were people who didn't get room to sell. So making a Saturday slot would offer a chance for those people to sell. It's win-win.
And that's right. If the Dealers room feels threatened by another night of Swap-Meet, then maybe they should try to rape us of our money a little less. u u;

[Jerry]

So supposedly let me assume that  Saturday Swap meet is a NO GO....

Could we hypothetically EXTEND [Thursday or] Friday night Swap meet way past Midnight?
[or is that already the current schedule of swapmeet?]  :P

Technically Swap meet is on Saturday.... just really really really REALLY EARLY.

[Tony]

We wouldn't want to have it span more than two calendar days. It could run earlier/later on Thursday, but that's asking a lot out of the staffers.

[Liquid]

Typically the dealer's hall is for mostly new items at full price. Usually it's for people who don't know how to wisely price shop and\or they are impulse buyers or are just lazy (most of us fit here.) The dealers have to buy from someone too and then they also have to turn a profit. By trying to haggle with them you are cutting into their job's salary, their time, and not to mention it's pretty annoying. Now, haggling is perfectly expected at a swap meet, but not the dealer room.

You should try to consider the dealer's hall to be more like a large gathering of retail shops. When you go to buy a new manga at Barnes & Nobles, do you try to haggle for prices there? Of course not. That'd just be silly. And I can almost guarantee that the dealers at Fanime make far less per item then the huge retailers that buy in huge bulk.

[Mimirinpro]

I got some really special TCG trades that vendors are unlikely to have in there collection. What would that mean in the swapmeet?