SWAP MEET 2019 OFFICIAL INFORMATION THREAD

[Zelyhon]

Hello again everyone!  This is Ben, back again as your Swap Meet head for this year at Fanime.  Many of you know the drill by now, but here is the information for those of you who do not!

-Swap Meet Registration will open April 30, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. PST.

-The link to register for Swap Meet is https://apps.fanime.com/2019/swapmeet/ .  As mentioned above, this link is not yet live, so you can go and bookmark it at this point, but it won't do anything until registration actually opens.

-Swap Meet Registration will cost $40 per space per day.

-Swap Meet spaces will be a 14' by 6' space of floor.  While chairs may be used for sitting, you may not use tables, racks, displays, or other furniture like that for your merchandise.

-Swap Meet 2019 will once again be held in SOUTH HALL, the big tent-like building behind the convention center.  Go out the East side of the convention center (the Marriott side) and take a right.  It's very hard to miss.

-Swap Meet 2019 will be held on Thursday, May 23 from 7:30 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. and on Friday, May 24 from 8:00 p.m.to 1:00 a.m. (times potentially subject to some modification)

-Check-in for Sellers will begin about an hour and a half to two hours before doors open to the public.

-As we are in South Hall again this year, that means we must once again say that amplified sound will not be allowed in Swap Meet.  This is the trade-off we have to make for a larger area.  I know some people don't necessarily like the lack of music, but I think that the bigger space more than makes up for it, personally.

-The Swap Meet Seller's Agreement has been approved, and is substantially similar to previous years.  Standard rules like no bootlegs, no metal weapons, only one longbox of adult material allowed per space (which must be covered, labeled, and out of reach when not being reviewed), and the like.  As always, Swap Meet Staff will have final say on whether something violates the rules.

-All sellers at Swap Meet must fill out both the Seller's Application form and sign the Rules and Guidelines.  Please have these ready to go prior to arriving at the convention.

-Seller's Permits tend to generate questions every year, so here's some general info.  Please read over the Seller Application form for more information.  Short version is if you qualify as an "occasional seller," then you should need to fill out the Seller Application Form and mark yourself as an occasional seller.  Occasional sellers are basically people who sell no more than twice in a 12 month period, don't buy things specifically for resale, and are not selling new merchandise.  Those last two requirements are prohibited by Swap Meet rules anyways.  Be sure to look over the information and find out if you qualify as an occasional seller.  Just remember, Swap Meet staff is not your attorney, and thus cannot answer legal questions about whether your specific situation qualifies as an occasional seller.  If you think you might not qualify as an occasional seller, please follow the link on the form to get more information.  If you know you don't qualify as an occasional seller, please be sure to have a copy of your valid seller's permit for staff to look at when you check in.


As always, I'll try to frequent this thread to answer any questions that people may have in the lead-up to and during registration.  When I have more information, I'll be sure to put it here!

[Welan]

Do we need a valid Fanime badge at the time of online registration or just during the onsite check in?

[Zelyhon]

Do we need a valid Fanime badge at the time of online registration or just during the onsite check in?

The online registration for Swap Meet does require a Fanime Badge number to complete.

[Jazzygilla22]

Hello! Excited to sign up for the first time this year! I had a question regarding some charms I have!

1) in the rules it says no new merchandise, does that refer to unopened items or current merch? I have a lot of small charms and toys I have kept unopened and in pristine condition, would that be ok?

2) a lot of my charms are small and have packaging I wouldn't like to get ruffled in a box. Would tying them on a grate with small squares be ok? Or like a piece of board with holes, and tie them onto it and lay it on the floor ? If not would something with pockets and played on the ground be ok to display them?


My apologies for long questions, I just want to plan out organization for differently priced items as well as keeping their condition good!

[Zelyhon]

Hello! Excited to sign up for the first time this year! I had a question regarding some charms I have!

1) in the rules it says no new merchandise, does that refer to unopened items or current merch? I have a lot of small charms and toys I have kept unopened and in pristine condition, would that be ok?

2) a lot of my charms are small and have packaging I wouldn't like to get ruffled in a box. Would tying them on a grate with small squares be ok? Or like a piece of board with holes, and tie them onto it and lay it on the floor ? If not would something with pockets and played on the ground be ok to display them?


My apologies for long questions, I just want to plan out organization for differently priced items as well as keeping their condition good!

1)  It usually refers to unopened merch.  That being said, we're not overly harsh on this.  It mainly is there in reference to people who buy things wholesale for the purpose of reselling them.  I.E., people who really are more appropriately in Dealer's Hall.

2)  That's fine.  It would need to lay on the floor to avoid some of the other rules on stands and the like, but that's not a problem if it's lying down.

[Jazzygilla22]

Ok awesome thank you! Looking forward to it!

[Fermata]

Hi!

My two friends and I want to split two Swap Meet spaces. Is this allowed? We all have badges already and we would basically be purchasing two spaces and splitting it three-way (both spaces next to each other).

Another edit: Actually, I think I was pretty unclear. A better question is, will the three of us (all registered and everything) be able to sell our stuff mixed in two different spaces that are next to each other? This means that we want to be able to freely move between the two spaces since our stuff will be mixed in either space. Technically, it will be two people registering for one space and the third single person buying another space next to it, and then the three of us just put our stuff in either space.

Thanks!

[Ftwyn]

Are there specific dimensions to a "long box"?

[Ecchi ja Nai]

I'm sure Zelyhon will post an official response shortly, but I thought I'd go ahead and post my reply from years of participating in swap meet.

My two friends and I want to split two Swap Meet spaces. Is this allowed? We all have badges already and we would basically be purchasing two spaces and splitting it three-way (both spaces next to each other).

edit: and if this is allowed, can one person purchase 2 spaces with the intention of sharing it three way?

It's a maximum of two people per space, and both must not only have their own Fanime badge to participate, both people must be registered for that spot at swap meet.  Zelyhon will have the swap meet registration information posted a little closer to the con.  Also, each person can only sign up for one space per night.  This is to prevent people from registering two spaces and combing them together to make one large spot.  For three people, you will need to either register for two or three separate spaces.  Two people can share one and the third in the other, or all three people would have their own spot.  And remember, if you're going to get three different spaces, all three people would need to register independently.

Are there specific dimensions to a "long box"?

You know it's funny, after all this time I've only ever seen it referred to as a long box and never with any specific dimensions.  I've always taken it to mean a long comic box (they come in "long" and "short") for storing traditional comic books.  That doesn't mean you have to specifically use a long comic box - I very rarely see people use them - you're just restricted to a covered box no bigger than the equivalent size.  For reference, a long box is roughly 8"x11"x28" and you can find them at your local comic shop or order them online.  Or use any covered box, just so you can't see the contents without opening it, that happens to be the same dimensions or smaller.

[Fermata]

I'm sure Zelyhon will post an official response shortly, but I thought I'd go ahead and post my reply from years of participating in swap meet.

My two friends and I want to split two Swap Meet spaces. Is this allowed? We all have badges already and we would basically be purchasing two spaces and splitting it three-way (both spaces next to each other).

edit: and if this is allowed, can one person purchase 2 spaces with the intention of sharing it three way?

It's a maximum of two people per space, and both must not only have their own Fanime badge to participate, both people must be registered for that spot at swap meet.  Zelyhon will have the swap meet registration information posted a little closer to the con.  Also, each person can only sign up for one space per night.  This is to prevent people from registering two spaces and combing them together to make one large spot.  For three people, you will need to either register for two or three separate spaces.  Two people can share one and the third in the other, or all three people would have their own spot.  And remember, if you're going to get three different spaces, all three people would need to register independently.

Thanks for the reply/info! I actually edited my post after reading your response. But yeah, just waiting for the official response too.

[Ecchi ja Nai]

Another edit: Actually, I think I was pretty unclear. A better question is, will the three of us (all registered and everything) be able to sell our stuff mixed in two different spaces that are next to each other? This means that we want to be able to freely move between the two spaces since our stuff will be mixed in either space. Technically, it will be two people registering for one space and the third single person buying another space next to it, and then the three of us just put our stuff in either space.

I think where you might run into issues with swap meet staff is the mixing of stuff between the multiple spaces.  They're pretty explicit about not combining spaces to form Mega Swapmeet Zord.  Having a space that measures 42'x6' (three spaces across lengthwise) would not be allowed.  Each person would have to keep their items within whatever space they're registered to.

Having said that, my friend and I have been selling in neighboring spots for years.  We definitely both tend to have a ton of stuff so we each need the full space anyway, but we also like to run a couple of laps looking for bargains ourselves and might need to hit the restroom at some point during the night.  We both register separately and pay for our spots separately.  What staff has allowed us to do in the past is watch over the other person's spot and all their stuff while they're away.  If someone wants to purchase something or has a question, we hop over to the other spot to take care of business and then return to our own area.  I think as long as you don't abuse that, staff probably won't have a problem.

So to what you were asking specifically, no, you can't register multiple spots and share the entire area with your group.  But, depending on your intentions and so long as your items themselves are within your designated area, you should be able to move back and forth if needed.

[Fermata]

Another edit: Actually, I think I was pretty unclear. A better question is, will the three of us (all registered and everything) be able to sell our stuff mixed in two different spaces that are next to each other? This means that we want to be able to freely move between the two spaces since our stuff will be mixed in either space. Technically, it will be two people registering for one space and the third single person buying another space next to it, and then the three of us just put our stuff in either space.

I think where you might run into issues with swap meet staff is the mixing of stuff between the multiple spaces.  They're pretty explicit about not combining spaces to form Mega Swapmeet Zord.  Having a space that measures 42'x6' (three spaces across lengthwise) would not be allowed.  Each person would have to keep their items within whatever space they're registered to.

Having said that, my friend and I have been selling in neighboring spots for years.  We definitely both tend to have a ton of stuff so we each need the full space anyway, but we also like to run a couple of laps looking for bargains ourselves and might need to hit the restroom at some point during the night.  We both register separately and pay for our spots separately.  What staff has allowed us to do in the past is watch over the other person's spot and all their stuff while they're away.  If someone wants to purchase something or has a question, we hop over to the other spot to take care of business and then return to our own area.  I think as long as you don't abuse that, staff probably won't have a problem.

So to what you were asking specifically, no, you can't register multiple spots and share the entire area with your group.  But, depending on your intentions and so long as your items themselves are within your designated area, you should be able to move back and forth if needed.

We actually wanted to use two spaces, not three. But anyway on topic, I guess that makes sense. We were just wondering because the two of us have shared a space in the past and usually like to have a cohesive mix of our stuff (one section for charms, one for plushies, figurines, etc etc). A third friend wants to join us this year but obviously, we wouldn't be allowed to sell as three in one space (and we'd have too much stuff anyway haha), but we still would want to have a cohesive mix just bc it's easier logistics/organization-wise.

Anyway, thanks for clarifying things though! Looks like we might have to rethink our logistics now.

[Zelyhon]

Are there specific dimensions to a "long box"?

As defined in the official rules and the application, the dimensions for a long box are 27.25 inches long by 7.5 inches wide and 10.8 inches tall.

[Zelyhon]

Another edit: Actually, I think I was pretty unclear. A better question is, will the three of us (all registered and everything) be able to sell our stuff mixed in two different spaces that are next to each other? This means that we want to be able to freely move between the two spaces since our stuff will be mixed in either space. Technically, it will be two people registering for one space and the third single person buying another space next to it, and then the three of us just put our stuff in either space.

I think where you might run into issues with swap meet staff is the mixing of stuff between the multiple spaces.  They're pretty explicit about not combining spaces to form Mega Swapmeet Zord.  Having a space that measures 42'x6' (three spaces across lengthwise) would not be allowed.  Each person would have to keep their items within whatever space they're registered to.

Having said that, my friend and I have been selling in neighboring spots for years.  We definitely both tend to have a ton of stuff so we each need the full space anyway, but we also like to run a couple of laps looking for bargains ourselves and might need to hit the restroom at some point during the night.  We both register separately and pay for our spots separately.  What staff has allowed us to do in the past is watch over the other person's spot and all their stuff while they're away.  If someone wants to purchase something or has a question, we hop over to the other spot to take care of business and then return to our own area.  I think as long as you don't abuse that, staff probably won't have a problem.

So to what you were asking specifically, no, you can't register multiple spots and share the entire area with your group.  But, depending on your intentions and so long as your items themselves are within your designated area, you should be able to move back and forth if needed.

This is pretty much correct.  Usually we'll do our best to try and get people where they want to be and next to whom they want to be next to, but the spots still must remain separate.  Each person can only sell in their own spot, and you can't have multiple spots switching items back and forth.  Watching and helping out briefly during bathroom breaks and this like is fine, but not taking two spots and operating them essentially as one larger spot.

So yeah, you and your two friends would need two spots if each of you wants to sell.  To have all of your items in one spot, you would only be able to have two sellers.  If your third friend wanted to give you and your co-seller their stuff to sell for them in your spot, that's fine.  They just wouldn't be able to sell with you in a single spot.

[Patchwork Panda]

Hello! Where do I go to get the Application? Do I submit the form and pay for the spot at con in the hour before the swap meet opens?

Sorry if I missed any info, it's my first time trying to get a spot and I read through everything but am still trying to connect some gaps!

Thank you!

[Ecchi ja Nai]

Swap meet registration hasn't opened yet.  Believe me, I stalk the forums waiting for reg to open.  They'll announce when things are ready in this thread, usually as an edit to the first post as well as mentioning it with a new reply so people can see it's been updated.  They'll also update the main website and post something on Twitter and FB.

You pay for the spots ahead of time when you register, and all the information will be posted together.  You'll go through a process similar to when you registered for your Fanime badge, so it'll walk you through each step.

[EJAY420]

Is swap meet free to attend on thursday?
Or do we not do that anymore?

[Ecchi ja Nai]

A Fanime badge has not been needed if you're there to buy on previous Thursday swap meets.  I haven't see anything to indicate this year would be any different.  You will need a badge on Friday.

If you're going to participate as a seller you'll need a badge for both nights, and it's part of the swap meet registration anyway.

[Heavysauce555]

Question, if you are not a seller, can you as a buyer bring your own merch not to sell but trade?

[Zelyhon]

Hello! Where do I go to get the Application? Do I submit the form and pay for the spot at con in the hour before the swap meet opens?

Sorry if I missed any info, it's my first time trying to get a spot and I read through everything but am still trying to connect some gaps!

Thank you!

Registration is online ahead of the convention.  We're not yet ready to open up registration, but I'll post the information here when we have a start date.  The info will also go out over the other official Fanime information channels.