Swap Meet Information for 2012?

Started by CosplayDevotee, January 14, 2012, 05:57:45 PM

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CosplayDevotee

Hello! I checked this forum with the search option and have only seen the thread regarding what you'll be selling at the swap meet. I have a different inquiry:

I've been interested in participating in the Swap Meet for a few years now. For some reason I tend to be the "recycle bin" for most of my friends and family when it comes to Anime, Manga, Video games etc...I've never taken part in the Swap Meet other than to visit the vendors there and purchase items I wanted. Could anyone that has participated in the Swap Meet give me an idea of what it is like? I'm aware there may be a certain amount of stress involved so I'm ready for that, but I was wondering about times, dates etc...I know that Fanime will probably post information on the actual website soon, but I've got a friend who lives in San Jose who will be driving up to my home town next week and it would be lovely if I could say for certain we'll be participating because I have SO MUCH to bring; can't fit it on Amtrack on my way down there.

So please, let me know some of your experiences as sellers and what tips could you provide so its a seamless transaction for both parties when I sell my items. Thank you!

Hachimitsu

it is stressful but only if your trying to negotiate properly for the right price!
alot of people are trying to find items that are probably 20 or below than what dealers are offering on their spot!
alot of people think that the swap meet is filled already but realized that there are like 20 extra spots!

erh don't bring any stands for wigs, since admins have a strict policy about wig stands (it counts as portraying dealers)
I tried to find some stuff from hard to find things and resell them for a negotiable price! or showcase the most expensive because lets face it... its not retail so the price can jump from, wanting to get rid of it to.. im soo desperate to earn this amount of incentitives ($cash$).

All I can say is there will be ALOt of people browsing through your stuff... I advise to do preregistere so you can get the wall spot.. because the ones with the open spaces.. ALOT OF "people" will go through your space and step on your items on purpose!
its stressful to keep traffic where they belong so...keep a barrier on your surroundings!

about freebies::
me and my sister made a free bin so people can have somehing they want... SADLY without looking they took an item from the sellers pile and put it in the free bin!.. had to punch a person and pound him to the ground for violating Stealing!

"anything" can happen in swap meet because there is'nt enough staff to support it! SO i REALLY advise to look over are your items you hold!

also BRING change... alot of people will bring 10's and 20's.. and maybe some extra bags!... people need bags!..

bottom line:::::
SWAP meet is fun because your finally giving the things you once cherish to a person who will continue cherising it more!
swap meet is stressful because most of the times, the prices you want to ask for, is'nt what you will get, but hey $1-$2 off the price or "bundling" is a nice way to get rid of the items and make an income...

its your choice!

CosplayDevotee

Thank you! How informative lol. I didn't even think to worry about "people" as you referred to them. That's more than a little concerning.  :-\ Jeez some people. Well in any case could you tell me how you get a wall space? I've already done pre-registering for the convention itself, but is that what you are refering to?

yotsuba

When I was curious about the swap meet 2 years ago, I posted on here,
and there's some really nice people on here that helped me out.
I guess, it's my turn to help out a bit. :3

Hm, it's pretty fun, from my experience so far. :D
Here's some of my tips I got from the past 2 years I've sold.
I've only done it for 2 years, so, I'm still pretty new to it, to be honest.
Still have a lot to learn, but here's my 2 cents.
I hope this helps a bit.

I've mostly been selling video games and anime/video game figures. (New and used. :D)

It's a good idea to park in the Convention Center garage.
It'll save you a lot of time and effort. :D
$1 for each hour, and $18 for a day...
But, sometimes they do event prices and those vary.

It's usually the night of Thursday (Before the con officially starts.),
And Friday night.
If I remember correctly... 8 PM to 1AM, pack up starting at 12AM.

Thursday isn't as busy as Friday, but it does get pretty busy.
Friday gets REALLY packed and crazy. lol

For registration, they usually announce it online a bit earlier before it goes up.
The earlier you do it, the lower your number, the more choices you get for your spot. :D
After the the initial 100 or 200 slots or so...
The rest of the people hit the Waiting List. >_<

Usually most of the people on the Waiting List get in on Thursday.
But, Friday is a different story, only a few from it are able to, if even.
As far as I know, there's no At-Con registration anymore for the swap meet.

About your actual Fanimecon badge pick up... 2 years ago we had to wait in that huge line,
then rush on over to the swap meet line on Thursday, barely enough time.
But, last year... We were able to pick it up AT the actual swap meet registration table,
when we went to sell at the swap meet, a lot more convenient.

But, if you decide you don't want to sell anymore, if I remember correctly,
you have to go back to the long line to pick up your badge.
It just wouldn't be fair if some people signed up for the swap meet just to get their badge. lol

Also, if you're going to have a friend help you sell, or is wanting to sell too...
If they do what they did last year and pass the badges out at the swap...
If you're the Group Leader, you will also get the badges for everyone under you.
So, that friend should be under you or vice versa when registering.
But, I don't know if they'll do that this year, it'd be great though!

2 Years ago they had 2 different sizes, half (5x10) was $10 and full (10x10) was $20.
Last year only one size, 5x10 and it was $20.
I don't know how they'll do it this year.
You can have up to 2 people per space.
So that's you, and a friend.

I recommend bringing a snack and drinks, it gets pretty busy.
The line gets REALLY long outside from what I hear.
And on Friday, the place gets PACKED.
It gets really hot, so definitely bring water.
No matter what spot you get, it WILL have a lot of traffic.

Use the restroom, eat, and all that before the swap,
you WILL be busy, and it'll be hard to leave your spot.
Even if you want to see what other people are selling... lol

Everyone goes to the swap meet mainly to get a good deal, or find rare stuff.
No one's gonna want to dish out retail prices, especially for used goods. >.<
Not even new ones... D:
Unless they're pretty rare.

It really helps to label your stuff with sticky notes.

I recommend bringing change it 1s, 5s, and 10s.
You'll get PLENTY of 10s and 20s, like what Hachimitsu said.
How much to bring depends on how you plan your prices.
Some people bring $200-$300 in change, since they'll probably make $1000-$1500.
Some people bring $50-$60, assuming they'll make $200-$300.

Here's what I usually bring:
-Messenger Bag, easy to keep all your stuff close.
-IDs/Badges/Etc
-Plenty of change.
-FULLY-CHARGED Phone (if possible.)
-Something to entertain myself with while in line.
-Camera
-Sticky/Post-It notes
-Sharpies
-Pens
-Water
-Energy Drink
-Snacks/Sandwiches/etc
-Friend's little brother to buy food later because I didn't bring enough snacks. lol

I REALLY recommend having a friend or two to help.
It's pretty hard to do it alone. >.<
Especially since you HAVE to bring all your stuff at check-in.
You can't go back to your car to get more stuff to sell,
because the staff doesn't have enough time to re-check the stuff.
So, everything you're selling has to be in line with you.


Bringing your stuff in is kinda tricky.
I use big rolling travel bags and milk crates.

It's a Union property, so we're highly discouraged to bring carts and commercial grade hand trucks.
(As far as I know, the dealers are required to pay the convention center
to do all the carrying of carts/products/etc. into the building.
To prevent any injuries and whatnot, >insert legal stuff here<.)

If you can use milkcrates + a small travel hand truck...
You can use the milkcrates as seats. :D
Or as a tiny display table.
That's what I use.

I also recommend bringing a tarp of some sort.
It really helps, discourages people from stepping onto your spot,
since there's a sort of visual boundary of land you've claimed.
Plus, the floor is pretty dirty... lol

Pricing your stuff is what's really tricky, I usually base mine off of eBay and Amazon.
(eBay is a great place to get a feel for the market of what you're selling,
so you know how to label your prices, according to what's hot and what's not.)

Lower than the lowest eBay price for that item = USUALLY an INSTANT sale within the first 30mins of the swap. :D
Lowest eBay price usually sells 90-95% of the time.
And so on, but, it also depends on what you're selling.
I like to set mine higher than the lowest price,
but I don't usually go past the average selling price unless...
I don't really want to sell something unless I get the price I want.
That's when I overprice it. :D

If selling DVDs/Manga... Even if they're rare, the demand is often pretty low. >_<
So, if you want to sell them, you're gonna have to go low.
I mean... $10-$30 an entire series for a manga, depending.
Set a high price, haggle a bit :D and then settle at a price you're comfortable with.

--Example--
"I'm selling One Piece Vol. 1-10 -- $50! :D"
"I'll give you $30. =O"
"$40, and you got a deal. =D"
"Ahhhh... $40 it is, here you go. :3"
"Awesome! :3"

If selling video games, especially rare ones, prices can get pretty high.
And, there are people usually willing to pay.
But, video game prices are a whole different story,
I could help with that if you need. :D

Posters/postcards/wall scrolls/cards/etc usually go for really cheap and sometimes in bulk.
Unless, it's something really rare and hard to find. :D

It's VERY hard to sell figures at higher than retail prices,
they have to be pretty freakin rare and in good condition.
Often, even brand new, out of print figures go for cheaper than retail.
(That is, if you want to sell it at a good price. >.<)
If you're going to sell some figures, your competition are all the dealers. ._.
Gonna have to make some good deals to sell, to beat them.

Japanese imports like games, dvds, manga go for really cheap.
Much, much cheaper than the localized versions.

Oh, limited edition/one of a kind items usually go for a lot. :D
Depending on what it is, anyways.

OH, I ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMEND to keep your prices at multiples of 5.
It makes life easier for everyone. :D
ESPECIALLY since they buy with mostly 10s and 20s.
Anything under $5, I usually do $1-$4.
Above $5, I start doing $5, $10, $15, $20, $25, and so on.
If something is lowest priced at like $3.41 on eBay or Amazon.
Round it up to $5.
Just round up or down depending on the product. :D

I recommend bringing bags to give to people to hold their stuff when they buy something,
But, I'm not sure if we're allowed to, because of the ban in San Jose?
I haven't done research on that yet.

Here's how it'll start (going by previous 2 years, might be different this year?):
1. When you get there, there's a line up, in groups depending on your swap meet registration number.
For example... [[Door to Swap Meet Room]] Line up --> (1-10) -- (11-20) -- (21-30) -- (And so on...)

2. They call people in by groups, starting with 1-10.

3. You enter, they check your stuff, making sure you don't have bootlegs, have proper labels for 18+, etc.

4. Pay, pick a spot, and someone leads you to it.

5. Set up shop. :D

People will already be shopping and browsing, since the room is the Arcade room, open 24/7.
If you're really not ready, it's a good idea to be polite and ask them to wait for you to set up.
Usually they'll just be looking first though.

Like Hachimitsu said also, be careful about doing a free box. >_<
I was thinking about doing that too, but... x_x it gets pretty busy like they said,
And people will try to do stuff like that.
Gotta keep your eyes out, definitely have a friend help out.
I did a bargain box for stuff I just wanted to get rid of, $1 each.

Haggling is a whole different subject,
it'd be a good idea to google info on tips. :D

Be prepared for people lowballing your higher priced items that you priced correctly.
Be prepared to say yes to deals you may regret later.
Be prepared for disappointed faces when you say no.
And be prepared to put a lot of smiles on people's faces for having something they wanted at a great price. :D

If something you have isn't selling in the first hour, be patient. :D REALLY!
Don't be afraid to say no. lol
(Unless, it's a price you want for it, and really want to get rid of it, then by all means...)

Don't lower your prices too fast, there's plenty of people looking for something. PLENTY.
Once it's almost time to go, and there stuff you haven't sold yet that you want to get rid of...
Lower it in the last hour or so. :D
I'm sure you'll get a fimilar face you saw earlier to buy it at that price.

If you're selling both days, Thursday is more relaxing, so stay solid with your prices.
Don't get impatient and lower your prices because you're not selling anything.
Because, Friday is the day it gets crazy.
And there WILL be A LOT of people.

The swap meet is mainly to get rid of junk,
and make a few more bucks than you would at a garage sale/flea market.
So, if you reach that goal, you're golden. :D

I promise you, as long as you're not trying to rip people off, you'll put smiles on faces. :D
And you'll meet plenty of nice people.
It's fun.

If you have any questions or anything at all,
feel free to reply, or send me a PM or something.
I'll be glad to help as much as I can. :D
Goes for anyone, really. :D
I check the forums pretty often now, since the con is just around the corner.

And if someone has some tips for me or anything I missed,
I'd love to hear them! Seriously!
I really am still new to the swap meet,
and every single bit of info helps! :D

Hope this helped~
-Yotsu

yotsuba

OH! And about the wall space, you'll have to register for the swap early.
But, they're really cramped compared to the other spaces,
but it's nice having the security of that back wall.

CosplayDevotee

WOW many thanks to both of you! More help than I ever could have asked for. And don't worry yotsuba I'll have my husband (who is rather scary looking at 6 '2'') and our mutual friend Major Danger (also tall and manly lol) at my disposal. If 3 are not allowed on the spot I'll just have to choose one of the other while the other searches for treasures at other sellers.

It is very nice knowing the prices for the spots seem reasonable and I'll probably make enough to earn that money back and more. As you would expect I have MILLIONS of manga and MILLIONS of anime. I'm not going to ask for prices that are silly, why pay full price for used anime when you can purchase brand new anime that may very well be in a prettier box set? Lol. Doesn't make sense. A lot of what I'll be selling is like I said before, recycled items. NOT TRASH! Definately not trash, just duplicates of what I already own and full series of manga or anime that I no longer care for seeing as I may have moved onto further anime horizons....lol. I don't care about being low balled too much, obviously if someone shows up and asks "can I have everything here for $1?" I may be a trifle miffed, but hardly angry enough to have lasting scars.

Lastly I'll be shooting for just Thursday to sell seeing as my husband and friend Major may very well gutt me if we aren't enjoying the majority of what Fanime has to offer on Friday.

And again MANY THANKS to you two! I'll be referring back to this thread for many days to come. lol

yotsuba

Glad to have helped. :D
It's great having 3 people, 1 person the hunt around. lol
If it helps, I usually see box sets go for $30-$60 depending on the series.

...If you have an original complete Cowboy Bebop set, I would gladly pay good money for it. =O lol

Just Thursday? lol :D
It's at night on Friday though! You could totally enjoy fanime the whole day!
Then, hit the Swap Meet at night, a bit tiring, but worth it!
...You get spending money for the rest of the convention. :DDDD lol

But, I understand though, there's a handful of people that only sell on one day.
Most of the time, they only sell on Friday, since thats when there's the most people.

When you register for the swap meet,
you'll get to pick between the two days.
Either one day, or both days.

Usually it's a check mark type thing like:

Which days will you be attending?
[ ] Thursday    [ ] Friday

They'll also ask on there what you'll be selling,
and also, if you have stuff not for people under 18,
they have to be in a box labeled "Over 18" or whatnot. lol

:D I'll be roaming the forums now too, since Fanime is around the corner,
And thats when most people start hopping on for info.

Hachimitsu

IM very certain you can apply for both thursday or friday!....
but be advise the first 20 people will reserve in the list VERY fast within 1 hour!....
after 3 hours 10 shows up... after 6 hours.I think 60 in total are in the list!....

try and reserve a spot as fast as you can!

yotsuba

Yes, take as little time as possible when registering...
The first spots disappear crazy fast!

Last year, I registered in about 7 seconds as soon as registration launched.
And, I was still 8th on the list. lol
HOW!? xD

Hachimitsu

oh before i forget..
if you sign up for swap meets thursday! (or maybe friday...but i know thursday)....

you get your badge at the swap meet line and not the big Full registration line!...

I really thought it was the best idea because those who arrived at the convention, took more than 1-2 hours tops to recieved their badge..
so swap meet finally took the liberty to Get the swap meet people get their badges earlier!

Best idea ever from swap meet..

i hope they do this again!

M

Quote from: Hachimitsu-ink on January 26, 2012, 02:03:14 PM
oh before i forget..
if you sign up for swap meets thursday! (or maybe friday...but i know thursday)....

you get your badge at the swap meet line and not the big Full registration line!...

I really thought it was the best idea because those who arrived at the convention, took more than 1-2 hours tops to recieved their badge..
so swap meet finally took the liberty to Get the swap meet people get their badges earlier!

Best idea ever from swap meet..

i hope they do this again!
This is not confirmed for this year, btw.
FanimeCon Head of Marketing & Director of Communications (2008-Current)
(Former Fan Services Director, Registration Staff, & Volunteer)
Have questions (about almost anything)? Message me!

Hachimitsu

really?
oh crud..
erh, wow okay then...uhm...

wow

M

Quote from: Hachimitsu-ink on January 26, 2012, 10:06:08 PM
really?
oh crud..
erh, wow okay then...uhm...

wow
Not confirmed doesn't mean that it's 100% not happening. I'd rather announce something like this later than have to tell everyone that we're not repeating for this year.
FanimeCon Head of Marketing & Director of Communications (2008-Current)
(Former Fan Services Director, Registration Staff, & Volunteer)
Have questions (about almost anything)? Message me!

Hachimitsu

well on the bright side, i heard the rovers list is up online, so lets hope there's more people to comming to help out!


Ecchi ja Nai

Looks like I missed out on having the first long swap meet post this time around, but I am surprised that there hasn't been more news coming down from staff or questions from members regarding the if/how/when's of this year's meet.

With that in mind, I do have a question that I haven't come across before: it looks like I'm going to be assisting in some capacity at one of the events this year, and thus will be provided with a volunteer badge.  I doubt each badge has a specific member number like the ones provided with normal registration would have.  And even if it did, I won't have that number until I actually pick up that badge at the con.  One of the primary reasons I look forward to Fanime each year is the swap meet.  From years past, the pre-registration process for a seller's spot required that you include your badge number.  I've asked the department head that I'm working with about this, and it's been tossed around a bit, but the only thing that I've heard back is that the first few spots are reserved for staff to allow them to sell their own stuff.  I know that the first three spaces are usually held for that one mass wall-o-stuff from the higher-ups.  And if I recall correctly, there were a few other reserved spots next to that, but I figure that as just a one-time volunteer, I'd be responsible for securing my own space.  I'm totally happy going through the usual process of registering and paying for a spot; I just want to ensure that I'll be able to actually get that spot without having access to a member badge number.  I'm hoping that there's someone on swap meet staff that can help with this, or at least let me know in advance so that I can actually pay for a full Fanime badge in time to also sign up for swap meet.

Having said all that, it would be nice to hear something from staff regarding this year's meet.  Technically, we haven't heard anything saying that swap meet has been confirmed to be on, although there is a spot on the main page for it.  We can all assume that it'll follow the usual format of Thursday and Friday night and that it'll be in the same space as the gamer hall.  Personally, I wasn't a fan of the narrow-but-deep spaces from last year, but I think everyone was able to make it work.  And I know it involved complicated preparations and that there were hiccups in the process, but I was very appreciative of being able to pick up my badge and get my swap meet spot all at the some time on Thursday.  Will any of this be the same this year?

While I don't know any details, I do understand that there are complications behind the scenes that are leading to all these delays in registration and hotel info and the like, but we're nearly 100 days away from Fanime, and I don't want to have to worry about getting all my stuff together at the last minute, or finding out that it'll be too late to pre-register, and that I'll have to spend a good chunk of Friday morning buying a badge that day, missing out on Thursday night entirely and hoping that there's stand-by space left to sell at Friday's meet.

Basically, I'd just like to not be left in the dark this close to the con.  I've got a ton of anime figures that I would love to sell, and while I would still enjoy Fanime, it would just really suck to not be able to participate in swap meet.

M

Quote from: Ecchi ja Nai on February 08, 2012, 03:21:02 AMBasically, I'd just like to not be left in the dark this close to the con.  I've got a ton of anime figures that I would love to sell, and while I would still enjoy Fanime, it would just really suck to not be able to participate in swap meet.
We'd love to give you information, but none of the planning is finalized. Unfortunately, that means that we're not going to post information if it's likely that it'll be changed.

The event is happening, but some changes are currently being discussed and once those changes get confirmed or rejected is when you'll hear more information (like where Swap Meet members pick up their badge, etc.).
FanimeCon Head of Marketing & Director of Communications (2008-Current)
(Former Fan Services Director, Registration Staff, & Volunteer)
Have questions (about almost anything)? Message me!

Hachimitsu

Quote from: MPLe on February 08, 2012, 09:24:42 AM
Quote from: Ecchi ja Nai on February 08, 2012, 03:21:02 AMBasically, I'd just like to not be left in the dark this (like where Swap Meet members pick up their badge, etc.).

yeah v_v... i really hope it works out!, it really was a really great idea back in 2011.....erh or was it 2010...
either way, im wishing you lots of hope!

Michi

Quote from: Ecchi ja Nai on February 08, 2012, 03:21:02 AM
Personally, I wasn't a fan of the narrow-but-deep spaces from last year, but I think everyone was able to make it work.

I don't really have a better solution, but I agree with this. It doesn't really help to have a deep space unless I cleared a big spot for me to walk through. Sitting behind my items, I had to lean over or nearly step on my stuff to help someone trying to ask about an item near the front! Oh well. :(

Looking forward to this year, anyway! I've done really well the last two years. :)
~ don't dream it, be it ~

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