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I don't know if anyone still checks here as opposed to Facebook or other sites, but Swap Meet registration has been announced as starting on Saturday, April 29 at noon.

Correct.  We are still ironing out some of the details related to Swap Meet and getting things ready.  Once we have all that finalized, we'll let everyone know as far ahead of sign-ups as we can.

[-SWAP MEET WILL BE BADGED ON THURSDAY NIGHT:]

Hello everyone!  Swap Meet will be happening this year at Fanime, for the first time since the Pandemic began!  I am, once again, your Swap Meet head this year and will be trying to stay on top of this thread to answer any questions people may have.  We're still getting some of the fine details locked in, but I expect it to be both similar to previous years, with some key differences.

-SWAP MEET WILL BE BADGED ON THURSDAY NIGHT:

This is probably the main big thing I want to let people know about as soon as possible.  Previously, Swap Meet was unbadged on Thursday night, so people would not need to pick up their badges prior to coming to Swap Meet.  That is not the case this year.  Your badge will be required, both for sellers, and for attendees, prior to be admitted to Swap Meet.

-SWAP MEET WILL FOLLOW THE SAME MASKING REQUIREMENTS AS THE MAIN CONVENTION CENTER:

To the best of my understanding at this time, that means that all people in Swap Meet, including attendees, sellers, and staff, will be required to be properly masked the entire time.  You may be allowed to remove your mask for brief moments while actively eating and drinking, but will have to put it back on right afterwords. 

Those are some of the main differences.  Here's a lot of the things that are the same:

-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 2023 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 2023 will be held on Thursday, May 25 from 7:30 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. and on Friday, May 26 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 usual with South Hall, no amplified music or sound.


I will be keeping an eye on this thread, so feel free to post any questions or thoughts here!

Should we send in a copy of the BOE-410-D form before the meet to staff or just a physical copy onsite is okay?

Please note that I cannot give specific legal advice regarding how to handle the BOE forms.  The most that I can say is that we will be collecting a copy of all documents, including the Swap Meet registration form and a signed copy of the guidelines, each day at check-in.  Based on your specific circumstances, if you have additional forms needed to sell at Swap Meet, we will collect those at that time as well.

Coming out of my 1-year retirement for a comeback sale/clearout of my collection. Got my spot for Thursday, wait listed for Friday. Are we looking at a full utilization of the hall this year?

I can't say for certain, but probably not.  The way the system is set up, unfinished or duplicate accounts will count as a taken spot until I go in and de-list them.  My current plan is to give a few days for people to finish with their registrations and the initial kinks to get worked out, then start letting waitlisted people through in batches.

We normally have some extra space even beyond what is accounted for in the initial spaces, so I am confident we will be able to get everyone who is initially waitlisted in.

I was doing my swap meet reg but for some reason, I now have a third seller in my list. I cannot delete them anymore because I am stuck on step 2B (finalizing step, special requests account information section). I cannot edit the seller list anymore and I did not add this third seller.

My email: redroses3164@gmail.com

The third seller who can't be deleted is Brandon.


Edit: and now I'm in a stuck loop where it continually says my account is not confirmed and then I get it sent to my email. Then I click to begin the next steps...and then says my account is not confirmed.

If you haven't already, please e-mail swapmeet@fanime.com .  I'm in the process of responding to the first wave of people who need help and am dealing with them in the order I get e-mails.

Hello! Doing swap meet for the first time together with a friend and wanted to know what info is needed for registration? Because I'll probably be the one to do registration for me and that person as well. (Unless we have to register separately?) Thanks!

Names, Fanime badge numbers, address, Date of birth, and information on what you're selling, for the most part.  There's a few other things, but I don't have the form in front of me at the moment and that's the basics.

Okay!  Since the official word is out on Twitter and the like, I can post this here now:

SWAP MEET REGISTRATION WILL OPEN ON APRIL 30 AT 6:00 P.M. PST.

The link for registration is on the front page.

Front page has been updated with the link for registration which, as of this moment, is not yet live.  I will post here with updates as I have them.

The fanime site said the swap meet registration would open up today (4/28/19) but there is a 404 error when I try to click the link. Is there any information on when this issue will be fixed? I really want to secure a spot...

If you are looking at what I am looking at, that post was made 4/27/18 and was in reference to last year's Swap Meet.

As I said in the previous post here on the forums, keep your eyes on this space and other Fanime official communications in the next day or two.

Is anyone else still getting this message "The requested URL /2019/swapmeet/ was not found on this server. Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request." when clicking on the registration page?

Registration should've opened today April 28, 2019 at 12:00 pm, right?

If that was on the official site, that was in error.  We didn't have a solid date for opening.

For all of those here trying to register and not having any success, Swap Meet Registration is not yet open, but keep your eyes on this space, the official Fanime Site, twitter, facebook, etc. in the next couple days.  I will update when I can.

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

This hasn't really come up much before, but my inclination is to say no.  The actual sellers there paid money to reserve a spot at Swap Meet.  For others to then come in to trade their items without reserving the spot or paying wouldn't feel right for those who did get their spots.

Also, and I'm not saying that you would do this, but allowing people to come in with things "just to trade" would be ripe for abuse by those who want to skirt the rules of Swap Meet.  Thus, I'm going to say no on bringing items to trade with the Swap Meet sellers.

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

Yes, you do not need a Fanime badge to come to buy at Swap Meet on Thursday.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

I can't seem to find this though I'm sure it is somewhere and I am just having a terrible moment of stupidity, but what size should the adult content box be? I recall it having specific dimensions and want to be sure I get it right.

Per the Swap Meet rules:

"A maximum of 1 long box (L 27.25 x W 7.5 x H 10.8) of adult material is permitted, and it must be covered with an opaque lid and clearly marked indicating the contents. "