Your questions, answered!
Thank you once again to the wonderful Columbia City Theater and all who came out to make our first Happy Hour event a huge success! Here is a recap of all the questions and answers:
- If I am accepted as a vendor, I plan to accept credit card payments via Square on my iPhone. How good is the cell phone reception in the room? Do you know if Square works at the UCU location?
Answer: Yes, Square works at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, and depending on your carrier, cell phone reception can be very good. We offered internet as an extra service last year for anyone who wanted to use it, but there was very little demand for this as most vendors opted to use some sort of merchant services tool over their cell phone connection.
- I am aware that we must collect and pay sales tax. Do you think that the UCU shoppers have a preference about whether the grand total is an even number like $10 rather than a number that includes change like $10.95?
Answer: All vendors are responsible for collecting and paying their own sales tax, but whether you round your prices before or after is up to you. If adding tax leaves you without round numbers, be prepared to have to make change at the show (this can include coins!). Think ahead about what kind of money you want to have on hand for making change for customers. If your prices include tax, make sure to communicate that to your customers. Signage helps ("All items include tax," etc.) Either way, whether sales tax is or is not included in the price, does not seem to affect shoppers' decisions about whether to buy.
- What are the attendance numbers at the show?
Answer: 2010 Winter Show: 10,000; 2010 Summer Show: 6,500. These attendance numbers continue to grow (i.e. we had a 2,000+ jump from show attendance in 2009)
- What are the logistics of setting up and taking down at the event?
Answer: There are a few options for loading in. The day before the show (Friday) is a load-in day, where you will be allowed to work on your booth setup all afternoon and evening. Alternatively, you can come early on Saturday morning before the show starts at 11am.- Where do I load my stuff in? Answer: You can only load in from the front entrance located on Mercer Street. There is a loading zone there and a ramp for any large items. We will have volunteers on hand if you need help loading in.
- Where do I park my car? Answer: Saturday: Street parking is paid and limited to 2hr windows or there are pay lots for extended hours across the street and nearby. Sunday: street parking is free so you can park anywhere you can find a spot on the street or park in a pay lot.
- Is there a place where questions like these are listed? Answer: There is a FAQ for attendees and vendors regarding show specifics on the site, Here.
- Can you give any other show tips? Answer: Grab a friend and make sure to BRING FOOD! While we have volunteers on hand to break you and we might have some food vendors on site... Be prepared! Our volunteers are great and do everything they can to help, but when things get crazy- it gets crazy! It definitely helps to have a friend at your booth in case you need to run to the bathroom, grab a bite outside the venue, etc.
- I have artwork painted on stretched canvases and prints that I would like to hang up when I display them. Any suggestions on how to do this?
Answer: All that is provided as part of your booth space is either a 5x10 or 10x10 spot on the floor. While some booth spaces will include structural columns or walls, this is not guaranteed. The booth map will be made public well in advance of the show so you will be able to decide how to best utilize your space, but your booth display needs to be workable as a freestanding space, in case you are not next to any structural elements of the Ex Hall.
- How can I volunteer?
Answer: We love volunteers! Email Kristen – kristen@urbancraftuprising.com to be put on a list. Once a show gets closer, she will send out an email about shift availability. You are welcome to sign up for one shift or all two days! It is a great way to see the ins and outs of the show, meet fellow friends interested in crafting and the show AND you get a swag bag as a big thank you for all your hard work!
- Is the event indoors or out? What do you provide and what do I need to provide for set up?
Answer: The event is indoors at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. We provide a space but no furniture. We have tables available (8'x3'), which you can rent for $15. We also have an option for electricity use, which is $75 for the weekend. We place our service orders approximately 3-4 weeks before the show; if you need to request any sort of rentals after this point it is increasingly difficult. Regarding booth location, while we accept special requests for placement we cannot make any guarantees.
- Application deadlines, when are they and how much are the application fees?
Answer: Applications just closed for our summer show and applications for our winter show will go live August 9th. The cost is $200 for a 5x10 space and $300 for a 10x10 space.
- From past vendors, do most vendors make their money back?
Answer: Yes. According to the post-show survey we give our vendors, most end up exceeding the booth fee by quite a bit.
- Do people adjust prices for the show?
Answer: The basic rule of thumb is if you sell on Etsy you use the same prices for the show. Retailers come to shows and if they like your stuff/ want to sell it, they can ask to take anywhere from 40-50% in price. You want to build a good relationship with both your customers and your retail stores. If there are competing prices or adjustments, it will confuse your customers and upset your retailers.
