Dealer's Den

Organizes the Dealer’s Den vendor space. Handles application and selection of vendors. Communicates with them to ensure needs are met before and during the con. Ensures the integrity of the Dealer's space at-con.

Information

Branch	Business
Lead	Rhari
Second	Oroshi
Email	[email protected]

Yearly Responsibilities

• Setup Dealer's Den module in Convention Master (CM)
• Setup the dealer's application for in CM
• Coordinate room layout and table count
• Coordinate dealer's applications
• Organize selection committee and selection of dealers and waitlist
• Manage dealers applications and waitlist
• Communicate between the convention and applied dealers
• Create website information about all dealers
• Ensure dealers needs are met before and during convention
• Assist dealers at convention where possible

Form questions should include fields for the following:

• Real name (corresponds to their registration)
• Prefered Business name
• Business Website Link
• Tax ID (If they have one, Temporary business licenses are not required in BC)
• A brief biography of the artist and what they are planning on selling
• If you are planning on doing a table share, and with whom.
• Weather they require power/electrical outlet or not
• A section for other table requests. Some people have specific setups and will have wall space or "end table” needs to fit their setup. Who they sit next too is also something they can request.
• Make sure in a description field somewhere that the form includes (or a link to these rules/reminders. "Please be sure to read all of the dealers den rules before applying” or what-have-you.)

• "Dealers from outside of Canada should make sure that they are in compliance with the[[]]requirements to sell their wares in Canada
• A temporary business permit is not required to sell at Vancoufur
• Payments are are non-refundable and non-transferable.
• For questions, concerns or to cancel your table, please contact [email protected] or[[]]VancouFurDD on Twitter
• Table size & Price
• All rules and regulations for being a dealer should be on the form as well.

• Determine dates for opening/closing applications. (May is good to aim for and must be no later than August.)
• MAKE SURE YOU TEST THE APPLICATIONS/FORMS WELL BEFORE THE OPENING APPLICATION DATE.
• Send all rules and regulations (2017 info can be found at [[1]] ) to the website team for web page updates.
• Send opening and closing dates (and notice of web page updates) to social media so they can advertize about it to our potential dealers.
• Hire a panel/group of staff/non staff to review applications.

Dealers Den Selection Panel Guidelines

• Marketability
• Theme-appropriateness
• Uniqueness of merchandise
• Number of times the dealer has dealt at VF
• Make sure that most of the dealers den is judged (Experiences and newer artist mix) but leave a few spots open to a random lottery.

• Make sure payment kiosk opening and closing windows are accurate.
• Review and select DD applications
• Assign dealers to tables.
• Communicate with vendors and supply them with pertinent information. (weather they have been accepted or been put on the waitlist as well as rules, a link to the payment koisk, etc.)
• Ensure that Dealers have paid by designated time. (1 month after applicants have been emailed their acceptance letters. If someone asks for a few extra days, that is usually okay as long as they communicate that.)
• Be sure to send the Website team a list of dealers (Their business names) and their respective business website links to create a link list on the website. (notify social media when this is available online so they can advertize our dealers.)
• Populate and draw from waitlist as necessary.
• Dealer's Den requires a Visio layout of the function room being used. If a new room has been selected, measurements must be taken and entered into Visio to plan table layouts.
• Provide hotel with BEO for table setup.
• Set up Dealers' lunch menu and schedule with catering staff. (Hotel Lead & Tivolii's)
• Dealer's Den needs security staff at the door for badge checks for the entire time that it is open. Liaise with security lead/Ops to plan staff assignments.
• Ensure that adequate power bars/supplies have been run under tables.
• Dealers' Den works closely with hotel and security staff.
• Manage Dealer's Den application opening and closing, completed list of accepted Dealers, any changes to the list throughout the year.

Your Department on the Website/in the Conbook

• Dealer's Den must have a list of selected Dealers on the website, as well as a room layout including table numbers.
• Website also needs the above information as well and their website links to populate a dealers list for attendees to peruse.
• Make sure to have someone look over the information before sending it to the respective lead.
• Send it to the respective lead.
• Make sure to test the contact page (website) that the form sends an email to you.
• Make sure that your email is listed on the contact page (website) outside of the form.
• If you have any future updates, make sure to send them to the Web Lead!
• If you spot any mistakes in your blurb for the conbook, make sure to contact them ASAP about it!

6 Months before con, what do you need to have done?

• Dealer's Den set up in Convention Master, Dealers selected and assigned to tables.
• Information should be sent to website for them to populate a dealer/artist list with website links.

3 Months before con, what do you need to have done?

• Do you have enough volunteers?
• Ensure that waitlist is being used to fill any dropped tables.
• Make sure social media is advertizing about the dealers and any table changes.
• You should start building a schedule for your team. (Use the Master Schedule for the year! Programming lead sets this up every year and it houses our event schedule as well as the work/team schedules for at con departments.)

1 Month before con, what do you need to have done?

• Send in your BEO's to Hotel Lead. (Banquet Event/Equipment Order. This is what the hotel needs to set up for your room if applicable. Tables, chairs, etc. You also need a layout of how the room is to be put together with those items.)
• Make sure to contact Logistics to get any equipment from the VF storage locker to the hotel for your use.
• Make sure to contact IT to organize when your equipment and Tech needs can be setup in your department area.
• Send in any needed information to the Conbook for print.
• Ensure that wifi coverage has been planned for the function space. Dealers require voucher codes to access wifi on two devices for 24 hours. Must be reprinted and distributed daily.
• Make sure you have the dealers den sign in/AUP/Rules forms ready to be printed for the event.
• Make sure security has door guards for before opening time, 8am to watch the room as dealers fill the space for prep, and thursday to set up, extra volunteers for thursday and sunday set up and takedown.

After the Convention/Before the Firing Party

• Make sure all your volunteers (and yourself) got inputted into the system for their hours.
• Update your guide with any new/relevant information/changes.
• A staff feedback survey will be emailed out and sent into the staff chats. Please fill this out ASAP!
• Make any staffing suggestions to the next years' chair. (If you want to work again, staff who excelled and where, etc.)^[[[a]]]
• If VancouFur owes you money for department spending, PLEASE PLEASE send your reciepts to [email protected] & [email protected] and then fill out [[2]]

Break down of contacts

• Contact hotel lead for any room-related requirements and catering from Tivolii's
• Website for all dealers den web page updates
• Social media for advertising
• Conbook for all conbook page needs
• Security/Ops for badge checking
• Volunteers lead for needed staff to watch over dealers den during the event days (a gohper going around checking in on dealers, getting them water, etc is awesome.)

Do's and Don'ts of the Department

• Dealer's Lunch menus worked very well and should be continued with Tivolis restaurant.
• Heat management needs work in Westminster ballroom. (Talk to hotel about the AC and being able to keep some doors open for air flow may be necessary.)