I've been selling jewelry at craft shows for a little over 10 years now. I'm far from knowing everything, but once in awhile something happens that surprises me. The issue of "grandfathering," for example. First, I get it now that jewelry is the hardest category... just too darn many of us that got hooked, but when I started, it was pretty much the norm that once you were accepted into a show, you were 'grandfathered' for future shows. That all worked fine until one show, about 5 (I think) years ago decided to turn me down after 4 years of doing that show.
OK, bothered me, but I found another show to replace it and didn't look back. The new show, turned out to be good for me and I kept going back - 'grandfathered' for the next 3 years. In the meantime, they added a percentage of gross without lowering the booth fees, which bugged me, and I made my feelings clear when mailing in the commission check - not nasty, just 'hey, would you consider something different?" THEN this show came to us at the end of the show the 3rd year I did it and offered to guarantee the same booth location for the next year if we paid early. Happened that I was quite happy with where I'd been located, and signed and sent $$ early.
When I got my booth assignment for that next year, however, it wasn't the same one... it wasn't even close, and I complained. I complained and complained until I ended up close, but on the other side of the street from the one I'd paid EARLY for. I wasn't happy, because it was different sun exposure and hotter all day at what was already a hot show. (Somewhere in the back and forth emails, I had the impression that they had promised the space I'd had to a vendor who'd skipped the previous year, but wanted it again.) I complained again when I mailed my commission check, but still signed up early again.
This time I wrote the promoter saying that I was doing the early bird thing again, but really wanted to get back to the space I'd been promised the year before. I wrote it on my check, I wrote it on the application, I wrote that I expected space # (whatever) everywhere I could think of. He even said, in an early email, that I would get that spot again IF I was accepted by the jury. Hmmm...
The "jury" rejected me last year. The jury rejected me again this year.
I can't help but feel that the rejection was because I'd made waves about what I expected to be something of a "contract" - sign up early, let us have your money to bank for an extra 5-6 months and we'll guarantee you the same location.
As I said at the start - I get it that jewelry's hard, but the sequence of events relating to this particular show just seems to be punitive. (Oh, and the original show that had rejected me causing me to change to the 2nd one... they took me back last year! Not sure if I'm going to do it again this year, however, might try to find something new.)
Replies
No shows we ever did had automatic grandfathering. They were all juried each year. Yes, there may be some reinvitations, but they clearly stated they were invitations -- no blanket acceptance. So, you've been pretty lucky to find shows that grandfather at all.
It is fine to ask the promoter for your old space back. We always did. The first time we did a new show my husband would "walk" the show and pick out the space where he'd like to be in the event we applied to that show again. He would write the space he wanted right on the application.
As Chris pointed out, the promoter rules, but it does seem wrong to take an exhibitor's money as "early bird" and then not fulfill what you were expecting.
As to how the show layout is done. The easiest thing for a busy promoter to do is to not change the layout and the placement of the exhibitors, and then just put the new people in the non-returning folks space. Some shows do this, but others like to change up the look for the public.
When I was running shows and it was time to do the layout the first thing we would do is honor the requests that came with the applications: corner, next to my wife because we're in the same vehicle, near a bathroom as I'm handicapped, not facing the sun, near the parking as I'm traveling alone, next to my friend so we can help each other, etc. Let alone, what always came first: "same space as last year."
Then when those were done then we'd lay out the show for diversity of media.
Yes, you were rejected because you made waves. And now you see where that got you. There's an old saying that "the squeaky wheel gets the grease." Not anymore. Today the squeaky wheel gets replaced.
The promoter owns the show, and the promoter makes the decisions on placement. Was there anything in writing saying you were guaranteed the same spot as last time? If not, the promoter forgot any and all conversations that occurred the previous year. Nobody can remember those conversations.
For an exhibitor to literally demand a certain spot will put off the promoter every time. As a recovering promoter I can assure you of this.
If you don't like your spot you just don't go back, that's all.
During my first year of doing shows I met a very nice Chinese exhibitor who taught me something very valuable. He said if I was going to be in this business I must learn to be the willow and never the oak. The willow will survive adversity while the oak will fall and die. It took a little while for that to sink into my alleged mind, but I did learn to be flexible when dealing with promoters. And as a result I was able to just accept that sometimes I will get that "Times Square" spot, and sometimes it will just be my turn to be at the end of the row.
You've got to learn to be flexible. And always be prepared for the possibility that your space will face the sun.
At the shows I've done an exhibitor gets the same spot the next time unless they request a different one or if they are going to increase the size of their booth ... like from a single to a double and there is not room in their current placement to do so.
Oh, and there is no automatic grandfathering in. At the shows we have done we never guaranteed a spot just because we have been there before. However, I have not been turned down for one that I went back to.