 | 02/17 2008 Newsletter |
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There have been many site changes in the last months, here is a recap:
Site Newsletter - Release Date: 02/17 2008
There have been many site changes in the last months, here is a recap:
There is now a 3 rd setting option to show which events you see. You can select to see:
ALL Event Listings
ONLY Events that have or might have Exhibitors ( marked YES or Unknown to exhibitors)
NEW! - ONLY Events KNOWN to have exhibitors. ( This will hide some good shows that we only have the most basic info on, and do not KNOW that they have exhibitors.)
Events Dates can now be marked as approximate or confirmed. This new feature lets us start to list great events for later in the year that just have not released their dates yet. Exhibitors will be able to call or contact the promoter before the event's initial application batch is mailed so as to allow new potential exhibitors to receive the application as soon as possible and have a chance to apply promptly. Promoters and any site users will be able to update the listing to the finalized dates when they are available in addition to EventLister.com's monitoring their web site and their local tourism sites for the confirmed date(s) to be released.
Event Listings with only Approximate dates have a red @ sign in front of the date in searches and the same symbol and the words 'Approximate Date(s) Only!' on the event's details page.
Event Listings from year to year for the same event are now 'chained' together so that event comments can carry over from previous years' listings to the current upcoming listing. Every event's details page now shows all event listings known to be part of the chain.
EventLister.com is offering FREE Exhibitor Ratings to any artist, crafter, or vendor. We will certify you as hand-made AND will maintain your high-resolution photos online for Promoters to view. Stop sending CD's to events that accept online photos – Upload them here! - More info on Exhibitor Ratings:
http://www.craftlister.com/exhibitor_ratings/
As for the message boards ( forums ) and the classifieds, they are not gone forever. They will be back up around April with more features. My concentration has been on site speed performance upgrades that will permit their use again.
There are now Retail Buy/Sell Gangs sneaking into juried, hand-made-by-the-artist-present arts and craft shows.
This is how the con works: These operations apply to many events with false photos, sometimes even taking multiple, spaced-out booths under different names at the same event.. They then have many teams of people that they send out to events that they were accepted into. At these events, they setup and sell foreign-made, imported products of an entirely different category then they sent photos for. They might apply as pottery and instead bring South American sweaters that are priced to undercut an event's actual Artists' and Crafters' prices. These con artists are skilled at getting past juries. They do it for a living!
Promoters MUST do morning-of walk-around inspections and continue them throughout the show-day. Promoters should stick to what they say in their applications and forcible eject any vendors with non-conforming merchandise, particularly if they brought an buy/sell of one category and were accepted into the show as a hand-made artist in another craft category.... Promoters would be wise to even inspect a few items before every exhibitor is given their spot assignment upon check-in. NON-Admittance or Forcible ejection the day-of is the only solution to keeping such gangs out of your juried event!
Comment Received: I recently had the unfortunate task of evicting a "crafter" from our show. It was not nice, but it had to be done, in order to protect the sales of the rest of the jewelry participants. This person did not have jewelry listed on the application (plus, several more items that were blatant by-sell). Needless to say, he got nasty and he said that he'll put me out of business. My input to this is, I am here to ensure that those who registered in a particular category be as least competitive as possible within their group. When someone sneaks in, not only "junk" but is in direct competition with quality crafters, something has to be done. What I gained by evicting him? The respect of the other vendors in which I was basically applauded. When and if, he decides to hit known web sites and to blast me, I will accept the responsibility for my actions and if possible - some sites will not allow a response -, I'll make an accurate submission to his claims. I firmly believe, he was cheating the other vendors out of sales and other promoters need to stand up to these thiefs, regardless of what they say or how they try to intimidate them. - Netti
Comment Received: I will say over the twenty-seven years, we've only had a handful of desperadoes and I took care of them by booting to the next corral! Once again, thanks for all you do. I just hope all these chicks and dudes do! - Warmest regards, Lois Mueller
Comment Received: We had a most horrible experience this past year with a vendor at our Art Show. We never had a person setup with items different from what we juried and were dumbfounded when it happened. So many artists complained that I was almost in tears.
IT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE OF YOUR SHOW: Promoters MUST do day of inspection and removal to combat this problem, there is NO other way. You can not keep 2008 buy/sell out of a 2008 show with even your successful 2007 practices.... Promoters must heed the jury advice from artists in the articles released below and jury effectively. Artists and Crafters need to provide the promoters of ALL juried, hand-made shows they are doing with a printed copy of the jury advice documents. Keep a husband or two around if your women staff fear asking buy/sell to leave – they will likely refuse to go at first and can be vicious with words and quick witted, remember they are con-artists.
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Original Tips and Thoughts on Retail Buy/Sell at Claimed and Advertised Hand-Made Juried Arts & Crafts Shows from 500 Artists and Crafters
9 Page Version: http://www.craftlister.com/craft_experts/articles/read.php?ID=61
12 Page Version: http://www.craftlister.com/craft_experts/articles/read.php?ID=59
20 Page Version: http://www.craftlister.com/craft_experts/articles/read.php?ID=58
50 Page Version: http://www.craftlister.com/craft_experts/articles/read.php?ID=50
150 Pages of raw responses:
http://www.craftlister.com/craft_experts/articles/read.php?ID=47
http://www.craftlister.com/craft_experts/articles/read.php?ID=48
http://www.craftlister.com/craft_experts/articles/read.php?ID=49
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Promoter Add On:
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Please help support us financially, if our services have helped your event. Imagine if we could do more to help!
Also, artists and crafters have been hearing a lot about the upcoming Release of Exhibitor ratings. Some have started to upload photos and samples are online here: http://www.craftlister.com/exhibitor_ratings/
I would appreciate any promoter comments on this venture. It is fully described above. There are 5 samples, the 5 th one, the jewelry, is my parents' submission.
Not said before is that I will soon also have a promoter jury utility on the site. Promoters will be able to set up Jury member accounts, then applicants can upload their photos to their account and select which to submit to events, this is where my having the Exhibitor Rating system done comes into play. I will be allowing promoters to use this jury function/feature/what-not for free. Your jury members will be able to log-on and anonymously rate submissions. Exhibitors will not have to pay us for this feature either, only if they wish to be rated by US.
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Crafters, snail MAIL your APPLICATIONS to us for free/earned membership time. You will receive 10 days of membership time for each event application you mail to us. Simply send apps you know you are not doing, or photocopies of any you receive – you can earn as much time as you like this way! Send to: EventLister.com, 111 Sebring Rd., Dickson City, PA 18519 – include your email or user number for credit!!!
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