Thread: Vending Fees?

What do you pay for vendor fees. I am asking because I am producing an event and I want to make sure my prices are not too high for tables/racks. Any input would be appreciated. It looks like I will need to charge $50 per day for a 6ft by 30 in table in order to break even on the rental fee for the vendor room. Is that too much, or does it sound reasonable?

That sounds reasonable. Vendor fees vary by event... depends on what you need to break even (or make a small profit if that's your goal) and the event size/exclusivity of vending spaces.

Some large events charge between $150 and $400 per space. Smaller events are typically around $40 to $80 per space.

Certainly depends on your area, your projected attendance, your following, your previous event history, etc. Many sponsors are now basing charges on 10x10 booth spaces. Each 10x10 includes 2 tables and 2 chairs. Depending on the length of your event (think 3 full days), you could charge $150 per 10x10. Some vendors might want 2 or 3 side-by-side booths. Rakkasah charges $600 for a 10x10, usually one side of each booth is against another vendor's booth so basically not functional. Tables and electricity are extra. Of course Rakkasah tends to be the high-end. If someone wants a single table (no rack, not even a coat rack), I think it's around $225 or so. And if someone wants to use just a rack they cannot have even a tray table - just a rack.

Also keep in mind some vendors might want to bring their own tables and save money. As a sponsor that is something else to factor into your budget.

$50 for a 6'x30" table is normally very reasonable for "commercial" vendors at decent-size events.

I'll use my event, Market at the Casbah, as an example.

Market at the Casbah is a one-day event, with attendance averaging about 250, with 16-17 vendors.

These are vendors who also participate in other festivals, some of which are very large, such as Cairo Caravan, Rakkasah, etc.

Table fees are $50 for each 8'x30" table and $35 for each single rack.

I meet my facility rental costs with the vendor fees every year, but admissions must pay for everything else, which is usually similar to the amount spent on rent.

Don't overprice yourself, but don't underprice, either. Be sure all your costs can be covered, barring some very unusual circumstances, between the vendor fees and your admissions.

And don't be afraid to make a profit...I hope you make a REALLY BIG ONE. Just be sure to deliver a great experience for all your publics: vendors, guests, instructors!

Good luck!

Deborah

Certainly depends on your area, your projected attendance, your following, your previous event history, etc.

For a business that vends at events, generally you have to be able to sell approx 3x the cost of the booth (incl travel) in order to make an event "worth it". That may be different for hobby-businesses, because they often have a different price structure and because their expectations/needs in terms of income are different. So, what type of vendors you are likely to have may also be a consideration.

Also keep in mind some vendors might want to bring their own tables and save money. As a sponsor that is something else to factor into your budget.

From a vendor perspective, I appreciate options. If a show is close and I already own all my own tables, etc. I don't really want to have to pay to rent them. OTOH, if I have to travel, or don't own my own tables, its great to have them provided. You can do this either in "packages" where the vendor gets a pre-set amount, or a la carte....

Depending on the availability of electric, it is considered normal to charge an additional fee for electricity- generally $10-30 for a weekend.

And as a former event organizer, if you go the a la cart route, I would suggest you request numbers for rentals with the deposit and payment for them at that time. And order one or two extra of everything- tables, chairs, etc have a way of finding new homes during set-up.

Whatever you price at this year, you may want to get feedback from your vendors- while certainly no one is going to tell you that your price is too low, if it is too high vs sales you may not have many vendors return.

Edited to add- both my experiences as a vendor and an organizer are outside of the BD community, I don't know how different that is...!

Another thing to consider- most events charge a little extra for "corner spaces". The idea is that the space is worth more as you can vend off more than one side. Another good part of that is that Suzy who has 40 handmade hip scarves, doesn't end out with 20 feet of front space she simply can't fill- it goes to vendors who want and need that space. The vendor also knows ahead of time if they got their corner spot and can plan stock and displays accordingly.

That's of course, depending on your layout.....

Thanks everyone!

Keep in mind the ratio of attendees to vendors. The Vegas Intensive probably charges the most out there for vending. But we have an expensive venue + a limited amount of space. So while we only have 20 or so vendors, they do well. Our lowest priced package is $815 for 4 days (10x10), but that also included your ad in the program and marketing on our website & social media platforms.

While I appreciate that a la carte is nice, as a producer I find that it's a bit of a headache.