Fwd: Toorcamp: how to run camp commerce (vendors/stalls)?
Martin Dittus
m.
Begin forwarded message:
> From: h1kari <h1k...@toorcon.org>
> Subject: Re: EMFCamp 2012 (UK): how to run camp commerce (vendors/stalls)?
> Date: 21 March 2012 20:03:50 GMT
> To: Martin Dittus <mar...@dekstop.de>
>
> Martin,
>
> On Sun, Mar 11, 2012 at 10:22 AM, Martin Dittus <mar...@dekstop.de> wrote:
>> I'm with the London Hackspace, and part of an effort to organise a UK hacker camp which will likely happen later this summer:
>> http://www.emfcamp.org/
>
> This is really exciting! I'd really like to go and check out your
> camp, sounds like a lot of fun.
>
>> After a few weeks of initial research we're just about to sign a contract with a potential venue. We're now starting to discuss infrastructure and coordination details, and one aspect in particular made us curious about precedents: the question of how to manage commerce at the camp. We expect that a lot of independent hardware hackers will want to sell their kits, and we know that we will appreciate the presence of a few food vendors.
>>
>> Who can I speak to for details about how this is handled at ToorCamp? Any assistance is greatly appreciated.
>>
>> In particular we are currently discussing the following:
>> * Where do we draw the line between makers selling their own kits (very much encouraged) and businesses who need to pay for the privilege?
>> * Centralised vs self-organising commerce -- should vendors need to register?
>> * Would we charge per tent, per stall, fixed sum, revenue share?
>> * Do we need separate kinds of agreements with food stalls? (Caused by statutory requirements, waste disposal concerns, etc.)
>
> Most of our vendors are from the local town that we're inhabiting so
> our plan is to for the most part let them vend for free to help our
> relations with the town. Our business model is more dependent on
> registration and sponsorship so we don't really feel like it's worth
> focusing on getting revenue from vendors. I know that this is a little
> different from other camps (would be good to check and see how CCC
> Camp does it), but we think that this model helps encourage vendors to
> come out. Most of our vendors are pretty self-sufficient and can
> pack-in and pack-out everything so not charging also helps a bit with
> our responsibility for providing things to them (also, since they're
> local it makes it easy for them to do this).
>
> That being said, we do need them to register with us so we can make
> sure we have enough room for them on the map and that they aren't
> conflicting with other camp space although I'm sure some camps might
> sell t-shirts or other items in their own campsites which we don't
> plan on regulating or really caring about.
>
> Anyway, I hope this helps and I look forward to checking out your camp
> this summer!
>
> -David