Conventions are one of the most anticipated events for professionals, hobbyists, and fandoms alike! I mean, who wouldn’t? It is a meeting between like-minded people (read more) where you can learn or have some fun. Many things are going on aside from conferences like shows, displays, and shops.

One that never goes away in many types of conventions is merchandise. Selling merchandise is a good way to make a quick buck out of the event. But of course, there would be a handful of competitors! Besides that, there are many things you have to keep in mind before you can sell the goodies. With that said, let’s find out what considerations you need to keep in mind when selling merchandise at events.

What Are Conventions?

As introduced above, it is an event where like-minded people gather in one place to discuss their interests or a common topic. The best examples for these events are professional and fan conventions.

For professionals, it is more on having an academic conference discussing a certain topic of interest, Q&A sessions, open forums, etc. For fan conventions, conferences give limelight to guest celebrities, authors, or directors. They usually have shows, displays, and shops for fans and enthusiasts to enjoy.

4 Things You Have To Consider Before Selling Your Merchandise

1. Knowing Which Conventions To Sell Your Merchandise

There are many types of conventions aside from the fan and professional ones. Another example is business conventions, where people that are part of the company discuss opportunities in the business or celebrate a milestone. They also imprint promotion products in t-shirts, caps, and pins. For that reason, you could not sell products at this type of convention, and knowing where to sell your products is essential!

Out of all the types, the fan convention is one of the most famous events. That is all thanks to many different communities like the gaming or literature community. Many people from many cities or countries go to these conventions to buy merchandise, take pictures, watch shows, sign their copy of literature by the author, etc.

Because of numerous people coming to these conventions, you can gain profits by taking advantage of them. But of course, let us not get ahead of ourselves and dive right in without thinking. You also have to consider the topic because let us be honest, no one would like to buy plants at an anime convention. Jokes aside, your items need to be related to the event. This tip also applies to other conventions where you are planning to sell your items.

2. What To Sell

Your product is the soul of your store, and what happens if no one would buy it? You would fail to gain any profit from it. Hence knowing what to sell is essential. The most generic products in every convention are t-shirts, pins, and bags with imprints, so you can start with that.

There are convention-specific things you can try and sell to diversify your store. That could also mean you need to buy inventory from different sources and sell them at retail prices.

But of course, you should not leave out the quality and quantity of the inventory you are planning to sell. Quality is indeed better than quantity, but having both is optimal. Having too much stock is also a bad idea (link: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/disadvantage-excess-inventory-22812.html) unless it is popular. Plan your products carefully and set a limit to how many you should hold for selling.

3. Be Wary Of Thieves



One of the big problems of selling merchandise at a convention is having the risk of thieves using their sticky fingers to steal the products you displayed. Many people come and go, and thieves can blend in so easily. Sure there are surveillance cameras and security guards that can help you at any trouble. But it is far better to prevent such occurrences.

For that reason, try to be more conservative with what you display and make them more out of reach. You can also hire someone to help you look after your stand. Perhaps, have some glass container for display that you can only unlock with a key.

4. Maintaining Safety

With the pandemic still happening worldwide, we are not sure who is carrying the virus or not. However, conventions can still occur but with more strict rules of following health protocols like donning masks and physical distancing. Getting infected is expensive, so you need to be ready before selling your merchandise at a convention.

To prevent the spread of infection, clean items touched by another person. Pack yourself a disinfectant and spray the area when a person gets close and looks through your products. Wash your hands with alcohol whenever you touch money and other vectors.