From the Kingdom Seneschal’s Desk – AnTir Merchant Policy
This policy was announced at May Crown and incorporated into Kingdom Law.
Q: Is the $25.00 on top of event fees?
A: Yes.
Q: Is this for local events?
A: This is for Kingdom and Crown events. A local branch may use it as a template.
Q: Why a merchant policy?
A: The Kingdom saw a need to help serve the Event Stewards of the Kingdom in working with merchants.
Q: Why isn’t AnTir/West War included?
A: AnTir/West is an extremely expensive event to run. It also has it’s own Financial Policy approved by the Board.
Any other questions please reach out directly to the Kingdom Seneschal. This is a living document and will be modified as needed. The hope is to build a standard merchant registration form for the Kingdom to use in the future.
- Attia Prima, OP
Kingdom Seneschal, AnTir - seneschal@antir.org
Merchant Policy – AnTir Kingdom/Crown Events
Merchants are a time honored tradition at events both large and small, but as sites get more expensive and more restrictive in the allowed activities, it is important to outline Kingdom Policy in regards to merchant activities at events. Kingdom/Crown level events are increasingly popular for merchants as they have the greatest opportunity and attendance for the merchants. Event Stewards and merchants all need to have an awareness of the balance in an event for merchants to be profitable, while not impacting the overall event functionality.
Event Steward Responsibilities:
- Create Merchant Application Packet
- Create Merchant Agreement (with specific site provisions, if needed)
- Delegate Merchant Coordinator
- Ensure site has space for merchant activities
- Be the second level contact in any grievance
- Determine if merchant jurying will be part of the process for your event and what purpose the jurying supports for the event.
Examples of jurying purposes:
- Event site limitations that could affect merchant activities. For example: noise constraints affecting blacksmithing, fire constraints affecting food merchants, rules/regulations preventing display or sale of items (crossbows, etc.)
- Selecting only merchants with period wares or period booths
- Selecting merchants who support the theme of the event (a particular era, region or activity)
- Publish in all applicable venues information regarding merchants including not limited to:
- Event Steward contact information and response expectations
- Merchant Coordinator contact information and response expectations
- Applicable application dates
- Site restrictions in regards to merchant activities (I.e. for example, No food/beverage merchants, availability of electrical drops, Wi-Fi access etc.)
- Fees and special arrangements specifically for merchants
- Jurying guidelines, if applicable
- Provide a section in the Event Report that includes merchant activities
- If more merchants apply to an event than the capacity of the event can accommodate, the event steward is the arbiter of which merchants will attend. This selection can be through first-come/ first-serve, lottery or other method at the discretion of the event steward.
Merchant Coordinator Responsibilities:
- Receive merchant application packets
- Confirm fees paid are correct
- Confirm application is complete
- Jury potential merchants, if applicable
- Promptly confirm application receipt to merchants
- Promptly confirm jurying decisions and space reservations with merchants
- Notify all merchants whether they’ll be able to merchant at the event or not. Accepted/juried merchants will be sent a notification to pay the merchant pre-registration fee via PayPal
- Consistently and timely respond to all merchant inquiries.
- Work with Exchequer to promptly refund any necessary fees
- Keep all application packets on file, and provide copies to the Event Steward
- Set up and map merchant space, communicate set up to Event Steward and merchants
- Be the first contact for any grievance
- Communicate all disputes and resolutions to Event Steward promptly.
- Provide the Event Steward with a written report of merchant activities as soon as possible post event.
Merchant Responsibilities:
- Fill out the online merchant form published by the Event Steward
- Comply with all conditions outlined in application
- Pay applicable fees.
- Standard Kingdom fee for merchanting: $25
- Events like AnTir West War with significantly higher costs will determine their fee as appropriate to the event budget
- Comply with published dates for application deadlines
- Read entire application contact the Merchant Coordinator with any questions
With regard to issue and/or dispute resolution, communicate first with the Merchant Coordinator. If the Merchant Coordinator has not responded after 48 to 72 hours beyond the published expected response time, you may then contact the Event Steward.
- Follow the communication and mediation procedure outlined in the Merchant Policy (below)
- Load in and load out are the sole responsibility of the merchant and must be done within the published times of the event.
- Arrive on site no earlier than posted gate opening time for merchants published for the event
- Be off site no later than the posted end time published for the event.
- Decisions on merchant jurying are the purview of the Event Steward and Merchant Coordinator and are only subject to appeal before the application deadline.
- Awarded merchant space is non-transferable and cannot be shared with any other merchant.
Communication, Dispute Resolution and Mediation
- Any jurying decisions are only appealable before the application deadline.
- Any disputes must be first addressed to the Merchant Coordinator.
- If the issue is not resolve the Merchant Coordinator, an appeal may be made to the Event Steward’s decision is final and must be complied with at the Event.
- If there is a continuing dispute regarding decisions made by the Event Steward at the Event, the Kingdom Events Deputy should be consulted after the conclusion of the Event.
