Are you like me and are picky about the vendors who rent a space in your store? We would carefully choose the vendors we accepted in the store because we wanted to meet the needs of our shoppers, offer variety, and showcase merchandise in a very tasteful way.
So what type of things should you ask potential vendors? I’ve compiled a list of things to ask so you can see if they and their items are a good fit for your store.
1. The Goods
What type of items do they sell? Are their items handmade? Will they have wholesale items?
Why do you need to know this? You want to make sure their items will be a good fit for the store. Also, you don’t want a store full of the same items or items that won’t go with your store at all.
Sometimes, vendors that aren’t a good fit do slip through the crack, sign a lease and move into a space. Sometimes people lie, are deceitful and will tell you what you want to hear. Don’t be discouraged when it happens. Take it as a lesson learned and move onto a better, more qualified vendor.
2. The Space
What size space are they looking for? Will they need walls? Do they want to place just tables in their space and not curate the space and make it look aesthetically pleasing?
Be picky when it comes to the placement of vendors within your store. Make sure the vendors at the front of the store curate their space to help make a good impression on your customers.
3. Pictures
Have them show you pictures of their items as well as pictures from previous stores or events they’ve been in. You can get a feel if they’d work well in your store.
Sometimes it is hard to see the quality of items, especially handmade items, simply by looking at pictures so if they happen to have any of their items on hand, have them show it to you. This one time, I had this lady show me pictures of her handmade crafts. They looked great. She talked a great game and how people love her items and that she sells a lot. When she brought her items in to set up her booth, there was a big letdown, as her items were not the best quality. Again, if someone slips through the crack and opens a booth, use it as a lesson learned.
4. Work
Some co-ops require their vendors to volunteer their time every month in the form of a work day. Vendor co-ops have people on the floor assisting customers or working behind the register. Make sure the potential vendor is aware of this stipulation before signing up.
5. Additional Info
Now that you’ve spoken to them, will they be a good fit? If so, show them your available spaces and go over how much they are each month and how much money is expected when signing the lease. For example, do you only require the first month’s rent or first and last month’s rent or first and a security deposit or some other arrangement. If you don’t have a space for them right now, add them to your waitlist.
Simply by asking these questions and speaking with each potential vendor, you can get a feel for each person and a little bit of their personality. Answer any questions they may have. Make sure you cover the list of things we recommend talking about when a vendor signs a lease. Find it here.