Dealers’ Room FAQ

Version 2023.07.14

July 14, 2023 UPDATE: The emails with last-minute information just went out. Here is a link to to the same content.

Please read this FAQ if you are interested in being a dealer at Pemmi-Con in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. You will be expected to abide by the information and rules presented here if you are accepted into the Dealers’ Room. Please do not start your application until you have read this FAQ entirely! There are changes from previous years you need to be aware of. You will be further required to be compliant with the Pemmi-Con Code Of Conduct, which includes the COVID-19 policy. Please note that this FAQ is a living document and will be updated periodically to reflect new information and deadlines. Check here first.

What, where, and when is Pemmi-Con?

Pemmi-Con will be held over 20-23 July 2023, in the Delta Hotels Winnipeg and the RBC Convention Centre, in Winnipeg. The convention center address is:

RBC Convention Centre
375 York Avenue
Winnipeg MB R3C 3J3
Canada

It is in the heart of Winnipeg, well-served by public transit, and within easy walking distance of restaurants, brewpubs, shopping, museums, historic sites, gardens and parks with great public art.

Yes, but where will the Dealers’ Room be?

It will be in Hall D of the RBC Convention Centre.

Why be a dealer at Pemmi-Con?

Pemmi-Con, the official name of the North American Science Fiction Convention this year, is a general interest science fiction convention, designed to be a “big tent” in the tradition of the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), its larger sibling. Our members can afford to travel, and we will have attendees from all over the world. Currently about 70% of members are from the U.S. Many of our members attend a Worldcon or NASFiC every year, enjoying the fact that each year these conventions are hosted by different cities. Our members are fans of the science fiction and fantasy genre and tend to have multiple interests — science, gaming, literature in all its forms, music, etc. They come to discuss science and genre topics, admire the work of genre creatives (artists, authors, musicians, costume designers), have their book autographed, see their friends, and shop. We expect attendance to be 600-1000.

How do I start my application to be a vendor?

You may apply for spaces in the Dealers’ Room at the link provided at the end of this FAQ. Please do not skip ahead to start your application until you have read this FAQ entirely!

If I have questions about the Dealers’ Room. Who do I talk to?

Your Dealers’ Room coordinator is Mieke Citroen. Email the dealer team (dealers@pemmi-con.ca) if you need assistance or have any questions.

How do I find out which authors are coming to Pemmi-Con?

Once the schedule has been published, the names of some authors who are attending can be found on the program participant list.

What will the hours be?

The Dealers’ Room will be open to members of Pemmi-Con during the following hours.

Thursday July 20, 2023	12 Noon – 6 PM
Friday July 21, 2023	10 AM – 6 PM
Saturday July 22, 2023	10 AM – 6 PM
Sunday July 23, 2023	10 AM – 3 PM

Dealer’s room will be open to dealers 1 hour prior to and 30 minutes after convention hours. This means you have to be out of the hall at 6:30 PM.

Load-in hours are preliminary and may change:

Wednesday July 19, 2023	2 PM – 8 PM	Loading Dock available
Thursday July 20, 2023	9 AM – 12 Noon	Limited Loading Dock access

More detail will be in the Move-In Information letters that will be sent to all accepted Dealers closer to the start of the convention.

What will space cost?

Pemmi-Con will have tables available for dealers. Tables are 6’ x 2’ and cost CAN$100 each.

Tables include 2 chairs as part of the cost.
Everyone who is in the Dealers’ Room after 12 noon on Thursday, July 20, 2023, until the end of Pemmi-Con, must have a membership. There are no exceptions. You may bring assistants to move in prior to opening and move out after closing without purchasing memberships for them. Plan to have them leave when the con opens to attendees.
There will be NO table cloths or cover cloths available. You will have to provide your own.

How do I pay for dealer space at Pemmi-Con?

Pemmi-Con requires a full payment per space requested. Payments must be made at the time of application; no applications for the Dealers’ Room will be considered unless payment is made. Please note that payments do NOT constitute acceptance of your application nor are you guaranteed the space(s) you applied for. If you are not accepted into the Dealers’ Room (most likely because we sold out) you may be invited to the waitlist for future acceptance. This is also addressed further down in this FAQ.

At the end of the application there will be a link to Pemmi-Con’s payment link. When you select “Dealers Room Tables” please purchase the same number of tables you requested in the application. If you need discounted dealers memberships please also purchase those from the same page; however, you may buy them later so long as you buy them by July 6, 2023. No discounted dealers memberships will be available after that date. The maximum number of discounted memberships is 1 for each table plus up to 3 extra per DEALER.

We are working on an option to pay via mailed cheque. If that is the only way you can pay, please email the dealer team (dealers@pemmi-con.ca). Your application will be pending until your payment is received by the Treasury team.

What do Canada, Winnipeg and the province of Manitoba require from me to be a dealer at Pemmi-Con?

TBD

As a US dealer, what extra steps do I need to take to sell at a Canadian Dealers’ Room?

We now have a broker: Consult Expo (https://www.consultexpoinc.com/). Note that while dealers may use the broker you may NOT use the consolidated shipment option; this is only for Exhibits and Art Show.

What about Shipping and Receiving?

The Delta Hotels Winnipeg will provide instructions for shipping and receiving packages to the hotel. The hotel website is here: Delta Hotels Winnipeg. The WCC/RBC Convention Centre does NOT accept deliveries of exhibitor’s displays or materials; rather, these would need to be shipped to our decorator. Our decorator contract will not be finalized until June and interested dealers should check back or email for further information.

When do applications close and when do acceptances go out?

We are accepting dealers on a first-come, first-served basis and accepting only full payments for space. We will respond within 7 days but that may not include acceptance – see the juried/curated section further down. As we are on a compressed time schedule we will continue to accept applications as space allows. Once the Dealers Room is full we will update this FAQ accordingly.

I already have a membership to Pemmi-Con. Can I use that one or do I have to buy a special Dealer one?

Everyone who is in the Dealers’ Room after noon on Thursday, July 20, 2023, must have an Attending membership. This includes the discounted memberships available with your Dealers’ Room table. We are including discounted membership(s) in the Dealers’ Room fee structure as a courtesy recognition of the special relationship dealers have with Pemmi-Con. There is no intention of forcing anyone to buy extra memberships but our structure requires that everyone have a membership.

If you already have an Attending membership(s) and wish to apply for tables in the Dealers’ Room please fill out the application at the end of this FAQ and in the “If your membership needs aren’t addressed in the above questions please ask about them here” section let us know that you already have memberships so we may update our records accordingly.

I have bought/are planning to buy additional memberships for my dealer space that I don’t have specific names for. What is the voting status for these memberships?

All of the memberships obtained through Dealers’ Room space come with voting rights for the Site Selection provided that they are in an actual person’s name. If they are “generic” (e.g. Table Bunny #1) the membership can only be used as “no preference” for site selection. If a membership is updated with a person’s name then the above restrictions are lifted. If a membership that’s been updated with a person’s name is transferred to another person the voting rights transfer if they have not been already used.

I need more memberships for my dealer space(s). Can I get more discounted memberships?

Yes, up to 3 extra memberships can be purchased at the dealer rate of CAN$150 per DEALER. The application will direct you on how to accomplish this. If you decide to add more memberships after your application is accepted please email the Dealers’ Room coordinator (dealers@pemmi-con.ca) for instructions. Additional memberships will be CAN$150 each and need to be purchased at least 2 weeks before the convention begins in order to receive this rate. These 3 memberships are in addition to the one per table bundle membership.

What happens if I need to withdraw from being a dealer at Pemmi-Con?

As we are accepting dealers on a first-come, first-served basis and NOT accepting deposits, only full payments, we are not in a position to offer refunds for dealers space or memberships. We apologize for the inconvenience.

What can I sell at Pemmi-Con?

Pemmi-Con is about science fiction and fantasy; your merchandise should reflect that focus. If you are unsure of whether your merchandise is appropriate please email and ask! Over the years Worldcon and NASFiC Dealers’ Rooms have seen both flat and 3D art, clothing, costumes, props, jewelry, games, t-shirts, makeup, nail art supplies and collectibles as well as books, comics and graphic novels. Please contact us (dealers@pemmi-con.ca) if you have any questions about your merchandise.

What can’t I sell at Pemmi-Con?

These include, but are not limited to:

Intimate personal services. Fully clothed chair massage is okay but body piercing and tattoos are not.
Unlicensed/bootleg merchandise (includes 2D art).
Food and/or drink for immediate consumption.
Things on fire. Unlit candles, torches, helpers and incense sticks are acceptable; do not burn any of these in your space.

This list will be updated as we find out more. Other convention facilities have prohibited stickers, balloons, glitter, and chewing gum and we may be subject to any of these. Please email us (dealers@pemmi-con.ca) if you have any concerns about your merchandise. There are items that you can’t sell at Pemmi-Con and if you are found to have forbidden items for sale you will be directed to remove them from view or you will be removed from the room without a refund. Pemmi-Con staff decisions are binding and final.

What does “juried” or “curated” mean in the context of this Dealers’ Room?

Pemmi-Con Dealers’ Rooms are provided as an attraction and service to attendees. In order to achieve these goals dealers are selected based on several criteria. One of our biggest considerations is the appropriateness of merchandise to convention focus and we jury on that basis. As Pemmi-Con has a literary focus booksellers carrying science fiction and fantasy titles feature prominently in the Dealers’ Room. Another consideration is a balance of merchandise available to attendees. No one is happy if the room has 80 T-shirt dealers! We curate the selection of dealers to ensure that there is an appropriate amount of choice in categories of merchandise. Occasionally there are more applicants in certain categories than the room can support. If it becomes necessary to not accept a dealer for that reason that decision is not made by one person, but by the entire team.

I can’t make it but I have a friend who can take my space. Can they just come instead of me?

No. Subletting is not permitted. Pemmi-Con reserves the right to approve dealers for the Dealers’ Room and will remove dealers who were not approved to be in the room without refund. Please email us (dealers@pemmi-con.ca) if you have concerns about this issue.

This does not mean that you can’t appoint an agent to sell your items in the Dealers’ Room. If you send someone as your representative to sell the merchandise you were accepted into the room with, let us know who that person is and we will update your paperwork to reflect this information.

Can I share space with another dealer at Pemmi-Con?

Yes. The application will direct you on how to accomplish this.

I sell adult items (marketable to those 18+). Can I be a vendor at Pemmi-Con?

Maybe. The Dealers’ Room is balanced to provide attendees with a range of merchandise that is generally deemed to be appropriate to our genre interest. Your merchandise should reflect that. If you are selling adult items (this includes drawings of naked people and BDSM items) you must agree to the following:

It is your responsibility to ensure that children do not have access to any adult items. This can be done by checking ID before allowing patrons to look in an enclosed box or area or some similar setup.
If we hear or see that you have adult items that are easily visible to children, you will receive one warning (since your definition of adult items may be less strict than some of our attendees) and will be expected to rectify the situation immediately after receiving your warning.
If you require a second warning Pemmi-Con staff reserves the right to either mandate how you rectify the situation or to remove you from the Dealers’ Room without refund.

I sell weapons. Anything special I must do?

Yes. Weapons can only be handled by customers who are 18+. All sold weapons must be securely wrapped for customers prior to leaving your table. No brandishing, waving about or sparring with weaponry is permitted at Pemmi-Con and this applies to Dealers’ Room merchandise. No firearms or ammunition (this includes arrows) may be sold in the Pemmi-Con Dealers’ Room. Any dealer wishing to sell weapons also must comply with the Pemmi-Con weapons policy: https://main.pemmi-con.ca/policies/weapons-policy/

I sell music. Anything special I must do?

Yes. Please plan to play well with your neighbors by providing headphones for your listeners or make sure your neighbors aren’t inconvenienced by your volume. The Pemmi-Con staff reserve the right to limit your sound levels to headphones.

I sell food and/or drink not for immediate consumption. Anything special I must do?

Yes. If you offer samples of your merchandise you must supply a trash receptacle convenient to your space for your patrons to dispose of any garbage. You will not be able to use any device to heat or reheat items for consumption. This section will be updated further as more information becomes available or a dealer needs more assistance.

Will there be Internet connectivity and/or electricity for Dealers and what will it cost?

Yes to both. Power will be available for an additional cost. You will be notified of the amount and where to remit payment. Power drops will be handled by the convention center agency.

The RBC has free WiFi, 10Mbps at no charge.

Can I have wall space?

No. The layout of the Dealers Room is islands with large aisle and does not use wall space in this context.

I didn’t get in. Can I waitlist?

Maybe. If you were not accepted in the Pemmi-Con Dealers room it probably means that we ran out of space for your category of merchandise in the Dealers’ Room or we ran out of space in general. It does not mean we have any issue with you or your merchandise. In order to facilitate a good experience for our attendees and our dealers, we balance the amounts of various kinds of merchandise and some categories have more competition than others. While we hope that everyone who applies and is accepted can attend, real life happens and a certain number of cancellations usually occur. If you are interested in being on a waitlist please email us (dealers@pemmi-con.ca) and indicate this along with your latest acceptance date you can accommodate. If space opens up we will contact you with as much notice as possible to accept your application. As we will be refunding non-accepted dealers within 7 days of determining this you will need to pay again.

I got on the waitlist but I still want to attend Pemmi-Con. Is there anything I can/need to do in regards to membership?

If you are planning on attending Pemmi-Con whether or not you are accepted as a dealer we encourage you to buy your membership through regular Registration as soon as possible to take advantage of the cost structure. If space should open up on the waitlist and you come to Pemmi-Con as a dealer, any overage of what you paid for your membership from the discounted dealers rate of CDN $150 will be credited to your space to ensure that your total for tables and memberships do not exceed posted prices for the same.

I want to present my items at Pemmi-Con but they’re not a good fit for the Dealers’ Room. Are there other places I may do this?

It depends on what you sell. If you create art or craft you may wish to consider the Art Show. If you are representing a club or organization you might be a good fit for Fan Tables.

How does the discounted dealers membership differ from a regular membership?

It doesn’t, other than being associated with a dealer space in the Dealers’ Room. Dealer memberships carry all the privileges that other memberships do. All of the memberships obtained through Dealers’ Room space come with voting rights for the Site Selection provided that they are in an actual person’s name. If they are “generic” (e.g. Table Bunny #1) the membership can be used only as “no preference” for site selection.

Why won’t a map or the location of dealers in the Dealers’ Room be put online or revealed until right before the convention?

The Dealers’ Room lineup changes more than most realize in the time leading up to the convention. In order to maintain flexibility, accessibility and appropriate dealer placement in the room (no one wants three t-shirt dealers in a row) we don’t publish exact placements until very late in the process. This allows for moving dealers without reprinting maps. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

I want a specific space in the Dealers’ Room. Can I request that?

You can request this, just as you can request to be next to another dealer or similar. There is no guarantee you will get this. The Dealers’ Room layout is built on several different factors and the decisions made are for the good of the room as a whole. We will do our best to accommodate requests but unfortunately there are times where we aren’t able to give people what they want.

I don’t want to be open the entire convention. How can I pack and leave early?

If you aren’t planning to be open the entire time the Dealers’ Room is open to attendees please don’t bother to apply. The Dealers’ Room is a feature of the convention and attendees expect to be able to shop on the last day of the convention. It’s very difficult to maintain room critical mass for other dealers when there are empty spots in the rooms. Please don’t create this issue. If you decide to be that person you will not be permitted to use any wheeled devices while the Dealers’ Room is open to attendees and we will not stay later after closing to accommodate your leaving. You will need to move in the 30 minutes after closing or wait until the next day.

I need to park a large vehicle or truck. Where can I do this closest to the hotel?

This section will be updated closer to the convention.

What is the deal with hotel rooms?

Check the website for hotel rooms. The hotel room block opens well ahead of when dealers will know that they’ve been accepted. If you wish to secure a room, book one and cancel the reservation up to three days in advance if you decide you won’t be able to participate in Pemmi-Con.

How do I apply to be a Dealer?

The application is live now. Click here: https://forms.gle/KyhavTwWWT1Phfie7

Final Information And Move In Letter:

Hello!

This is your move-in Dealers Information letter. Several topics are covered here but as always please email mieke.citroen@pemmi-con.ca if your questions aren’t answered here. This is a rather long letter with lots of information. DO read it carefully before asking any questions, since we put a lot of effort into trying to address all of them. This letter will also be posted to the FAQ online.

Firstly, thank you for being patient with how late some things have happened for this convention. We are all volunteers who have to juggle many balls, including life outside of the science fiction world.

Covid:

Please note that Pemmi-Con policy requires all those in the Exhibit Hal to show proof of vaccination in order to attend or sell. Pemmi-Con also requires full masking at all times. Your vaccination status will be verified at Registration at the convention. Our full covid policy can be read here: https://main.pemmi-con.ca/policies/covid-policy/

The convention center:

The convention center address is:
RBC Convention Centre
375 York Avenue
Winnipeg MB R3C 3J3
Canada

Dealers’ room will be on the 3rd floor, in Hall D.

Load-in:

We will open to dealers and other exhibitors to load into the Dealers Room area at 14:00 (2PM)

on Wednesday July 19, and will be open until 20:00 (8PM). On Thursday July 20 from 09:00- 12:00 (9 AM – 12 Noon) we will be open to all exhibitors to continue setting up.

Art Show and Fan Table people can also use these guidelines.

If you DO NOT need to use the loading dock:

You can get to the Dealers’ room in the Convention Center’s Exhibit Hall D through the hotel lobby. There is more information and a map below, under “Navigating the hotel and trade center”. The convention center website has a lot of good visual information. https://www.wcc.mb.ca/spaces/carlton-concourse/

When you get here, you are in the right place.

If you DO need to use the loading dock:

THE LOADING DOCK IS ONLY GUARANTEED TO BE AVAILABLE WEDNESDAY AND ONLY FROM 14:00-19:30 (2PM – 7:30 PM). There will be limited access to the loading dock on Thursday.

If you have a vehicle to unload from you will be able to access the Loading Dock for this. The loading dock is located on the 3rd floor of the South tower; entry is from Edmonton street. Here is a map:

You access this by entering through here:

If you see this area you are in the correct place. Park your vehicle in the section circled in red, against the wall.

When you get to the loading ramp, you will be greeted by our Dockmaster Chris Marble or one of his people.

Loading dock ramp:

Carts are provided by the decorator and are limited in supply. You are welcome to bring your own to use. We do not have staff to help you with load-in or -out.

Dealers check in:

While there are several ways to access the Dealers Room for moving in, you will need to check in at the Dealer Information table which will be either on the loading dock or just inside the hall. Find me or one of my volunteers. We will give you the location of your table(s) and you will be able to pick up a Dealer ribbon here to wear so as to reassure people that you are there with the convention until you have a chance to obtain your convention badge.

All boxes, pallets and other items MUST be removed from the aisles before we open to attendees – at noon on Thursday. We have a boneyard available for storage of empty boxes and similar items. Anything left in the boneyard must be labeled with the Dealer name.

You will need to pick up your convention badges at Registration. This is located in the Delta hotel on the 2nd floor. Until the Dealers Room opens to attendees on Thursday July 20 at noon, you and any assistants you bring will not need a badge to move in or out of the Dealers Room. Badges aren’t required after 15:00 (3PM) Sunday July 23, so you may have assistants come in to assist you in moving out.

All tables will have 2 chairs allocated to them. No cover cloths or tablecloths are provided; plan to bring your own. You are welcome to bring additional furnishings for your space for your use, including tables, chairs, shelving and other items. Please plan to stay within your table space and immediate backspace with these items. Please coordinate with your fellow dealers if there are space concerns BEFORE bringing them to the Dealers Room Coordinator’s attention.

Parking

We do NOT provide parking; the convention has no control over parking costs or availability and there is no reserved parking for dealers. Once your vehicle is unloaded you must move it out of the loading dock area ASAP.

The convention center’s page about parking: https://www.wcc.mb.ca/venue/parking/

Parking at the Delta Hotels Winnipeg is CA$21 daily. It includes in and out privileges. Garage clearance is 1.8 meters. For large vehicle options, please contact the hotel.

Parking at RBC Convention Centre is CA$25 daily.

Memberships

Don’t forget to make sure all your memberships are attached to a person if you know the people who will be working with you! If you need more memberships for your space please go to https://main.pemmi-con.ca/membership/. (There are no more discounted dealers memberships available at this point) This will save you and/or your staff time at the convention Registration Desk.

Navigating the hotel and convention center

Registration: from the hotel lobby, take the escalator, stairs, or elevator to the 2nd floor. When you get to the top of the escalator, Registration is on the right. From Hall D of the convention center, follow the directions below in reverse.

Skyway Between the Delta and the RBC Convention Centre

From the 2nd floor of the Delta, exit to the Skyway and go straight across Carlton Street to the RBC Convention Centre North Building. This route has steps. In the Convention Centre, turn left and go through the Gallery. Keep left and cross the bridge to the South Building. Take the escalator or elevator up to Hall D.

Accessible Skyway Route to the RBC Convention Centre

From the lobby of the Delta, exit to the sidewalk and go to the left. Straight ahead, there is a concrete tower with an accessible elevator to the skyway.

Convention hours

The Dealers’ Room will be open to members of Pemmi-Con during the following hours.

Thursday July 20, 2023	12:00-18:00 (12 Noon – 6PM)
Friday July 21, 2023	10:00-18:00 (10AM – 6PM)
Saturday July 22, 2023	10:00-18:00 (10AM – 6PM)
Sunday July 23, 2023	10:00-15:00 (10AM – 3PM)

Dealer’s room will be open to dealers 1 hour prior to and 30 minutes after convention hours. This means you have to be out of the hall at 18:30 (6:30 PM).

Internet access/Wifi

There is wifi available in the Dealers’ Room for free; however, we do not know how strong or how busy it will be. If you want your own access you may connect to the Exhibit Hall’s portal and purchase their service.

Power

We will provide one (1) power drop for each group of tables. If you want to use power, you will need to bring your own extension cords and power strips.

Floor plan

There will be one. No, we are not sending you one in advance. You will get one when you check in at the Dealer table.

Load-out

We have a hard deadline for the entire convention to be out of the convention hall on Sunday by midnight and we expect dealers to be done by no later than 20:00 (8PM). The hall closes to attendees at 15:00 (3PM); please do not start loading out until then. The Loading Dock will not be available for move out until 15:30 (3:30 PM). Do not bring your car to the Loading Dock until AFTER your space is packed and ready to load out.

Questions?

The best way to reach me is to email me at mieke.citroen@pemmi-con.ca.

If you are looking for me during load-in, look for the bright blue hair. If you really need to, you can reach me at +1 (617) 359-5841. DO NOT leave a voicemail. I will not listen to those until after the convention.

Thanks so much! See you in Winnipeg.

Mieke Citroen

Pemmi-Con Dealer Room Area Head