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Post by The Chris McKenna on May 14, 2019 8:11:40 GMT -5
Hello everyone.
We'd really appreciate it if you'd come back here after the Nominoichi and let us know how we did.
This will be the thread where people can share their experiences at the Nominoichi. We want to hear about things that you thought we could improve upon. Any problems you noticed, and also anything we got right that you don't want to see change next year. Please tell us if you think we did a good or bad job, and what you think we should do different or the same next year.
We've also introduced a new system for table reservations this year. We are very interested in hearing about your experience with this. Did you find it easy to use? What changes in how the registration site works would you like see for next year? Do you have any thoughts or suggestions on how to improve the process?
Please note. This thread is not for problems or improvements related to any other areas or departments of the convention, unless it is something that's directly related to your Nominoichi experience.
This will also be the pace where we can share any important post-event reports, and we can answer any questions you may have post-event.
Finally, although we can't implement all the ideas, we do read all of them. ...and, as always, thanks for your interest in the Nominoichi!
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shu
Gotta post them all!
Posts: 75
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Post by shu on May 25, 2019 0:01:32 GMT -5
As a first time seller everything from start to finish was great experience. Did not have any problems what so ever along the way. Staff was very helpful and friendly, I even got help taking my stuff to my table which I did not expect! Anyways I definitely want this to happen next year especially the new improved Table Lottery System. It's straightforward and easy to navigate unlike in the previous years which was a disaster! I want to thank everyone involved in Nominoichi tonight with all the effort and time that was put into this event! Thank you Chris for everything until now. Things would not go as smoothly without you here! Please continue to aim and improve in the following years to come.
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Post by ghospie on May 25, 2019 0:47:40 GMT -5
The Good - Very well run this year Chris and staff. The room didn't get nearly as stiffly as in years passed and there was plenty of water and chairs at each table.
The Bad - I don't think there was so much bad as there were things to improve. You can't just blame everything and not offer a solution.
Things to Improve -
Being a veteran at this point at the Nominoichi I was surprised that the staff guarding the entrance didn't know to separate us odds versus evens. I even told the guy "I'm an even number" as he herded me behind my friend, an odd, and he said everyone in one line. Then Chris had to come and re-sort everyone again. Maybe make sure whichever staff are at the front are aware of this?
Timing - I travel far to come to Anime North and as such I don't really care how late the Nominoichi runs because until I get on that plane Sunday night I'm here to experience everything to the fullest. However, meeting up with some friends who live here in southern Ontario they had different ideas... The 11:00pm stop is a little late for those individuals commuting home and for our patrons. I noticed a severe drop in customers from 10-11pm. I do like the 4 hour block don't get me wrong but is there a chance to maybe move everything forward an hour (say 6-10) so this way when we are foregoing dinner at least when it is off at 10, we can go into a McDonald's or other fast food restaurant and eat? I even noticed some sellers leave early and when I asked they said it is due to the late ending time.
Lottery - I know you guys really love the lottery system but there needs to be a better way. I've met a lot of great friends through the Nominoichi community and a lot of them said today they were glad to see so many familiar faces but we're also upset by so many who were staples for years because they didn't have their names drawn. I myself was talking with the individuals around me and most said they weren't even sure if they want to come back next year because with a lottery system they would rather go to a different convention than to buy a badge, make all the arrangements and not be able to recoup some of the money for travel from the Nominoichi.
I know that the lottery probably won't change but perhaps the sign ups could? That way when hotels and passes go for sale at least we know if we are in the event or not? Now with the site it shouldn't be hard to do, as you said it is easier to use and shaves days off of emailing.
Anyways per the usual it was a great event! I saw a lot of people who share the same love for this fun corner of the convention and I wouldn't have it ant other way. Thanks Chris and team and hopefully see you next year.
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Post by cjclink on May 25, 2019 19:13:53 GMT -5
Hi! I was also a first-time seller. I got in after being on the waiting list. So, I'm all in favour of the new lottery system as I tried twice before and didn't get in either time.
I'd like to thank Chris and his team for what seemed to me to be a smooth-running event. I liked that the seller entry into the room started at 5:15 -- 15 minutes early -- as I was worried about how much time I'd need to get all my stuff from my car to my table on my own. But there was enough time allowed that I could make two trips and still get set up and be ready for 7pm.
I read what ghospie said above about Timing... I agree that foot traffic did slow down after around 10pm. Also, I noted that the Survival Guide said the Nominoichi went to 10:30pm (page 9). So, maybe that was the reason for the slow down? I will also say that I live close by and am self employed -- so I have no issue starting earlier... but I suspect that that would be hard for a lot of people who have to get out to the airport area on a Friday afternoon after work.
The Nominoichi was a fabulous event -- I enjoyed myself, met a lot of fun people, and made a little money while finding new homes for some of my stuff. I learned a few things that will help me next time. Fingers crossed!
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Post by xDream3 on May 25, 2019 23:29:06 GMT -5
Thank you for another successful Nominoichi year! I think everything ran smoothly this year and I liked how the event ended later than everywhere else as it allowed for vendors and artists to come by after the rest of convention was done. However, I do agree that 11PM is a bit late as there was low foot traffic by that time. Perhaps 6:30 - 10:30PM would be an ok time for the event to run? Keeping Nomi a 1 day event and on Friday is also ideal. I would like to suggest however that a makeshift ramp be added to help with vendors who uses trolleys (which is pretty much about everyone). This would prevent trolleys being tipped over when boosted up to enter the doors.
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Post by Golden Emblem on May 26, 2019 10:17:09 GMT -5
So for the most part, I think Nominoichi went super great this year! I've only participated once before, in 2014, and the difference was night and day. It was pretty darn amazing, especially in the speed of getting people inside the hall. I had a lovely volunteer help me to my table, which was really appreciated as I worked solo.
Just a few things, and most of this has been said already:
1. The timing: traffic definitely dipped after 10, and while I still did a fair bit of selling, it was because I advertised price cuts to try and offload as much as I could, since I had to take my items home that night. I don't know how doable it is, but maybe having Nomi open with the con at 5 and go to 9-10 is the way to go? 2. The seller's entrance: I arrived very early, and throughout the time we waited outside, a lot of people asked if they were in the right spot. A sign would probably help? Also, I found it odd that when many sellers were relying on dollies/carts, we were going through an entrance that had a step. I was very grateful there were people there to help, don't get me wrong, but I worry about it from a safety/accessibility angle.
As for the lottery, I'm all for keeping it? I know some comments have been made that it doesn't favour those who consistently sell at Nomi, and I really don't see that as a negative. The lottery gives everyone a fair shot of getting a chance to sell. The website you ran it through was pretty great, too.
Thanks for all the work you and your team did, Chris!
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Post by xiyuue on May 26, 2019 18:42:14 GMT -5
This is my third year as a seller. As always, thank you Chris and all the nomi staff & volunteers.
--
Good:
- lottery system: very fair. i don't believe returning seller should have priority over anyone else, and I do agree with equal chance to get in. despite being one of the first person to speak up against the lottery system, i have really come to appreciate it after a while. I don't believe that a seller should be a "staple" -- no one is entitled to a table.
- friendly staff, easy check in. (we got in around 545ish, there was no line at all). I obviously can't say for the confusion that happened earlier than this.
Improve:
- no ramp to bring up the step. i think even if you guys got just like a wooden board or something it would be very helpful. however, i DO very much appreciate the volunteers that were helping us lift the carts. thank you.
- the lottery user interface and experience really sucks. i recognize that it is only used for a short time so there isn't much of a use to invest large amounts of time to improve on it, but I think account creation was complicated, the form was unintuitive, etc. Overall I think it's better to juse use a form provider. Example: google forms is fantastic. You can restrict it to google emails, you'll be able to track responses better, it's easy for people to edit their responses, etc. This eliminates the account creation thing altogether.
Other comments:
- I personally don't have any issues with the event open late until 11pm. I still had a few people wandering around at the end and made a few sales, and I actually liked that I had the opportunity and time to mark some stuff down lol. As things were dying down I also had an opportunity to eat my packed food, and my table mates traded spots to look around vs. manning the table.
- thank goodness it wasnt a bajillion degrees outside this friday compared to the previous years. regardless, I am still so thankful i brought a fan and also a handheld electric fan lol
- I honestly don't know how to express this one. Since nominoichi basically consumed the fashion swap, I feel like 50/50 rule is super restrictive sometimes. (also, are licensed plushies considered anime??? e.g. amuse, sanrio, etc.)
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Post by zellerific on May 26, 2019 20:30:06 GMT -5
This was my 8+ year of selling, and as usual had a great time! Quick to get in, easy to set up, no sweat. AC was better (?) this year or there were just less people LOL. 95% of people came for their holds (love this forum) and had nothing but positive interactions from con attendees.
The only thing was the lottery system. The only reason I got in was because a friend let me split their table. I've been doing this for years, since it used to be in the dinky little room at the Sheraton, and I was really heartbroken that I messed up the application process (I completely forgot to apply as it wasn't a first come, first serve system and I said to myself "you have time!" (I didn't), and the Nomi application page didn't mention a cutoff time, although it was present on the front page). I also have a lot of friends who have been doing this for years that didn't get in. Not saying that regulars should be guaranteed a spot to come back because that's not fair either, but I think the first come, first serve system really allows those who are passionate about the event to be ready to apply.
I also find it died out pretty quickly. I am also in favour of changing the time an hour earlier (6-10pm) when people are freshly arriving and not tired from a long day, some likely from being at work like myself.
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Post by sharkurai on May 27, 2019 9:35:16 GMT -5
This was my first year selling, and I loved it! It was a really great experience and I'd love to do it again next year. Thank you so much Chris and everyone!
The only things about the nominoichi that could have been better for me were honestly just things that were my own fault( I didn't bring any food or water with me so I starved oops) so I'll definitely use this year as a learning experience and I'll be better prepared next year lol
I loved the lottery system for tables this year, last year the email application I sent was never received but because we were told not to send an email twice there was no way of knowing my email never made it to you guys until it was too late, and I was told I wasn't the only one this happened to, so this year it was a HUGE comfort to have an application process that sends you an email that confirms that your application was received in the system!
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Post by lugiap2k on May 27, 2019 15:45:48 GMT -5
A big thanks to everyone on the Nominoichi team for putting together another great event! The nominoichi always feels like one of the smoothest running events at Anime North, and this year is no different. Also a big thank you to everyone who came by to pick up their reserved items! A few random thoughts: - A ramp at the entrance door would be nice, but having volunteers there to help with the dolly's was fine.
- The space between the aisles seems pretty wide (the walkways for people shopping). Maybe if this was shrunk a bit there could be an extra row of tables?
- The crowds did seem to die off earlier this year (not sure why). The first two hours or so were great, but then it seemed to slow down considerably. After 10 it really didn't seem all that busy at all. Maybe people heading off to attend other events (I'm not sure what else was on Friday night)?
- In regards to the lottery system, I do think it's a better way to go (even though I wasn't selected and ended up sharing a table with a friend). Even though there is no guarantee of receiving a table there was at least a confirmation of the application being submitted. Maybe look at shortening the submission window as a sort of 'happy medium' between the two ways of thinking (first come first served vs. lottery).
Thanks again for another great event Chris!
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excelsells
New Member
Anime North attendee since 2002!
Posts: 12
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Post by excelsells on May 27, 2019 16:45:41 GMT -5
Been attending Nominoichi for several years. Everything went smoothly as usual from what I could tell. The Good: - everyone was polite, sellers neighboring to me were very helpful - price is still very reasonable for space - better customer turnout than last year i think The Bad: - water dispensers are very far from the selling area - was told to take a massive detour to enter the same room through a different door ten feet away from where we were standing (why not just get extendable partitions or caution tape?) many volunteers were needlessly stationed everywhere simply to tell people to turn back. this was an issue all over the con, personally i feel like AN uses 2x more floorspace than is necessary, and needs staff constantly guarding a dozen different exits as a result. in addition to having a weird and confusing layout (some areas had one-way entrances/exits while others were two-way). sellers aren't treated as the same rank as staff, so even though staff could bypass the blocked route and go in, we could not, and had to go all the way around. not a huge deal, just kinda stressful if you have to check in by 6:30 and you're running late. not sure where to post this since it's not strictly a nominoichi complaint, but i really felt like everything outside the dealer's room was very haphazardly placed, and there was a lot of open space between things for no reason (maybe they want to utilize every square inch of rented space?), just takes a while to cross the convention floor on foot.
also in regards to this lottery thing, i'm not really a fan. the standby list worked fine whenever I was late to reserve anyway, and i'd rather guaranteed get a spot by remembering to reserve as soon as they open, than leave it to RNG. i make all my money for the rest of the con through the nominoichi, so if i could not get a table i'd pretty much be screwed.
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Post by shadowlycan on May 27, 2019 18:24:12 GMT -5
Another great haul at the nominoichi, and now my 2019 summary review of the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Good -map layout still great. -started on time -In regards to the lottery system i like it. it gives everyone a chance and to signup and no excuses to miss out (think there was 2-3 day deadline) and brings in fresh sellers as well as veteran ones. don't get me wrong... i love seeing familiar sellers at the nomi tables, and from the looks of it quite a number of veteran sellers still did get a table via lottery system. but when the seller has the same stuff on the forums that they haven't sold in 3-4 years in a row this is just another reason for me that the lottery system is a good way to go (or at least improve on it), as someone stated before, veteran nomi sellers shouldn't think that they are entitled to a table just because they have been selling for years. There may have been first timers who have been trying to sign of for nomi for years but couldn't due the the "first come first serve" or real-life obligations (work), but with the lottery system, it gives them no excuse to miss registering as previously stated.
Bad -needs to be a staff member at least outside when the lineup is starting for nomi. I arrived at the nomi lineup very early and there were about 3 people before me and my buddy. over the course of time, others started showing up a hour to 30 min and soon the group of 3 became a group of 10 people suddenly packed at the front of the line before the event started. I get it if these guys are buddies of yours, but it is not fair when me and others have been lining up for well over 3-4 hours for nomi, and your friends only had to show up an hour or even 30 mins before the event started when there was already a huge line forming. I think there should be a staff member in these kinds of situations to tell them that they have to go the the back of the line like everyone else and not butt in just because you know the person who is at the front of the line. ***BTW this is not in regards to those who have an accessibility pass***
-in previous years it seemed like i had at least a 10min or so grace period to breathe and look around before the room filled to the brim with attendees. i suppose nomi was so popular this year that almost immediately the room was packet body to body, it almost felt like the entire con was in this one space. Not a big deal just came as a surprise to be crammed like a sardine in less than 5 mins.
-please do away with the 50/50 and just let people sell what they want to sell (so long as it is legal and within the rules of course). as i was walking around the tables it felt as though some tables did not inhere to this and had mostly non-anime stuff
not sure if you guys are willing to implement this for next year but perhaps start the nomi earlier so that it is not ending so late. by the time 10:00 hits, the traffic has pretty much died down, i don't see much point in having it open that late and i don't know how much more it will help the sellers as a whole.
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Post by xironreaver on May 27, 2019 20:17:07 GMT -5
I’d like to make a suggestion to maybe implement a rule where defective or incomplete items aren’t allowed UNLESS the seller clearly states that there’s something wrong with the item. Unfortunately, one of the items I had reserved is missing a piece/broken. I messaged the seller but have yet to get a response. I think it would be a fair rule to have since it’s hard to spot these things in pictures, and you may not get a chance to examine your items properly at the event due to the large crowd and just being in an overall rush.
But other than that, I had a great experience at the Nomi this year, and I’m hoping to sell next year for the first time. ^^
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Post by StarDustFragments on May 27, 2019 23:23:56 GMT -5
Another successful year @nominoichi for us @n217-OTAKU ATBP On behalf of my friends I'd like to THANK Mr. Chris and Nomi staff for a wonderful event! And also, to everyone who visit our table from old faces to new, (you know who you are) #youareawesome Everything was great on our end. I notice/realize that a couple of sellers mentioning foot traffic is slow later in the event; fortunately, we didn't experience that in our booth ^^ people still visiting and buying stuff, even we already packing our things in boxes, we did lower our prices maybe that helps and ありがとうございます again minna-san for checking/passing/buying @ our booth <3 This event is great to socialize, meet new people and make new connections and share your passion with other Otakus! And for those buyers that comes every year (since 1st edition) thank you for your patronage and continues support! Can't wait to see you again next Nomi if destiny, otaku god and the new lottery system let me =P #seeyaatnomi2020maybe lolz
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Post by pomelo on May 28, 2019 9:35:35 GMT -5
Chris and staff, thanks as always for another great year. I don't really have any complaints this year. I do agree a ramp at the entrance, even if it's just a wooden plank, would be helpful. I'm still a bit iffy about the lottery system, but I've seen good arguments for it and I understand it's a way to give everyone a fair chance. I'd love to return again next year, either as a buyer or a seller.
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