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Post by xDream3 on May 28, 2018 23:34:21 GMT -5
Thank you Chris and the Nominoichi team for another successful year!!
Pro: Quick Check-In Time and signs/sheets of table number provided was quick to help sellers locate themselves and set up. I notice that buyers were let in a bit at a time originally before the rush, or was that just me? It did help as a full on rush would have been very overwhelming. I enjoy the 7-11PM timeslot on Friday as it allows us sellers who have weekend passes to sell to earn money to use the rest of the weekend. I feel that moving Nominoichi to another day would change it dramatically (Saturday -> WAY to many people, Sunday -> Too little people and they all would have spent their money by then). Having the Nominoichi be 3 days would then make it a little competitive with the Dealer's Room which I feel would not turn out well.
Cons: Ramp ... there should be a ramp to help sellers with trolleys in for Check-In and Exit at the end of the night. It was also VERY humid with the large amount of people in the hall, perhaps investing in fans to put on each corner of the hall would be nice?? (It can be used elsewhere after as well. Ex. Panels?). It would be great to recommend sellers in e-mails to bring in a portable electronic fan if possible. Also, speaking of e-mails, I hope that in the future the content provided in the e-mail & AN website (rules of what can/can not be sold specifically) be posted as a sticky thread on the forums here to act as a reference. I also hope that Nominoichi, while there is a lot of people already, be promoted a bit more as I heard from some vendors/artists that they were unaware that Nominoichi was still running an hour after Dealer's/Comic Market/Gaming Hall closed despite their interest in checking it out but couldn't due to having customers themselves.
I think that's about it? I'll update this if I remember anything else. Overall, it was pretty successful and I would like to Thank you once again~~
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Post by busterblader126 on May 29, 2018 0:07:30 GMT -5
My single major issue was with a volunteer who was at the exit door to the Nomi. I was given incorrect instructions on how to get to the buyer's entrance, and wound up going all the way around the building the long way, which is not easy to do with a physical disability. I was also informed that in the time it took me to get to the "correct" entrance, the exit had begun allowing people to enter (I had been told this would happen after an hour of the event being open, but it was fifteen minutes). My main suggestion would be to allow people with accessibility badges immediate entrance through the doors located inside the building (like I have been in previous years), and also making sure that only volunteers with intimate and thorough knowledge of the layout of the convention be posted at doors to properly direct people in the correct way to get where they are going (or at least provide them with maps with the correct route outlined). I also encountered this issue and was refused entry, and I had a staff badge. Furthermore, I was directed by the TCC Info Booth to head to those set of doors.Instead of making the ridiculous trek around the outside perimeter of the building - which gets difficult with how cracked the pavement can be and the throngs of attendees present - I went through the autograph hall and into the Nomi room through the side, where a more sympathetic staff member let me in. By the time I arrived, there was no lineup at the registration table so nobody made a fuss.
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Post by Cmcookiez on May 29, 2018 9:18:31 GMT -5
Thanks again to for Chris and the staff for another successful year at Nomi
The event overall was great. My main concern was that I was placed next to one of the poles in the room,there were some 2-3 Meter long cable wires tangling off the pole that ended up being a tripping hazard for the buyers. My helpers tried to tie the long wires to the pole before the event started but that didn't end up helping as it became loose after an hour or so. I wish one of the volunteer/staff checked over the room before the event to make sure hazards like this were cleared off. (unfortunately I didn't have time to look for a staff during set up as it was too hectic and I was trying to finish setting up before the event started). While being placed next to a pole didn't affect my sales as much, it was kinda worrisome to see tripping hazard lying around.
On the topic of expanding Nomi, I personally think its best to keep Nomi the way it is (Friday) as expanding to more than one day can create alot of problems such as more dealer's room merchants trying to sneak into Nomi for cheaper cost. The added hour at the end didn't really do much sales wise. I think it would be great to extend the start time instead of the end time as people tend to leave by 10 PM anyway.
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Post by pumpkin on May 29, 2018 13:25:51 GMT -5
Hi Chris, thanks for all your hard work! Mostly I'm commenting to say THANK YOU for extending the event until 11. Those of us with social phobias and susceptibility to the rainforest muggy heat in there really benefited from the quiet last hour. It was very nice. I think the event should be moved to a bigger area because it's crazy how muggy and uncomfortable itnis in there. I had to leave 20 mins after going in to avoid heat exhaustion (Which I got anyway).
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Post by shadowlycan on May 29, 2018 16:20:02 GMT -5
nomi was great as always didn't get as big a haul as last year but it was decent enough ( more money in my pocket for other things) The heat was a killer but i always expect it to be hot after the first 30 min or so with more people entering (hence why i try not to cosplay fridays). Perhaps a notice on the AN website/ FB groups warning people of the hellfire temperature at nomi so everyone will hopefully be prepared (especially first timers and people who tend to cosplay fridays)
while i didn't mind the extension of the nomi, it really didn't do much for me in terms of snagging last minute deals from sellers but it was really quiet and easy to move around and look at the tables once majority of people left. in terms of having nomi on more than one day, i don't think it would be a good idea since saturday is very busy for everyone, with panels, cosplaying, other ticketed events it wouldn't be fair for sellers who want to enjoy that day to be standing around at nomi selling things and in terms of "holds" i think for some sellers it would be very hard to keep track for both friday and saturday. Friday is absolutely perfect since not too much is going on on that day.
the sectioning was ok, but didn't really notice a major difference since there were many tables that had a mixture of things to sell.
lineup was good as usual at least from what i saw it was organized. i got there very early so it wasn't a big lineup, (the building provided some good shade)
other then that, i can't wait for next years nomi!
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Post by pomelo on May 29, 2018 16:34:23 GMT -5
I forget if sellers need to pay for their table (as it's been a couple of years), if they do, maybe charge a touch more and invest in some industrial box fans to get the air moving in there. I'm not sure if this is in any way feasible/possible, but I'd certainly be willing to pay extra for a table if we could get fans and better circulation. After my first year I learned what to expect in terms of heat and how to prepare for it (wearing as little as possible, bringing several bottles of cool water, etc.), but I'm still very sensitive to heat in general and tend to get sick. Anyway, this year didn't go especially well for me, for some reason. Although I tried to be there for 5:30, we ended up running late again, and I didn't sell much and had no opportunities to go out and buy. I had my friend pick up my reserves for me as I tried to man the table. None of that is really anyone's fault, though. Just some unfortunate circumstances. Anyway, that's about all I have for the negatives. The good: -Really happy to see it held at the same location as last year! Definitely a lot more spacious, and it was super easy to bring my stuff over from the Radisson. -The staff at the door helped me and my friend lift up our items, which was nice and very appreciated. When we were inside, we were very quickly and efficiently brought in. -The extra hour didn't do much for my sales personally, but I just didn't do well in general this year. It was nice to be able to wind down with less people around, and I think I did manage to make one sale in the last hour. -I don't remember if this was also included last year, but the warning given that the event would be ending soon was good. Sometimes things are just too hectic to check your phone/watch, so at least this way you know when to start preparing to pack up. And thanks as always for the event! It's pretty much the only thing I look forward to at AN now besides seeing my friends.
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Post by shadowlycan on May 29, 2018 16:35:16 GMT -5
First off thank you Chris and everyone else for running the Nomi! It’s such a great idea to hold this unique event where people can pick up amazing items! (I myself scored two figures for the price of one that others were selling it for). I really only have a couple problems, but they were major ones, for myself and others comfort. The first is the lineup outside was very disorganized. My group and I came from the Subway restaurant to line up at the Nomi (1/2 hour before open) and the line was completely straight and was wound all the way to the side of the building. Now, normally I don’t mind walking. But I had heels on for my cosplay and all that irrelevant walking in sore feet to only walk back that way shortly after seemed entirely pointless. I don’t know how the AC is in that room, but it was honestly stifling in there with the amount of people. I also missed most tables due to traffic and the pushing and shoving (I only picked up my reserves and that’s all I was able to see). I don’t know how many times I was stepped, shoved, or elbowed in there. I have bad anxiety and my best friend worse, we ending up having to leave because it was too much and people were being so inconsiderate. I think most don’t think about those who have problems like that and what experiences like that are like, just because we don’t have a visible disability doesn’t mean we’re ok. Maybe capping and limiting the amount of people that go inside would be best. That way everyone can look and take their time and not pass out from heat? Is there any way the Nomi could be held in a different location? Like perhaps the north building or something. It just seems like it’s a big event but kinda put in a small space nomi won't happen in the north building because Skit contest is usually occurring at the same time as the nomi along with other events afterwards, and for obvious reasons the hotels won't be able to host it due to panels and other events happening and the flow of traffic would just be a nightmare. Yes nomi is a big event that at times seems to be a crowded/congested space, but unless nomi is able to get an expansion for their space, or reduce the number of sellers that can have a table, i honestly don't see nomi changing locations anytime soon, plus it doesn't seem to be a good idea considering the fact that Vendor's Hall and Artist's alley/crafter's corner and many events such as gallery momiji and gaming north (the vendors and cardplayers) are held in the same building and connected (in a way), it would make it easier for people to go from one area to the next without having to go outside. as for the capping, i think they tried that one year, and it didn't work out. Plus capping nomi would make it very difficult for people who have holds to actually be able to retrieve their items in a decent amount of time. and staff would have to figure out how to police the lineup, how many staff to have there, and if there is a huge line to get into nomi, have to make sure the line doesn't disrupt the flow of traffic for the rest of the building.
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Post by cresstrevelyan on May 29, 2018 16:50:57 GMT -5
First off thank you Chris and everyone else for running the Nomi! It’s such a great idea to hold this unique event where people can pick up amazing items! (I myself scored two figures for the price of one that others were selling it for). I really only have a couple problems, but they were major ones, for myself and others comfort. The first is the lineup outside was very disorganized. My group and I came from the Subway restaurant to line up at the Nomi (1/2 hour before open) and the line was completely straight and was wound all the way to the side of the building. Now, normally I don’t mind walking. But I had heels on for my cosplay and all that irrelevant walking in sore feet to only walk back that way shortly after seemed entirely pointless. I don’t know how the AC is in that room, but it was honestly stifling in there with the amount of people. I also missed most tables due to traffic and the pushing and shoving (I only picked up my reserves and that’s all I was able to see). I don’t know how many times I was stepped, shoved, or elbowed in there. I have bad anxiety and my best friend worse, we ending up having to leave because it was too much and people were being so inconsiderate. I think most don’t think about those who have problems like that and what experiences like that are like, just because we don’t have a visible disability doesn’t mean we’re ok. Maybe capping and limiting the amount of people that go inside would be best. That way everyone can look and take their time and not pass out from heat? Is there any way the Nomi could be held in a different location? Like perhaps the north building or something. It just seems like it’s a big event but kinda put in a small space nomi won't happen in the north building because Skit contest is usually occurring at the same time as the nomi along with other events afterwards, and for obvious reasons the hotels won't be able to host it due to panels and other events happening and the flow of traffic would just be a nightmare. Yes nomi is a big event that at times seems to be a crowded/congested space, but unless nomi is able to get an expansion for their space, or reduce the number of sellers that can have a table, i honestly don't see nomi changing locations anytime soon, plus it doesn't seem to be a good idea considering the fact that Vendor's Hall and Artist's alley/crafter's corner and many events such as gallery momiji and gaming north (the vendors and cardplayers) are held in the same building and connected (in a way), it would make it easier for people to go from one area to the next without having to go outside. as for the capping, i think they tried that one year, and it didn't work out. Plus capping nomi would make it very difficult for people who have holds to actually be able to retrieve their items in a decent amount of time. and staff would have to figure out how to police the lineup, how many staff to have there, and if there is a huge line to get into nomi, have to make sure the line doesn't disrupt the flow of traffic for the rest of the building. I was giving suggestions, as per Chris asking us too, I wasn’t ordering that it needed to happen. I’m sure there’s a easier place for it to be located where it will be far cooler and so people aren’t passing out from the heat. Maybe they could hold the skit contest at the Nomi location and swap idk that’s something for the staff to work out I was just throwing out suggestions. Capping would work, those who have considerable amount of holds could show staff proof of them having holds (ie showing their profile info) could be let in even if it’s capped that way they can pick their things up. Again, it’s suggestions. I only got two items that weren’t held because I couldn’t get to the tables and the heat and pushing and anxiety got too much for my friend and I so we left (we couldn’t stay late to the con as we had been up since early travelling) so I would have missed out on a bunch of items due to it being too stuffed. I’ve been to the Nomi before, but I found the crowds worse than last year.
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Post by cresstrevelyan on May 29, 2018 16:54:45 GMT -5
nomi was great as always didn't get as big a haul as last year but it was decent enough ( more money in my pocket for other things) The heat was a killer but i always expect it to be hot after the first 30 min or so with more people entering (hence why i try not to cosplay fridays). Perhaps a notice on the AN website/ FB groups warning people of the hellfire temperature at nomi so everyone will hopefully be prepared (especially first timers and people who tend to cosplay fridays) while i didn't mind the extension of the nomi, it really didn't do much for me in terms of snagging last minute deals from sellers but it was really quiet and easy to move around and look at the tables once majority of people left. in terms of having nomi on more than one day, i don't think it would be a good idea since saturday is very busy for everyone, with panels, cosplaying, other ticketed events it wouldn't be fair for sellers who want to enjoy that day to be standing around at nomi selling things and in terms of "holds" i think for some sellers it would be very hard to keep track for both friday and saturday. Friday is absolutely perfect since not too much is going on on that day. the sectioning was ok, but didn't really notice a major difference since there were many tables that had a mixture of things to sell. lineup was good as usual at least from what i saw it was organized. i got there very early so it wasn't a big lineup, (the building provided some good shade) other then that, i can't wait for next years nomi! As for posting a notice that it gets hot, it goes without saying it will be warmer than normal with the amount of bodies, such as how the Artist alley and Dealers Rooms are like, but the Nomi is unbearable heat. The heat that can get dangerous and where people get hurt at by being shoved and stepped on. I cosplay on Fridays even though I know it’s hot. It’s not because I’m a ‘first timer’ it’s because there’s limited times in a year I can cosplay and it is my hobby and I love interacting with other fans of the character/series
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Post by shadowlycan on May 29, 2018 20:23:41 GMT -5
nomi won't happen in the north building because Skit contest is usually occurring at the same time as the nomi along with other events afterwards, and for obvious reasons the hotels won't be able to host it due to panels and other events happening and the flow of traffic would just be a nightmare. Yes nomi is a big event that at times seems to be a crowded/congested space, but unless nomi is able to get an expansion for their space, or reduce the number of sellers that can have a table, i honestly don't see nomi changing locations anytime soon, plus it doesn't seem to be a good idea considering the fact that Vendor's Hall and Artist's alley/crafter's corner and many events such as gallery momiji and gaming north (the vendors and cardplayers) are held in the same building and connected (in a way), it would make it easier for people to go from one area to the next without having to go outside. as for the capping, i think they tried that one year, and it didn't work out. Plus capping nomi would make it very difficult for people who have holds to actually be able to retrieve their items in a decent amount of time. and staff would have to figure out how to police the lineup, how many staff to have there, and if there is a huge line to get into nomi, have to make sure the line doesn't disrupt the flow of traffic for the rest of the building. I was giving suggestions, as per Chris asking us too, I wasn’t ordering that it needed to happen. I’m sure there’s a easier place for it to be located where it will be far cooler and so people aren’t passing out from the heat. Maybe they could hold the skit contest at the Nomi location and swap idk that’s something for the staff to work out I was just throwing out suggestions. Capping would work, those who have considerable amount of holds could show staff proof of them having holds (ie showing their profile info) could be let in even if it’s capped that way they can pick their things up. Again, it’s suggestions. I only got two items that weren’t held because I couldn’t get to the tables and the heat and pushing and anxiety got too much for my friend and I so we left (we couldn’t stay late to the con as we had been up since early travelling) so I would have missed out on a bunch of items due to it being too stuffed. I’ve been to the Nomi before, but I found the crowds worse than last year. I wasn't criticizing your suggestions, i was merely pointing out that such things had been brought up in the past and that we were given reasons as to why it could not be done or have already been tried. The skit contest cannot happen anywhere else (except for the delta) due to the fact that just like masquerade there are many things that are involved in it that require a huge space ex. a large enough stage, a green room for competitors, etc. the reason why high attendance events such as skits, masquerade, 404's etc are held in the north building (when it is not used for other events such as political Party gatherings) is so that con-goers are able to attend without having to get a wristband or line up early just to be guaranteed a seat Posting about it being hot was a suggestion I figured would be easy enough for people to get a head up on as everyone is usually on facebook or some kind of social media. Yes nomi can get unbearably hot, but the same could be said for the dealer's room (but in recent years they have improved the traffic and structure for this from my perspective.) A notification on SM telling people to come prepared for "Nomi Hellfire" is something that doesn't take too much effort, even if veterans who have been to nomi plenty of times can give prospective buyers a heads up. as for cosplaying no one is stopping you from cosplaying on fridays, i merely pointed out that for someone who has never been to nomi before and comes in a cosplay should be aware of the fact of both the humidity/heat and the heavy traffic they may want to reconsider not wearing something that is heavy, bulky or extravagant, carrying around props that may be fragile or break if dropped or hit or crushed by the amount of people. As someone who has wore a cosplay on fridays to the nominoichi (as a first timer) I not only had my prop destroyed beyond use because of the heavy traffic but it was layered; so i got really hot and had a silk scarf that kept getting caught or stepped on by others, so it got dirty and not presentation worth for the saturday masq.. I wish this was something someone told me about before I cosplayed on fridays. Now I know so I wear a 'fan' t-shirt or cosplay in something more breathable. hopefully that clarifies what I was trying to say but I accept criticism
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Post by tweedledee on May 29, 2018 20:47:39 GMT -5
Thank you for once again running the Nomi. From a buyers perspective, it seemed to run very well this year! I enjoyed the sections, as after I finished picking up my holds and I wanted to do some browsing, I was able to look at the map and know where to walk for tables focusing on specific goods. While the heat was as it is every year (fans would be lovely if possible!), which is just something I accept and expect, I did notice it was a bit easier to walk around this year! Close to the tables will always be crazy I feel, because everyone wants to elbow in the find things/deals, but at least the aisles felt a bit less congested imo (or maybe i'm just getting used to it? lol - but I do think there was some extra space in the middle of aisles?).
Also because I saw this idea being tossed around I'd like to say: I like the Nomi being done on just the 1 day. I have a lot of events and panels I attend on Saturday and Sunday, and if i'm going to an event like the Nomi I think it's best just to be one and done about it on Friday, the least busy of the 3 days. It's easy to dedicate my time to the Nomi on Friday since not as much is going on at that time compared to the other days. Once you move to a day like Saturday, people will have to choose between events/panels and going to the Nomi, which is even more bothersome if you have holds. Also if you split the event between multiple days, you'd either be making the sellers commit to manning their tables for multiple days instead of getting their selling done on 1 day then enjoying the con, or you'd be splitting the sellers between the days which makes the buyers have to figure out which day(s) they need to pick up their holds and have to set a block of time aside each day for line up and pick up - it can take up quite a hunk of time, which I already mentioned. Friday just seems like the best fit.
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Post by StarDustFragments on May 30, 2018 15:50:36 GMT -5
❂ ❉ ✱ ✲ ✴ ✵ ✶ ✷ ✸ ❇ ✹ ✺ All I have to say is Thank You, Gracias, Merci Beaucoup, Grazie, ありがとう, Khop Khun Mak Kha, Spasiba, 감사합니다, Takk, Mahalo!!! To the very helpful Nominoichi staff (especially for Chris for organizing the event), to all the buyers that came to visit us to pick up their reservations, check out the goods, or just want to say "Hi" Thank you much! ^^ to my neighbor sellers! I hope you guys sold plenty! Everything was great on our side and we didn't mind the heat at all as we have our own way to stay cool We made $$$ in the first hour of the Nomi but the momentum kind of died down around 10 PM, BUT that being said despite some a couple of unclaimed reservations, we did great overall! I wouldn’t change a thing on my part Can't wait to see you next edition (hopefully we got 2 tables this time XD) ❂ ❉ ✱ ✲ ✴ ✵ ✶ ✷ ✸ ❇ ✹ ✺
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Post by twobluetails on May 31, 2018 23:48:00 GMT -5
The Good For no explained reason this year, my table (N171) had three chairs instead of just two, even though the Nominoichi rules specifically said that no more than two chairs would be provided at any given table. This worked out well for my group since we had three members and we had originally brought a stool along to seat the third member, and the provided chairs were more comfortable than the stool. However, I would like for the AN staff to clarify to us why this happened and whether or not we can rely on it happening in the future. It would also help all the sellers if it became official Nominoichi policy for sellers to call out to Nominoichi staff that they have chairs they don't need, so as to pass along those chairs to people who do need them (I hear that this three-chairs-per-table allocation wasn't the case across the board this year). The Bad I was one among many whose original group's table request email never made it through to Chris McKenna. That's a glitch that should not have happened, because it means that who-knows-how-many people requesting tables, myself and my group members included, never got through to him even if they followed all the rules regarding table request submissions. I heard through the grapevine that this was due to certain email host domains being blocked; if this is true, please tell us what email domains to use in the future so we can minimize the chances of this happening again. Fortunately I was lucky enough to find someone who was willing and able to split a table with me and one of my partners, but this was by no means guaranteed this year and will not be guaranteed next year either. I am not looking forward to my table request being passed over until it's too late to fix the problem at Nominoichi 2019 because of a glitch I have no idea about and have no way to fix myself. The UGLY Two words: Heat and Humidity. I wholeheartedly agree with the previous poster who said that the amount of people inside the Nominoichi area formed their own weatherfront of humidity. I'm sure there were sellers whose goods, such as manga volumes and comic issues, started crinkling in that jungle-like humidity, so it's not just the sellers' and attendees' comfort at stake here. For my part I had to wrap everything I had for sale in plastic bags that wasn't already waterproof. Two more words: The THEFTS. This is a huge red flag. The Nominoichi is a fan market and supposed to be a friendly, trusting place where buyers can trust sellers about the condition of goods and their history, and sellers can trust buyers to not steal the merchandise. Stealing incidents "poison the well" of trust for everyone. Yes, most of us sellers deal solely in cash and loose goods (i.e., stuff that isn't nailed or chained down to the floor or otherwise secured) which means both it and most of our goods can be stolen by anyone with the means and the opportunity. But theft levels by no means should rise to the point where the venue is turned into a place where cries of "THIEF!" are regularly heard, or otherwise cause profitable business at the Nominoichi to become restricted to only those who have the means to secure their goods. I was attending as a seller with two other group members so we could all keep watch for anyone who might steal our goods, and fortunately for us, no one did. Most other sellers didn't have that kind of group setup, and so they don't have as many eyes handy to keep watch for thieves/vandals/etc. since they can't cover as many angles. What's the security situation at Nominoichi anyway? Are there enough security cameras and security staff to keep watch for and possibly track down and even ban thieves/vandals from the convention?
Echoing the others, I second the notion that there should be a ramp just outside the entrance to Hall C so Nominoichi sellers who use wheelchairs/scooters can more easily get into the selling area to setup. Possible Improvements I've already outlined some possible improvements above, which are: - Clarify the number-of-chairs-per-table policy for sellers and make it a rule that sellers should inform Nominoichi staff if they have too many or two few chairs at their table during the setup phase.
- Get the email glitch in the email address used by Chris McKenna to take Nominoichi table requests fixed, or tell us which email domains are blocked or which message features get counted as spam, so as to keep the problems posed by that glitch from recurring if at all possible.
- Implement measures and/or rules to minimize or eliminate incidents of theft/vandalism/cheating customers at the Nominoichi and elsewhere at AN. Make sure all attendees know what the penalties for theft and/or vandalism are, get enough security cameras and staff patrolling and watching the event, and allow jilted customers some means of redress (i.e., they take a photo of an item they reserved or bought before it leaves the seller's table and if it turns out to be bootleg or falsely advertised, like the person who complained of paying for CDs but only got empty CD cases this year, they can take it up with the AN staff who may take appropriate action against the seller within reason). It's all about maintaining the crucial conditions of trust at this market.
As for the humidity and crowded conditions, here's one way the Nominoichi staff could get extra revenue to pay for industrial blowers/fans at the doors and access points to improve ventilation, and limit the surge of early-bird shoppers at the same time: start charging for the privilege of being the first block of customers into the Nominoichi during the first 30 to 45 minutes, or even the first hour now that the fan market runs from 7 PM to 11 PM. For instance, if some people want so badly to be among the first block of shoppers into the fan market, AN can start charging them a nominal fee (perhaps somewhere between $10 and $25?) for the privilege of being a randomly-selected group of people into the fan market so they can snatch up unreserved items sooner before anyone else gets in. This can help pay for fans and blowers to help reduce the humidity produced by everyone. To keep things under control, people in the lineup who want to get in first can raise their hands, pay their "early-bird entrance deposit," be given a raffle ticket (and told not to lose it), and then an appropriate number of buyers get randomly selected to enter the Nominoichi for the "early bird period." Sellers, however, would not be allowed to give out or sell their reserved items until the early-bird period passes (except to other sellers) so to ensure all the buyers get a fair chance to pick up their reserves. Of course, this could be done electronically as well, by selling a limited number of randomly-assigned "Early Bird Passes" on the AN website for the Nominoichi's "Early-Bird Period," perhaps with a refundable deposit fee to encourage people to show up and pick up their passes. This would allow AN to reduce both the massive crowds early on (by instituting a time-limited paywall where only a certain group is let in) and make more money for industrial blowers and fans to help keep everyone cool in the Nominoichi. Another small-scale way to address the humidity is for AN to start selling water bottles and portable fans to help Nominoichi attendees keep cool at the Nominoichi staff tables. Or the Nominoichi could allow a new category called "Con Necessities" (limited to perhaps 10% or smaller of a table seller's total inventory), including items such as portable fans, reusable water bottles, folding stools for long line-ups, folders for papers, blank white cardboard pads for autographs, etc., to be sold. Such a category could be included in next year's category list of permissible items to sell at Nominoichi.
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Post by Djinnwolf on Jun 1, 2018 13:22:34 GMT -5
This is my fifth year attending the Nominoichi as a buyer (maybe one day as a seller) and I don't have anything really negative to say about the event itself. I lined up early because I had holds and there isn't really much going on before the nominoichi. As a veteran buyer of this event I knew it was going to be a sauna in there so I didn't cosplay and wore shorts and shirt which helped with the humid enviroment of Nomi. Overall I enjoyed myself but would like to also add my opinion on a few issues brought up by others. 1) Thefts. I know it sucks to have things stolen from your or a neighbours table but as a seller you should be responsible and take precaution to this. Nomi gets insanely crowded just in the first 30 mins so to have staff, security guards, patrolling the tables watching for people walking away with items I think would be a hassle. Who is to say someone who picks up an item isn't just looking at it or has just paid and picked it up and some security doesn't see this so thinks its a theft. I did notice some sellers with high volume items or multiple small items (ex. videogames) had taken out the game disc/cartridge and left the case for someone to inspect. if they had any questions or were looking to purchase it they would simply add it to the case or bring the game out for the buyer. It reminded me of what eb games does at their stores. Also any high value items like figures were kept on shelves or in the back of the table unless specifically asked to see it up close. 2)Nomi date (multiple days or not). Personally I love it that Nomi is on a friday in the evening. For one I don't have to compete with panels I host, miss out on photoshoots or masquerade or cafe delish or any other highly popular event going on duing Saturday. Also Most people rather line up for the dealers room/artist alley or autographs. I save that for Saturday or sunday when the day is longer, friday at least it give me something else to do on that day besides sitting in my hotel or wandering around aimlessly. 3)Nomi extension. I am glad that Nomi was extended to 11pm. when alot of people are gone it makes it easier to look at the table and see if there is an item you missed or realized you can't go home without. My only con about this (but not against the organizers) is that I have heard alot of sellers didn't see the benefit of this simply because they didn't sell much even after 10:30pm. As a buyer I would like to point out that some of these sellers really didn't want to lower prices or haggle even in the last 15-30 mins of the event, which may be the reason people were not going to buy anything (not when they spent so much money earlier) An example of this is in the last 15min when I wanted to buy a DVD set priced at $40 I offered to buy it for $30 the seller said they can only do $35...really $5 off? I didn't end up taking it and just as nomi ended the item was still there. I know the sellers want to make as much money as possible, and i didn't think it was a lowball offer, but its a wonder many sellers go home with so much stuff, and complain that they didn't really sell anything. Just my two cents on that. 4)Charging premium for front row. I would NOT be a fan if this is something AN Nomi organizers decided to go with. Charging extra or randomly selecting people to enter first for more money or ticket system just doesn't cut it. I pay for my pass like everyone else. I also know that if you want to see as many of the tables as possible or have enough time to pick up your holds (if you do this) you should come early. Coming 1/2 an hour before the event starts is not early and by the time you get in there is probably a 1000 people already inside before you. If AN went the fan expo route and charged extra for VIP then maybe there is an excuse but I would rather see AN not do this especially since many events people camp an hour for. 5) Capping lines segmenting amount of people. As stated above come early if you want to get in quickly. You treat it like the dealers room or pre registration. Long line but the first person who lines up is usually there at 7am. Dealers room opens at 10am. 5)AN provide water for sellers/industrial fans. I would be up for AN providing water bottles for sellers with their table purchase or some sort of water station nearby so Sellers and buyers have access to refreshments. It wouldn't be terribly expensive (Costco sells bulk!!!) and a great gesture for thanking the sellers for their time. The suggestions of the industrial fans is also a great idea as well. AN shoulda done it a long time ago. Well These are what I believe I can add to the conversation See you all next year at nominoichi
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Post by cresstrevelyan on Jun 1, 2018 13:39:41 GMT -5
This is my fifth year attending the Nominoichi as a buyer (maybe one day as a seller) and I don't have anything really negative to say about the event itself. I lined up early because I had holds and there isn't really much going on before the nominoichi. As a veteran buyer of this event I knew it was going to be a sauna in there so I didn't cosplay and wore shorts and shirt which helped with the humid enviroment of Nomi. Overall I enjoyed myself but would like to also add my opinion on a few issues brought up by others. 1) Thefts. I know it sucks to have things stolen from your or a neighbours table but as a seller you should be responsible and take precaution to this. Nomi gets insanely crowded just in the first 30 mins so to have staff, security guards, patrolling the tables watching for people walking away with items I think would be a hassle. Who is to say someone who picks up an item isn't just looking at it or has just paid and picked it up and some security doesn't see this so thinks its a theft. I did notice some sellers with high volume items or multiple small items (ex. videogames) had taken out the game disc/cartridge and left the case for someone to inspect. if they had any questions or were looking to purchase it they would simply add it to the case or bring the game out for the buyer. It reminded me of what eb games does at their stores. Also any high value items like figures were kept on shelves or in the back of the table unless specifically asked to see it up close. 2)Nomi date (multiple days or not). Personally I love it that Nomi is on a friday in the evening. For one I don't have to compete with panels I host, miss out on photoshoots or masquerade or cafe delish or any other highly popular event going on duing Saturday. Also Most people rather line up for the dealers room/artist alley or autographs. I save that for Saturday or sunday when the day is longer, friday at least it give me something else to do on that day besides sitting in my hotel or wandering around aimlessly. 3)Nomi extension. I am glad that Nomi was extended to 11pm. when alot of people are gone it makes it easier to look at the table and see if there is an item you missed or realized you can't go home without. My only con about this (but not against the organizers) is that I have heard alot of sellers didn't see the benefit of this simply because they didn't much even after 10:30pm. As a buyer I would like to point out that some of these sellers really didn't want to lower prices or haggle even in the last 15-30 mins of the event, which may be the reason people were not going to buy anything (not when they spent so much money earlier) An example of this is in the last 15min when I wanted to buy a DVD set priced at $40 I offered to buy it for $30 the seller said they can only do $35...really $5 off? I didn't end up taking it and just as nomi ended the item was still there. I know the sellers want to make as much money as possible, and i didn't think it was a lowball offer, but its a wonder many sellers go home with so much stuff, and complain that they didn't really sell anything. Just my two cents on that. 4)Charging premium for front row. I would NOT be a fan if this is something AN Nomi organizers decided to go with. Charging extra or randomly selecting people to enter first for more money or ticket system just doesn't cut it. I pay for my pass like everyone else. I also know that if you want to see as many of the tables as possible or have enough time to pick up your holds (if you do this) you should come early. Coming 1/2 an hour before the event starts is not early and by the time you get in there is probably a 1000 people already inside before you. If AN went the fan expo route and charged extra for VIP then maybe there is an excuse but I would rather see AN not do this especially since many events people camp an hour for. 5) Capping lines segmenting amount of people. As stated above come early if you want to get in quickly. You treat it like the dealers room or pre registration. Long line but the first person who lines up is usually there at 7am. Dealers room opens at 10am. 5)AN provide water for sellers/industrial fans. I would be up for AN providing water bottles for sellers with their table purchase or some sort of water station nearby so Sellers and buyers have access to refreshments. It wouldn't be terribly expensive (Costco sells bulk!!!) and a great gesture for thanking the sellers for their time. The suggestions of the industrial fans is also a great idea as well. AN shoulda done it a long time ago. Well These are what I believe I can add to the conversation See you all next year at nominoichi I get most of what you said here, but also we waited an more than an hour in line for the dealers room, browsed it for 20 minutes and left and it wasn’t unbearably hot like the Nomi. And not everybody is able to line up an hour or more in advance for health or the fact they are running late. We line up over a half hour early for the Nomi and the line was just this long straight one and winded the side of the whole building in the sweltering heat it wasn’t the most pleasant experience to wind the length of the building and then walk back it in a little while. And the fact inside the Nomi was too busy and hot it was not safe to be in there for so long especially when a couple of us had anxiety and the pushing and shoving and heat was too much. We hung around till like 8:30 as late as we could and it all barely improved. I really think the heat and crowds are something that needs to be perfected, for the enjoyment of everyone. Kinda like how the artist alley and Dealers room has been slowly improved the Nomi can be too
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