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Post by xoxonataria on Jul 18, 2022 19:46:48 GMT -5
As a first time seller, I enjoyed it a lot ! I’ve been a buyer for years and I loved how open the space was this time around. As much as I loved shopping at nomi I always dreaded the tiny space, heat and absolute lack of reception so I was pleasantly surprised and grateful this time !
As a buyer, I found the set up of the tables a bit confusing and the map as well but other than that everything else was fine !
My heart goes out to all those who couldn’t make it to sell at their tables or couldn’t attend in general because of pass pick up. I had no problems on Thursday, I was in and out in 15 mins so I was shocked when I arrived at setup to see all these people waiting. I’m so sorry to anyone reading this who had to experience that !
Thank you ❤️
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Post by lugiap2k on Jul 19, 2022 19:01:03 GMT -5
Glad I could be a part of another great year! It was my best year by far (had a nearly empty table at the end) and I think the new location and the exposure it brought really helped bring in additional buyers. Just a few random thoughts: - New lottery system for tables seemed to work well.
- As mentioned by others, I don't think it's necessary for sellers to have a separate badge pick up area (either at the Nomi check in table, or elsewhere). I feel like it would either bog down the Nomi check in to the point where sellers would barely have any time to set up, or sellers would be sent on a wild goose chase by volunteers who have no idea where the badge pick up is. I was lucky in that I picked up my badge on Thursday, so didn't have an issue on Friday, but as mentioned by others, I don't think changing the whole protocol for a 'one-off' (still shouldn't have happened, mind you) year of registration issues is worth it.
- Appreciated being able to line up inside out of the blazing sun.
- Check in was smooth.
- New space in the main halls helped with the exposure to the event. As my table was facing the 3' barrier that separated the Nominoichi from Artist's Alley, I could see a lot of people standing on the other side of the barrier trying to figure out what was going on, and they seemed enticed to come in and shop.
- To speak to the 'exit/entrance' gap in the barrier between Nomi and Artist's Alley, I could see that there were a couple of staff/volunteers standing there preventing people from entering at the start of the event, but I don't recall how long they stayed there. I do think the additional exit/entrance is a great idea that should maybe be opened an hour (or later) after the event starts (to allow the line queued outside to clear out).
- However, while this extra entrance/exit is a great idea, I think it's wise to be mindful of the additional crowds it allows in. Normally, I have a chance to leave my table for a bit and wander to take a look at the other tables (usually around 9 - 9:30 or so). This year, it was so busy I couldn't even think about leaving...and that was with thousands (?) of people still stuck in the registration line unable to attend. In future years, it could easily become too overcrowded if both entrances (outside/inside) were open at once.
Well, there's my two cents anyway. Hope to see everyone next year (if I find enough stuff to sell again)!
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Post by thornwhip on Jul 20, 2022 8:22:30 GMT -5
This was my first time as a buyer at Nominoichi and I thought the experience was terrible for me. I put quite a bit of time organizing all my stuff and having it ready to sell. Unfortunately the 3.5 hour line up ruined everything for me. I got there early into the line up, but I didn't get in until 8pmish which took away time for me to set up, having everything out, bringing more items in, and etc. There were people that missed out on their holds or couldn't pick it up due to them not knowing if I had dropped out of the venue and probably due to the line up issue. By the time Nominoichi ended I had made much less than I expected because of how long it took me to get in and also because of others waiting to get into Anime North. My car ended up staying relatively packed the rest of the weekend. I'm still not sure if I would do Nominoichi again with the terrible experience I had for my first time. Also I wasn't a fan of the new location. There were also other people that were selling at Nominoichi that had to set up later than me and/or decided or couldn't get in because of the line up issue. I know this because of me seeing people further behind me in the line and also with the empty tables.
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Post by thornwhip on Jul 20, 2022 8:50:33 GMT -5
Also I think buyers who couldn't make it to Nominoichi shouldn't get in trouble because of the line up issue. I think it would have helped if it was possible to extend the hours later at Anime North or at least Nominoichi because of how long it took people to get inside if it was possible.
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Post by leafari on Jul 20, 2022 13:33:13 GMT -5
Going to start off my post by thanking everyone for their hard work to try and make Nominoichi run smoothly this year considering it's been a long few years since the last one. You are all fantastic and I applaud you! <3 This was my 5th Nominoichi as a buyer and I enjoyed it as much as I usually do. There were some changes that were made that I particularly enjoyed, though there were also problems that definitely need solving for future Nomis.
The Good The Nomi line, all things considered, was incredibly organized this year! I was honestly impressed, considering how long it's been. It wasn't muddy or messy, at least from what I saw, and there was minimal line-cutting, if any. Cheers to the staff and volunteers who helped keep it together!
I'm in the camp that the layout change this year for Nomi was fantastic. The smaller panels to section off the area instead of the full-length ones cut down on the heat immensely by allowing air to circulate. As such, this was one of the coolest Nomis I've been in, which was extremely important this year with how incredibly hot it was outside. I also love that we were actually able to come and go into the Artist Alley/Crafter's Corner from Nomi instead of having to go all the way around the building to get back inside. I'm sure it helped buyers and sellers alike get a little reprieve from the chaos. I highly suggest keeping this layout in the future!
The whistling/clapping to signal the beginning and end were incredibly helpful, as well as little time call-outs here and there over the loud speakers. It seemed that everyone appreciated it instead of having volunteers loudly yelling that it was time for everyone to get out. It helps to bring a friendlier atmosphere to the whole thing--we're all here trying to contribute to Nomi's success, after all!
The Bad I'm sure the badge line-up this year was a one-off as a result of the return to form, but I'm not the only person who noticed the empty tables. I don't think this will happen again, but perhaps making ribbons or some other way to identify Nomi sellers so they can be bumped up to the front for their badges would be a good idea for preventing this in the future.
As a buyer who waited outside for over an hour in the heat, only getting a 30-minute or so head start before people already in the TCC were allowed entry into Nomi felt like a huge slap in the face. I feel it entirely defeats the point of having the line outside to begin with and unnecessarily swamps both the buyers and sellers who still haven't gotten their bearings inside of the space yet, especially newer sellers. It might be better to give the people who are from the Nomi line a longer head start, maybe an extra hour, before opening up the space to the people indoors. Perhaps it could be a one-way exit for a little while, so people leaving Nomi could go into the Artist Alley/Crafter's Corner but not be allowed back in until the time has passed (with exceptions for sellers, of course).
Things to Improve If the plan is to keep this new layout that connects Nomi to that Artist Alley/Crafter's Corner (which I really hope it is), having more staff/volunteers around the barrier to keep people from jumping over it to get to the other side might be a good idea. I saw a few people vaulting over it to get out of Nomi and into the Crafter's Corner area and it seemed like a lawsuit waiting to happen. XD
Though it was cooler this year, I noticed the lack of water stations from previous years almost immediately. I know how hard it is to get water into this newer space, since people will take any opened barrier to let people bringing water in as in invitation for entry, but I think people would really appreciate it. Perhaps having a station next to the new entrance/exit to the main hall would be a good plan since it's relatively uncrowded around the Dealer's Hall exit.
My last little suggestion is to pull the tables a little farther away from the wall near the entrance. There were some hefty traffic jams because people were trying to squeeze by without being impolite. Aside from that, the space was very open this time from my perspective as a buyer.
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And that's that for things I wanted to say. :3 I'm so glad you guys managed to bring the event back in spite of COVID-19 restrictions and fear. It's honestly one of my favourite events at the con and I'm sure many people on here feel similarly. I'm excited to see you all again next year in 2023! <3
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Post by Istoria on Jul 20, 2022 22:20:37 GMT -5
Coming back to Nomi after 2-year of forced hiatus was still fun but definitely distinct from the previous years.
First, the registration line issues. This is to be directed at the main organizers of AN, but that's where all the problems started for me. Normally I try to go as early as I can, considering the 5:30pm open-up time for Nomi sellers. However, by the time I FINALLY got my badge it was already 7:15pm, and to my surprise my table had been already taken then! Although it was indicated that sellers may lose their spot if not present until 6:30pm, it still would've been nice if the extraordinary situation involving this year's registration issue was considered. Better communication amongst staff and volunteers might have helped? At first I was really flustered and lost since I've never been late to Nomi before, but thanks to Chris and other staffs I was so lucky to quickly get another table very close to my 'original' spot...so that was good.
Second, this year's new space. My last Nomi experience involved extreme heat and humidity from the crowd and I was a bit worried coming this year, especially with July weather and the mask policy. However, although I sweated a bucket, I didn't feel like suffocating nor there was too much heat. Maybe most of it had to do with my table being closer to the entrance this year, but I believe being at the spacious main hall did the trick. It was nice to be able to glance over at the Artist's Alley too, since my AN Fridays had been always fully occupied with Nomi only. I agree with the others in that it also helped with the exposure to the event as well. Additional entrance/exit from other areas of Main hall would help in the future as well (if Nomi continue to be at the Main Hall), after the main line-up has been cleared out of course.
Lastly, few thoughts on various things. This year was interesting in that many sellers and buyers were willing to do e-transactions. I remember in previous years the reception was pretty bad once the event started, but despite the huge crowd this year there wasn't any issue on this part. Also, there's always been continuous talk about either lengthening the Nomi or extending it to another days. but at least for me, I think it's good as it is. Having it on other days means losing more of the con for me, plus the event itself losing its merit for taking place in a limited time, and increased table fee for more administration. Maybe Vendor's Hall could be an alternative for those who need.
All in all, it was a mixed bag of experience this year for me, but still ending in a pleasant note. It was a pleasure to see everyone!
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Post by eirisrainheart on Jul 21, 2022 21:26:40 GMT -5
I'd really like if the half-tables came back as an option. I was in the unfortunate position of having a table partner recruited from the forums who didn't show up, so became responsible for the entire table. A half table is nice for those of us who don't have a ton of merchandise to sell but would still like to clear it out and come away with a bit of profit. I did find it well-organized, easy to find my table with the maps, and thought there was good spacing between the tables. My table neighbours were great, too. So overall I'd rate it a good experience
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Post by The Chris McKenna on Jul 26, 2022 10:37:33 GMT -5
First, a big thanks to everyone who responded. We really appreciate you taking the time to give us feedback on the event. We do come back and read and refer to the comments here again when we are planning our next event, so it's not to late to add something if you have something to say. Second, as you can imagine we had a lot of people with a lot of problems at this years event. I think we've gone through all the Email and PM's and addressed everyone's concerns. If you sent me something and I still haven't got back to you please try sending it again, or PM me here, and I'll check it out. Third, we are keenly aware of the badge and registration issue. This was obviously not something we wanted nor intended and we are exploring many options to insure it doesn't happen again next year. If you have a specific complaint, or you want to share your feedback with the registration department, I would urge you to email them directly at registration@animenorth.com to let them know how you feel and how the situation affected you personally. Now, some feedback to specific points raised... Regarding the woman's restroom. Are you talking about the one in Hall C, where the sellers were waiting to get inside, or the ones in Halls D and E where the Nominoichi took place? Either way, I was unaware of any problems with the woman's washroom, but it's something we'll be looking into for next year. The idea of a priority access lane, or separate badge pick up spot, for Nominoichi sellers is one that we will look at in further detail this year. I'm not sure we can make it happen, but it's a good idea in principal and well worth a look to see if it's possible and what it would entail. The gap in the 3 foot tall pipe-and-drape barrier in the corner of the Nominoichi area, was 'closed' to the public and only sellers with a ribbon were allowed to pass through before 7:00. After 7:00 it was a general EXIT and people were not allowed inside through that gap. The buyers line, outside Hall E in the ally behind the building, was let inside at just after 7:00. This line was long, but it moved steadily and by 7:40 it was all inside and there was no line. Only at this point, once all the sellers who were waiting outside were brought in, then we allowed the gap in the pipe and drape inside Hall E to be both a second entrance and exit to the Nominoichi area. We also removed some section of the barrier to widen the gap. We will mention to the people doing the announcements that the Nominoichi is OPEN until 11:00 pm. It should have been a part of the script this year, as it was last time, but it's something we will follow up with next year. We had two tables to do Nominoichi registration and we split the sellers in ODD and EVEN lines depending on their table number. If a seller went into the wrong line, and arrived after the rest of their group, they may have mistakenly paid for their table twice. Once we cross checked the records we made sure to sort out the very few times this happened. I have been using a whistle for many years to signal the start and end of the event. But I guess I just didn't blow it hard nor loud enough to get everyone's attention. I am glad that people have finally heard me, and we'll be bringing the same whistle back again for sure! I actually felt it was hotter this year than past years, but if people felt it was cooler than I'll take that as a win. I'm not sure yet if we're going to stay in Hall E, or move back to Hall C, or perhaps do something else for next year. But it looks like the preference is to remain in Hall E, so we'll take that under advisement. As I said, we are aware of the issues with the registration and the impact this had on many sellers. I don't know exactly how we are going to handle this situation next year, but I can say for sure that no seller will be penalized or prevented from applying for a table again. Even if they were a no-show this year, they can still apply for a table next year without a penalty. We will try to increase the number of Nominoichi event staff next year to provide some more crowd control and support for the event. If you are interested in becoming a staff member at Anime North, (not just for the Nominoichi but any area or department of the convention,) one of the best ways is to volunteer for a year or two. Show us that you can follow instructions and you are reliable, that goes a long way to joining the team. We did get a report of a seller who was offering E-transactions but charging US$ and not Canadian$. This is something we'll add to the warnings and information about the event. And finally we will re-examine the half table option again for next year. Not sure yet if they can comeback, but we're going to look at it. I think that's everything. Once again a big thanks to everyone who submitted feedback of any kind. It's all welcome and appreciated. If you have anything more to add, or any questions, please let us know. ... and, as always, thanks for your interest and support of the Nominoichi!
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Post by Dragongoose on Jul 27, 2022 6:42:25 GMT -5
What happened to making sure all tables had their number on it? I know there's a map but unless they stepped out of the dealers rows it caused stoppage and blocked people from tables I felt like a jerk when i did this, something I like to avoid, insisting every table their number on it is a must next year
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Post by The Chris McKenna on Jul 27, 2022 7:42:10 GMT -5
Every table did have a number. We put a small sticker with the number on every table.
We also repeatedly encouraged every seller, especially sellers who post here and take 'holds', to make their own signs with their table number. Sellers are allowed to make big signs, wear buttons and pins with the table number, display it as large as they like.
But the responsibility for all that is on the sellers. Should they chose not to promote their number, then there's not much we can do.
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Post by edtelish on Jul 31, 2022 20:16:12 GMT -5
It was the one in Hall C, where the sellers were waiting. It was behind the drapes, and the area looked like it was being used for storage. Looking into that would be great! <script src="moz-extension://bb8e23f9-f03d-44fc-96d7-d1d3f60666d6/js/app.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
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Post by ajthecollector on Aug 5, 2022 13:48:42 GMT -5
I just want to say, I am so happy Nomi took place in a part of the TCC with air conditioning. It was neat having that whole space available as a rest area after Nomi ended too! Can we keep having that happen please?
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Post by Dragongoose on Sept 29, 2022 5:31:56 GMT -5
Ok Another thing is access for people with disabilities the way it was made pinishing, if you could walk a person you could go down a hill or step over the cement blocks, but its kinda difficult for someone with a walker, wheelchair or crutches. If its easier access entrance could be moved to inside the building?
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