"Table Top Sale at Vapnartak - Sunday 1st Feb " Topic

This probably isn't necessary as we adopted this format a few years ago.
However, I have been asked to stand at the entrance to the sale area (again) and sort the buying and selling queues out so it might save some questions on the day.
Once again we are having a Table Top Sale rather than a Bring & Buy. Details on YWGS website or I'll be happy to answer any questions here.

Why is it that you do this? As a punter I find it very confusing …

Sort the buyers from the sellers Green Tiger or have a Table Top Sale rather than a Bring & Buy ? Happily explain either or both.

Very confusing? Really? Doesn't sound too difficult for me – two queues, two types of people, stand in the right one.

So look forward to see how complex this is…

Perhaps Green Tiger means having a Table Top Sale rather than a Bring & Buy Marc.
But to me the whole thing is really straight forward.
My job is just to make sure the guys taking people to the tables don't get overwhelmed, that the space doesn't get too crowded with buyers and the whole thing goes swimmingly. Which it usually does.

Yes why a table top sale where you pretty much either have to be there at a time when either someone is selling what you are interested in or as a seller someone who is interested in your wares happens to be passing…

Or hang around all day in the most crowded part of the venue?

Thanks for the clarification Green Tiger.
As I said it is all very straight forward.

The short answer is that YWGS has a Table Top Sale at Vapnartak because we believe it is best for the club, the buyers and the sellers.

Obviously, other clubs & individuals will disagree and say a Bring & Buy is better and they are entitled to their opinion BUT it is our show and it works for us.

Now for the long answer.

From a club perspective a main driver is man power. There are lots of jobs before, during and after the show. We calculated we could effectively cover a Table Top Sale format but not a Bring & Buy one. Part of this is willingness to help. Personally, I am willing to give up a big chunk of my show to help people sell their stuff. I am NOT willing to give it up to sell their stuff whilst they go off and enjoy themselves.
We also don't have any issues with mislaid, damaged or stolen items. There are also no accusations of club members squirrelling away choice items for themselves. All this becomes the responsibility of the seller.

Sellers only pay a £1.00 GBP per 30 minutes irrespective of the sales. I've had people come to me and shake my hand after selling a £200.00 GBP army in 10 minutes. They are free to arrange their goods as they see fit – no more items being buried under other stuff. They can negotiate prices with interested buyers. If they don't sell they can come back and get another slot if they wish. As soon as they make the sale the money is in their hand ready for spending with the Traders if that is their goal. I assume your comment about hanging around refers to the Sellers. They sit behind the trestle tables so they are not being crushed by Buyers.

Buyers are free to negotiate. They also know that if they come back at regular intervals (many of them do) they will see new sellers and new 'stock'.

There is a big flow of people through the Sale. For the 3 years I've done this I've not been aware of major complaints that things aren't selling or there is nothing to buy. People keep coming back wanting a table so we must be doing something right.

Finally, it is worth adding that YWGS put this on as a service rather than to make money. We think it helps other gamers though and actually leads to more money being spent with Traders.

To reiterate I am happy to help on a Table Top Sale there is absolutely no way I would help on a Bring & Buy. I have heard too many horror stories.

Any more questions ?

Fair enough…

Anyone going to York this Sunday ?

Props to Aubrey & co. for a really enjoyable show.
The B&B was very congested to start with – a proper scrum.
Fortunately, it settled down nicely.
I picked up a job lot of as-new resin Wild West buildings and a lovely caravan of pack camels. Bargain!
Cheers, gents! :)

My big gripe about the York show is that it is free to over 60's (many of whom will still be working or have a decent pension) but charges 12-16 year olds to get in. Either a discount for both or free for both but surely this is wrong?

I liked the the 'bring and buy' format at the York show. Having worked on a couple of shows and attended many others, the B&B seems to be the biggest bugbear for the organizers. The common complaint, though, no matter the format, is the scrum. The York solution of making all the traffic go one way worked very well, I thought, but as with every other show I have attended, the B&B always seems to be cramped, as if it as an afterthought when I think it should be the centrepiece, or at least a main consideration. Perhaps the location and needs of the B&B should be the first question for an organizer? I wonder how many do that and what considerations they take into account?

Thanks for your comments.
N – the sale seemed much more hectic but in waves this year. I think people have got used to the idea that there will be a turnover of sellers every half hour or so and all turn up at roughly the same time – well that was my perspective stood at the entrance.
D – I will feed that back immediately. I'm not on the committee so cannot promise any changes.
H – its difficult. The location seems ready made for a sale due to the presence of the bar creating natural entrances / exits at either end. But the space really needs to be wider. If not there though where else do you have it without losing traders or games ? We have more traders wanting stands than we can accommodate and people enjoy the excellent games that are put on. YWGS does recognise the importance of having a sale – you just have to look at the flyers and other adverting etc. Not sure what the solution is.
Regards

Why not move the competitors on the top floor down to where the B&B is and move the B&B up there? I know it's a bit further for sellers to lug stuff, but there is a lift isn't there if they don't like the stairs. Isn't there a bit more room up on the top floor?

Aubrey, thanks for replying to my comment. I understand the difficulties. I also like Volleyfire's suggestion for location. While I am here, I would also add that I didn't think the signage was good enough on most of the display and participation games, and I was wondering is the show had a policy on this or if it was left up to the demonstrators?

Volleyfire – as with any other comments I will happily pass your suggestion on to the Committee.
Hamsterwrangler – pretty sure show won't have a policy on signage. Do any shows ?

I was at Vapnartak on Sunday as a punter and fund the table sale system to be OK, you just have to keep visiting it as the stuff on sale keep changing,

The criticisms I have of it, is how cramped in it all was and the one way system needs to be enforced.
On my 3 visits to the table sale it was quite a squeeze and to meet other large wargamers with a back pack coming the other way made life difficult.
On my 3rd visit I entered by the exit and was not stopped (I did leave again and come back in the entrance).
I think more space or less table would ease some of the problems.

A number of tables were removed this year to try and reduce the cramped conditions. As for space – we work with what we are given although I will feed this forward to the committee.

As to going through the exit. When we first started we put someone on the exit to dissuade it but found that they were unoccupied most of the time and could be better used elsewhere. I spoke to the Committee member about the flow during the sale itself and his view is that a big problem is with what happens in the sale area itself (people wander all over the place)and we have no control over that.