Tell Us About Yourself

Email *

First Name *

Last Name *

Shop Name *

Website *

Instagram Handle *

We use this information to pay you (if applicable). We also send you flyers to promote if requested. Also take note we are no longer using PayPal for anything. If we do, we will charge you extra to cover our fees.

Street Address *

City *

Zip *

State *

Phone *

Zelle # and/or @Venmo username *

The Nitty Gritty

The information below we've found to be very important for our makers to understand. You might think: "this is overkill..." we assure you it is not. The better we understand how the market works - the better the show will go! Lets crush this thing together.

Our Mission

Our mission is to bring our customers fresh and hip goods, that they can feel comfortable buying for themselves, or gifts for everyone they know! To keep it the cool place to shop, we don't like to have a ton of shops with similar product (what customer/maker is OK with 12 other jewelry shops in the same market?) , and we certainly don't accept styles that we've seen a lot at craft shows.. or out of style.

We can only stay organized if you read everything prior to applying, and ask questions (if needed) once you're accepted.

A large part of our show, is inside, and another large part is outside. Two different ways to apply & they are not treated the same.. if you are an inside maker, know that we take 20% of each sale because we operate the floor with paid staff & do a lot of back end- register work before & after to make sure you get paid.

While looking through applications, we will be choosing a few (maybe just one) maker with each category of items (for instance, if we get 10 applications of childrens clothing, we will choose 2-4 depending on curation). It is only fair to the makers- as the customers will get bored and quickly shop through them, rather than taking their time to shop. It also makes each vendor have a successful turnout! Our selection is also based on customer demand. Let’s keep it fresh & innovative.

Item Requirements:

FRESH + NEW + QUALITY: We expect what you sell to be the best it can be, as well as something customers may have not seen before.

THE BEST SHOP SPACES: We want our Market to only showcase the best designed booths to help sell your beautiful products. You put so much time into making your goods, why not give them the respect they deserve, and surround your goods with a complimentary shop??!

If you shop space does not meet the criteria we will ask you to make it better before the show begins. We usually save space in the far back corner if this comes up because if you are one of the first shops our customers see when they walk in, and its bare or depressing or cluttered... it's not a good look and doesnt represent us well. If you need help prior to the set up day, learning how to make it RAD, please do not hesitate to ask us!

We reserve the right to remove any items that do not fit these criteria. If you bring items that we did not see before hand, we will remove them. Please bring what you apply for, or talk to us before the show if it’s something newer than what was on the application in Feb/March. We understand that your creative brains come up with products before the actual show. All we ask is that you tell us what you want to sell- to make sure it's not conflicting with other makers that we've already accepted. This also helps us know where to put you in our actual layout. If you are a bath soap maker, and want to slip in some jewelry because your cousin makes jewelry, and wants to make some extra money, not ok! Gotta always check with us.

If you are a food maker, you must acquire a Temporary Food Permit through the OC health agency. We used to collect the permit applications directly from you, but they have changed their operations and ask that you directly apply with them. If you already have your annual TFF, let us know that number.

We may ask you if you'd be willing to only sell certain inventory than you apply with, to allow for other makers to be accepted. For instance, you sell shirts AND pants, and there's another rad clothing maker, that ONLY does shirts. we would ask if you could only bring your pants, or a small amount of shirts.. This is crucial in our acceptance process and definitely helps us stand out from other shows. It shows up in sales & our makers are proud to be with us.

I have read and understand *

Display for inside merchants

By now, you should know that our market is half inside (central market) and half outside (farmers market style). Below are details for those that want to be inside. You have the choice at the end of the application to be accepted for either.

We HIGHLY recommend you measure out your desired space ahead of time, aka before applying...to make sure you know exactly if you can make it work. Below are details of the space.

I have read and understand *

Booth Space Details

Booth space options are...

inside...

-"treats on a shelf" (shelf provided)

-3′ x 2′JR MAKER (also provided)

-3′ x 4′

- 3′ x 6'

- 3′ x 8′

-3' x 12'

* After acceptance, we will be sending out ZOOM links to tune in and learn more about how to make your space amazing if you need to be walked through it. But below is more info on how to choose the right spot on this application.

+Junior Spots (14 yrs & younger) are available in their designated space. We will provide you the shelf. Just bring your goods!

We suggest taking full advantage of vertical space to get the most out of your booth space.

If you end up in the middle of the room, you will have a canvas backdrop provided by us. Some of you will be against the wall of the venue. If you rent a table, we will have it set up for you. If you buy a shirt from us, you will have it at your space at set up.

YOU MUST HAVE A BANNER/SIGN/GARLAND (something)..to say what your shop name is. PLEASE!

To avoid a boring & uninviting shop space, please consult our Pinterest page. We have spent many a hour on here to make sure we get the point across of our minimal, sleek & inviting market and want your shop space to feel like family.

https://www.pinterest.com/mermademarket/ <---- this will help you design your space! Browse around!

You are responsible for providing everything you’ll need to display your wares. We do not supply tables but CAN rent standard 3x6's to you. Please avoid using a table! And if you must use one, make it reaaaaal good.

We offer a power source (not the cord) and you can be put anywhere on the floor and we can make it work. Just bring your own long extension cord with your name taped to it.

Don't forget the fall goodie bags/ hostess gifts/ribbon to go along with your items! Teacher appreciation/thanksgiving is just around the corner! Christmas + winter holidays are the following month!

----

"Baked Goods on a Shelf": You are literally given an area of a book shelf near our registers, for your freshly baked goods. We give you 6, from top to bottom. This area is always super popular & perfect for the grab & go, last second purchases. Should not be priced more than $15. They are replenished often, as they sell out quick, and we definitely recommend you let us use our fridge to store them if you aren't coming by hourly to restock. If you live far away and don't see yourself coming to restock the fridge/shop space often, we suggest you being an outside vendor. We only choose 3-4 makers in this category, not competing with other makers.. because we don't want to give too many options to our customers, as that can be overwhelming for impulse buying.

You do not need to "decorate" your space, in fact we ask that you don't over complicate it, because there isn't much room for it, plus it will be in a busy area where we want to keep it clean & simple. BUT you can bring a house plant & cute signage with pricing on the sign to make it easy for customers, and good looking!

-----

"Boutique 3'x2'" space is an option if we get more than 1 maker that wants it. Apply as "food on a shelf" if this is you. We will do the same thing for you but in a different area.

I have read and understand *

Inside Schedule and inventory

Inside Maker Schedule:

Set-Up: Thursday, May 22/ 1:00PM-5PM

If you show up past 4pm on Thursday night, you will be charged $100. You cannot set up Friday morning (opening day).

Show: May 23-25 Friday - Sunday

Take-Down: Sunday, May 25// 5PM SHARP *

You need to be punctual for both set up & take down.

----

Inside Maker Stock

REMINDER, you don't stay with your shop space! The whole purpose of the inside is to let us sell for you.

We will keep your booth neat and well presented throughout the show. Don’t you worry! We want your booth to look fabulous just as much as you do.

We expect to be restocking for you. It's a given with our business model. If you leave extra items under your space, or with us in our storage area.. we know to restock for you. Please let us know before hand if that's your plan.. or you are welcome to stop by and do it yourself during the SLOW HOURS. We will kick you out if it's busy. However we ask that you do not stand by your table when you're done restocking... It’s awkward.

Labeling (IMPORTANT)

Your maker ID will be issued to you when accepted to the market. Then, 2 weeks prior to the show (May 9), we let you know how exactly to label your products + make sure that each product you want to sell, is actually in fact, labeled, so we can enter it into the Mermade register.

(ie MM19 $5)

Please have every single item clearly marked with a price and your vendor ID. Please make sure they are written clearly so it's not a chore for our staff to see what it is that it says.

Do NOT have your tag larger than your item you're selling. It never looks good.

Please affix tags neatly and professionally, so they stay put and we can be sure to give you credit for every single sale. If your price isn’t on tag, and there is a line of shoppers, we will have to guess what the price is based on your other items.

For further questions, refer to our website under "Indoor Merchants" on the upper left navigation bar.

I have read and understand *

Outside maker schedule

Each day of our show, 35-40 Mermade shop tents are set up for our makers to sell under. This part of the market is still, also very curated.. and we don’t let more than 2 or 3 makers in each category, showcase on the same day. Each day, the maker selection outside changes, which makes for a magical experience for our customers. So to be clear, if you sign up for outside, choose *which day* fits best for your schedule! If you choose more than 1 day, that means you’re open & flexible and chances are higher you’ll get into the show and we will choose which day fits best with our other applicants.

We highly recommend you to be an outside maker if:

a. Your product takes some talking about or explaining. If most of your product is more than $75, we really REALLY suggest you apply as an outside maker vs inside!!!

b. You are an "artist" and can't lower your prices $75 or below.

c. If you HAVE TO BE THERE to talk to the customers and engage. You're too social to miss out on the event. We've had makers sign up for inside, and get really confused why they can't stay by their space. It gets awkward when we tell them to take a hike and let us sell their products for them. Huge sign they should have signed up for an outside space!!!

d. If you're customizing & producing products on the spot.

If you'd rather sit in a lawn chair on your phone, and not engage with our people, we strongly suggest to choose an inside space and let us sell for you. So by choosing "outside maker" you are physically present, selling at your space, [ENGAGING WITH THE CROWD]. If you marked Outside Maker AS WELL as an inside space, that tells us you are OK with being chosen for either. You cannot do both. But if you really want to be there and sell, make sure you -only mark- "Outside Maker" and which day. Is this repetition starting to make sense? :)

PERMANENT JEWELRY MAKERS: Please specify if this is something you plan on doing and note that we will only be accepting MAX 2 permanent jewelry makers on your day. We also need to know exactly how much you'll be charging so you are not competing with the other maker. If this is a deal breaker for you please note it at the end of the application.

You bring your own table(s), chairs, electrical cords, lights, POS systems (WIFI!) and more.

You will be given a 6.5x6.5 White EZ UP and given a designated spot on the layout 1-2 weeks prior to the show. The height is about 8 feet when standing inside of it, but about 6.5 high when outside of it. See pics on our instagram for height reference when designing your space.

We are offering a few 10x10 tents that will ONLY be in the parking lot. Very limited and for shops that deserve larger spaces.

All 3 days will have tents in the FRONT of the Ocean Institute, making it 40 makers outside. By the parking lot winding into the courtyard by the main shopping room.

REIMBURSING/REFUNDS

All spaces are nonrefundable, and you’ll be reminded of this when you pay your invoice. We do a LOT of advertising for your small shop, on our website and on Instagram/facebook. The fee for outside (yes it's just one day) is very comparable to many shows that charge the same, because we get amazzzzing and loyal traffic each time. Even if you find a replacement for your shop, it will be more work for us to educate that maker on the process and deal with the payment/information unload.

*If it rains the week leading up to the show, we will use our best judgement as to whether the show will go on (on your day) outside. We ask for flexibility and we beg that you know that we can’t control the weather! We are humans, like you, with a high understanding of how much it means to you that it must not rain on your big day. If we cancel the outside show because it will be too stormy for shopping outside (and for setting up your precious goods), we will give you the opportunity to automatically use your fee for the following show. If you decide to NOT do the next show, we will reimburse you for 20% of your shop fee when the next show comes about. We cannot fully reimburse you because of the amazing instagram tags & website attention we’ve sent your way. The value is too high and it’s not worth it for us. If one of our team members emails you that the show is still happening, and you choose to not come “just in case it rains”, we will not give you another day in a future show.

-----

Outside Maker Set Up Schedule:

(Plan on starting to set up 120-90 minutes before the show starts. we typically have a line at the door and you don't want to miss out on any sales because you're still setting up.) (SHARP meaning no later than) You can always come earlier if you want to.

DON'T BE LATE TO SET UP!!!

If you are still setting up your space when the show begins, we will take note of your shop & make sure not to include you in future shows. This is super frustrating for us as owners because we want to be buttoned up and ready to go. We understand the early hours of family life, traffic & all of that. But it's something you can plan for ahead of time and get your ducks in a row. We appreciate your willingness to represent us in a positive & clean way. Something that really helps makers get ahead and set up & ready for the first customer, is having HELP. From a family member, spouse, friend, bribe them with lunch! Another way thats helpful is some sort of wagon/dolly to save you more trips to and from your car. The more organized you are BEFORE you drive to us, the more organized you will be for set up.

Friday, May 23: 7:00am

Saturday, May 24: 7:00am

Sunday, May 25: 7:00am

For further questions, refer to our website under "Outdoor Merchants" on the upper left navigation bar.

I have read and understand *

Important Information

Advertising

Postcards will be sent out for this show for the makers that will actually use them! We will be emailing to see which ones want them.

Also we will use our dear ol' social media to promote!

You can pay us for us to do a special blog post all about you, with accompanying stories & a grid post. Click that you want it on the application, and we will contact you a bit later after acceptance. The blog post will have a link on our insta stories.

If you'd like to be instagrammed about on our instagram page... then we have to see you! Tag us, post about us, hashtag us... we can't see you if you don't tag us. We like to post pretty pictures, but our main goal with Mermade is to continue a sense of community and small shops and makers and crafting... so if you feel like you have something to share and we can repost/tag you... then tag us as well! Get well versed in the "how to" on social media and take some online free courses so you can up your game and get seen. A new favorite podcast you can listen to (with freeee knowledge) is this one... https://podcast.jennakutcher.com/

Liabilities

We do our best to keep your items safe. However, in the event that something goes missing or is broken, we cannot be held responsible. We will have after hours security, and we also monitor the venue during open hours with our constant walking around staff with tags.

Costs & Fees

It's FREE to apply! It's also FREE to come shop/park!

We take 20% of your gross sales if you're an inside maker. Outside makers keep 100% of sales but you are there physically selling your product. We sell for you inside.

See above pages on what the shop space fees are. Shop space fees are due no later than 36 hours of being accepted. If you do not pay, we will have give your slot to another willing maker.

No Refunds on payments made.

Inside makers: We send your final sales 1-7 calendar days starting the day after the show is over. We are no longer using PayPal to send money and will be sending checks through the bank directly to the address you provide us here.

Applications close September 23 at 11:59pm so make sure to get em in!!!

I have read and understand *

Tell Us About Yourself

Tell Us About Your Product

The Nitty Gritty

Our Mission

Display for inside merchants

Booth Space Details

Inside Schedule and inventory

Outside maker schedule

Important Information

125