So I'm not normally a confrontational person...
But the dealers setup for MFF was not acceptable... And they plan on doing it again this year. For those of you who didn't go, the dealers den was in the lower basement level. It wasn't well marked and sales showed it. Meanwhile, the artists alley was right beside registration and next to the art show. I had a friend who was in the art show come downstairs for 1/2 a day Saturday and then say, 'sorry guys' traffic is so much better up there. And he left. I had numerous people e-mail me after the con saying they looked for me in the Den and why didn't I come. After I asked where they were looking (i.e. di they come down to the basement) they were shocked and said that they didn't realize it existed. Apparently the Dealers Room advocate (Brendon) wants to help us but he says that he can't convince the rest of the staff that its a problem and asked us to start a thread over at the MFF forums.. The thread is here http://forum.furfest.org/index.php?topic=26.0 and if you could go ask them to DO something (if you are at all involved or whatever) it would be greatly appreciated.
I am still all nervous and shaky because I don't like to be confrontational (especially with people I don't know) and I just wrote how I felt. Which is affronted. We pay for a space, we pay to go out there, and then we get told that our friends in the artists alley who don't have to pay the dealers fees are making twice as much because no one knows where we are? Not okay.
I am giving MFF a chance to make this right. But I won't be back if they don't. And if they don't fix it I know quite a few artists aren't coming this year. I am sorry, I did love the people I met there, but I can't justify poor sales when the staff doesn't seem to care. It's funny - if they at least apologized and said they were trying I'd be fine, if the staff cares, I'll go out of my way for them (and again, Brendon has been great), but in general, the con staff is treating the dealers like they don't matter, and I don't feel the need to go out of my way for them if that is the case. So, again, if you are/were involved please speak up, it is looking like the Dealers room is going to be awfully empty otherwise.
I am still all nervous and shaky because I don't like to be confrontational (especially with people I don't know) and I just wrote how I felt. Which is affronted. We pay for a space, we pay to go out there, and then we get told that our friends in the artists alley who don't have to pay the dealers fees are making twice as much because no one knows where we are? Not okay.
I am giving MFF a chance to make this right. But I won't be back if they don't. And if they don't fix it I know quite a few artists aren't coming this year. I am sorry, I did love the people I met there, but I can't justify poor sales when the staff doesn't seem to care. It's funny - if they at least apologized and said they were trying I'd be fine, if the staff cares, I'll go out of my way for them (and again, Brendon has been great), but in general, the con staff is treating the dealers like they don't matter, and I don't feel the need to go out of my way for them if that is the case. So, again, if you are/were involved please speak up, it is looking like the Dealers room is going to be awfully empty otherwise.