Vendor Information

craft:Ed Vendor Handbook

VISION:  provide a marketplace for vendors of high quality art and handmade goods in Wilson County while also creating an ongoing source of financial support for public high school band programs to encourage youth in their pursuit of the art of music.

ABOUT:  craft:Ed is currently hosted twice a year by the Mount Juliet High School Band Boosters and the Green Hill High School Band Boosters in Mount Juliet, TN.  craft:Ed is organized by the owners of Nook, a modern-lifestyle boutique located in Mount Juliet, TN.  All profits from the market go directly to the hosting band booster organization.

1.  Applications.  Applications are only accepted through the craft:Ed Vendor Portal.  All applicants must complete the registration form and provide all the information required on the form.  Failure to do so will result in the applicant not being considered for a vendor spot.  We review applications based on the standards set forth in this handbook.  We also limit the number of vendors per category of items.  After a category is full, we create a waitlist for that category.

2.  Products Permitted.  craft:Ed accepts the following types of vendors:

2.1.  Artists in any medium offering their own art.

2.2.  Makers offering products personally made by the vendor, including, but not limited to jewelry, clothing, wood products, pottery, stained glass, home décor, candles, crochet, knit, quilts, and more. 

2.3.  Consumable food products, such as spices, breads, cookies, fudge, etc., offered by makers regularly in the business of making and selling such products.  craft:Ed is not a high school bake sale.

2.4.  Boutiques, shared booths, or vendors who do not personally produce the art or product offered if all of the following requirements are met: 

(1) 90% of the products offered are art and/or handmade goods obtained from the producer for the purpose of resell; and

(2) 100% of the products are sourced from enterprises with a commitment to fair trade, humane working conditions, environmental responsibility and production of high-quality products.

Vendors applying under this provision must list ALL product lines that will be offered in the booth and provide sufficient detail to allow the organizers to verify these requirements are met.  Failure to provide adequate information could result in denial of the application.  Further, vendors will be limited to the product lines listed and/or product lines approved by the organizers at least three (3) weeks prior to the event.

3.  Prohibited Products.  Under no circumstances will the following be permitted at craft:Ed.

3.1.  Independent consultant products, such as Scentsy, Arbonne, Avon, Pampered Chef, etc.

3.2.  Products not permitted on school premises.  Due to the market being held on public school property, vendors are not permitted to sell alcohol, tobacco, firearms, drugs (including CBD), drug paraphernalia, or pornography.

3.3.  Products promoting discrimination.  Any product that promotes discrimination on any basis, including but not limited to, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or any other personal characteristic.  This includes products with discriminatory statements, symbols or that support any organization that discriminates in its policies and practices.  Violation of this policy will result in immediate removal of the product and will subject the vendor to a prohibition from future participation in craft:Ed.

4.  Standards of Conduct.

4.1.  Discrimination.  Vendors, volunteers and attendees are prohibited from discriminating on any basis, including but not limited to, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, or any other personal characteristic.  Any discriminatory conduct will result in immediate removal from the premises and prohibition of future participation in craft:Ed.

4.2.  Compliance with laws, regulations and market rules.  Vendors are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and businesslike manner at all times.  This includes following all applicable laws and regulations regarding sales tax, business licensing, permitting and the like.  In addition, vendors are expected to follow all rules established by craft:Ed, either in this handbook or in the future.

5.  Payment of Invoices.  Invoices are sent upon acceptance.  Invoices are due, as follows:

5.1.  Returning vendors.  Returning vendor invoices are due thirty (30) days from the invoice date. 

5.2.  New vendors.  New vendor invoices are due seven (7) days from the invoice date.

5.3.  Waitlist vendors.  Vendors on the waitlist are not required to pay for their prospective booth space.  In the event you are offered a booth due to a cancellation, your invoice is due within 48 hours of issuance.  Failure to pay the invoice will result in the open booth being offered to the next vendor on the waitlist.

5.4.  Unpaid invoices.  Invoices not paid by the due date will result in cancellation of your acceptance.  If a vendor’s registration is cancelled for non-payment, the vendor must reapply and will be subjected to market limitations on the number of vendors per category.  For example, if the allowed number of vendors in the particular category is four and there is a waitlist for that category, upon cancellation, your spot will be offered to a vendor on the waitlist.  Upon reapplication, the vendor would likely be placed on the waitlist.  If a vendor is accepted a second time after being cancelled for failure to pay an invoice, payment will be due within 24 Hours.  Failure to pay a second time will result in the vendor’s registration being permanently cancelled and the vendor may reapply in the next year.

6.  Refunds.  craft:Ed booth fee are NON-REFUNDABLE.  In very rare circumstances, after demonstration of a genuine, unavoidable and unexpected emergency situation, craft:Ed will offer the vendor the opportunity to roll the fee paid to the next market or issue a refund.  In no circumstances will a refund be offered if a vendor cancels (30) days, or less, prior to the market. 

7.  No Show.  Empty booth spaces result in an unprofessional appearance for the market and rearranging vendors on the day of the market is virtually impossible.  Vendors who fail to show for a market are highly likely to not be accepted at future markets, absent a compelling reason for the failure to show.

8.  Transfer of Booths.  Vendors are permitted to transfer their booth to another vendor if they are unable to be at the event.  Transfer of booths is only permitted when the prospective vendor is approved by craft:Ed ahead of time.  DO NOT sell your booth without prior approval.  Approval of the prospective vendor will be subject to the limitations in Paragraph 2 (above) and to any limitations on number of vendors per category.

9.  Unloading and Setup.  craft:Ed operates on public school property.  As such, we often must work around student activities and other school functions.  As a result, we have limited availability of time for unloading and setup.  Vendors will be assigned a time in the loading zone most convenient to their assigned booth.  Vendors are expected to be punctual and to follow the loading zone assignments.  Vendors are to enter the loading zone, unload their merchandise and remove their vehicle from the loading zone before beginning to setup their booth.  We strive to have band member assistance with unloading to make this as efficient as possible, but vendors should be prepared to unload their product in the time allotted.  Booths should be set and ready for customers at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the start of the market.

10.  Breakdown.  Vendors are not permitted to break down and depart early unless the vendor has completely sold out of product and has obtained permission from the organizers.  Violation of this policy will result in the vendor not being approved for future events.  Again, we strive to have band member assistance with loading after the event.  Vendors should be aware that there are over 100 vendors, unlike setup, everyone leaves at the same time, and it is impossible for the band members to assist everyone.  Able-bodied vendors capable of moving their own product and booth furnishings are expected to defer to those in need of assistance.  Band members will help as they can and the amount of assistance will depend on the number of volunteers available.

11.  Requests for Information.  Leading up to each market, the organizers send newsletters with information relevant to the individual market.  Often these newsletters will request additional information from vendors needed to successfully execute the market.  Vendors are expected to read the newsletters and to respond to requests for information in a timely manner. 

12.  WiFi.  WiFi guest networks are available at both schools.  They have proven to be unreliable with limited bandwidth.  craft:Ed has purchased and utilizes cell signal booster equipment to increase the cell phone signal inside the schools during the events.  Vendors are expected to use cell phone data unless reliance on the WiFi is required by their equipment setup or because they are unable to conduct business via cellular data.  This includes using your cellular data as a hotspot for your other devices (tablets, laptops, point of sale system, etc.).  We understand the importance of internet connectivity to conducting business and are constantly working to improve the capabilities.  Even though we have worked to make sure internet connectivity is always available, vendors should have a backup plan in the event they are unable to access the internet. 

13.  Electricity.  Electricity for booth operation is limited by the physical layout of the space.  If a vendor requires electricity for the operation of the booth (i.e., electricity is required to deliver the product to the consumer), the vendor must indicate the requirement on the application form.  If a vendor does not require electricity for operation of the booth, the vendor should be prepared to operate without electricity, for example, bringing battery packs to charge phones, tablets, point of sale systems.

14.  Contact Information and Communication.  craft:Ed is organized and staffed by volunteers.  Almost all volunteers have other occupations.  We do our best to respond to inquiries within 48 hours of receipt.  We do not always make that goal.  The most effective way to communicate with us is by email at craftedmtjuliet@gmail.com or craftedmtjuliet@craftedmtjuliet.com. 

In the event you have not received a response to an email in a timely manner, please send the question by email a second time and also contact us at Nook at (615) 600-2052, by either call or text.  If you still do not get a response, please contact Rick (571) 296-2956 or Marc (646) 327-8694 directly. 

Accepted Vendors will be invited to the craft:Ed Vendor Information Group on Facebook.  We highly recommend you join this group.  Vendors may ask questions in that forum and tag one of us so that we receive a notification.  We request accepted vendors not send messages regarding the event, through Facebook, Instagram or other social media sites. Please email or call. We receive numerous inquiries, comments, questions, etc., through those mediums and it is highly possible your question will get lost in the traffic.