Terminology: Dealers vs Vendors (and hoarding)

[captain-drew.livejournal.com]

This year I never made it to the lower dealer's room... or is that vendor's room? I did however spend a hellish 15 minutes crammed into one of the upper dealer's/vendor's rooms... man did they ever have people packed into that room! A friend explained to me that there actually was a difference between dealers and vendors but I never quite caught what the exact delineation between the two terms was. Can anyone explain it to me?

Happily, the down economy and my ever-increasing age have resulted in me reaching a stage of enlightenment in which I do not need to collect crap anymore (I especially do not need to hoard dragon-themed crap like some of you) but I still love to look at things, particularly action figures.

Just because I've stopped collecting (useless) "collectible" stuff (crap) doesn't necessarily mean that I've gotten old... does it?

Hope not.

Next year I plan to devote a good hour to walking the aisles just to enjoy the marketplace atmosphere.

Comments

[tomreedtoon.livejournal.com]

First of all, have we differentiated "dealers" and "vendors"? I would hazard a guess that a "vendor" is someone who creates a product to sell on a national basis. White Wolf Games and Utilikilt would be considered vendors.

"Dealers" are middlemen, shop owners, who buy merchandise to sell. This would include speculators in collectibles like comics or cards, guys who sell jewelry and sellers of patches and emblems. They don't make things (or don't make big things) and they either operate out of storefronts or trailers that they drag from con to con.

I never had the need to buy lots of things. I still don't, especially making less money (thanks, George). And, sadly, a lot of people don't have that kind of income any more. That may bode ill for the financial health of conventions.

Many dealers and vendors operate on a big misconception of fandom, that owning stuff makes you the master of stuff. Many believe that owning a Spider-Man maquette means you own Spider-Man. It doesn't. On the other hand, a dealer/vendor that sells something unique and useful (like gaming dice) are more like traditional retailers who don't exploit their customers. (There are damn few traditional retailers, thanks to Wal-Mart, and even fewer that treat their customers fairly.)