If you’ve ever stood in the middle of a busy fan convention hall—surrounded by neon cosplay, the distant roar of a video game panel, and the sharp tang of freshly printed art and merch—you know it’s equal parts exhilarating and chaotic. As someone who’s spent the last seven years as a fan goods supplier, I’ve seen first-hand how many attendees and even small vendors show up unprepared, leaving money on the table, missing out on connections, or worse, dealing with last-minute disasters. This year, I’ve got a step-by-step, real-world breakdown of how to prepare for a fan convention like a pro—from pre-planning months out to the day you load out, and all the lessons I’ve learned after bringing pop culture merch to over 40 cons across North America. Fan
First, let’s start with the non-negotiable foundation: research the convention before you book anything. Not all fan cons are created equal. I once spent $2,000 on stock for a small indie comic con in Ohio only to find out the event drew 30% of the expected attendance, most of whom were middle schoolers focused on the main stage, not the merch floor. Do your homework three to four months in advance, when most cons release their attendee demographics, past sales data, and vendor attendee lists. Check which fandoms are headlining: a Marvel-focused con will sell way more vintage superhero tees than anime wall scrolls, and a Studio Ghibli con will have fans hunting for Totoro plushies far more than Star Wars action figures. Also, review the venue layout. Some cons split the vendor hall into sections—like art vs. merch vs. celebrity meet-and-greets—and the art section usually has higher foot traffic because attendees browse slower there. The main vendor aisle? It’s great for visibility, but you’ll pay a premium, so only book that if your stock is high-ticket or you have a big enough team to man your table. I always cross-reference the venue’s bag policy too; some cons don’t allow large backpacks, so I adjust my stock to smaller, easier-to-carry items like keychains and stickers instead of large posters, to avoid lost sales.
Next, build a stock list that’s tailored to both the con’s fandom and attendee behavior. This is where my years as a supplier have taught me to skip the “one-size-fits-all” merch. Let’s break it down by category, based on what sells consistently: first, the “gateway items” — these are cheap, low-cost, impulse buys that bring people to your table and make them feel like they’re taking home a piece of the con. Think $1-$3 stickers, enamel pins, and mini acrylic charms. At my last Magic: The Gathering con, I brought 5,000 logo stickers and sold all of them by mid-day Saturday, which drew so many people to my table that I was able to upsell higher-priced deck boxes and playmats. Then there’s the “mid-tier” items, which are $10-$25. These are things like hoodies, prints, plushies, and custom mugs. Make sure these are unique—fans can buy generic Walmart tees online, so your merch needs to be either official licensed (if you can afford that, which is a big win for trust) or original designs that tie directly to the con’s specific guests or themes. Last year, I designed a limited-run print of the con’s official cosplay guest, a retired WWE star, and sold 200 of those prints alone, vs. only 100 of my generic anime prints. Finally, the “high-ticket” items, like custom statues, premium posters, and signed memorabilia. These are great for late-day sales when fans are ready to splurge after a full day of panels and fun. Pro tip from my mistakes: don’t overbuy high-ticket items. I once ordered 50 premium statues for a Harry Potter con and only sold 12, because most attendees were students on a budget. Stick to 10-15% of your total stock being high-ticket, and adjust based on the con’s average attendee age and income range. Also, plan for the unexpected: always carry 10% extra of your top-selling items. If your custom Studio Ghibli pin is flying off shelves, you don’t want to run out by 2pm on Saturday and lose sales to the vendor next door.
Once your stock is sorted, prepare your physical booth and tools. Con vendors often underestimate how much small, practical stuff makes or breaks your setup. First, the booth itself: most cons provide 6ft tables, so invest in a lightweight, collapsible display that’s easy to pack and transport. I use a backdrop banner with my brand logo that I can put up in 10 minutes, and string LED lights to make my table stand out from the dimmer parts of the hall. Fans are drawn to well-lit, organized booths—no one wants to dig through a pile of merch looking for a pin. Next, payment tools: this is non-negotiable. Half the attendees at a con might not carry cash, and the ones that do often don’t have small bills. I always use a contactless payment system like Square, and I keep a small cash box with $100 in ones and fives for change. Don’t forget to bring a portable charger—your phone dies fast, and if your payment system goes down, you’re not making any sales. Other essentials: extra tablecloths (spills and rain on your way to the con are real), zip ties for securing your display, a first-aid kit (band-aids, pain relievers, hand sanitizer—fans are walking around all day, and many vendors forget hand sanitizer), and a folding chair. You’ll be standing for 8+ hours a day, and sitting when it’s slow is not just a comfort thing—it helps you pace yourself to avoid burnout.
The lead-up to the con also involves pre-promotion, which many small vendors skip, and it’s a game-changer. Start posting about your con appearance on social media three weeks in advance. Post photos of your unique merch, tease limited editions, and tell followers which booth number you’ll be at. If you have a website or email list, send a reminder a week before the con offering a small discount for anyone who mentions the post. At my last Anime NYC appearance, I tweeted a photo of my exclusive Attack on Titan enamel pins and got 20% more foot traffic than my average, because fans came specifically to grab those limited-run items. Also, connect with other vendors in the week leading up. The vendor hall is a community, not a competition. I’ve swapped slow-selling items with other vendors to move stock that wasn’t selling for me, and they’ve done the same—sometimes a Star Wars fan will buy a Marvel pin from me if I trade them a Darth Vader sticker they were missing.
Now, the days of the con itself. Even with all the prep, things will go wrong—your shipment of merch could arrive late, your payment system might crash, or a big snowstorm could delay you. The key is to stay flexible. First, arrive at the venue early. Most cons let vendors set up 2-3 hours before the hall opens, so be there ready to unload and set up. I always arrive at the venue by 7am for a 10am opening, because the lines for unload can be long, and you don’t want to rush setting up and miss sales. Once the hall opens, greet every customer who comes to your booth. A simple “Hey, looking for anything specific today?” goes a long way, way more than standing behind your table scrolling through your phone. I once had a teen come up to my booth looking for a specific Stitch plush that I didn’t have, so instead of saying “Sorry,” I pulled up my supplier catalogue and told her I could get it to her within a week for the same price, and she became a repeat customer who placed a bulk order for her own fan club. That’s the thing about cons—they’re not just a one-time sale, they’re a chance to build long-term relationships with fans, which turns into regular orders and referrals. Also, pace yourself throughout the day. I take a 30-minute break every afternoon when the foot traffic slows down, to eat lunch, stretch, and recharge. If you’re tired and cranky, customers will notice, and they’ll walk away. Pro tip: don’t leave your booth unattended, even for a minute. I once stepped away to grab water and came back to a customer who took a $50 print and left a $10 bill—small losses add up, and it’s not worth it.
The final day, load-out day, is often rushed, but it’s a good time to do a quick post-con inventory and plan for next year. Count what stock you have left, what sold out, and what didn’t. If half your generic anime prints didn’t sell, don’t order as many next time—focus on the items that were hits. Also, follow up with anyone who contacted you during the con, whether it’s a fan who asked about a custom order or another vendor who wants to collaborate. I always send a thank-you email to anyone who placed an order at the con, and include a small discount code for their next purchase, which keeps them coming back.
As a fan goods supplier, I’ve learned that the most successful con prep isn’t just about having the right merch—it’s about understanding the fans, planning for every possible small disaster, and treating every interaction like a long-term connection. I’ve built my business over the last seven years by showing up prepared, listening to what fans want, and making their convention experience a little better, one pin, sticker, and print at a time.
If you’re planning a fan convention appearance and need quality, tailored merch that sells, feel free to reach out to discuss your needs.
Valve References
Fan Cons: A Guide for Attendees and Vendors, 2022
The Business of Pop Culture Conventions, 2023
Vendor Best Practices for Comic-Con and Anime Expos, 2021
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