Vending: Frequently Asked Questions

What's the Clover Market? The Clover Market began in the spring of 2010 in the greater Philadelphia area to provide a curated popup event for independent handmade artisans and antique dealers to connect with customers who love to shop small. We host outdoor Markets in the spring and fall in four vibrant "downtown" locations: Bryn Mawr PA, Chestnut Hill PA, Collingswood NJ, and Kennett Square PA. Our focus is on handmade products and high quality vintage finds, and each Market also features a lineup of some of the area's best food trucks, live music, kids' crafts and more.  You can read more about us here and check out some recent vendor testimonials. We also encourage you to check out our social media pages (linked at the bottom of the page).

Where can I find the Market Guidelines and Policies (the FAQ's below cover the main points)? We've put all of the important application and vending information in a single pdf linked below; you can view and print right from the link; if you're applying you'll need to confirm that you read through this info.

What are the dates and hours? Our schedule is posted here.  All Markets are 10-4 pm, rain or shine. Cancellations are possible only in the case of severe or dangerous weather, at the organizer's sole discretion.

What is the vending fee? Our outdoor Markets are $190/Market (for a standard 10' x 10' space with a small buffer on each side and space behind for storage).  Food vendors are $250/Market for a food truck or trailer, $200 for a small mobile cart or tented food vendors.  No commissions are taken on any sales and there is no fee to apply.

When do I apply? We have a separate application for each Market season, spring and fall.  A link will be posted at the bottom of this page when the application is open. The spring season application is typically posted in early January and will be due in early February. The fall season application is typically posted in early May and due in early to mid June.

Who should apply? Our Market is focused on high quality handmade* products along with carefully selected antiques (100+ years old) and vintage goods (25+ years old).  Each Market also includes a selection of high quality food trucks and tented food and beverage vendors. We welcome applications from emerging businesses and established brands, so even if you're new to making or collecting, please don't hesitate to apply.  

Applicants should have a passion for creative and carefully styled displays. We take pride that we have built a community of vendors who share a collaborative, supportive and inclusive spirit. We love working with fellow small businesses who work hard, have fun, and who are willing to put in the time to partner with us to make the Markets a success. We especially appreciate folks who are flexible and can roll with the punches of an outdoor event (Mother Nature can be fickle). If that sounds like a good fit, we’d love to meet you!

*We consider handmade products to be those which are original in design and which require a level of skill and creativity in their final execution. We value seeing the maker's personal imprint on the final products sold versus products with minimal handiwork done on purchased components.

Who should NOT apply? We do NOT accept vendors with buy/sell, directly imported goods, direct to consumer/MLM, or other commercially-made or mass-produced items including those from commercial kits. We also do not allow strictly marketing or promotional tents. From time to time we may include vendors with products which are designed locally and produced via fair trade partnership, but in that case all product design must be done locally by the vendor.

How do you select vendors? When reviewing applications, we consider product quality, craftsmanship, uniqueness, cohesiveness of design, the overall mix of sellers, and fit with the Market’s aesthetic and what we feel will resonate most with our customers. Product display and presentation are very important considerations, and we look for creative and carefully styled displays (we are not a flea market and are looking to create a high quality experience for our customers). A strong social media and online presence is also important as we ask all vendors to help promote the Markets in partnership with us. We strive to have a variety of styles, price points, and categories represented at our events and maintain targets in each category. Finally, but importantly, we are interested in increasing representation of BIPOC brands in our vendor community, and this information can be indicated on our application.

All applicants are reviewed with a fresh eye each season. As such, we can't guarantee that prior vendors will always be able to participate, or that they will be confirmed for all of the Markets they'd like.

Do all handmade products need to be made in the US? Our focus is on featuring locally designed and produced goods (either handmade directly by the applicant or by their team under their direction. From time to time we may accept imported products (e.g. goods made through fair trade partnership), but in that case 100% of the design must be done locally by the applicant. 

What is the cancellation and refund policy? A 50% refund is available up to one month prior to a vendor’s scheduled Market if a vendor needs to cancel their participation. No refunds are given for cancellations within one month of a Market date. Vendors may not sell or give their space to another vendor; we will fill spaces from the waitlist if possible. All cancellations must be received in writing (email or text if the cancellation is on Market day), and "no shows" without any communication will impact future acceptance. We do not do credits for future events. 

What is the weather policy? The Markets are held rain or shine.  We reserve the right to cancel the Market in case of severe or dangerous weather which might include heavy all day rain, sustained high winds, or lightning. Any weather-related decisions will be made by noon the before the scheduled Market (Saturday) at the latest. There are no rain dates, and we do not do credits for future Markets. If a Market is cancelled due to severe/dangerous weather, we will pivot to a Virtual Market format in our Facebook Group on the scheduled Market day (additional information will be provided). Vendors will manage their listings and sales directly, and no commission will be taken. Participation in the Virtual Market is not mandatory, but it is definitely encouraged. While we would never force a vendor to attend a Market, we do expect vendors who apply to be prepared and able to participate in normal outdoor weather conditions which may include precipitation. 

What are the benefits of participating in Clover? In addition to the connection with our loyal customers who LOVE to shop with small businesses, vendors also benefit from:

  • An organized, communicative, and detail-oriented Founder (Janet Long) who is committed to making your participation smooth, fun, and successful. 
  • A private Facebook group just for participating vendors which offers opportunities for more virtual connection, commiseration, and sharing of ideas and resources.
  • Exposure to the followers of our Facebook and Instagram pages through lots of promotional posts and vendor sneak peeks. We love to promote YOU!
  • A gallery of vendors on our website which remains up all season so Market shoppers can discover you before and after each event.
  • Connection with other like-minded vendors. We have built a community of fellow small business owners who enjoy supporting one another and building each other up.
  • A Market organizer with 13+ years of experience building Clover Market from scratch who manages the business full time. She is supported by a small but mighty onsite team who has seen and done it all. We're here to support you and make your experience with us a great one. You can read more about us here.

Do I have to have insurance to participate? We do not require insurance, but we do strongly recommend it. Clover Market does not assume responsibility to ensure the safety of vendor’s property. Our recommended company/policy is through ACT and information can be found here (vendors can do a policy for a single show, or an annual policy).

Are shared spaces allowed?  Can you match me with someone? Yes, up to 2 vendors can share a space. Both will need to apply and be accepted to participate, and you will just indicate this on the application. If one vendor is accepted and the second vendor is not, we will offer the space as a solo space to the accepted vendor. We are unfortunately not able to match applicants with others also wishing to share a tent space. We also find that shared spaces work best when vendors have a relationship with each other, and have done that outreach and coordination themselves. 

Is electricity available? As our Markets are held on closed streets and parking lots, we do not have electricity available. Generators are only permitted for our food trucks.

Do I need to pay sales tax? Are any other licenses required? It is each vendor’s responsibility to know their own personal tax requirements, and we recommend working with your tax professional to ensure that you are in compliance.  Please refer to our Guidelines and Policies for additional information.

How do you advertise and promote the Markets? We have developed a strong system of promoting the Markets including:

  • Co-promotion with our community partners 
  • Distribution of posters at key retail and restaurants 
  • Several targeted emails for each Market to our opt-in mailing list
  • Local targeted radio ads
  • Promotion on our Instagram and Facebook pages
  • Promotion to our Facebook Group
  • Street banners and signage hung several weeks prior to each event
  • Onsite signs and lawn signs at the Market locations

We LOVE to help promote our vendors to generate excitement and buzz to the events.  But, the success of the Market is a collaborative effort. We ask that vendors actively partner with us to promote the Markets too. This includes posting at least one "sneak peek" photo on your social media accounts and sharing the event in whatever way you communicate with followers.

How do I pay my vending fee if accepted? After vendor notifications are emailed, all accepted vendors will be invoiced by Clover Market in the amount corresponding to the number of Markets you are confirmed for. Payments in full must be paid within 3 business days to confirm your participation.  We will begin filling any unpaid spaces from the waitlist after the payment deadline.

Accepted vendors will receive more detailed logistical information.

What are some of the awards the Market has received? The Clover Market has established itself as one of the region's most popular vintage and handmade shows with a commitment to featuring the highest quality vendors in a relaxed format that allows for meaningful connections to blossom and grow. We have a very loyal local customer following, a strong and ever-growing social media presence, and have been lucky enough to receive some lovely recognition including: 

How do I sign up to get future calls for vendors? It's easy - just put your email in the "mailing list" field at the bottom of this page! We send out frequent reminders to our email list and will also post often on our social media pages linked at the bottom of the page, too.

How can I reach you if I have a question not answered here? If you have a question that has not been answered above, feel free to reach out to us helloclovermarket@gmail.com and include "Seller Inquiry" in your subject line. We will get back to you as quickly as possible.

APPLY HERE NOW

 

Applications will be posted here when evailable.
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