East side swaps???

[Thorny]

I remember 5 or so years ago one of the Detroit area clubs had a swap,  if I remember right it was their first and last.

GVAC has a good one on the west side and it seems to be growing every year.

Just wondering if any of the powers that be have thought about reviving a swap on the east side?

Or maybe one in the middle?  An all clubs swap around Jackson right off 94 might not be a bad deal.

Just a random thought ..........

[Ron]

I'm not sure I've been to a "swap" before - how does it work? It's not a "pay for a table" type of event is it?

[JeffroM]

I'm not sure I've been to a "swap" before - how does it work? It's not a "pay for a table" type of event is it?

Typically a swap is a pay for a table event for sellers and buyers pay an entry fee - just like a gun show, pet expo, wine expo, etc.

It is my understanding that while the auctions in Chicago are ho hum, the swaps are HUGE.  i.e. 800+ buyers paying an entrance fee.  How to get that same response here in Michigan is the trick.  MCAS tried that swap 5 or so years ago.  As a seller there I have to say it was horrible as I sold almost nothing - I took like 50 bags of fish on a day trip.  A guy came down from TC with a ton of discus and didn't sell a thing either.

The only way to get one to grow is almost to just make it an informal free event for all and let it evolve.  But the issue with that is there are always costs and who is going to pay them?  Hall fee, advertising, etc.  Someones gotta pay...

[Thriftyfisher]

Swaps seem to take a lot of work to grow them.  For the GVAC Swap I start selling tables right after our fall auction.  But the harder part is growing the attendance from the public.  We are still working on a good way to advertise the event.  Craigslist works but it is limited.  It takes someone who is dedicated to run the event to get it established and to a  point where it is "self-sustaining".  I have only been to one GCCA Swap but it was really nice.  I will go again

Good news, we have changed the date of the GVAC Swap to January 12 so that we do not conflict with the MCA winter auction, which is normally the third weekend in January.

[mightieskeeper]

I like swap meets,  they have lots of neat things you never knew you needed.

[Ron]

Typically a swap is a pay for a table event for sellers and buyers pay an entry fee - just like a gun show, pet expo, wine expo, etc.
...  MCAS tried that swap 5 or so years ago.  As a seller there I have to say it was horrible as I sold almost nothing - I took like 50 bags of fish on a day trip.  A guy came down from TC with a ton of discus and didn't sell a thing either.

IIRC, I went to to that and left with mixed feelings.

I agree that an event needs to reach a critical mass where it's suddenly large enough to attract more attention on it's own rather than scrape and claw to get enough attendees on both sides of the table.