We don’t love writing posts like this—but it’s necessary.
Over the years, we’ve made the decision not to invite certain vendors back to our markets. It’s never personal, and it’s rarely about the product itself. This is a small world, and market organizers talk. We regularly get calls from other organizers asking, “Would you recommend this vendor?”
I’m careful with what I share. Most of the time it’s simply a thumbs up or a thumbs down. But behind that simple answer is a very clear list of reasons I use when deciding whether a vendor is a good fit for future events.
If you’re wondering how vendors get crossed off the invite list, here’s the reality.
1. Lack of Professionalism
Professionalism is non-negotiable. This includes communication, behavior during the event, and how you treat customers, fellow vendors, and staff.
If a vendor is rude, dismissive, or difficult to work with, that’s a red flag. Markets are collaborative environments. If you make the space uncomfortable, you won’t be asked back.
2. Not Showing Up on Time
Showing up on time is professionalism.
When vendors arrive late, it creates unnecessary stress for the organizer and disrupts the flow of setup for everyone else. I don’t care how great your photos are. I don’t care how amazing your product is. If you consistently can’t show up on time, that tells me everything I need to know.
If you’re causing extra stress for the person running the market, you’re making yourself an easy “no” for future invitations.
3. Being a Bad Neighbor
This one is a big deal.
We’ve had vendors walk over to neighboring booths, interrupt them while they were actively with a customer, and try to lure that customer away to their own booth. That behavior is completely unacceptable.
Markets work when vendors support each other. Poaching customers from your neighbors is one of the fastest ways to make sure you don’t come back.
4. Multiple Customer or Vendor Complaints
One complaint may be a misunderstanding. Multiple complaints are a pattern.
If we repeatedly hear that a vendor was rude, pushy, disrespectful, or unprofessional, we listen. Customer experience matters, and so does the experience of other vendors.
5. Refusing Promotion—Then Undermining It
We actively promote our vendors so customers know who’s coming. That visibility benefits you.
If you don’t want us to use your photos or promote your business, that’s your choice—but understand that promotion is part of the partnership.
We even had a vendor report our social media post promoting their own work as counterfeit and spam because they didn’t like that when they did a Google search for their business, Made in Iowa showed up first.
That’s not how partnerships work.
6. Ignoring Terms & Agreements
Our terms and agreements exist to protect everyone—vendors, customers, organizers, and the venue.
If a customer needs to pick up an order during the market, the vendor is expected to leave their booth and walk to the front door to meet that customer and wait for them there.
Alternatively, vendors may make arrangements to meet the customer before the show, after the show, or off-site.
What is not acceptable:
- Sneaking a customer into the market without paying admission
- Pretending the customer is staff or “helping”
- Allowing a customer in so they can shop your booth without paying
- Leaving your booth, food, or merchandise unattended
- Leaving items at the info counter or expecting staff to manage your pickup
If a vendor cannot leave their booth to meet a customer at the door, they must be honest with the customer in advance and explain that:
- They cannot leave their booth
- The customer will need to pay admission to enter the market
Do not ask organizers or staff to bend rules so you can “advance your business.”
This market is our business—just like your booth is yours. We don’t ask you to give your products away for free, so do not ask us to give our services, space, or staffing away for free either.
7. Complaining About Things We Cannot Control
There are some things no market organizer can control:
- The weather
- Customer turnout
- Traffic
- The economy
- Other events happening the same day
Complaining about these things—especially during or after the event—does nothing but damage relationships.
Markets are a risk for everyone involved. If slow traffic or bad weather automatically leads to frustration or blame, markets may not be the right fit for you.
8. Badmouthing Vendors, Organizers, or the Venue
Badmouthing neighboring vendors, market organizers, or the venue—especially on social media—is a fast way to guarantee you won’t be invited back.
It’s a very small world. Vendors talk. Organizers talk. Screenshots get taken. Posts get shared. Another vendor will call it out.
If you have a legitimate concern, bring it directly to the organizer. Public complaints and social media rants don’t make you look honest—they make you look unprofessional.
The Bottom Line
Getting invited back has very little to do with how pretty your booth looks or how trendy your product is.
It comes down to:
- Are you professional?
- Are you on time?
- Are you respectful to customers and fellow vendors?
- Do you follow the terms you agreed to?
- Do you make the event better—or harder—to run?
We love promoting vendors who show up prepared, play well with others, and understand that markets are a shared space. Those are the vendors we’re excited to invite back—and recommend to other organizers.
If you can do that, you’ll never have to wonder where you stand.
