How to Write a Craft Show Vendor Application Form

Your vendor application is the first contract between you and your vendors. A well-designed application reduces disputes, speeds up vetting, and sets professional expectations before anyone pays a cent.

Required Fields

Contact and Business Information

• Full legal name
• Business name (if different)
• Email address (this is your primary communication channel)
• Phone number
• City and state (useful for geography — local vendors tend to draw local shoppers)
• Website or social media link (optional but useful for quality vetting)

Product Information

• Product categories (use a checklist: jewelry, home decor, food/specialty, art prints, clothing/accessories, candles/soap, ceramics/pottery, other — describe)
• Brief product description (150 words or fewer — "I make hand-stamped copper and sterling silver jewelry. All pieces are made in my home studio.")
• Are all items handmade by you? (Yes / No / Mostly)
• Do you sell any direct-sales or MLM products? (Yes / No)

Booth Requirements

• Booth size needed (10×10 / 10×20 / other)
• Do you require electricity? (Yes / No — if yes, for what purpose?)
• Do you require a corner placement? (note: most shows cannot guarantee this)
• Will you bring your own table and chairs, or do you need rentals?

Product Photos

• Require a minimum of three product photos. This is your most important vetting tool. Photo quality also tells you something about how the vendor presents themselves online.
• Optionally require a photo of their booth setup at a previous show.

Terms to Include

State these explicitly in the application — not buried in fine print, but clearly before the payment step:

• Non-refundable deposit / full booth fee policy: "Payment of your booth fee constitutes acceptance of these terms. Booth fees are non-refundable after [date]."
• Category policy: "Organizer reserves the right to limit the number of vendors in any given category."
• Handmade requirement: "All items must be handmade by the applying vendor. Resale of mass-produced goods is not permitted."
• Direct sales policy: "Direct sales / MLM products are [permitted / not permitted] at this event."
• Setup and teardown windows: state them specifically.
• Cancellation by organizer: "In the event of cancellation due to severe weather or circumstances beyond the organizer's control, booth fees will be [refunded / credited toward a future show]."
• Sales tax responsibility: "Each vendor is responsible for collecting and remitting applicable sales tax."

Payment Workflow

Recommended process:

1. Vendor submits application
2. Organizer reviews and sends acceptance email with a payment link
3. Vendor pays within 14 days (or spot is released to the waitlist)
4. Organizer sends confirmation with booth assignment (or confirms assignment closer to the event)

For payment processing, Square, Stripe, and PayPal all work. Avoid collecting cash during the application process — it creates an accounting headache.

Sample Acceptance Email

"Congratulations! Your application has been accepted for [Show Name] on [Date] at [Venue]. Your booth fee of $[X] is due by [Date] to hold your spot. Pay here: [link]. If we do not receive payment by [Date], your spot will be released to a waitlist applicant. Please confirm your booth size and electricity needs when you pay. We look forward to having you!"

Keep it warm, specific, and action-oriented.