Packing For A Con Weekend Without Overpacking Product

You packed 200 prints and sold 40. Now you're hauling 160 prints back through the airport feeling like a pack mule. Sound familiar? Overpacking product is the silent tax on every convention vendor's energy. Let's fix it.

Start With Last Show's Numbers

If you've done even one show, you have data. How many of each item did you sell? Bring that number plus 30%. That's it. Not "as many as I can fit." Not "what if this is my BEST show ever." Your actual number plus a buffer.

First-timers without data: ask other vendors in your niche. Artist alley communities share this info freely. A typical small table at a mid-size con moves 30-60 prints over a weekend.

Match Product Volume To Booth Size

Your modular display kit shows a fixed number of faces. A Core (24 panels) built five high gives you a clean display wall. You only need stock for what's ON the wall plus restocking backup.

Here's the maths most vendors skip: count your display slots. Multiply by 1.5 for restock. That's your maximum. Anything beyond that sits in a box under your table gathering dust.

The "One Box" Rule

Experienced vendors swear by this: if your restock doesn't fit in one box or bag under the table, you brought too much. That box is your restocking station. When a print sells, you reach down, grab the replacement, pin it up. No digging through three containers.

What To Cut First

Old designs that haven't moved in three shows. Niche pieces you love but the market doesn't. Sizes that overlap (if A4 outsells A3, bring fewer A3s). Cut RUTHLESSLY. You're not curating a gallery. You're running a business at a folding table.

Check the full kit range to size your display to your actual inventory needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I sell out early?
That's a win, not a failure. Selling out with low overhead beats lugging home a mountain of unsold stock. Take commissions or hand out business cards for online orders.

Should I bring different stock for different cons?
Yes. An anime con and a craft fair have different audiences. Curate for the crowd, don't dump your entire catalogue.