Vendor Policy and Agreement

Agreement to Attendee Policies

The vendor application serves as a functional agreement that the vendor has read, understands, and shall abide by the latest revision of the BronyExpo Attendee Policy.

https://bronyexpo.com/about/policies/attendee

General Vendor Policies

The vendor application serves as a functional agreement that the vendor has read, understands, and shall comply with all policies and agreements in the latest revision of this document. Vendors who violate any of BronyExpo’s stated rules may receive warnings, may be asked to remove content violating rules from display, or be asked to cease operations entirely. BronyExpo chairs have final authority on decisions in the vendor hall.

Minimum Age

The primary vendor and all helpers operating their store shall be minimum eighteen (18) years of age during the convention.

Transfer of Table

The vendor applying shall not transfer or otherwise allow another person to fully substitute their store during the convention. The original vendor applicant should be at least one of the vendor(s) operating a table. This policy does not apply for temporary operation (e.g. primary vendor is absent due to illness, panel attendance, or other events).

Table Sharing

Multiple vendors sharing a table is permitted (maximum of three vendors total per table) and vendors other than the primary vendor need to purchase helper badges.

Vendors should note that they intend to share a table in the vendor application. If the vendors choose to share their table with other vendor(s) after they have been acceptance, they are to notify the vendor team and make any updates to the website and/or Convention Book prior to deadlines specified in Application Timeline and Waitlist.

It is the responsibility of all vendors to understand the BronyExpo Vendor Policies and Agreements. If additional vendors are conducting sales through independents points of sale (e.g. each vendor at a table uses their own payment system), the additional vendors will need to have their own California Seller’s Permit and (if applicable) Tax ID.

Identification

Upon vendor badge check-in, vendors must present government-issued ID (e.g. state driver’s license, state ID card, passport) for identity verification. School ID, employee-issued ID, or other non-government-issued IDs will not be accepted.

Seller’s Permit & Tax ID

Upon vendor badge check-in, vendors must present their California Seller’s Permit, if not already filed with BronyExpo. Process details are outlined per California Seller's Permit and Tax ID section. Vendors will not be permitted to vend without a valid California Seller’s Permit.

Photography and Videography

Vendors and attendees in the vendor hall shall not take photographs or video without permission of all parties whose appearance and/or store content will be photo/video-graphed. Permission may be granted or rescinded at party discretion.

If repeated violations are observed, notify BronyExpo staff.

Wifi

Vendors should prioritize wifi for payment transactions and restrict usage to light Internet browsing. Vendors may be asked to not stream video (Youtube, Tiktok, etc.) or download content if bandwidth becomes a concern.

Allocated Space and Cost

Pricing

All prices are in USD and include tax.

Allocated Space

The assigned vendor space is approximately 7ft by 6ft. The allocated space will include one (1) table that is 6ft by 30in and chair(s) based on the number of helpers badges purchased.

Vendors may not have nearby access to outlets for power and should bring their own extension cords and/or power strips. Power should not be used for high-draw appliances (250W+) without prior approval from BronyExpo vendor staff to ensure no single circuit is overloaded.

Vendor Badges and Helper Badges

Vendor badges serve as convention badges and allow the same access to the rest of the convention as an attendee badge. Standard Day Hall/Night Market costs do not include any additional badges and helper badges must be purchased separately.

Accommodations

Vendors who may require accommodations for any disability, handicap, or any assistance should contact the vendor staff team via the Contact Information. Vendor hall staff will offer accommodations to the best of their ability, including placement at the end of a row, placement nearer to an exit, or increasing clearance for table layout. BronyExpo does not provide medical devices.

Application Timeline and Waitlist

Application Timelines

Dates are subject to change. Timelines may be delayed (e.g. Day Hall acceptance decisions may be delayed and be sent to vendors November 8th instead of November 1st) however deadlines will never be early (e.g. BronyExpo will not close Day Hall applications prior to October 25th).

Applications will be accepted, deferred (waitlist), or declined.

Timeline (list):

• Day Hall applications close at 11:59PM PT on October 31st, 2026.
• Acceptance decisions for Day Hall will be sent to vendors on November 7th, 2026.
• Night Market applications open on November 7th, 2026.
• Night market applications close at 11:59PM PT on November 30th, 2026.
• Acceptance decisions for Night Market will be sent to vendors on December 5th, 2026
• Payment for vendor space is due on December 19th, 2026.

Timeline (table):

*Applications submitted after their respective deadlines will be placed on the waitlist.

**Payment deadlines are flexible, we understand that the holiday season may be financially straining; please notify the vendor staff at least one (1) week prior to deadline if any extra time is needed. One week's notice allows time for request review and approval. Vendors who fail to notify BronyExpo of the need for extra time and fail to pay their invoice prior to the deadline will be placed on the waitlist.

Final edits for the convention book (conbook) shall be made no later than four (4) weeks prior to convention date, to allow conbook staff time to finalize graphics and printing lead times.

Waitlist

Vendors who are not selected may be deferred to the waitlist. Vendors may request to be withdrawn from the waitlist. The latest date that deferred waitlist applications will be accepted will be six (6) weeks prior to the convention, February 12th. Following acceptance from the waitlist, vendor payment is due March 12th.

Invoicing, Payment Dates, and Cancellations

Invoicing

After applications close and on the decision date specified in Application Timelines, vendors will be notified via email. Vendors will additionally receive their vendor packet afterwards.

Payments will be invoiced by BronyExpo through Stripe.

Payment Date

Payment is due by the payment date specified in Application Timelines. Overdue payment will result in the vendor being placed on the waitlist.

Cancellations

Vendors may withdraw their vendor space and request a refund. The deadline for a full refund request is one (1) month after the payment deadline. However, we understand that unforeseen circumstances can impact the ability to vend and so this policy is flexible. Vendors may additionally elect to roll-over their space to the next year’s convention, with convention chair approval. Request for roll-over must be made within one (1) month after the payment deadline, and rolled-over tables are not eligible for refunds.

Final refund decisions will be made by convention chairs.

Display Rules

Setup and Hotel Policies

Setup will open on March 25th, 2027. Vendors and their helpers will have an opportunity to set up their booth. No persons without a vendor badge may be allowed in the vendor hall during setup. Further information will be provided in a vendor packet shortly after application decisions are sent out to vendors.

The hotel (San Jose Marriott) includes parcel handling services which is an added cost of $10/box.

For safety and to abide by state law, vendors shall not have fire (lit candles, incense), smoke, or use e-cigarettes (vape) in the vendor hall.

Taping, glue-sticking, pinning, or otherwise affixing display items to convention floors, walls, or ceilings is not permitted. Vendors should take care not to permanently damage, stain, or otherwise change the convention space’s floors, walls, or ceilings. Permanent damage to hotel property may result in a permanent ban from vending at future BronyExpo conventions.

ADA Accessibility

Display setup should be mindful of American with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines to be accommodating for attendees. Make sure display items do not extend into aisleways and no items on the floor detrimentally affect attendee mobility. There is no requirement for the vendor space (behind the table), however there shall be no clutter that may delay evacuation in case of emergency.

Display Guidelines

Vendors may bring their own table(s). Vendors may reposition, omit, or substitute table(s) so long as everything fits in the allocated space and does not detrimentally affect ADA Accessibility. Vendors may combine table spaces with their neighbor, if both parties agree.

Disruptive Displays

Vendors shall set up their displays mindful of their neighbors. Displays shall not encroach past their allocated space unless with explicit permission from their neighbor and notification to vendor hall staff. Displays shall not have laser projectors, strobes, or high-intensity spotlights (small lamps for illumination of items are permitted). Displays shall not have loud music or audio (50+ dB) that disrupts normal conversation. Displays shall not spray overly strong fragrances that may trigger allergies (unlit candles, soaps, or otherwise contained fragrant items are permitted).

Banned Content

The following topics are not permitted and shall not be displayed or sold at BronyExpo.

The list is not exhaustive and BronyExpo staff may request that content be partially censored, only displayed during Night Market (if vendor is an approved Night Market vendor), or removed.

AI-Generated Content

AI-generated content in any form shall not be displayed or sold at BronyExpo.

Hateful Content

Content that promotes or depicts racism, sexism, transphobia, or otherwise hateful material shall not be displayed or sold at BronyExpo.

Illegal Goods or Services

Content sold shall not violate local, state, or federal law. It is the vendor's responsibility to understand all laws and regulations.

The following are examples of illegal goods or services:

• Raffles (free drawings that do not require purchase are permitted)
• Food or drink

Plagiarized or Unauthorized Content

Store items shall be made by the vendor or otherwise approved for sale. Artwork or creations that are traced, directly copied, or otherwise used without authorization shall not be sold.

Non-Age Appropriate Material

Material depicting mature (18+ NSFW) content shall not be displayed or sold in the Day Hall and may only be displayed or sold in the Night Market by approved vendors. Day Hall items for sale should be family-friendly and PG-13.

Vendors approved for the Night Market will receive an additional BronyExpo Night Market Vendor Policies and Agreements document which will serve as supplementary policies to the BronyExpo Vendor Policies and Agreement. Night Market applicants will be expected to adhere to both policies.

California Seller’s Permit and Tax ID

The vendor is responsible for abiding by California tax law and obtaining a Seller’s Permit prior to the convention. California tax law is regulated by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA).

Effective Tax Rate

The effective sales tax rate in San Jose, California is 10.00% as of 08/11/26. Verify the latest tax rate on the CDTFA website: https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/rates.aspx.

Further information and guide on sales taxation will be provided to approved and waitlisted applicants in the vendor packet.

Seller’s Permit

Vendors shall have a valid California Seller’s Permit and BronyExpo will verify status (online portal verifying Seller’s Permit ID will be accepted, vendors do not need to have paper copy). Temporary Seller’s Permits are allowed, if vendors qualify. More information about the Seller’s Permit can be found on CDTFA’s website: https://cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/faqseller.htm

Further information and guide on the California Seller’s Permit will be provided to approved and waitlisted applicants in the vendor packet.

Vendor Hall Staff and Contact Information

The vendor hall staff wish to best serve the vendors in attendance. We wish for every vendor to have a successful weekend at BronyExpo and for vendors to want to come back the following year. For any vendor related questions, comments, or concerns, please email vendors@bronyexpo.com or reach out on social media. For general BronyExpo questions, please email info@bronyexpo.com.

Revision History

Policies are subject to change at any time. The most recent and accurate policies will be displayed on this webpage, and may not necessarily align with the published contents of our Convention Book due to restrictions around printing timeframes.

We appreciate everyone's cooperation in abiding by our event's policies.