I Applied to Be In Makers, Now What?
First off, thank you for applying to be a vendor at Makers!
We know how much time and effort goes into creating your amazing products, and we appreciate your interest in joining our community of artisans. If you're wondering what happens next, we've got you covered!
It’s Us, Not You!
If you haven’t received an approval yet, don’t panic—it’s not necessarily about your product! We do not process our waitlist in chronological order. Depending on the factors below, sometimes acceptance into our stores can be quick (1-4 weeks) or a bit longer (a few months):
Niche Fit: We carefully curate our selection to ensure a balanced mix of products. If we already have several vendors in your category, we may not have space right now.
Time of Year: There are certain times of year where we have higher capacities than others, resulting in longer wait times.
✨Hot tip the best time to apply is at the end of January, as our holiday move-out black-out period ends Feb 1st, so we often have a higher volume of available space. The most challenging time to apply would be right before the Holiday season, in November or December. Looking to be in our stores for the Holiday rush? It’s best to apply in Sept/early October.
Store Capacity: Each Makers location has a limited amount of shelf space. If the store you applied to is currently full, we might not be able to accept new vendors immediately.
Keep Your Options Open
One of the best ways to increase your chances of getting in is by selecting as many options as you’re (pinky-swear, legitimately) open to when you apply:
Shelf Sizes: If you're open to different shelf sizes, it gives us more flexibility to find a spot for your products.
Locations: If you’re willing to sell in multiple Makers locations (or even in different provinces), it increases your chances of getting into at least one store.
Future Opportunities: Even if a spot isn’t available right now, selecting all the options you’re open to ensures we can reach out when something opens up!
Re-application: Feel free to re-apply 1x per month to let us know that you’re still interested in joining us.
Reach Out and Say Hi!
We love hearing from potential vendors! If you think you’d be a great fit for Makers, don’t hesitate to reach out to the management teams at the stores you applied to by using the contact info here. Particularly if;
You have a unique niche product that you believe would perform really well at Makers.
If there is extra information you didn’t get to share in your application.
If you have a compelling reason why your product belongs in our stores.
Pending store manager approval, you have interest in trying a pop-up in our stores to test the market first.
🛑Please keep in mind that it is not advised to reach out to store managers solely to check in on wait times! Our applications are not processed chronologically, so managers are not able to provide you with a specific date as to when they may be able to accept your application.
If you’re providing, or looking for, specific info, connecting with store teams helps us get to know you and your products better, and it keeps you top of mind when new opportunities arise.
Final Thoughts
Applying to Makers is just the first step! Even if you don’t hear back immediately, stay engaged, keep your options open, and reach out if you have more to share. We love supporting small businesses and can’t wait to see what you bring to the table!