OFFKAI EXPO

Last Update: January 6, 2024

1. Vendor Rules.

   1. OffKai Expo has established the following rules to ensure the safety of everyone involved, and ensure the continuation of OffKai Expo in the future. “Vendor” refers to any individual accepted to sell merchandise or services at OffKai Expo, as well as their assistants and helpers.

   2. OffKai Expo reserves the right to make changes to these rules at any time for any reason.

2. Vendor Rules/Guidelines.

   1. Vendor Eligibility. Per seller’s permit requirements for the California State Board of Equalization, Vendors registering for OffKai Expo must be at least eighteen (18) years of age at the time of the event. No exceptions will be made.

   2. Seller’s Permits. Vendors are required to have a valid and current California State seller’s permit that covers the date of the event (“Seller’s Permit”). You will be required to provide your Seller’s Permit for our verification prior to selling merchandise, commissions, and/or other services at OffKai Expo. It is the responsibility of each Vendor to obtain a Seller’s Permit; OffKai Expo cannot do this for you.

   3. If you are unable to present a valid Seller’s Permit at or before checking in as a Vendor, you will not be allowed to sell. Your costs will not be refunded.

   4. Seller’s Permits may be obtained from the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Click “Register for a Permit” to get started.

      1. We have prepared a brief OffKai Seller’s Permit Walkthrough to assist. However, please be aware that the website changes periodically and some screens may no longer be the same. If you have difficulty with this process, we recommend calling the CDTFA first, as they are usually able to get things straightened out quickly. If you continue to have difficulty, please email us.

      2. Permit specifics:

         1. The Event Name is: OffKai Expo. The Organizer/Promoter of the event is: OffKai. The Phone Number is [805-236-9583]. It is very important that you use the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport address for the location of the event, as this is where your business is conducted.

         2. DO NOT use OffKai Expo’s email address. Please use your own email address for your permit to ensure you receive all necessary communications.

3. Legal Responsibility. OffKai Expo requires that attendees, staff, volunteers, and Vendors observe and adhere to all state and federal law; including those for raffles and prizes.

4. Merchandise/Material Awareness. All goods and services sold at OffKai Expo must comply with state and federal law, as well as the express policies of OffKai Expo.

   1. Mature/Adult Materials:

      1. Points 2 to 4 do not apply in a potential dedicated 18+ only Night Market area where access to the space is restricted to minors by OffKai Expo staff.

      2. Any material containing extremely violent and/or sexually explicit nature depictions must not be accessible to minors, including literature. But you are allowed to sell NSFW art as long as it follows all applicable state and federal law. For example it would be okay to have a NSFW art folder that you only let people access whose IDs you checked.

      3. Vendors are required to monitor their adult/mature materials to ensure minors are not viewing them.

      4. Vendor Room volunteers will alert you if they feel your displays are insufficient with regard to these rules and suggest how you can resolve the concern. Failure to comply with the requests may result in the Vendor being asked to leave.

   2. Promotional Stickers:

      1. Due to hotel policies, free stickers are not allowed to be handed out. Any merchandise with adhesive properties should be of substantial value and not meant as a promotional item. For example, “Peeker-Style” Vinyl Decals and the like are permitted to be sold.

   3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Generated Art:

      1. OffKai Expo does not allow AI-generated art nor artwork derived in whole or in part from AI technology in our Vendor Hall.

      2. If Vendors are found selling AI generated artwork, they will receive a warning and be asked to remove the items from the premises. Failure to comply with the request may result in the Vendor being asked to leave.

   4. Copyrighted/Pirated Materials:

      1. Pirated/bootleg materials including but not limited to art, stories, merchandise, software, and audio/video recordings are not permitted.

      2. OffKai Expo branded items should not be sold by vendors without explicit permission.

   5. Food and Drinks:

      1. Food or beverages are not permitted to be sold without explicit permission from OffKai Expo.

   6. Weapons and Dangerous Items:

      1. Weaponry and potentially dangerous items are not allowed to be sold at OffKai Expo.

      2. Firearms, whether real, demilitarized, or replica, are not permitted for sale at OffKai Expo.

5. Professionalism and Behavior.

   1. All Vendors and their assistants maintain a reasonable level of professionalism while doing business at OffKai Expo.

   2. All Vendors and their assistants are expected to follow the general code of conduct required of all OffKai Expo attendees.

   3. All displays should be considerate of their neighbors. Loud music or overly distracting displays are not permitted.

   4. Only individuals with valid Vendor badges may be seated at a Vendor table or booth, unless prior approval has been received from the Vendor Lead. Vendor badges must be worn at all times when at their booths.

   5. Only properly-badged Vendors will be permitted early and late access to the vendor areas for setup and tear-down.

6. Disputes.

   1. Neither OffKai Expo nor its staff or volunteers will become involved in financial disputes between attendees and Vendors.

7. Table Guidelines.

   1. The event reserves the right to refuse service to anyone including Vendors, staff, and attendees.

   2. Vendors may seek a refund in accordance with OffKai Expo’s Refund Policy. Vendor memberships or tables cannot be rolled over to the following year.

   3. Livestreaming in Vendor Hall:

      1. Vendors should be aware that there is a distinct possibility that some of our VTuber Guests and attendees might livestream their experiences at the convention. We often have VTubers visiting the Vendor Hall either on tablets or telepresence robots, so there is a chance you might appear in a livestream. However:

      2. OffKai Expo will make sure all official OffKai Expo Guests that are roaming while livestreaming will be visibly marked as currently live.

      3. OffKai Expo will provide clear signage to Vendors that indicate they do not wish to be livestreamed and you are free to display that at your table or booth. We will also have prominent signage all throughout the con asking attendees and Guests alike to be mindful of people that do not want to be part of someone’s content and to respect others privacy and ask for permission. The Vendor team will be available if there are any issues.

      4. Despite these efforts Vendors shall be aware that they might appear in the background of livestreams or b-roll footage, which is part of the OffKai Expo Convention Code of Conduct.

   4. Reselling and sharing tables:

      1. Vendors may not resell their tables.

      2. Vendors may share their tables pending the approval of the Vendor Lead.

      3. Unapproved table shares may result in the Vendor and their unauthorized sharer being asked to leave for the remainder of the event.

   5. General guidelines:

      1. Obtrusive or distracting displays are not allowed, at the discretion of the Vendor Lead. Annoyances may include excessive/flashing lights or loud music/sound from laptop speakers or other display/audio devices.

      2. Only talent directly associated with the individual/organization that applied for the Vendor table or booth are allowed to provide meet and greet experiences in the Vendor Hall.

      3. Vendor spaces can become crowded. OffKai Expo requests Vendors help to keep the event safe and all aisles clear.

      4. Vendors must be at tables when selling merchandise or working on commissions. Sitting in the aisles between table rows is not permitted.

      5. Merchandise and displays may not extend past the front edge of Vendor space and must not present trip or snag hazards.

      6. Use provided waste receptacles for any garbage. Report any spills or similar issues to the Vendor Lead as soon as possible. Vendors may be responsible for additional cleaning costs for any large stains on the carpet at/near their tables after the event.

8. No-Show, Refund Policy, and Waiting List.

   1. Refund Requests:

      1. Vendors may request a full refund of table space until [5/16/23] by emailing vendors@offkaiexpo.com.

      2. Refund requests made less than thirty (30) days before OffKai Expo will require approval of the Vendor Lead and/or Business Director on a case by case basis. Such refunds, if granted, may take up to sixty (60) days to process.

      3. A vendor should contact the Vendor Lead if they are going to be late for any reason. A Vendor will be considered a “no-show” if their table is unclaimed four (4) hours after the vendor spaces opens to the public on the first day of the event if there is no contact from the vendor to the Vendor Lead. The disposition of the table will be handled at the discretion of the Vendor Lead.

For questions, comments, or clarification to these rules and guidelines, please email vendor@offkaiexpo.com