Conventions: Members Versus Customers

[kevin_standlee]

The post-Eastercon discussions going on in eastercon and elsewhere include the question of those people who attend conventions viewing themselves solely as "paying customers." I suggested we may need to start printing a fine-print contract on membership materials, the way sporting events and concerts do on their tickets, such as:

THIS IS NOT A TICKET. You are a member of this convention. This event is being organized entirely by volunteers who are working without compensation and who had to pay for their own memberships and travel expenses. While the organizers will make a reasonable effort to present this event in the way it is described in its written materials, they cannot guarantee that all things will happen as planned. By purchasing this membership you explicitly acknowledge that all functions are subject to change or cancellation with or without notice for any reason whatsoever.

This is only a rough first effort, but I think you get the idea. It is a little sad that I can say that I'm quite serious that we may really need to do this or face threats of litigation for "false advertising" and "breech of contract" with attendees.

Comments

[gigica.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with both of you. The large 'n regular fan-run cons (like WorldCon and EasterCon) should push such a notice to the front of the literature, especially the membership receipt.

What I find truly astonishing are the number of fans NOT attending their first WorldCon who complain about schedule changes. I suppose it's an easy way to spot the folks who haven't ever volunteered...

[debgeisler.livejournal.com]

What I find truly astonishing are the number of fans NOT attending their first WorldCon who complain about schedule changes. I suppose it's an easy way to spot the folks who haven't ever volunteered...

I don't know that it's even a volunteering thing. I've worked at a lot of conventions, and even run program...so scheduling isn't mysterious or anything.

But you should have been a mouse in my handbag last week at NEMICE (New England Meetings Industry Convention & Exposition) when the one panel I'd really wanted to see (on catastrophe management) was cancelled...an hour before it started. That's always the big problem with one-person panels, of course...when there's a catastrophe, you can't easily manage it. *snicker*