Open Call

Occasionette Open Call applications are closed for 2021.

Thanks so much for your interest! Please join the mailing list below for updates - we’ll post information here as we have news.

What is Occasionette Open Call?

At Occasionette, we've always filled the shops with goods that we believe make great gifts. We receive so many amazing artist submissions for new products for the shops every day.

In the summer of 2019, we established Occasionette Open Call, a streamlined way for artists and small businesses to submit their product lines for consideration in our shops.

In 2020, we pledged to allocate at least 50% of our buying budget for Occasionette Open Call to BIPOC owned businesses. This year we will again allocate at least 50% of our Open Call budget to BIPOC businesses, and we’re also very excited to introduce a new aspect of Occasionette Open Call - the Mentor Program.

Open Call Mentor Program

In 2020, we pledged to allocate at least 50% of our buying budget for Occasionette Open Call to BIPOC owned businesses. This year we will again allocate at least 50% of our Open Call budget to BIPOC businesses, and we’re also very excited to introduce a new aspect of Occasionette Open Call - the Mentor Program. 
The Occasionette Open Call Mentor Program is a chance for two Open Call applicants to receive free wholesale consulting from Occasionette owner & creative director, Sara Villari. Before opening the first Occasionette shop in 2013, Sara ran her own wholesale line of illustrated tea towels and gifts, selling to over 500 independent shops, as well as a handful of national retailers. This experience, coupled with years of buying for the Occasionette shops, gives her a unique perspective on what produces success for a wholesale line. 
The Mentor Program includes: 
  • monthly 45 minute consultation calls with Sara for six months
  • wholesale linesheet and catalog review
  • product and pricing evaluation 
  • features on @occasionette social media and email blasts highlighting your brand 

We love that the Occasionette Open Call process supports independent artists and producers by providing an easy and free way for them to present their lines to our buying team, while bringing fresh and fun new goods to our customers in the shops. 

FAQs

Who can apply? 

Any artist or small business that produces giftable items they feel would be a good fit in our shops is welcome to apply! The owner or a representative from the business must apply - you can not apply on behalf of your favorite artist or brand (though we love when customers encourage their favorite artists to apply!)

How does the process work? 

The Occasionette Open Call application will be open July 8 - 26, 2021. We review applications and determine which product lines are the best fit for our shops, and we send purchase orders to the artists via email. The application process includes submitting all the information we need to make our buying decision, such as product information, wholesale pricing and minimums. This information is typically found on a linesheet or wholesale catalog, which we encourage makers to also submit with their application. 

What is a wholesale line sheet  or catalog?

A wholesale line sheet or catalog gives us all the information we need to know to order goods for the shops, such as the minimum number of each item required for a wholesale order, wholesale pricing (this is not a discount on retail prices! Wholesale pricing should be what sets your prices, and retail pricing is a markup on this cost!). A line sheet can be as easy as a simple spreadsheet or a clearly organized chart or list of products with quantities and pricing. A wholesale catalog also includes product photos, which are very helpful. 

What types of items are a good fit for Occasionette Open Call?

We love discovering new items for the shops! Anything that makes a great gift is generally most likely what we’ll place orders for. We’re actively looking for: jewelry, stationery (think notepads and journals! More than just cards!), candles, skin care item (we especially love colorful, well designed packaging!), wall art, decorative objects, stocking stuffer items, small batch food items (with a shelf life of at least 3 months), and kitchen items. 

How will I know if my products have been chosen? 

We will contact the artists and businesses we are placing orders with via email by Aug 6, 2021 to place an order. Unfortunately we’re not able to contact each artist individually, so if you do not receive a response by Aug 6, we have decided to go another direction with our buying. 

What is the Occasionette Open Call Mentor Program?

Before opening the shops, owner Sara Villari had a line of tea towels that she sold wholesale to more than 500 gift shops and several national retailers. Now that she’s on the other side of the table as a buyer, she is excited to help two Open Call applicants level up their wholesale business through a 6 month long mentor relationship.

The Mentor Program includes: 

  • monthly 45 minute consultation calls with Sara for six months
  • wholesale linesheet and catalog review
  • product and pricing evaluation 
  • features on @occasionette social media and email blasts highlighting your brand 

To be considered for the Mentor Program, simply check the “yes, please consider my application for the Mentor Program” as part of the Open Call application. 

 

Artwork by Ethan Carroll.