Define the concept
Choose the customer, seller mix, products, and operating model.
Starting a vendor market
Put the operating foundation in place before opening day.
Plan the sellers, spaces, public presence, checkout rules, commissions, events, and reporting together—before spreadsheets and manual habits become difficult to replace.
A practical launch path
Start organized. Stay organized as you grow.
These decisions can happen in the order that fits your business. SolentX keeps the records connected as the plan develops.
Plan spaces and rules
Map booths, shelves, cases, tables, rooms, rent, fees, and commissions.
Build vendor interest
Publish information, collect inquiries, accept applications, and organize a waitlist.
Approve and prepare sellers
Set expectations, connect vendors to spaces, and collect public details.
Publish the public website
Introduce the business, vendors, map, products, newsletter, and opening plans.
Prepare checkout
Choose product identification, tax, payment, receipt, commission, and payout workflows.
Open with connected reporting
Keep sales, vendor attribution, commissions, receipts, and review connected.
Add experiences as you grow
Use selling events, classes, workshops, and demonstrations to create new reasons to visit.
Vendor Guide
Create your Vendor Guide before opening.
Decide how products are entered, who maintains vendor spaces, how discounts work, when payouts occur, and which portal, public-profile, website, event, and managed-service options you will offer. Publish the guide before vendors begin operating and optionally track acknowledgment by version.
Build interest and recruit vendors
Create a public presence that supports the whole market.
Your public market website and vendor program should work together. Publish the market story, collect interest, introduce approved vendors, and clearly explain which opportunities and services you offer.
Public presence
Build interest before opening day.
Use the included SolentX-hosted market address to introduce the business and begin building an audience. Public content and features remain under the market owner’s control.
- Market branding, location, hours, and contact information
- Vendor applications, booth inquiries, and newsletter signup
- Approved-vendor directory and included vendor profiles
- Optional public products, market map, and vendor visibility
- Events, classes, workshops, and opening announcements
Vendor recruitment
Offer a connected vendor experience.
Show prospective vendors how they can operate, communicate, participate, and get discovered through your market—not just rent a space.
- Secure vendor portal with owner-permitted operational tools and sales visibility
- Included profile within the market website
- Owner-controlled public products and event participation
- Optional SolentX-hosted Vendor Website when enabled for the market by SolentX Admin
- Optional Vendor Complete Care managed by the owner for a premium vendor fee
Two different add-ons, with clear control and billing.SolentX Admin controls dedicated Vendor Website availability and pricing; SolentX hosts, bills, and collects that subscription. Vendor Complete Care is provided, priced, and collected by the market owner.
Vendor expectations
Set vendor expectations before opening.
A connected process works best when owners explain what is optional, what is required, and who maintains each record.
Products, spaces, and service
Decide whether vendors enter products or staff enter vendor merchandise at checkout. Catalog entry is optional; owner-entered vendor items can use the standard commission plus your configured additional manual-entry commission. You can also offer Vendor Complete Care for a premium fee. Define inventory, tags, spaces, and responsibilities clearly.
Public participation
Decide which profile information vendors provide, whether products appear publicly, and how sellers participate in events, classes, workshops, and newsletters.
Sales and payouts
Explain checkout attribution, commission rules, sales visibility, statement review, payout timing, and which portal responsibilities belong to the vendor.
Hardware flexibility
Hardware Compatibility Start with what your market needs today.
SolentX does not require a proprietary checkout terminal or mandatory hardware package. Use compatible equipment you already own, keep your current external payment terminal, and add equipment as your market grows.
Use What You Have
Start with a compatible computer, reliable internet connection, and your existing external payment terminal.
Recommended Checkout
Add a compatible barcode scanner and receipt printer when they improve your daily workflow. Local device features require SolentX Local.
Expand as Needed
Add backup devices, label printing, seasonal registers, or additional authorized checkout stations as the market grows.
Plan the workflow before buying equipment.
Begin with compatible devices and your preferred external payment terminal. SolentX records vendor-aware sales, payment methods, commissions, receipts, and reports, but it does not process, collect, hold, transfer, or settle customer card payments. Card and digital payments are completed through the owner’s chosen third-party payment provider.