Annual vendor membership is $360. Through your membership, you become a trusted business source for nonprofit retail professionals across the globe while MSA promotes you to this distinct community. If you are a sales representative or have more than one individual interested in MSA vendor membership at your company, we also offer a separate price for additional vendor members/sales representatives, $180/additional person. The MSA vendor application requires two references.
What qualifies as a letter of reference?
Vendor Application Checklist
► Two References
► Merchandise Catalog
► Wholesale Pricelist
► List of Museums you work with
► Vendor Question: Describe how your products and business practices would appeal to MSA’s cultural institution members and explain what you would do to support our members and their product needs. Include any innovations in your product line that might influence your success as an MSA vendor.
*Please note that the online application times out in 45 minutes and will not save your data.
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The applicant’s references must come from nonprofit cultural retail stores who are current or recent customers (within the last 36 months) that have purchased products from the company for sale in their nonprofit cultural retail store(s). Such references need only confirm that the institution has purchased products from the applicant for sale in their nonprofit cultural retail stores and that the institution recommends the vendor for membership in MSA; no additional sales data or testimonials are required. References can be in the following form:
- A letter written on institution letterhead and signed by the buyer contact.
- An email sent directly from the institution to MSA headquarters staff confirming purchase of the applicant’s product.
- Alternatively, applicants can provide MSA headquarters staff with the details of the references (institution name, buyer name, and buyer phone and/or email) and staff will contact the buyer to confirm the reference. Please email info@museumstoreassociation.org to provide reference contact information.
What if applicants are unable to provide such references?
In the absence of references, applicants may be approved for membership if their product line(s) are determined by the MSA Membership Committee* to be relevant for the nonprofit retail environment.
*The Membership Committee consists of institution and vendors; vendors on the committee will have an opportunity to provide input but will not have a formal vote.