disappointing day vending at a craft fair
06-02-2012, 06:33 PM
#71
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Frederick, OK
Posts: 2,031
You might want to check around and see if there’s a Farmer’s Market anywhere close, especially one that is in its first few years of getting established. They will sometimes include crafters one day per month to help boost the crowd for the marketers.
We have one in a larger town a few miles from us, and we’ve been vendors the first weekends of May and June, and plan to participate in July and August (they only include crafts the first weekend of each month). Our sales haven’t been fantastic, but considering the $5 booth space, and that it’s in a parking lot where we can literally sell out of the back of our vehicle (no toting all of our products and equipment into a building), and it runs for only 4 hours (7am to 11am), the sales that we do make doesn’t all go to space rent.
You can consider it very inexpensive advertising at the least (plus, you get first pick of all of the fresh produce from the other vendors). We always bring a cooler-full of produce home with us. Even if shoppers walk past you to get to the duck eggs or the cauliflower, they might notice you and your craft items. We’ve already had two customers that saw us in May and came back with money in June to buy a gift item. They didn’t expect to see us in May, so didn’t bring any extra cash or their credit card for gifts (most farm marketers only take cash, although several crafters take cards too). We’ve got a customer that intends to bring some kind of apparatus next month to see if we can fabricate a cover for it. She doesn’t sew at all, and can’t find anyone near her that does (she’s legally blind, loves to cook, but doesn’t sew). We’re a sewing shop, so maybe we can fill her needs.
Getting exposure of your craft is important. Craft Shows tend to be attended mostly by crafters, whereas, Farmer’s Markets tend to be attended by a wider variety of people, and in a shorter time span.
CD in Oklahoma
Edited to add: Most Farm Markets will also limit craft sales to only locally made craft items too, so you don't have to compete with the imported products.
We have one in a larger town a few miles from us, and we’ve been vendors the first weekends of May and June, and plan to participate in July and August (they only include crafts the first weekend of each month). Our sales haven’t been fantastic, but considering the $5 booth space, and that it’s in a parking lot where we can literally sell out of the back of our vehicle (no toting all of our products and equipment into a building), and it runs for only 4 hours (7am to 11am), the sales that we do make doesn’t all go to space rent.
You can consider it very inexpensive advertising at the least (plus, you get first pick of all of the fresh produce from the other vendors). We always bring a cooler-full of produce home with us. Even if shoppers walk past you to get to the duck eggs or the cauliflower, they might notice you and your craft items. We’ve already had two customers that saw us in May and came back with money in June to buy a gift item. They didn’t expect to see us in May, so didn’t bring any extra cash or their credit card for gifts (most farm marketers only take cash, although several crafters take cards too). We’ve got a customer that intends to bring some kind of apparatus next month to see if we can fabricate a cover for it. She doesn’t sew at all, and can’t find anyone near her that does (she’s legally blind, loves to cook, but doesn’t sew). We’re a sewing shop, so maybe we can fill her needs.
Getting exposure of your craft is important. Craft Shows tend to be attended mostly by crafters, whereas, Farmer’s Markets tend to be attended by a wider variety of people, and in a shorter time span.
CD in Oklahoma
Edited to add: Most Farm Markets will also limit craft sales to only locally made craft items too, so you don't have to compete with the imported products.
Last edited by ThayerRags; 06-02-2012 at 06:41 PM.
06-02-2012, 07:11 PM
#73
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Tucson AZ
Posts: 2,103
even the malls are not selling, lots of people looking, but with this economy i think folks are afraid to spend what they have. Food prices have gone up and lots on fixed incomes just don't have extra "play" money
06-03-2012, 05:35 AM
#74
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Winston-Salem NC
Posts: 659
Thanks for the great suggestions, ThayerRags. I am planning to do another craft show in the fall, and then a larger "artisans" show in spring. I think I am too late to get organized for the farmers' market this year, but I like the idea very much and will look into it for next year.
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