Tips for New fair vendor?
10-16-2019, 12:36 PM
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,079
Personally I would make tissue pouches, hair scrunchies, little zipper bags, eyeglass cases, small things that are useful. The last craft fair I attended dog bandana's were the big seller, two vendors sold out of them. She had them displayed on a big stuffed dog. I would not make anything scented, people have allergies and some don't like scented things. Just my opinion...rice therapy bags probably won't sell very well. They are big, bulky, a little heavy and not sure if it's an item people would use and store.
10-26-2019, 08:01 AM
#33
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Long Island
Posts: 24,820
well, now you have me thingking i should do a fair this year. i make flower fairies, and they are adorable, and take loads of time. i thought of doing a class on them at the library, but you need to have skill with a needle nose plier and wrapping skills are of the most important here. i made about 10 before i could handle the wire properly. then about another 10 to get it done the way it should be done. on Etsy, they start at $25 and go up. to sell mine quickly, it hought of selling for $13-15 each. Am I too high in price for a church craft sale? i thought of printing out a sheet from Etsy with the picture and the prices, as a comparision. I've given about 35-40 as gifts already. I have aobut 60 left. they were addicting to make, and if i knew they would sell, i'd be making more. any ideas on these?
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 10-26-2019 at 08:38 AM. Reason: shouting/all caps
12-15-2019, 12:46 PM
#34
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 9,299
Well, phooey! I just spent a half hour writing my follow-up, interview style, to this post. Now I'm going to scale way back and hit the highlights instead of rewriting it. You're welcome.
Q: Did you go through with your first-ever craft fair as a vendor? Yes.
A: Glad you did? Yes. It was on my bucket list, out of my comfort zone. Rather than just keep thinking about it, I decided to live life more fully, facing my fears and doubts. You know, be like people I admire instead of just sitting on the sidelines wishing I had the guts. While I didn't turn a profit, the rewards were 1) having done it 2)having complete strangers buy something I made.
Q: Hardest part? Carrying/setting up/taking down heavy tables and packing up loaded suitcases with my heavy products (each rice therapy bag was about 2 pounds, and I had two carry-on suitcases full). I had a wee bit of help from hubby and son while they were available, and a wee bit of help from the guy athletes, but mostly I was a DIY-er. Left with a backache, sore feet, and inability to walk (no joke) the next day.
Q: Easiest part? Pitching my products. I believe in them. I think they are valuable and can tell people why and get them to agree.
Q: Most fun part? Having the husband of one of the vendors (a sewing vendor) come over while I was setting up and say, "My wife told me to come over to ask how your sewing room looks." I let out a (too loud) chuckle--maybe a cackle! He also asked me how many sewing machines I had, and when I named all 7 of them, he nodded."Okay, so collecting machines isn't just something my wife does."
Q: What was your best seller? Believe it or not, the most expensive things--the XL rice bags for $24 or 2/$40. It really helped to have a card table with a microwave behind me so that I could hand customers a warm bag. The "ahhh", along with their eyes rolled up into their head was such a good response! That said, I only sold 5 in 3 hours. And my second best sellers were handwarmers for adults at 2pr/$10. Least sold were the $2 and $3 items (booboo bags for kids and pocket tissue holders). They all appreciated the lavender sachets that I included with any $15 purchase. I sold Reg size bags (16-18") for $20, and XL bags (18.5-22") for $24. Bundles including 1 bag, 2 handwarmers, and 1 tissue holder, for $25 and $30.
Q: Did you have the foot traffic you expected? No. I expected much more based on previous years, good advertising, more vendors ,and good weather. But the reality differed: the kids' choirs didn't perform, so those parents and grandparents didn't come; there was a bad traffic accident an hour before our show, about 2 blocks away, so traffic was rerouted. No impulse traffic from 5-7pm. A few intending to come, didn't, as traffic was shut down till cops and ambos could do their thing . I felt so bad for the vendors who got stuck--they were setting up at 4:45 for a 5:00 start time. Thankfully, I had gotten there at 2:45.
Q: What drew interest to your table? Well, I'd like to say it was my friendly smile and award-winning personality. LOL. But it was probably my good (assigned) location, cute sign and business name, or the Baltimore Ravens giveaway bundle I offered. I had a guess-how-many-scraps-in-this-mason-jar game, front and center. Men who wouldn't have stopped otherwise, wanted that Ravens bundle. And plenty of women who are fans of our Superbowl bound team, baby!
Q: How did you price your wares? Added up my cost of materials, plus a $15/hr wage for myself, divided by the number of products I could make per hour. Decided I could always have a sale if things weren't selling, but didn't want to undercut myself. If I've learned one thing, it's to value my time, my work, and the time and work of others in the industry.
Q: Will you do it again? Probably. I'm a glutton for punishment. I really did like interacting with other vendors (they were encouraging). I liked being surprised to see friends I wasn't expecting to see. I liked having a professional looking sign and business cards I designed, and turquoise paper bags with rope handles and white tissue paper to present customers' purchases to them. The "Oh, isn't that a nice touch! THank you!" was sweet music.
Q: Did you go through with your first-ever craft fair as a vendor? Yes.
A: Glad you did? Yes. It was on my bucket list, out of my comfort zone. Rather than just keep thinking about it, I decided to live life more fully, facing my fears and doubts. You know, be like people I admire instead of just sitting on the sidelines wishing I had the guts. While I didn't turn a profit, the rewards were 1) having done it 2)having complete strangers buy something I made.
Q: Hardest part? Carrying/setting up/taking down heavy tables and packing up loaded suitcases with my heavy products (each rice therapy bag was about 2 pounds, and I had two carry-on suitcases full). I had a wee bit of help from hubby and son while they were available, and a wee bit of help from the guy athletes, but mostly I was a DIY-er. Left with a backache, sore feet, and inability to walk (no joke) the next day.
Q: Easiest part? Pitching my products. I believe in them. I think they are valuable and can tell people why and get them to agree.
Q: Most fun part? Having the husband of one of the vendors (a sewing vendor) come over while I was setting up and say, "My wife told me to come over to ask how your sewing room looks." I let out a (too loud) chuckle--maybe a cackle! He also asked me how many sewing machines I had, and when I named all 7 of them, he nodded."Okay, so collecting machines isn't just something my wife does."
Q: What was your best seller? Believe it or not, the most expensive things--the XL rice bags for $24 or 2/$40. It really helped to have a card table with a microwave behind me so that I could hand customers a warm bag. The "ahhh", along with their eyes rolled up into their head was such a good response! That said, I only sold 5 in 3 hours. And my second best sellers were handwarmers for adults at 2pr/$10. Least sold were the $2 and $3 items (booboo bags for kids and pocket tissue holders). They all appreciated the lavender sachets that I included with any $15 purchase. I sold Reg size bags (16-18") for $20, and XL bags (18.5-22") for $24. Bundles including 1 bag, 2 handwarmers, and 1 tissue holder, for $25 and $30.
Q: Did you have the foot traffic you expected? No. I expected much more based on previous years, good advertising, more vendors ,and good weather. But the reality differed: the kids' choirs didn't perform, so those parents and grandparents didn't come; there was a bad traffic accident an hour before our show, about 2 blocks away, so traffic was rerouted. No impulse traffic from 5-7pm. A few intending to come, didn't, as traffic was shut down till cops and ambos could do their thing . I felt so bad for the vendors who got stuck--they were setting up at 4:45 for a 5:00 start time. Thankfully, I had gotten there at 2:45.
Q: What drew interest to your table? Well, I'd like to say it was my friendly smile and award-winning personality. LOL. But it was probably my good (assigned) location, cute sign and business name, or the Baltimore Ravens giveaway bundle I offered. I had a guess-how-many-scraps-in-this-mason-jar game, front and center. Men who wouldn't have stopped otherwise, wanted that Ravens bundle. And plenty of women who are fans of our Superbowl bound team, baby!
Q: How did you price your wares? Added up my cost of materials, plus a $15/hr wage for myself, divided by the number of products I could make per hour. Decided I could always have a sale if things weren't selling, but didn't want to undercut myself. If I've learned one thing, it's to value my time, my work, and the time and work of others in the industry.
Q: Will you do it again? Probably. I'm a glutton for punishment. I really did like interacting with other vendors (they were encouraging). I liked being surprised to see friends I wasn't expecting to see. I liked having a professional looking sign and business cards I designed, and turquoise paper bags with rope handles and white tissue paper to present customers' purchases to them. The "Oh, isn't that a nice touch! THank you!" was sweet music.
Last edited by zozee; 12-15-2019 at 12:56 PM. Reason: clarification
12-15-2019, 02:15 PM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Beiseker, Ab Canada
Posts: 494
Congratulations on going through with your plan. It's too bad you didn't get the traffic you expected. That would have had a big impact on sales, but at least you've done your first and you're thinking of doing it all again.
12-15-2019, 04:38 PM
#36
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Maine
Posts: 1,305
Zozee, I am so glad you updated all of us on your experience. I have been wondering how it went for you. I'm glad you came away with it being a positive experience for you. Vending at craft fairs, as you pointed out is a lot of work, but as you also pointed out, rewarding too. I have been participating at craft fairs and other various venues for 25 years, making and selling various items. I've made everything from dried flower wreaths, twig wreaths, crotcheted items, to now quilted/sewn items. I did four craft fairs this fall, and what I enjoy the most is seeing people I know and don't see often.
I'm so happy for you that it went well and I sure hope you do vend at another fair now that you've got your feet wet.
I'm so happy for you that it went well and I sure hope you do vend at another fair now that you've got your feet wet.
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