Just a rant -- lousy weekend

[Jeff Belany]

Spent 2 days at a large annual festival, crowds usually run 20,000+, had a great spot right where buses loaded/unloaded people from a free parking area on the edge of the small town (almost no parking in town). Made up a bunch of stuff themed to the event -- coasters, ornaments, key rings, mirrors and also brought a variety of Christmas ornaments, other coasters, plaques, mirrors, cutting boards -- a bunch of stuff. People looking all day, both days, telling what nice stuff I had -- dropped the price 50% on the themed items the second day and want to guess my total sales for the entire weekend -- $115!! What's a guy to do? The way people were today I don't think they would have bought $20 bills for $5. About noon today 11 Corvettes pulled in, mostly new ones (one 2011 I was told), parked right in front of my booth, all came over and looked at the items I had and didn't buy one thing. But everyone said how nice my work was.

Sorry for the rant, I won't do it often.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Kenneth Hertzog]

Jeff
I feel your pain
when the show I went to was over the profit was -$50.00 :(
they keep saying better times are coming
I keep waitin
ken

[Dee Gallo]

That really rots, Jeff. Were they all just walking around not buying anything from anyone or was it just you? Sorry if that sounded bad, but I'm curious - this economy has people so down that maybe these events are simply like going to a museum... look but don't touch? Something to do on a weekend that doesn't cost anything.

It's terrible when you put your heart and sweat into work just to have hopes crushed. At least you came out on the plus side, though.

Keep your chin up, we're rooting for you!

cheers, dee

[Jeff Belany]

No, I don't think it was just me (at least I hope not). I've been lasering for 12 years and I believe my stuff is not too bad. (Don't know how to say that without sounding like I'm bragging which I'm not)

Overall, from what I heard, food and drink vendors did great. Had a kettle corn vendor close by and I swear that kettle was popping all day!! The smell of fresh popcorn was killing me!! He went through about 500# of corn.

I think it was just the economy. Lots of lookers, no buyers.

BTW -- my $115 doesn't include any costs like gas and a small(thankfully) booth fee. I'm afraid it's going to be a long, cold winter.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Robert Walters]

Been there, done that...

We have a flea market once a month, about nine times a year.

Opens to the public at 5:30am *sigh*.

I took out some to-be-personalized signs once.
Everyone looked, nobody bought.
Discouraged and now in the red.


Many many months go by...

Alright, time to clean out all the crap I haven't touched in years.
Reluctantly, even bought a nice folding table for $50.

I figured if I can at least break even on the seller fee and the table, I'd be lucky.

Crap, woke up at 7am.

Do I go? Don't I? ... I go - very reluctantly.

Ok, I'm setup by 8am. By 10:30am I've made $800.
By 11am I pack up as nobody else is stopping by anymore (closes at noon).


It's just one of those fluke things.

[art baylor]

I work in retail furniture. Memorial Day and Labor Day are the two big weekends of the year. Both were okay but down by a 1/3 over last year. Now, there is decent traffic on the weekends, but everyone is just looking.
People need to replace a sofa or a mattress but not many rooms are being sold. We are the Walmart of furniture. If they are not buying here they are not buying. Not whining, just fact.
Art

[Rodne Gold]

One consolation is that you can view the event as not only the place to generate sales , but as an advertising exercise , future work might come your way due to the exposure you got.

[Dee Gallo]

I love your positive outlook, Rodney!

:D dee

[Belinda Barfield]

Jeff,

I'm with Rodne. A number of years ago my company did had a booth at a three day home show (selling stone countertops at the time). Large crowds and I felt like to talked to almost every person there. Lots of interest, lots of positive feed back. We also displayed some laser work which also generated lots of positive feed back. The following Monday I was geared up for all those phone calls I was going to receive from interested customers. I waited, and I waited. It was two months before I got the first sale from that home show; however, three years later people were still walking into our showroom because they saw our booth in the show.

Sorry the weekend was a bust, but you still may get some business from the exposure.

[Joe De Medeiros]

I do quite a few craft fairs, and most are way down, I've been doing this for 12 years. People always have a few bucks to stuff their face. I was at one this weekend as well and it was way down for me.

[Jeff Belany]

I totally agree about making some contacts. We went to a show in town last summer and made a lot of good contacts. This weekends show was different in that IMHO it was more out of towners than locals. Had very few people who asked about custom work. Hope we get some business -- we'll see. All you can do is try. This is our first year with a storefront so we had to give it a shot. Next year, if we're still here, we'll have to rethink if we'll go again.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

[Joe Pelonio]

I think we have to face the reality that many people have cut back spending on things they don't really need, in order to pay for what they do. Last week I walked up with a co-worker to the world famous Pikes Place Market in Seattle, thinking it would be nice and quiet with cruise season over, and was amazed to see the crowds there. I looked around at the people and noticed very few carrying purchases, and those that did, had mostly produce which is not only local but at much lower prices than the large grocery stores. Both of us in fact bought some vegetables and fruit. I did splurge on a nice $5 bouquet of flowers for my wife, but left feeling pretty badly for the vendors standing around a lot watching the hoards walk right buy, looking but not buying.

[Martin Boekers]

The thing that sits in the back of my mind is,

with how long this economy has been down
when it does pick up will people spend more
again or keep their newly learned frugal habits?


Marty

[Andrea Weissenseel]

They will spend it, Martin. They will spend money on things they like, if they don't have to think twice if they really need it.

[Belinda Barfield]

The thing that sits in the back of my mind is,

with how long this economy has been down
when it does pick up will people spend more
again or keep their newly learned frugal habits?


Marty

Marty,
I'm sure some are learning new frugal habits, but I'm guessing many haven't learned a thing - they just don't have the expendable cash. I agree with Andrea that when things pick up we will see folks spending again, and I suspect some of them will be spending madly.

[Liesl Dexheimer]

Sorry to hear that Jeff. If it helps any, I went to a "open studio" festival this weekend near where we live. It's in a city but there was hardly anyone around, it was pretty deserted. I felt bad for the local artists. I don't know how anyone is going to make any money these days. It makes me angry and depressed that people will spend $1,000 on a new TV or computer or some other electronics yet god for bid if they spent $25 on engraving or any time of art for that matter. At least you tried though...

[AL Ursich]

I do Craft Shows and Fire Shows for my Accountability Tag Products. Things here are very quiet..... I have a few Wood Sign orders I am working on but the sales of tourist Clocks are way down.....

Now FOOD Vendors at shows... They are making a fair proffit....

I think it all comes down to decisions.... Everyone is withdrawn... We have become a nation of "Former Spenders".....

Today it is a walk in a Mall or Craft Show looking to fill a void..... The things that ARE selling are things that give.... "Instant Satisfaction".... "Comfort FOOD"..... A reminder of better times....

They talk about during the Depression of the 20's how a Movie and Popcorn were the great escape form current life.....

Today.....

Carmel Corn....

Sweet Treats...

I was at a Wine Show last year selling Wine Clocks and Wine Racks.... Sold nothing.... The Wine Booth to my left sold out.... The Cheese booth to my right sold out....

I am in the wrong business.....

AL:D

My Brother just started a new job after 29 months of being out of work, one of the few happy endings to unemployment. A Government Job that was looking for Veterans only.... I expect it to be a weak Christmas in the Craft Circuit...

[James Jaragosky]

This year I stopped selling at the local farmers market due to the long hours for minimal return on the effort.That coupled with all the people that would tell me "wow that is amazing, I really like it, would you take $5 for it". I would politely decline while biting my lip;I just cant take five dollars on something that has $8 in material invested in it. The farmers market had been good to me in the past but this year things were very slow.
However my Friends of the creek add has generated enough sales leads to more than make up for my lost income from the farmers market.

[Larry Bratton]

Had a "Yard Sale" two weeks ago. Minimal advertising- spent $12 and put a sign that we made on the highway next to the place we had it. It was held in a big ole tin barn all under roof..sold all kinds of our junk we didn't need..sold NO lasered items..made $1200 on Saturday. One or two came back on Sunday, although we only did it Saturday and bought items they saw. Gonna have another one the 15th and add some lasered items. I have to say I was actually shocked at what people will buy..anything cheap for sure. Everybody was looking for bargains. I had lots of furniture items, nice stuff, priced accordingly, did not sell one piece. I think perception has a lot to do with it..Yard Sale, Garage Sale, Flea Market etc implies that they are bargains to be had, so if that is what I have to call it to build traffic, then it may be a Yard Sale forever.
(Oh, and by the way, it was right off a heavily traveled highway in a rural area)

[Dan Hintz]

Larry,

No one goes to a flea market to find a Chippendale. Therefore, most don't go to a garage sale with the intent of finding quality furniture... if you don't expect it, many can't get out of the "I'm here for cheap stuff" mindset and adjust their purchasing power accordingly.

[Connie Gill]

I have done 3 different shows since July, the first was the premier craft show, the one that all crafters in the local vicinity wants to do...it was a bust. The show is 2 days, held in one of the most beautiful places on earth and the area has a huge tourist traffic. I decided that people on vacation are not spending money on stuff...they are spending it on their vacation period. My 2nd show was at our local county fair, a week of advertising is how I see it, I did very well and made some excellent contacts for future repeat work. The 3rd show was a 1 day harvest festival in Northern Nevada - one of the big 3 News shows was coming to town this week to do a feature on the "Town the Recession Forgot". The area is goldmines and has a huge pipeline project beginning so they don't have a clue what the rest of the world is going through. The craft fair was from 9 am to 4 pm and I had one of the best days ever since I started. I was nervous about attending since these events in our locale are traditionally baked goods, quilts and stuff like that but I will go back next year. I have decided that when people come to spend they will spend, if they are looking at the event as a source of entertainment - it will be hit and miss. If there is food and people a lot of us look at that as entertainment because it's cheap and you just might see someone you know there. Keep your chin up, hopefully it does get better.

[Larry Bratton]

Larry,

No one goes to a flea market to find a Chippendale. Therefore, most don't go to a garage sale with the intent of finding quality furniture... if you don't expect it, many can't get out of the "I'm here for cheap stuff" mindset and adjust their purchasing power accordingly.
Dan, a bargain is only a bargain if it's something you need. Bargains don't necessarily have to be cheap. I did have people that came with that mindset and purchased some things for a pretty good buck..example a framed print for $150. Which, actually was a fair market price. Had I not advertised as a Yard Sale, that person would have been somewhere else besides at my place spending their money. If your going to sell anything that's an impulse item (lasered products) in a retail setting, you have to create traffic. In my particular situation, I can continue to build that traffic with this concept. As long as people come and get what they perceive to be a bargain, they will return again and again and hopefully purchase some of those impulse items.

[Linda Smith Alabama]

No one goes to a flea market to find a Chippendale. Therefore, most don't go to a garage sale with the intent of finding quality furniture... if you don't expect it, many can't get out of the "I'm here for cheap stuff" mindset and adjust their purchasing power accordingly.

This is true! I just did my first show this past weekend and it was the booths selling $1 items that did well. The booth next to me sold out of $1 items. And a few of the food vendors sold out both days.

While I came out ahead, I was disappointed in my modest profit because I put a LOT of time and effort into making a variety of items, many of them themed for the show. Like the OP, I marked them down the 2nd day and still didn't sell them all. When it was all said and done, it probably wasn't worth it, except for the advertisement and hope of future orders.

[Rodne Gold]

Combine food with the laser in some way and sell that at the fairs?

[Liesl Dexheimer]

I've always said to myself that I need to target businesses/companies not individuals. Individuals are fine for cash but generally don't bring in enough money and usually never see them again...just my opinion...

[Linda Smith Alabama]

Combine food with the laser in some way and sell that at the fairs?

That could work! :D
cookies...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OZj4ks0LgA
chips...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67a12GrWFN8

[Kathy Madan]

Ok, I hope your bad weekend doesn't bode poorly for the one I have planned in a couple of weeks. On the good side, it was pretty cheap to go, on the bad side, its lots of hours to sit/work on my weekend off if I don't make any money.

We went to a show this spring that I hadn't planned on attending, but got a last minute invite for a free booth. It was a one day event, so we decided to go. I was amazed and very happy with the turnout and sales for the day. I also had lots of comments that people just didn't realize we carried those things.

Hopefully this craft show will do ok. I won't have too much money invested into it, and all items can go back into the store if necessary.

[Bill Cunningham]

Larry,

No one goes to a flea market to find a Chippendale. Therefore, most don't go to a garage sale with the intent of finding quality furniture... if you don't expect it, many can't get out of the "I'm here for cheap stuff" mindset and adjust their purchasing power accordingly.

Yup, and by the time new TV shows like 'American Pickers' get really popular and people start to realize what some of their junque is worth (or 'think' it's worth), your not even going to be able to find 'junk' for cheap!

[Rodne Gold]

I recon if you got to craft or any "public" type market or fair , you need products with a massive "wow" factor that are in no way akin to anything you can get anywhere else. A lasered photoframe or coasters or christmas ornaments can really be got anywhere and folk wont walk past and say "I gotta have that"
Keith here has made a good point time and time again , and that is that you need to cater for needs and not wants if you want to do good business , Selling items at crafts fairs is not a "need" type thing , its a want type thing.
If one could come up with a range that can encompass a need and a want object , one would have more success.
The only time *I* would set up at a fair or show , is if i had my laser working right there at the show...that would set you apart from any other stall selling geegaws and would attract huge crowds , an opportunity to sell and to get future business.

[Andrea Weissenseel]

Exactly Rodney, fully agree with that. That's how you create the WOW effect, and if you combine it with food - you made it. i.e. just make personalized apples with names engraved on it.

My problem with that would only be, that my Spirit doesn't have a "shrink" button :D

Andrea

[David Takes]

Those who market at fairs, festivals and flea markets are focusing on a market of buyers who do their purchasing in quantities of ones and twos. To add to that, they are frequently there with the intent of spending their money on food, beverage and entertainment, not goods of any kind. Vendors are typically there as a form of free entertainment in many cases.

I have personally never done a fair or show of any kind, but I have been entertained when attending them. I looked into a wedding fair last year, but the $750 booth price turned me off.

Your time would be much better spent on opportunities that will produce quantity purchases or repeat purchases. Take some time and brainstorm the possibilities. You are surrounded with them no matter where you live.

[Joe De Medeiros]

Those who market at fairs, festivals and flea markets are focusing on a market of buyers who do their purchasing in quantities of ones and twos. To add to that, they are frequently there with the intent of spending their money on food, beverage and entertainment, not goods of any kind. Vendors are typically there as a form of free entertainment in many cases.

I have personally never done a fair or show of any kind, but I have been entertained when attending them. I looked into a wedding fair last year, but the $750 booth price turned me off.

Your time would be much better spent on opportunities that will produce quantity purchases or repeat purchases. Take some time and brainstorm the possibilities. You are surrounded with them no matter where you live.

Some people are there to buy, I generally sell around $1000+ a day, I have been doing craft/art shows for 12 years and my best show day I sold $7000 in products. My largest show costs $5000 for 11 days, but I take home close to $30,000. You are not my target market, generally it's women that go to craft/art shows and the occasional reluctant husband who is generally the mule to carry purchases.

My point is that if you find the right combination of product/price point you can make money. This year has been harder but I'm still making money. It's not for everyone, I don't do signs/awards, my laser is a small part of my business and is used to embellish the products that I hand craft.

If you are just setting up your sign business in the hopes of generating business, you will be disappointed, you need something that will appeal to your target audience "women"

[Bruce Strombach]

My wife and I did our first flea market last weekend....it may be our last. After paying for our table, we cleared...wait for it.....$18!!!
At least they had free coffee for the vendors. Had much better luck at holiday craft fairs...seems all the people were looking for at the flea market was used stuff....But we did hand out a basketfull of cards, so maybe we will catch a little fall out work.

[Jim Beachler]

I did a art & craft fair this weekend and was very pleased with my sales. Sales were above $6k. Booth fee was $750. Crowd was about 40,000.

In life we get what we pay for. When you do a show that has a low (under $200) or no show fee, it probably doesn't generate big sales. If you do a show that has spots still open at the last minute, there is a reason that there isn't a demand for their booths.

I do craft shows full time and I have learned that if you want big sales, you need to get to big shows with big booth fees. Doing shows is like gambling, if you want a big return, you need to put down a big fee.

Concerning the people who liked your items but didn't buy. If people show interest but don't buy, I will ask some of them what about the items they would change or improve. Remember, you are not making things that you like but rather things that others like and buy.

The other part is salesmanship. You have to develop sales skills (I attended classes at local college) and talk to people about your love of what you do, why you did it a certain way, why you thought it was a good idea, and ask for the sale. People buy from me because they like me and my products. I have had customers come by and tell me that they don't have any small children anymore but they seem to always find a reason to buy something.

[Dee Gallo]

Concerning the people who liked your items but didn't buy. If people show interest but don't buy, I will ask some of them what about the items they would change or improve. Remember, you are not making things that you like but rather things that others like and buy.

The other part is salesmanship. You have to develop sales skills (I attended classes at local college) and talk to people about your love of what you do, why you did it a certain way, why you thought it was a good idea, and ask for the sale. People buy from me because they like me and my products. I have had customers come by and tell me that they don't have any small children anymore but they seem to always find a reason to buy something.

Absolutely right on, Jim! I find that enthusiasm is infective and your fascination with your own work can bump up another person's interest pretty easily. If they are at all inclined, your sales pitch which is not a sales pitch can really make them want whatever you are selling.

I generally do my market research before I make things, so I'm not wasting my time. I make prototypes, email photos to people for input, finesse the item and then produce. By the time I make my items, I know there is a market and who is most likely to buy.

For me, making the prototypes is the fun part, doing the research and experimenting with materials and designs. Collecting the money is also fun.

The worst salesman is the one who only cares about the money and knows little about the product. Using a lost sale for market research is a smart way to improve your bottom line and profit in another way.

cheers, dee