Weird Stuff People Say At Craft Fairs and Farmers' Markets

[Noah Barfield]

Hi all,

As a relatively new turner, I started selling at a farmers' market this past summer. Since then, I've sold at a craft show and am in another juried market. For the most part, it's been an enjoyable experience. I've met some interesting people and have received a lot of positive feedback on my work. However, there have been a few moments that have left me scratching my head...

1) I have a nice display rack of bottle stoppers. Next to it is a trivet reading "Friendship Is The Wine of Life." I have an empty bottle with a wine stopper in it. Yet, every single time someone comes up and asks "What are these?"

2) Twice now, someone has come up and asked "Do you sell bottle stoppers?" I reply, gesturing at my display table, "Yes, and pens, ornaments, kaleidoscopes, and boxes." The person then self-righteously asserts "I don't drink" and then walks away....

3) At a craft fair a couple of weekends ago, a pair of sisters (mid-40s) stopped by my table. One of them was really admiring my kaleidoscopes and turned to show her sister. The sister then went on a 3 minute rant about how much she hates kaleidoscopes. I didn't know it was possible for someone to hate kaleidoscopes as much as she does.:confused:

This is just a small handful. What have been your weirdest customer interactions?

Noah

[Mike Cruz]

I was at a Craft fair one time and I heard a couple of ladies talking about this booth they just stopped by where this guy had kaleidoscopes...and she couldn't stop talking about how much she hates those things... Then they said, too bad he didn't have bottle stoppers! :D Pretty weird, huh? Coincidental, too...:rolleyes: Sorry, Noah, I couldn't resist...

[Stephen Cherry]

kaleidoscopes, other than the spelling, what's not to like???

[Noah Barfield]

kaleidoscopes, other than the spelling, what's not to like???

I know!!! Who could possibly hate kaleidoscopes? :rolleyes:

In addition to odd customer interactions, I've also started picking up on "patterns" with potential buyers. My most consistent one so far is if the customer has a little kid with him/her, he/she isn't going to buy anything. As a parent, I get it. When shopping with my kids, the answer is always "no." :D

[John Beaver]

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art show last year, someone passed around "Craft Show Bingo". The makers were to cross off things people say and do. I wish I had kept it because it was really funny - I'm sure "what are these?" was on the list.

Of course the one I get all the time... "Is that really your last name?"

[Bill Hensley]

It's not always what they say but how they act. I get amused when some of them flinch when they look at the prices.

I did a craft fair this weekend, had a variety of items including a platter and several tops to spin on it. Great kid attractor but only 1 parent bother to buy a top for their child, and they were only $3.

As far as comments go. At another craft fair where I had several hollow forms sitting out, I heard a lady say "what do you do with it?". That comment still lingers in my mind. I take more bowls now so it will be more obvious. I still take a few hollow forms but I put artificial flowers in them to help them visualize the possibilities.

[Fred Perreault]

I usually have some natural edge bowls, some from burls, and of various sizes. Once in a while 2 women will walk by and one will ask aloud rather accusingly.... "what would you use that for?" I invariably answer.... maybe for keys, candy, coins, jewelry, stuff, and so on until the person would make some kind of queer face and huff off. For the most part, I love craft shows and the interaction with the shoppers. I have gone from galleries where the markup seems to inhibit sales, to a few select craft shows each year, some of them juried. Over the past 3 full seasons, I do no more than 5 one day shows annually and gross $8-11,000 per year.

[Mel Fulks]

I would have sneaked in an English translation on the kaliedescope hating woman. "Don't you like TO SEE BEAUTIFUL FORMS ? then ,after she says, "of course"...I'd say, Well, THAT'S WHAT A KALIEDESCOPE IS! That's the best way to handle hate groups.

[kevin nee]

How about " It won't hold soup! "

[Dave Fritz]

One show I did a fellow stopped and looked at my bullet pens. He wouldn't leave, all he did was talk about various guns he owned and what different kinds he had. I guess he didn't want to go with his wife, rather thought he was talking to a kindred spirit. Meanwhile, I couldn't talk to anyone else.

Dave F.

[Terry Quiram]

Years ago I when I was selling scroll work I overheard these 2 comments a lot. "I have a scroll saw but I can't do that." Or the wife saying to the husband. "You have a scroll saw why can't you do that?"

Its nice to make money but the best part was all the interaction with customers.

[Reed Gray]

How about, "How did you carve that bowl out like that? You couldn't have done that on a lathe because it aint round." One of the best or worst, I started craft shows making custom multi panel foogbags (aka Hacky Sack which is a registered trade mark) and juggle balls. I would have my sewing kit there, and be sewing them, and people watching would ask, "do you make those things?"

There is intelligent life here, but I am only visiting.......

robo hippy

[alex carey]

"why is there a hole in it?"
"thats on purpose"
"You purposefully put a hole in your vase?"

[Jim Underwood]

I did a craft fair this weekend, had a variety of items including a platter and several tops to spin on it. Great kid attractor but only 1 parent bother to buy a top for their child, and they were only $3.

OH. MY. WORD. YES! What the heck is wrong with these parents that they'll spend umpteen zillion dollars on junk food at these things, but won't buy a $3-5 top, that the kid obviously loves because he hasn't stopped playing with it since they walked in the booth. I don't get it...

I'm still shaking my head over the lady that picked one up at my booth, turns, wide-eyed to her friend and mouths "Five Dollars!" and walked away. Lady, if you think that's bad pricing for a well made top, then don't go into the local artisan stores for one. They are twice the price there.

[David DeCristoforo]

A couple of my all time favorites:

"Is that what I'm getting?"

"That's not finished is it?"

"I love wood but I hate (fill in the blank with any characteristic typical of wood)"

[Dan Hintz]

It's part of your job to remind people they're not purchasing a mass-produced hunk of cheap plastic, they're purchasing a hand-crafted, quality piece of fun. Occasionally mentioning things like "Everything you see on my tables are hand-crafted". Talk up the "unique" nature of each piece... if it's artsy-fartsy, talk up how great it would look on the entryway credenza. If it's utilitarian, talk up how sturdy the piece is, etc.

But do all of that talking before they start complaining using their preconceived notions... ;)

[Noah Barfield]

One show I did a fellow stopped and looked at my bullet pens. He wouldn't leave, all he did was talk about various guns he owned and what different kinds he had. I guess he didn't want to go with his wife, rather thought he was talking to a kindred spirit. Meanwhile, I couldn't talk to anyone else.

Dave F.

Yep--that guy stopped by my booth too! What was worse were the bored vendors (it was a slow craft fair) who stood around my table talking with me about woodworking. While I love to chat with fellow vendors and wood turners, I'm more interested in talking to customers--especially given the steep price of the booth fee. Have any of you found a polite way to tell someone to "buzz off?"

[Larry Marley]

I have a lot of fun at public art shows.
I don’t let stupid, or unobservant questions bother me.
Just treat them with respect and learn to enjoy them exploringyour wares.
A negative observation can also be a buying signal, or thekey to a design change.
Asking open ended questions of these people may give youvaluable insight.
If one person didn’t notice the sign, others may have missedit. Fortunately this person said something.
I made coffee scoops that had long elegant handles. Men loved them, women said the handles weretoo long to fit into the coffee bag or can.
Next time I had short and long versions and sold most of theshort handles to women and long to men.

[Ralph Lindberg]

At the Philadelphia Museum of Art show last year, someone passed around "Craft Show Bingo". The makers were to cross off things people say and do. I wish I had kept it because it was really funny - I'm sure "what are these?" was on the list.

Of course the one I get all the time... "Is that really your last name?"

I can just imagine the questions some of your wave bowls would get

bingo card example (http://tworabbitsstudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/CraftFairBingo-copy-630x1024.jpg)

[Ralph Lindberg]

Yep--that guy stopped by my booth too! What was worse were the bored vendors (it was a slow craft fair) who stood around my table talking with me about woodworking. While I love to chat with fellow vendors and wood turners, I'm more interested in talking to customers--especially given the steep price of the booth fee. Have any of you found a polite way to tell someone to "buzz off?"

Happens a lot to me also, but I'm not as bothered as my usual primary purpose is there Demoing (with the Treadle lathe), and sales are a secondary thing.

I'd say see you next week, but you aren't going to be there...hope you don't get sun-burned

[Noah Barfield]

Larry--there's a lot of wisdom in you reply--I will certainly take it to heart!

Noah


I have a lot of fun at public art shows.
I don’t let stupid, or unobservant questions bother me.
Just treat them with respect and learn to enjoy them exploringyour wares.
A negative observation can also be a buying signal, or thekey to a design change.
Asking open ended questions of these people may give youvaluable insight.
If one person didn’t notice the sign, others may have missedit. Fortunately this person said something.
I made coffee scoops that had long elegant handles. Men loved them, women said the handles weretoo long to fit into the coffee bag or can.
Next time I had short and long versions and sold most of theshort handles to women and long to men.

[John C Lawson]

As a turner, I sometimes like to talk to the artists at craft shows, but I am always very careful to stop talking when another customer walks up. I will even alert the artist to their presence if I see them first. It's his/her income; I don't want to interfere with that. But I am never offended by a polite "Excuse me a moment" to stop and speak to the new potential customer.

[Rich Aldrich]

How about " It won't hold soup! "

I tell them it has built in level control.:rolleyes:

[George Guadiane]

Several years ago, I had a piece selected for the advertising. It was on EVERYTHING, posters, billboards, the program, postcards, EVERYTHING!


NUMEROUS people came up to look at the piece (I still have it). The most common comment was "I thought it would be bigger (giggle)."

[Lee Koepke]

I just had a craft show last weekend. Did pretty well, surprisingly I sold a couple of my bowls, which hasnt been my key product in the past at these shows. Typically my flatwork makes the booth fees.

I like to talk about my work and where my wood / inspiration comes from. In fact, I sold two pens simply with the story behind the wood's origins.

As for the wine bottle stoppers, they can also be used for salad oils, dish soap in the kitchen ... sometimes you cant make a sale, but its fun trying sometimes!

[Jim Gobel]

Well, this is my first post in this forum after having followed it for nearly 3 years. I never intended to do craft shows as I just didnt think it was my kind of thing, but after saying OK to have a table at a local small town fund raiser I found I like it. While not really interested in going to a very large show, the few small town local craft/art fairs I go to I truly enjoy.
246160
This last week at one of these small shows (~12 tabes) I had one of those simple yet touching moments occur to me that hit me on several levels. During a lull in the crowd this woman and a little boy came to my table. The boy, who was around 9 or 10, looked at my tabe for a few minutes when his eyes kind of lit up and he looked up to the woman he was with and said "this is the kind of stuff grandpa used to make. After the woman agreed with him he proceeded to talk about the various items I had that "grandpa used to make". As we talked I looked at the women and thought it appeared she was older than likely to be this kids mother and I started to wonder if this was "grandma". The kid and I kind of talked woodturning shop for a while as he told me how he would watch his grandpa at the lathe making things. As they began to turn away from my table and walk away the boy looked up to the woman and said "I miss grandpa" to which the woman replied, "I do too Honey"

.....wow! It took a second for me to myself after his words sunk in and by that time they were out the door. ....Kid, wherever you are, hang onto those memories and cherish them! I never had the opportunity to know either of my grand fathers as they both died well before I was born, and sadly, my kids have had the same lack of opportunity.

[Lee Koepke]

Thanks for sharing that story Jim.
Thats the kind of interaction I enjoy, although I have yet to have a story like that!!! That had to be worth every minute.

[Rick Hutcheson]

I still laugh when I think about when I made tray puzzles. Ladies would look at them then turn them over to look at the back of the tray. Of course that dumped all the pieces on the floor, and would just stand there and look in amazement like how did that happen. I would just tell them "Yep, you figured out how to get the pieces out of the tray." I would guess 1 out of 5 that picked up the puzzles dumped them out.

[Dan Hintz]

Rich,

Sounds a lot like a game my brother always wanted to play with me... maybe you know it? 52-card Pickup ;-)

[Jeff Fagen]

I had a 10 year old boy at an art show ask what a needle case was and I said"Well you an put needles or tooth picks in it or (with a sly whisper)I said if you are a spy you can keep you cyanide in it".His mother let out a schreek and told me I was scaring her son.He didn't look non the wiser.At another show I had an old guy looking over my table and then saying,"Those are just a bunch of dust collectors"!
I always have fun no mater what people say.