Arts and Crafts

[tonylumps]

Well this was my first show .It was everything but arts and crafts.They had a 2 Hour set up prior to the show.That is when I should have turned around and walked out.it looked liked like a Dollar Store sidewalk saleOut of 60 or 70 venders there may have been 10 selling Crafts.They took me to my 6X10 spot in an annexed room in a corner with no heat and the coldest day of the year.The show was 9am untill 4pm. I was out of there by 1:30. Some venders left before me some venders sold nothing at all I was lucky Friends and family showed up And that was most of my sales.No scroll saw venders at all .One guy was selling pens When I asked him what kind of lathe he was using.he looked at me like I had 2 heads.He must have bought them off of a pen makers over stock..well in the end I sold 2 Scroll pieces and 5 pens and 2 orniments.I would have sold that anyway to the family.But they wanted to come to the show.Lesson learned Do your home work and ask questions. ps As you can see I had to use my own lighting from my shop

Edited December 12, 2016 by tonylumps

[lawson56]

Sorry to hear of your Bad day,Believe me it will get better.I had a terrible lesson my 1st time out. Didn't sell a Darn thing.You have some Awesome things.    Don't give up.Spring isn't that far off. 

[Scrolling Steve]

Hate to hear this Tony, Better luck next time !.....You  had a great set !

[Paladin]

I had a few dud shows when I first started out, too.  Don't give up, you've got some really nice looking stuff there.  Now, as a general rule, I will shop a show the year before and then decide if I will do it the following year or not.  This has saved me a few times from putting out the money and effort for a show that is bad.

 

Steve

[tonylumps]

I had a few dud shows when I first started out, too.  Don't give up, you've got some really nice looking stuff there.  Now, as a general rule, I will shop a show the year before and then decide if I will do it the following year or not.  This has saved me a few times from putting out the money and effort for a show that is bad.

 There is one off my list Steve

Steve

[hawkeye10]

Tony your display outclassed the show. Now you know to keep away from that show.

[Phantom Scroller]

Tony that setup looks great very Christmassy but don't give up there will always be bad days we all have them look forward to the next one in a different show or the same but different day. . Roly

[ike]

You just had a bad show. Once in a while we all have them. To bad it was your first. I do one big one a year and the rest are Church shows. and  them too have bad shows.but I usually make $100 or more This year I did 6 shows and one was $100 for the 3 rd time i won't do it again. It took me several shows t;o figure out what the customers want. The main thing is that you make a little money and have a good time. The Prices you  is the hard  part. figuring out what the market will bare,

This is a hobby and I sell to make expenses and if i go over that is great if not that's great also. DO GIVE UP.

IKE

[WayneMahler]

We all have shows like that. I'm just sad to hear it was your first. Don't let it get you down. The Mrs. and I have done several shows that were like this. I have found talking to other vendors is a lot of help. They will share advice and information. Not sure what part of PA your from. There is a web site that lists a lot of shows and we use it regularly for scheduling. www.pa-vendors.com. You have a great looking display and good looking work. The fall shows are always better then the spring ones. I do several in the spring that have been good to us. The more you get out the more exposure you get and the more you learn. Keep the faith, not all shows are like this. I promise you that.

[edward]

 Tony I hope that wasn't the Pen State show on the campus in Media, if it was I done that one a few years ago, and didn't sell a thin g, and it was a lot of junk there, 75% of the people selling Jewelry, and a lot of flea market items, it was run by town Talk and I won't do a show again with them. You have a great display.  edward

[tonylumps]

Tony I hope that wasn't the Pen State show on the campus in Media, if it was I done that one a few years ago, and didn't sell a thin g, and it was a lot of junk there, 75% of the people selling Jewelry, and a lot of flea market items, it was run by town Talk and I won't do a show again with them. You have a great display.  edward

Edward that was the one.And your discription was dead on.

[tonylumps]

You just had a bad show. Once in a while we all have them. To bad it was your first. I do one big one a year and the rest are Church shows. and  them too have bad shows.but I usually make $100 or more This year I did 6 shows and one was $100 for the 3 rd time i won't do it again. It took me several shows t;o figure out what the customers want. The main thing is that you make a little money and have a good time. The Prices you  is the hard  part. figuring out what the market will bare,

This is a hobby and I sell to make expenses and if i go over that is great if not that's great also. DO GIVE UP.

IKE

Ike I won't give up.I will just do a little more homework

Edited December 12, 2016 by tonylumps

[Rob]

Sorry you had a bad experience Tony.  For your first show, your set up looks fantastic.  You have clearly put a lot of thought into your display and maximised the space you had available.  Everything looks very professional and your items are great too.  When you find the right venue, I'm sure you will do really well.

 

Chin up,

 

Rob

[meflick]

Sorry it ended up being a dud show for you, especially since it was your first.  However, your display and your products look great.  Glad to hear you won't let one show ruin you trying again.  Lots of good advice given from those experienced in trying shows so I am sure your next one will be much better for you.  Thanks for sharing your experience so we can learn as well. Good luck with the next time.

[edward]

Tony: Another show you don't want to do is Holy Cross in Springfield, they are going down hill, different people are running it, no mater what show you do there is always someone selling flea market items, and  there will always be someone there, can't get away from it.  I blame the promoters.  edward

[dgman]

Tony, it's all been said. Nice set up though!

[tonylumps]

Tony: Another show you don't want to do is Holy Cross in Springfield, they are going down hill, different people are running it, no mater what show you do there is always someone selling flea market items, and  there will always be someone there, can't get away from it.  I blame the promoters.  edward

Ed My wifes daughter belongs to that parish and she said it is a waiting list to get a table.Thanks for the heads up .That would be another loser for me.

Edited December 13, 2016 by tonylumps

[Lucky2]

Hang in there Tony, things can only get better.

Len

[amazingkevin]

well from rock bottom the only way is up,maybe,lol Experience is something no one can take from you .chalk it up as oh well and push on ,every days different!

[Rolf]

My wife and I will always check out a show before we commit to doing it. We have dodged a couple of real losers with very expensive table space that way. 

Edited December 14, 2016 by Rolf

[ike]

I had one bad show this year. I did a little over $100 and that was to other venders & crafters. there wasn't much of a crowd.Won't do that one again.

IKE

[tonylumps]

Does anyone subscribe to Arts and Craft Yellow Pages for these type of events

[Jim Finn]

I have done all sorts of shows/sales and many of them allow "collectables" to be offered for sale.(flea market stuff)

  My stuff looks great next to that stuff so I have had good sales at those venues.  In fact, the two best sales of my year are at venues  like that.  (Thousands of shoppers) My weaker sales venue, a farmers market, (hundreds of shoppers) requires items offered for sale to be made by the vendor.  I like this farmers market because it is weekly in the summer and close by.  I think a good recipe for sales success is to find the right price point and make items to match that. I no longer make anything that needs to be priced over $35 to make sense.