At home craft sale

[jbrowning]

So my sister isn't all that thrilled about going to Farmers Markets this summer and has suggested doing a craft sale at home on a Saturday or Sunday about once a month or every other month.

Has anyone done this at their home and how did it go?

Thanks

Jim

[Rockytime]

Advertising can be a problem. Signs posted at strategic intersections also if you have,  as we do, a website called "Neighborhood Homestead." It is a neighborhood website that includes some 20 neighborhoods. People post there all the time. Yard sales, giveaways, etc. It may be necessary to do it often enough until it becomes fairly well known.

Good Luck with it.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Crowds are low and friends and family feel obligated. I was asked to be a participant but declined just because of those points. Hold a yard/craft sale in the summer a couple weekends and good to go. Get it out of the system and no one is obligated. Besides do you really want people trodding through your home. Maybe you live in a safe neighborhood but too many things happen today. people can case the house from the inside. Yes I am a skeptic. 

[jbrowning]

Hi John, that is exactly what I told my sister. So that is why I was thinking in the driveway is where we would put the stuff for sale. I already have 2 or 3 10'x10' canopies that we can use along with the tables.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

It will not be easy. When putting signs around town make sure the words yard sale are not on it and hope people read them for what they are. First thing people will think of though when they see any sign is yard sale. Unless you are selling all out then that is a different thing but if trying to do as if a craft show, not so easy. Good luck. As they say nothing ventured nothing gained.

[kmmcrafts]

Instead of farmers markets.. why not hold a craft party.. much like a Tupperware type party.. host gets a $ value prize for X amount of sales, LOL I don't know.. just a lame idea I suppose.. I'm not into the craft shows and packing and unpacking products... Internet is where I have a interest and it works for me.. Make an item put it online.. when it sells you make the ad a Made To Order item.. Don't need to make things that wont sell.. make one.. take pictures... use those pictures to take orders for the rest of them after the one sells if no more sells.....  the picture isn't costing you anything to sit there and rot online.. LOL or take the ad down and use the space for something else..

Won't work for anyone if they don't want to put in the work to do it though.. but that work can be done a little at a time on a cell phone while you're waiting in line at a store or doctors office etc etc.. 

Websites aren't for everyone.. just as craft fairs aren't for everyone.. I did a couple craft shows over the years.. and both shows only brought me like $3-400 for the whole weekend.. and to me.. that's not worth my time and work.. That makes it feel like a job to me.. pack, set up, be a salesman, take down the set up blah blah blah..  

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

That was what I was talking about and the down sides to it. Have been asked to a few of those party things but not enough sales at them. Nothing in this world wrong with craft shows. They have slowed down alot in my part of the country but in some they still maybe playing well. Internet sales is not the cure all answer. 

[kmmcrafts]

53 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

That was what I was talking about and the down sides to it. Have been asked to a few of those party things but not enough sales at them. Nothing in this world wrong with craft shows. They have slowed down alot in my part of the country but in some they still maybe playing well. Internet sales is not the cure all answer. 

Craft shows and farmers markets aren't the cure all answer either.. but one thing is for sure and many people see it.. the shift... crafts shows seem to be dwindling if not dwindling they sure don't seem to be growing much.. and internet sales are growing..   

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

18 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Craft shows and farmers markets aren't the cure all answer either.. but one thing is for sure and many people see it.. the shift... crafts shows seem to be dwindling if not dwindling they sure don't seem to be growing much.. and internet sales are growing..   

Kevin the OP asked about doing a craft show not internet sales. For once let us try to stick to the topic at hand. I find myself drifting many times. We all know from the many many many many posts that your internet sales are through the roof. You do not know about craft sales because you said you do not do them and want to put the effort into doing them. From posts here I see many people doing OK with them and again depends on the part of the country you are talking about. What the OP is talking about is a unique set up. I can tell him and you this, there is a new happening from what I have been seeing and that is web sites designed  for towns to advertise many yard sales and garage sales and maybe the OP can follow this pattern and maybe a new trend is started. I know my brother has been selling many many things this way and making some fine money doing it. It could work. Nothing like trying. 

[lawson56]

Never tried it,wouldn't work.to far off the main drag.

[kmmcrafts]

6 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Kevin the OP asked about doing a craft show not internet sales. For once let us try to stick to the topic at hand. I find myself drifting many times. We all know from the many many many many posts that your internet sales are through the roof. You do not know about craft sales because you said you do not do them and want to put the effort into doing them. From posts here I see many people doing OK with them and again depends on the part of the country you are talking about. What the OP is talking about is a unique set up. I can tell him and you this, there is a new happening from what I have been seeing and that is web sites designed  for towns to advertise many yard sales and garage sales and maybe the OP can follow this pattern and maybe a new trend is started. I know my brother has been selling many many things this way and making some fine money doing it. It could work. Nothing like trying. 

Okay, I'll shut up about it then, Just thought OP mentioned not wanting to do Farmers Markets.. and was looking for an outlet to make some sales.. which is the same boat I was in several years ago.. Internet worked for me.. 

[jbrowning]

Thank you everyone, I'm just looking for a little extra funds throughout the year instead of just in Nov. and Dec.

[ike]

I really don't think craftsales at home would work aaround here. Have you ever saw any adds for them in your area?  ones in the spring don't have the traffic that the fall /Christmas sales do but they do give you a feel of what you should be doing .I specialize in Puzzles and Nativity scenes My nativity scenes range $10 to $35 each and my puzzles range $56 to $20 each. In my area most sales are int the $10 to $20 rangeGet plastic containers to carry your crafts in I get them at Family Dollar for about $5. i really enjoy the church craaft sales best. You are not going to get rich but I adverafe $200 to $350 per sale. and I enjou the sales meeting the people . You have to be a sales man My wife says that all I do is flurt with the women.( It works)

IKE

[rjweb]

Wow Kevin now they are telling you what you can say, that’s why we have this forum for everyone to voice their opinion and ideas, RJ 

[amazingkevin]

12 hours ago, ike said:

I really don't think craftsales at home would work around here. Have you ever seen any adds for them in your area?  ones in the spring don't have the traffic that the fall /Christmas sales do but they do give you a feel of what you should be doing .I specialize in Puzzles and Nativity scenes My nativity scenes range $10 to $35 each and my puzzles range $56 to $20 each. In my area most sales are in  the $10 to $20 range Get plastic containers to carry your crafts in. I get them at Family Dollar for about $5. i really enjoy the church craft sales best. You are not going to get rich but I adverage $200 to $350 per sale. and I enjoy the sales meeting the people . You have to be a sales man My wife says that all I do is flirt with the women.( It works)

IKE

I'm with you IKE, Flirt with the women!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ScollSaw Slasher]

With the current tumult going on, I don't even know if one can flirt with the women without being brought up on charges. LOL So scratch that technique.

[MrsN]

In my area there are a few pop-up boutiques that run for a few weekends a year. I read an article where one of them got in trouble with zoning issues because they had a sale too often. (If I remember correctly it was more an angry neighbor because someone parked on the lawn, but then got a bit bigger) 

The success of the boutiques from what I have seen is weather and advertising. If you advertise like a yard sale, people will be expecting cheap deals, not the crowd you want to sell your fine projects to.