Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
For those of you that have sold your handmade items at a craft fair, what can I expect? Did you sell a lot? What items were good sellers and which ones were not?
I would also like any information or help you can give me on this subject, especially setting up. I'm not really nervous about making the items to sell but have no idea how to make my table look nice without spending a lot of money. Carol
I just did a craft fair/farmers market today and did AWESOME and made just a little over $100!! But, before you get all excited and think you'll make TONS of money, this is the best I've done ever and I've probably done a dozen or so craft shows. On the other hand, don't let that discourage you. If you have some gift items, you should do OK as Christmas is only 3 months away. I still dream that one of these shows everything will be sold out.
Here's what I did: I had a 6 foot table and a card table (and a tv tray with sale items). Next time I'll use both of my 6 foot tables. I have pegboards that are 2'x2' and have 2 hooked together so I can stand them up. I then use peg hooks and hang my CARDS up on those. There's 4 sections, but I only use three (2 sections overlap) and I still had room to hang my DOMINO PINS. I also had CANDLES, PORTFOLIOS, TAGS, COASTERS (sold 2 of the 3 sets), MAGNETS and NOTEPADS. I pretty much sold a little bit of everything. I'm still looking for something better, because if it's an outside craft fair and it's windy, you're in trouble. In fact, one of my pegboards blew over today. Fortunately nothing broke. I do have one suggestion for cards: make sure you have some wedding ones and some sympathy ones.
I also put out a sign saying I'd do special orders, but no one asked about that.
If you have any other questions, please contact me.
Thanks!
munhaven
My favorite color is Relay purple!!
I just did a craft show along with my downline last Saturday. Between the two of us we made about $250.00. We did not do any cards.
We set up two 6 foot tables and a 4 foot table. I used black plastic tablecloths on the tables. The items really stood out on the black. We also used the plastic milk crates (black) stacked, and put items shuch as candles, mugs etc in those. They stood out real nice. We also had an eisle (sp) with a magnetic marker board on for tile magnets and other items with magnets on.
Just an idea, I gave away a small door prize. Everyone had to fill out a StampinUp door prize ticket. I got a workshop from it!!!! I also got some interested in doing a monthly workshop in my home to learn how to make some of the items we were selling.
I also had a sign up sheet to be on a mailing list. Got a few names from that also.
Good luck!! Have fun!!
Sheryl
__________________ Sheryl see my gallery Enter my blog
Wow sounds like you all did very well selling SU.
I have never done a SU one but plan to start them next fall since i Just signed up I really do not have the time to sit and make things for this xmas and most of our fairs you have to be on a waiting list to get in
My hubby and I used to do wood crafts, benches birdhouses and 3-d items.
We did well in the fall but never in the spring, when you were doing your shows did women always say oh look how cute I could do that??
That is what we alwayd heard! LOL You know what though they would end up coming back and buying from us!!
Good Luck with your craft fairs
Jen
I was wondering how you put the angel policy stamp on items like candles and such. On my notebooks I just stamp it on the back of the notebook. I do the same for post it notes. I just didn't know if we could just hang a tag with the policy stamp and price or what. Carol
Ok, now I have another question about the candles. Can you burn these with the tissure paper on them? I just want to be able to answer that question as I'm sure everyone is going to ask that I don't know as I have never tried actually buring them. Thanks, Carol
I did a show last Oct at my son's preschool (it was a fundraiser-I didn't have to pay for the table but gave 10% of profit) and did well. I sold cards for $1.50 each or 4/$5. They were all individual. I had some packaged cards,bookmarks and covered post-its but only sold cards.I made $150 and was thrilled. In March I did a family fun day at a friend's elem school,paid $30 for the table and only sold $32. It was very disappointing but the good side is that I had tons of cards on hand for teacher's gifts at the end of the year.
Ok, now I have another question about the candles. Can you burn these with the tissure paper on them? I just want to be able to answer that question as I'm sure everyone is going to ask that I don't know as I have never tried actually buring them.
I wondered this too. So last year before I sold some at a craft show I made a votive and tried burning it. I burned it way down and I actually held a lighter up next to the side for quite a while. It didn't catch on fire. No flames, nothing.
I would also like any information or help you can give me on this subject, especially setting up. I'm not really nervous about making the items to sell but have no idea how to make my table look nice without spending a lot of money. Carol
An old catering trick is to make staggered layers....turn bowls of varying heights upside down and layer fabric around them. I guess similar to taking group photographs...you don't want everyone standing in straight rows.
I am too looking into what would sell at craft shows. I just wanted to let you know that I read somewhere that gift tags sold well around the holiday. I was going to make some up on precut tags and self sticking sheets to sell. Hope this gives you another idea!
just fyi - someone on here recently said that the tissue candles CAN catch on fire.
I don't personally have any experience with them, but someone mentioned a bad experience burning a candle with the tissue on it.
Please be careful when doing a craft fair. If you used the SU door prize tickets, you might get into trouble if some nasty demo decides to turn you in. They are out there, as a friend of mine was turned in for her display (although it had already been approved, so she didn't have any trouble in the end). We are not supposed to have any SU info if we are selling craft items.
I had called SU regarding how to attach the Angel Policy stamp to gift items. She told me ifyou stamp it on a tag and attach it to the candle with ribbon, string, etc. that's ok...it doesn't have to be permanent. Just like if you sell polyshrink earrngs...just stamp the card that you have them attached to.
Thank you all so much for your thoughts and ideas. I know that every show will be different with different people attending...but I had no idea at all what to expect.
What should I expect at a craft fair?
