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1. Calculation: total product cost doubled, then doubled again.
($1 cost would be sold for $4)
2. Would I pay this price for this item?
I have been selling snowman hershet abrs for $2. This year, I am increasing cost to $3 or 2/$5.
Does this seem reasonable to others?
Diane...I am doing the same thing. I sold them for $2.50 or 3 for $6 last year and sold out quickly but plan to do the $3 or 2 for $5 this year. I think that does seem reasonable. Chocolate bars arent getting any cheaper (unless you can find a great deal!! which I haven't yet....lol) and to make the hats and scarves takes up some time.
I like your formula....thats pretty much what I do, too. I figure if I would pay X amount for something, then others would too, cuz I am pretty cheap! haha
i am doing my first craft show. i think i am opting to sell no cards. the basic flat card at target is 2.99. their papyrus cards that usually have some sort of embellishement go for upwards of $7. i cannot see putting so much work into something that would sell for $2.
how do you do it? are the cards that sell for $2 very simply made? this will be a learning experience for me. its not a huge show, but one i am familar with. i'll let you know if i decide to ever do another one.
i go to shows where i see the same people, with the same stuff they've had for years. i swear you could blow the dust off. it would be nice if there were a bit of profit. my husband has pushed for years for me to do a show, he thinks he will be able to retire! i am hoping to break even.
i am doing my first craft show. i think i am opting to sell no cards. the basic flat card at target is 2.99. their papyrus cards that usually have some sort of embellishement go for upwards of $7. i cannot see putting so much work into something that would sell for $2.
how do you do it? are the cards that sell for $2 very simply made? this will be a learning experience for me. its not a huge show, but one i am familar with. i'll let you know if i decide to ever do another one.
i go to shows where i see the same people, with the same stuff they've had for years. i swear you could blow the dust off. it would be nice if there were a bit of profit. my husband has pushed for years for me to do a show, he thinks he will be able to retire! i am hoping to break even.
I really think the key is to have variety, and try to make as many as you think will sell. Each year, I add new things and take others away. It keeps people coming back every year. Sometimes they ask for last year's item, and are delighted to see new things.
It is hard your first year. I made small amouts for my first show, and made more during the weeks between shows if needed. Now, I don't do that because I have a good idea of what sells and how many I need. I decide how many to make, then I don't make more even when I run out.
For the cards, I agree there is alot of time & money put in to some cards. I do not sell elaborate ones at craft shows. I only use paper that I get on sale and keep my embellishment cost down also. I try to make cards that cost no more than 50 cents to make. The time - well, that is harder to recoup. I just figure I am getting paid for my hobby, so I try not to think about the time as much!
I did a small market today. I took over 200 cards (non-christmas) and sold none. I sell for $2 each, but they are pretty simple, lightly (& cheaply embellished). My friend took a couple of dozen christmas cards and sold a few. I love to make cards, so I do, but I took a few hundred other items as well. Thank goodness, it only cost us a donated item (voluntarily) to be there, and I made less than $40 (my friend make just over $50). This was a 5 hour day (2 hours of selling time), plus several hours yesterday to sort the goodies and pack my car. Plus all the hours (& dollars) making things. People kept commenting (as always) about how inexpensive our stuff is, and how cute and walk by most of the time. It is our hobby, we do it for fun. However, stalls are hard work and are a drop in the bucket of money incoming versus outgoing. We will NEVER be wealthy crafters!!
some of our bigger, better shows here are in the $250 to $350 range to get a booth. one could go broke just in booth rental.
plus there is a fear factor for me. for years people have asked me to sell my stuff. then i added digital scrapbooking and people have said "you should do that for hire" but i am so afraid no one will like it enough to pay for. just posting cards and pages on this site, was a huge, i mean huge, step for me.
ok, i am off to do an hour of step and relieve some anxiety!
I agree with you Diane. I have lots of different things on my table too. Sometimes I think its too much (and sometimes it probably is) but you never know what people will like and buy. I try to have at least 10 different items, but it usually ends up way more than that. Mainly because I see things kind of last minute that I think are cool and want to try to sell.
When I have sold cards, they were about $2 per card. And I kept them fairly simple too. I won't pay $5 for a card, I don't care what it looks like. Most of the people I give them to (except my sisters) toss them anyway. And I would never give one that pricey to one of the kids in my family. I don't want to go all crazy on them when they tear the card open to get to the cash!! I figure if I won't pay $5 for a card, I don't expect others to. And I'm not saying some cards are worth that, they certainly are. And some will buy them at that price.
some things on my table never change - like my coaster calendars. The paper and colors change but the layout/format don't. But my gift card holders change if I can find new patterns. last year I made the ones that looked like presents and they were a big hit - but they took a bit of time to do (and a lot of punching!). This year's are made with top die note as well as two other patterns. I try to do one that is pretty simple too.
My tags change every year too with punches and stamps that I use.
Last year I started a book for my sales where I jotted down notes on what sold, what I needed to make more of, what didn't sell, what I sold things for. This year I'm going to add pictures of what I made and where I found the pattern (because I NEVER can find the patterns that I use for certain things when I need them!). That was very helpful.
But have fun with whatever you make. If you aren't having fun making it then it isn't worth doing it. And chat up the customers. I'm not that type of person generally but at the sales you can be whoever you want to me. I have fun with them. And every once in a while for the cutest kids that come by (which they are all to me) I give them something, a candy stick or something that they want and mom/dad won't buy for them. If its around $1 that is. Why not. I don't give too much away, just a few things, but I like kids. One year I gave Girl Scouts some composition notebooks they kept coming by to look at for helping me load up the stuff to take home (I absolutely hate that part of the sales, loading and unloading!). I figured we were both winning on that one.
could you share a photo of your calendars, or a link to make them?
if i dont make cards, i would say the average i spend is $5 and i have been guilty of finding one at the papyrus store in nyc and paid $14.95. stupid. but it was lovely and i didnt make cards back then. apparently people buy them, even in this economy because the store is still open!
pretty sure at the show i am doing, no one is paying $14.95 for anything!
could you share a photo of your calendars, or a link to make them?
if i dont make cards, i would say the average i spend is $5 and i have been guilty of finding one at the papyrus store in nyc and paid $14.95. stupid. but it was lovely and i didnt make cards back then. apparently people buy them, even in this economy because the store is still open!
pretty sure at the show i am doing, no one is paying $14.95 for anything!
$15 for a card! Yikes! Must have been a very special card for a very special person.
Last year's (and some of this year's) craft stuff is in my gallery, feel free to peak at it if you want.
But here is a picture of one of the calendars I made, hopefully this will work:
I use 4x4 coasters as the front and back of the calendar, with designer paper glued to it. The pages are 4x4 card stock, decorated a bit with designer paper. The calendar I found on line and its matted with a piece of card stock. The calendar is about 2x3 in size. Used my crop a dile to punch holes at the top and put a three ring binder ring to keep it all together. Some bind it but I don't have that machine and the ring works just fine.
Corner rounded the corners too because the coasters are. You can use whatever size or shape coasters you have too, mine just happen to be these.
You can decorate more or put themes on each month, but I think you need to charge more to do that. I sometimes do that but the $5 ones sell and I'm still making money on them.
If you have questions, just ask. There's probably a tutorial on this site somewhere, but its not hard to figure out.
oh of course i have questions! where do i find the calendar?
mary, i wish i could tell you who the card was for or what it was for. that escapes me, but the price is still there! i hope to heck with my memory that i even mailed it. i'll probably find it in a drawer someday!
Gift card holders are $1.50. Tags are pack of 10 for same price. The coaster fridge notes I think will be $3. I will do some with a pack of calendars attached to, so they can rip off, for $3. The acrylic desk sets are $5. I'm not sure what I'm selling the tile and glass magnets for. I don't think I could get $2 each here, maybe 3 for $1.50 but I'm still thinking about that. They really cost so little to make.
Gift card holders are $1.50. Tags are pack of 10 for same price. The coaster fridge notes I think will be $3. I will do some with a pack of calendars attached to, so they can rip off, for $3. The acrylic desk sets are $5. I'm not sure what I'm selling the tile and glass magnets for. I don't think I could get $2 each here, maybe 3 for $1.50 but I'm still thinking about that. They really cost so little to make.
The reason I charge $2 for mine and get it (I think) is because I create the images or words that are on them. Some I actually collage words and images together to create. Rarely do I have more than one image available of ecah design.
I made some coaster calenders this year-using my digital scrapbooking supplies, a blank digital calender grid ( I entered all the dates myself!!!!) I just used a small regular hole punch , some split jump rings and some ribbon. I sold them-at the first show ( in Sept) for $5.99 ec or 2/$11.50. Sold all 12 I had--they were 4x4 size. Now I'm working on a bit smaller sized ones as well as more of the others. Hopefully I will have same success selling them. By the way I glued them to chipboard aka cereal boxes!! ( run them off on cardstock first!!).--Well was going to post a picture but I guess that was one item I did not take a picture of :mad:
I have my first show of the season this coming Friday night. It is only 3 1/2 hours long, at a group of boutiques in a little shopping center here. It is free (yea for me!) so I don't have to worry about that and I have lots of stuff made for the next couple of shows, so if it doesn't go well, nothing too much to lose except for a couple of hours of time. Which, I usually always make some good contacts no matter what, so it's worth it. I'll let you all know how it goes.
I have my first show of the season this coming Friday night. It is only 3 1/2 hours long, at a group of boutiques in a little shopping center here. It is free (yea for me!) so I don't have to worry about that and I have lots of stuff made for the next couple of shows, so if it doesn't go well, nothing too much to lose except for a couple of hours of time. Which, I usually always make some good contacts no matter what, so it's worth it. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Good luck!
I have my first show on Saturday this week also. It is smaller than my November shows but is a good test run for setting up my table, etc.
I think I may have too many items for my table this year...oh well.
My upline (Heidi King) and her upline (Maureen Rauchfuss) and I shared a booth at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena this past weekend. Unfortunately, we didn't sell much, it probably didn't help that it was 92 degrees out. We did learn a few things and had a good day because we like each other.
My upline (Heidi King) and her upline (Maureen Rauchfuss) and I shared a booth at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena this past weekend. Unfortunately, we didn't sell much, it probably didn't help that it was 92 degrees out. We did learn a few things and had a good day because we like each other.
You did a good job with the set-up. Everything looks great!
My upline (Heidi King) and her upline (Maureen Rauchfuss) and I shared a booth at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena this past weekend. Unfortunately, we didn't sell much, it probably didn't help that it was 92 degrees out. We did learn a few things and had a good day because we like each other.
Your setup looks great! It's all good as long as we learn something
I have my first sale this weekend, hope it goes well. And I hope sales go well for all of us/you that are having sales this weekend and through out the craft sale season! I have three set and another possible in December. I don't think I'm ready but I'm as ready as I will be for this first sale. And my house looks like a craft fair exploded in it! I can't believe how crazy it gets when I craft. Oh well. Someday it will get put away!
I have my first sale this weekend, hope it goes well. And I hope sales go well for all of us/you that are having sales this weekend and through out the craft sale season! I have three set and another possible in December. I don't think I'm ready but I'm as ready as I will be for this first sale. And my house looks like a craft fair exploded in it! I can't believe how crazy it gets when I craft. Oh well. Someday it will get put away!
I know what you mean!! We live in a condo and the living room has exploded with craft stuff I haven't put away between crafts. I apologized to my hubby tonight for this. It stresses me out!!
Anyhow, he was very good and supportive and said it doesn't need to get organized until we have to put up the xmas tree. So sweet.
I�m not sure if anyone can help me but Ive been looking for a SVG file for a Santa Key, I had one but now I need it I seem to have lost it, I�m making one for my Grandson as we are spending christmas with them. Ive seen some made on here so if anyone can point me in the right direction I would be very grateful.
I must say the craft items you all make are amazing, wish I had the confidence to have a go.
I�m not sure if anyone can help me but Ive been looking for a SVG file for a Santa Key, I had one but now I need it I seem to have lost it, I�m making one for my Grandson as we are spending christmas with them. Ive seen some made on here so if anyone can point me in the right direction I would be very grateful.
I must say the craft items you all make are amazing, wish I had the confidence to have a go.
I found a cute santa rollo candy project and did some - they are in my gallery with a link to the blog I found them on with some instructions. Very cute.
I did up some monster peppermint patties tonight, found it on Stampin Connection - CASED from Traci DeGoller. Very cute if I may so myself! They are in my gallery if you want to check them out.
I did up some monster peppermint patties tonight, found it on Stampin Connection - CASED from Traci DeGoller. Very cute if I may so myself! They are in my gallery if you want to check them out.
Ok, well the first craft fair of the season last Friday night didn't go so well. I did not sell one thing... not one!! But I didn't have to pay for the booth, and one of the stores who was hosting it wants to start carrying my cards permanently. So, that is a HUGE positive!! I'll try to get some photos uploaded soon. We were only allowed a card table at this event. I have another one on Saturday. A bit longer of a day, so we'll see how it goes. This is my 2nd one and again, it is free, and at a local shopping area.
Ok, well the first craft fair of the season last Friday night didn't go so well. I did not sell one thing... not one!! But I didn't have to pay for the booth, and one of the stores who was hosting it wants to start carrying my cards permanently. So, that is a HUGE positive!! I'll try to get some photos uploaded soon. We were only allowed a card table at this event. I have another one on Saturday. A bit longer of a day, so we'll see how it goes. This is my 2nd one and again, it is free, and at a local shopping area.
Diane...I am doing the same thing. I sold them for $2.50 or 3 for $6 last year and sold out quickly but plan to do the $3 or 2 for $5 this year. I think that does seem reasonable. Chocolate bars arent getting any cheaper (unless you can find a great deal!! which I haven't yet....lol) and to make the hats and scarves takes up some time.
I like your formula....thats pretty much what I do, too. I figure if I would pay X amount for something, then others would too, cuz I am pretty cheap! haha
Last year I sold them for $3, or FOUR for $10. Same concept, but it encouraged them to buy MORE. I only tried 36 bars, but they were gone within the first hour of the show!
I did up some monster peppermint patties tonight, found it on Stampin Connection - CASED from Traci DeGoller. Very cute if I may so myself! They are in my gallery if you want to check them out.
Those are adorable! What brand patties did you use?
They are Pearson because York isn't packaged round any longer. But I like Pearson too so its all good. WalMart, Walgreens and Sam's carry Pearson - I'm sure others do too.
Last year I sold them for $3, or FOUR for $10. Same concept, but it encouraged them to buy MORE. I only tried 36 bars, but they were gone within the first hour of the show!
Nancy...totally going to do this! I actually decided to have most of my treats priced at $3 each or 4 for $10. I decided that since I got the Square to accept credit/debit cards this year, I was going to make a minimum purchase of $10 to use a cc. I also want to promote more purchasing! LOL
I have 50 snowman candy bars, 28 snowman popcorn packets (with gloves as their hats! cute!!), 20 snowmen Lifesavers. I only do 2 shows now a year and one is next weekend and one is Dec. 1st so I focus mainly on Christmas items. If I sell out at the first show, great...I can always make more. If not, then I'll already have things made for the second show. Either way, win/win! Unless they don't sell at all and I have to eat all that stuff. Then yikes!
Nancy...totally going to do this! I actually decided to have most of my treats priced at $3 each or 4 for $10. I decided that since I got the Square to accept credit/debit cards this year, I was going to make a minimum purchase of $10 to use a cc. I also want to promote more purchasing! LOL
Just FYI, it is against most agreements with the companies to require a minimum purchase to charge. Yes, I KNOW you see signs like that all the time, where a retailer is putting a minimum on a credit card sale, but if you refuse a transaction of under $10 and the person turns you in, the company will pull your right to use their service.
Nancy...totally going to do this! I actually decided to have most of my treats priced at $3 each or 4 for $10. I decided that since I got the Square to accept credit/debit cards this year, I was going to make a minimum purchase of $10 to use a cc. I also want to promote more purchasing! LOL
I have 50 snowman candy bars, 28 snowman popcorn packets (with gloves as their hats! cute!!), 20 snowmen Lifesavers. I only do 2 shows now a year and one is next weekend and one is Dec. 1st so I focus mainly on Christmas items. If I sell out at the first show, great...I can always make more. If not, then I'll already have things made for the second show. Either way, win/win! Unless they don't sell at all and I have to eat all that stuff. Then yikes!
Hi Kelly,
According to Visa/Mastercard guidelines, you can NOT pose a minimum purchase. However, Square does not accept anything under $1, so technically that is your minimum.
Sharon
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