[Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft markets

Blindhands at aol.com Blindhands at aol.com
Wed Mar 14 17:25:38 UTC 2012 

Laurie's email is:
_freespirit1 at tds.net_ (mailto:freespirit1 at tds.net) 
 
Joyce  Kane
_www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/) 
Blindhands at AOL.com   

 
In a message dated 3/14/2012 11:00:53 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
sarahmsykes at gmail.com writes:

I  haven't done very many craft shows, but I've done a TON of
exhibiting for  my job and I can say that the stress level goes way
down when you are doing  a show with at least one other person. Aside
from any visual or money  related concerns, it's just better to have
someone with you, to have  conversation if the show is a dud and you've
got no business, to pinch hit  for each other for lunch breaks, to
handle multiple transactions when  business is booming, etc.

Sarah M Sykes

On Tue, Mar 13, 2012 at  6:16 PM, Sahar Husseini <sahar at inebraska.com> 
wrote:
> Also, you  might want to invest in a money identifier.  If you have an 
IPhone, there  are a couple of aps.  I also have the IBill, a stand-alone 
money  identifier; I paid $100 for it, and it was worth every penny.  I don't  
leave home without it.  I am not usually comfortable selling by myself.  I've 
done craft shows, and I find them more stressful than they're  worth.  
Lynda, it is so good to hear someone else echoing my sentiment.  It's funny this 
has come up just after you and I corresponded about it.  I feel validated, 
as I told you in my private message to hear you saying  what you said 
because people think I'm crazy when I tell them I'm not  comfortable with craft 
shows and that I think they're often a waste of time.  People are often 
looking for a bargain, and not necessarily quality.  The best craft shows I have 
ever been in are those at convention.  I love doing those; they are 
definitely worth the stress.  *smile*
>
> Warm regards,
> Sahar Husseini
> For  hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind jewelry, please visit my Website at
>  www.saharscreations.com
> Find me on Facebook at  www.facebook.com/saharscreations
> And remember, "Obstacles don't have  to stop you.
> If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give  up.
> Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around  it."
> Michael Jordan
> ----- Original Message -----
> From:  "Lindy van der Merwe" <stephlin at iafrica.com>
> To: "List for blind  crafters and artists" 
<nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Sent:  Tuesday, March 13, 2012 10:39 AM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner]  Selling at craft markets
>
>
> Thanks, Linda, for all the  tips and ideas. I have not yet decided to do 
the
> craft market on  a
> permanent basis. You have reminded me to also look for some  other
> alternatives and have given me some great ideas to work with. My  sincere
> thanks.
> It looks like I will have someone with me for  my next market, so I'm 
sure it
> will also help me get comfortable if I  decide to do this type of selling
> more in future.
> Kindest  regards.
> Lindy
>
> Find PRACTICAL PRODUCTS on  FACEBOOK:
> http://www.facebook.com/practicalproducts
> -----  Original Message -----
> From: "River Woman"  <riverwoman at zoominternet.net>
> To: "List for blind crafters and  artists" 
<nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, March  13, 2012 2:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft  markets
>
>
>>I sell jewelry and knitted accessories. I  no longer do "craft shows" but 
I
>>do some higher end "Holiday  Markets."  The ones I do now are set up
>>boutique style where  the customers show the entire show, then bring the
>>things they wish  to purchase to the "check out" area where it is sold and
>>bagged for  them. This works perfect for a blind person because you do not
>>stay  at your area, other than to come in a replenish the stock.  A  much
>>better clientelle visites this type of market, and you get  much better
>>prices.
>>
>> I did do craft shows  for quite a few years. I soon learned that shows 
held
>> in churches,  fire halls, and schools are typically very low end ones and
>>  flooded with tons of people there to have lunch and visit, but not to  
buy.
>> And, they are not discriminate about how many vendors they  have selling 
a
>> particular thing. ie, they may have a dozen tables  of jewelry vendors -
>> which means very little sales for any of  them.
>>
>>
>> I do only one show now in which I am  there at my booth the whole time. 
It
>> is in a museum, so again, the  clientelle is much better and they are
>> really there to buy nice  things.
>>
>> I always have a family member at my booth with  me.
>> I am alone at times when they take a bathroom break, and after  doing 
this
>> many times for the four years I have been without  sight, I am always 
quite
>> nervous.
>> There is no way  anyone would know I am blind at all. Even after I say 
so,
>> they are  skeptical about it. I look them in the eye, and I engage with
>> them  through gestures as I always did before. There is nothing about me
>>  that reads "blind" unless they saw me walking in with my  cane.
>>
>> Customers always say "over there" "that one"  "this one" the "pink one"
>> etc. That is the normal way for a person  who can see to designate things
>> and they have no idea that we  cannot know what they mean. They are 
really
>> clueless about  blindness - I sure was! I understand this.
>>
>> Here is  what I do that helps though:
>> I put a  clearly marked  price tag is on every item.
>> If they ask the price, I hand it  to them and say, "Here, you can see the
>> price on the tag." I also  put any other pertinent information on the 
tag -
>> I use large tags  so it is very CLEAR to them.
>> Money? I have the bills put in an  order that is always the same. I use
>> only bills and never have any  change. This eliminates a very big worry.
>>
>> I never  price anything with "cents" involved. Everything with only
>>  "dollars" this way the item is $5. or $10. etc.  You can back the  taxes
>> off of the price after you get home.  When you do your  pricing, just 
round
>> it UP to the next dollar amount. This has  saved me so much worries. This
>> way you need never worry about  making change with those coins.
>>
>> You can get a money ID  thing for your bills. I have an ID PacMate that
>> reads bar codes so  you can even make bar codes for your items which is
>> pretty  cool.
>>
>> Any time I sell things that are different  colors, I put them in "Roy G.
>> Biv" order. In fact, everything I  can put into that order in my own
>> house - all my jewelry is in Roy  G. Biv order. Roy G. Biv means Red,
>> Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue,  Indigo, Violet.  In my home I have 
plexiglas
>> containers that  are tall. Each one has a lid, and each one holds one 
color
>> of  necklaces. They are in Roy G. Biv order on my dresser. No worries  
about
>> what color I am getting, if it is kept in order.
>>  Another special container holds all my earrings in this order, too.  I
>> found a wonderful Earring Box on Home Shopping Network. It holds  72 
pairs
>> of earrings. All in order and easy for me to find just  what I am looking
>> for.
>>
>> I do know that some  people will definitely cheat you if given the
>> opportunity. If I  had not had my daughter with me to watch the
>> transactions, there  were some times when I would have given a person
>> change for a $20.  when she really gave me a $10. and the person stood
>> there waiting  for the change. My daughter saw it happening and ran over 
to
>> clue  me in. Also, teen age girls come into your booth in groups and  
they
>> are there to steal - one engages you in conversation while  the firends 
are
>> stealing. This happens a lot at outdoor festivals.  I cannot imagine 
being
>> in the booth alone without some watchful  eyes to watch the crowd -
>> especially when you sell jewelry. It is  small and very easily slid off 
the
>> table into a tote bag even when  a person CAN see well.
>>
>> Those would be my most  important tips after about 10 years of doing arts
>> festivals, craft  shows, and markets.
>>
>> Lynda River Woman
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Lindy van der Merwe"  <stephlin at iafrica.com>
>> To: "List for blind crafters and  artists" 
<nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday,  March 13, 2012 3:03 AM
>> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at  craft markets
>>
>>
>>> Hi  there,
>>> To those who sell at craft markets, I was wondering  about a few things.
>>> 1 Do any of you manage a stall or a table  on your own, or do you 
usually
>>> have someone there to  help?
>>> 2 If you do it on your own, how do you answer the  questions: how much 
is
>>> this? or I'd like to take this ... or  Do you have change for this?
>>> 3 How do you handle sorting and  exchanging paper money?
>>> I had my first experience with selling  at a stall last Saturday and 
these
>>> were some of the aspects I  had to deal with.
>>> I don't think it is immediately obvious that  I am blind, which did make
>>> for some awkward situations, I  thought.
>>> Perhaps there may be some obvious answers to some of  these questions, 
or
>>> perhaps I just need some practice with  being more comfortable in 
dealing
>>> with strangers in that type  of setting?
>>> I know it will be most helpful to have prices on  either the products or
>>> on the containers they reside in, but  it just felt like people related 
to
>>> me using gestures a lot of  the time, which obviously made communication
>>> somewhat  difficult and even though I wanted to respond in a confident
>>>  manner, I found it quite challenging at times.
>>> Any ideas and  thoughts would be much appreciated.
>>>  Lindy
>>>
>>>
>>> Find PRACTICAL PRODUCTS  on FACEBOOK:
>>>  http://www.facebook.com/practicalproducts
>>> ----- Original  Message -----
>>> From: <Blindhands at aol.com>
>>>  To: <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday,  March 13, 2012 5:28 AM
>>> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Looking  for volunteers
>>>
>>>
>>>>I am looking  for teachers to teach the classes.  Do you know or are  
you
>>>> interested in teaching any of these suggested  classes?  I need
>>>> volunteers to
>>>>  teach.
>>>>
>>>> Heads up we hopefully will be  having an email class with an Origami
>>>>  project
>>>> in  the near future.    I will do a  soap class and a sewing  class, 
but
>>>>  I
>>>> am busy with kicking off my new craft business.   I  am  not sure if I
>>>> can
>>>> fit classes  in that I will teach between now and middle of  July.  I
>>>> have 4
>>>> holidays between now  and then to fill orders.   Hopefully I am putting
>>>>  St.
>>>> Patty's Day Wild Irish Roses to bed maybe by  tomorrow.  I have 100 in
>>>>  reserve
>>>> for my Irish Bar that is selling soo many  of  them.  I spent the last 
2
>>>> days
>>>>  working on Easter ones to get a head  start.  I will know on  
Wednesday
>>>> if
>>>> they need any more St.  Patty's Day  ones.
>>>>
>>>> We need to  wait for the Latch Hook class to be finished before we  
start
>>>> a
>>>> new email class.  I want  to only do one at a time email class for now,
>>>> until we  work any problems out.
>>>>
>>>> So think about  what you can teach, host a chat night  topic.    I  
will
>>>> be
>>>> there to help with what YOU  do.
>>>>
>>>> Krafters Korner is for everyone  and everyone makes Krafters Korner 
what
>>>>  it
>>>> is!
>>>> Joyce  Kane
>>>> _www.KraftersKorner.org_  (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
>>>>  Blindhands at AOL.com
>>>>  _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>>
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03/12/12
>>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>
>
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