[Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft markets
Blindhands at aol.com
Blindhands at aol.com
Wed Mar 14 18:39:30 UTC 2012
Lindey,
I do have a couple of tips on handling money. They do have metal money
boxes. We can get them here in the states in office supply stores It does
have a tray that fits in the box and is made out of a hard plastic. The tray
has divider for putting paper money and has 4 dividers. I put larger
bills if I get them under this tray in the bottom of the box. Another thing I
use to use, I made an apron that had pockets that were deep enough to put
my hand in and put money in deep enough so it would not fall out or poke
out. I made enough pockets and kept the individual dollor amounts in each
pocket. I would have another pocket up higher and be small enough to fit my
business cards The apron was a cobblers apron so it would hang from my
neck and tie at my back. With the apron you did not have to worry if someone
would walk off with your money box. I would have the money box with me
and put it in a safe place. That way I could keep higher bills or checks or
whatever in the money box and occasionally sort money out of my pockets.
Joyce Kane
_www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
Blindhands at AOL.com
In a message dated 3/14/2012 5:45:30 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
stephlin at iafrica.com writes:
Wow, thanks to everyone for your responses and great ideas. I sure have a
lot of ideas to work with and to consider. I already have business cards
with print and braille on, which I am hoping to display or hand out as the
occasion presents itself.
About identifying notes, I am working with South African rands, so not
sure
if a standard note id app will work. I unfortunately don't have an iphone
yet, otherwise I could have used the color id app since our notes are all
different colours and also different sizes. There is a small device which
will let you measure notes, but it does take time to position the notes
and
check where it comes to. I am also considering a type of container for
money
with divisions so I can place and find the notes more quickly. This was my
first experience, and overall, it wasn't too bad. The products I make and
sell are actually for children, including bath salts, soaps, bath gloves,
toiletry bags, craft kits, etc. so they are not expensive and will
hopefully
fit in with what people expect to buy at a flea market. My next market is
at
a primary school festival.
Thanks again to all. Your input is much appreciated.
Lindy
Find PRACTICAL PRODUCTS on FACEBOOK:
http://www.facebook.com/practicalproducts
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sahar Husseini" <sahar at inebraska.com>
To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 1:16 AM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft markets
> 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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