[Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft markets
Lindy van der Merwe
stephlin at iafrica.com
Mon Mar 19 07:39:09 UTC 2012
Thanks, Joyce. I did find a plastic box with dividers and it worked great so
far. If I do more shows I will definitely invest in a metal one that can be
locked, I think.
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: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 8:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] Selling at craft markets
>
> 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
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> Nfb-krafters-korner mailing list
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>>>>>
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>>>>>
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>>>>> Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2113/4866 - Release Date:
> 03/12/12
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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