[Nfb-krafters-korner] mall craft show...very excited
Charlotte
sirius_black at comcast.net
Mon Sep 16 12:56:23 UTC 2013
I won't do outdoor shows because the one show I did I was right in the
sun and 2/3 of my handmade soap inventory melted. I also won't do
schools any more because as you said there are not that many people
interested in buying. I'm picky about my promoters as well, and I have
done shows with this lady before, and she does limit the number of
vendors of particular types of merchandise which does help significantly
with sales.
On 9/16/2013 7:43 AM, River Woman wrote:
> Hi ladies,
> I did a ton of "craft shows" over a 10 year period - traveled to three
> or four different states doing them. That means taking care of TAX
> records and reporting sales to different states and this has to be
> done as many times a year as that state requires. Lots of paperwork,
> even if you are not doing business in that state in that pay period -
> you still have the tax number and have to report all sales or lack of
> sales.
>
> If you are speaking of the little kiosk booths, they are thousands of
> dollars to have one - my sister-in-law and I had looked into this a
> few years ago at our local malls. The craft shows are entirely
> different but they are also quite expensive and have never encountered
> anyone who has been ver successful with sales at those craft shows.
> Typically, an outdoor craft/arts show would be approximately $150 -
> 250. and an indoor one would be anywhere from $50. and up. The people
> who plan the shows are only interested in selling you a table because
> that is how they make their money. If the show is not a "juried" show,
> then you may find yourself surrounded by many other people selling the
> same kind of craft that you are there to sell. That is a dismal
> discovery, usually. The show that will be the best kind will charge
> a door fee - that means people are paying to enter the show.
> Otherwise, you get a bunch of tire-kickers who are just there to have
> something to do.
>
> To be a successful show, you have to clear 10 times what you paid for
> your table space and expenses. That is the rule of thumb. Most vendors
> will seldom even make their table space plus a little more, at a
> typical craft show. That is the reality of it.
>
> The only thing a promoter "promotes" is selling the tables for this
> show. That is where they make their money, off of the vendors. That is
> true of any craft show - I did many of them over a 10 year period.
> Usually the crafters who do best are selling decorative home items,
> and they are seasonal. Jewelry is the item that has the most amount of
> vendors and it is a very hard sell. And, even though they advertise
> that they will not allow any re-sellers in their show, you will be
> surrounded by them and nobody will do anything about it. You'll see
> tons of re-sellers there, despite their ads.
>
> Eventually, I learned never to do a show that was in a church,
> firehall, school, or hotel/motels and to be extremely picky about what
> outdoor arts/crafts shows I did. What worked best for me is a juried
> show that is in a gallery or an artist's studio. That is where people
> come who want special things and are willing to pay for them. I only
> do one such show now, and it is at an artist's studio and all of the
> people who participate are hand picked and are artisans. We have this
> show, Art and Things Nice' on the exact same weekend each year so
> people wait to begin their Christmas shopping at our show. There are
> not two of anything - in other works, one sculptor, one jewelry maker,
> one knitting person, one card maker, etc. That is the key to a
> successful show - only one artist for a medium. Otherwise, you are
> just all selling a very tiny amount and it is not worth the time and
> effort and nobody is happy.
>
> OH, and the other thing I found is that you never want a booth that is
> anywhere near where food is sold - people will line up for food and
> actually sit on your tables at times, and they will have foods and
> drip ice cream or drop food right on your table, and even worse, they
> touch your things with greasy hands while eating their hot dogs. YUK.
> And, the other thing is you do not want to be anywhere near a rest
> room....obvious reasons.
>
> I did shows in WV, Ohio, NY, and PA - so that is my advice from this
> neck of the woods. My friends did show across the entire country,
> traveling in a van and going around the country - same things they
> found everywhere they went - they did this for well over 20 years.
> Lynda
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charlotte" <sirius_black at comcast.net>
> To: "List for blind crafters and artists"
> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, September 15, 2013 9:06 PM
> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] mall craft show...very excited
>
>
>> Hi. I know the booths in the mall are very expensive. But it doesn't
>> hurt to check into it. I do work it alone. I have things like
>> earrings and bracelets on racks where they have to be taken off. I
>> have never really had much stolen from my shows which I am very
>> grateful for.
>>
>> On 9/15/2013 7:56 PM, Paulette Vickery wrote:
>>> Hi Charlotte,
>>>
>>> You know, you have given me an idea. I never thought of selling in a
>>> mall,
>>> but I just love those little booths at Christmas time. I think I
>>> will do a
>>> bit of research and find out more about it. If you are totally
>>> blind, how do
>>> you work the shop alone, if you do work alone, and keep items from
>>> being
>>> stolen?
>>>
>>> Paulette
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Nfb-krafters-korner
>>> [mailto:nfb-krafters-korner-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>> Behalf Of Charlotte
>>> Sent: Sunday, September 15, 2013 7:13 PM
>>> To: List for blind crafters and artists
>>> Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] mall craft show...very excited
>>>
>>> Will do. I have a couple other shows coming up before that one, so
>>> hoping those do well also.
>>>
>>> On 9/15/2013 5:41 PM, Blindhands at aol.com wrote:
>>>> Best of luck. Please let us know how you make out!
>>>> Joyce Kane
>>>> _www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
>>>> Blindhands at AOL.com
>>>>
>>>> In a message dated 9/15/2013 5:43:42 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>>>> sirius_black at comcast.net writes:
>>>>
>>>> It is October 11 through the 13. There is another one in November as
>>>> well, and I'll have to see if I can get transportation to take my
>>>> inventory there. If I do well at this one, I'll work on getting to
>>>> the
>>>> next one.
>>>>
>>>> On 9/15/2013 3:32 PM, Blindhands at aol.com wrote:
>>>>> Will it be soon? If it is between now and Christmas you should do
>>> well.
>>>>> Joyce Kane
>>>>> _www.KraftersKorner.org_ (http://www.krafterskorner.org/)
>>>>> Blindhands at AOL.com
>>>>>
>>>>> In a message dated 9/15/2013 4:11:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
>>>>> sirius_black at comcast.net writes:
>>>>>
>>>>> It will be the Har Mar Mall in Roseville, MN.
>>>>>
>>>>> On 9/15/2013 3:07 PM, Susan Roe wrote:
>>>>>> Which mall will you be located?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Susan
>>>>>> dogwoodfarm at verizon.net
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charlotte"
>>>> <sirius_black at comcast.net>
>>>>>> To: "List for blind crafters and artists"
>>>>>> <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, September 15, 2013 11:03 AM
>>>>>> Subject: [Nfb-krafters-korner] mall craft show...very excited
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hello all. I have some exciting news. This October I'll be
>>>>>>> doing my
>>>>>>> first ever craft show at a mall. I found a promoter I really
>>>>>>> like and
>>>>>>> I think she does a really good job promoting her vendors and her
>>>>>>> prices are really reasonable. I have been wanting to get the
>>>>>>> exposure
>>>>>>> a mall would give me for years, and now for the first time I'm
>>>>>>> going
>>>>>>> to be able to do it. I am extremely excited for this opportunity!
>>>>>>> Charlotte
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Visit my shop for a sampling of handmade jewelry, bath
>>>>>>> products, and
>>>>>>> more. Go to scentsgemsnmore.etsy.com
>>>>>>> View photos of my work or send me a friend request. Visit
>>>>>>> scentsgemsnmore.facebook.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> If you're a crafter looking to advertise your wares, or you
>>>>>>> wish to
>>>>>>> buy handcrafted products, send a blank email to Handmade
>>>>>>> SellNTrade-subscribe at yahoogroups.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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>>> %40verizon.net
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>>>> --
>>>> Visit my shop for a sampling of handmade jewelry, bath products,
>>>> and more.
>>>> Go to scentsgemsnmore.etsy.com
>>>> View photos of my work or send me a friend request. Visit
>>>> scentsgemsnmore.facebook.com
>>>>
>>>> If you're a crafter looking to advertise your wares, or you wish
>>>> to buy
>>>> handcrafted products, send a blank email to Handmade
>>>> SellNTrade-subscribe at yahoogroups.com
>>>>
>>>>
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>>
>> --
>> Visit my shop for a sampling of handmade jewelry, bath products, and
>> more. Go to scentsgemsnmore.etsy.com
>> View photos of my work or send me a friend request. Visit
>> scentsgemsnmore.facebook.com
>>
>> If you're a crafter looking to advertise your wares, or you wish to
>> buy handcrafted products, send a blank email to Handmade
>> SellNTrade-subscribe at yahoogroups.com
>>
>>
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>>
>
>
>
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--
Visit my shop for a sampling of handmade jewelry, bath products, and more. Go to scentsgemsnmore.etsy.com
View photos of my work or send me a friend request. Visit scentsgemsnmore.facebook.com
If you're a crafter looking to advertise your wares, or you wish to buy handcrafted products, send a blank email to Handmade SellNTrade-subscribe at yahoogroups.com
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