Craft Fair Pen Sellers's

[Lee J]

I'm at a craft fair next saturday and on my stall I have done about 10 pens from nice woods...

I'm pricing them at £10 each including velvet pouch. If I sell them all then £100 covers the costs pretty well.

 

[nev]

Me, I am a hobbyist and make jewellery boxes but so far in the last 18 months most of my boxes have been commandeered by friends and relatives and still have yet to make it to a craft fair, grrrr.

My latest offering



I am trying to do some turned boxes to compliment the jewellery boxes and not keep throwing out good lumps of wood which are no good for anything else but still at the learning stage.
Had a go at this one today, it's a piece of elm


Andy

=D>

 

[tsg]

I know this thread is a little old but it covers exactly what I want to ask. I intend to start trying to sell at craft fairs etc. but as it is all new to me I am a little bit anxious. Please have a look at my web site and take about £3.00 off the prices, and advise me if I have got it about right or not.
I have got loads more including tables and other small furniture, but need to know what sells the best for least time spent on it.
Thanks
Paul

 

[pebbles]

Might just be me/my system, but none of the drop-down menus on your site seem to be working... :?

 

[themackay]

I have just been there working ok for me
Alan

 

[marcros]

Every craft fair thread I have seen seems to suggest that they can be a bit hit and miss, and can be very location specific as to what sells. Those that do them week I week out have a better insight into what sells at that location, whether there are many browsers and not many buyers, whether the buyers only want to spend a couple of quid etc.

 

[Grahamshed]

I think you probably need to find the ones you are interested in and go 'watch' for a day but as Marcros says, it will still probably be hit and miss. The odd ones I have been to ( as a visitor) left me quite pussled.

 

[Tazmaniandevil]

Might just be me/my system, but none of the drop-down menus on your site seem to be working... :?

Working fine for me. The menus etc. are javascript so you may need to enable/install/update the version of java for your browser. Also, I've seen Internet Explorer prior to 10 struggle with Wix generated sites. (not always though..... :duno: )

 

[yorkshirepudding]

Most people visiting craft fairs carry little cash. If you are not able to process credit cards then you have a limited market.
If you want to make real money from your turnings I suggest you try some local galleries.

 

[pebbles]

Ah... ok thanks. Am using a Mac/Mavericks and Safari. May be it.

 

[NikNak]

Adam.....


Also be aware that whatever price you decide to sell for, if you're not 100% happy with what you've taken the time to turn/make then probably neither will your (potential) buyers, i.e. dont kid yourself that you've made a nice well turned item when you know in your heart its not. If your missus is anything like mine get her to appraise your stuff before even thinking of selling.... :shock:

Cheap kits WILL equal a cheap (looking) pen.... trust me i've been there.

And I can vouch that anyone who was ever lucky enough to buy one of Cornucopias' pens will have gotten hold of a fantastic piece of workmanship.... i've seen them =D> =D> =D>


Nick

 

[tsg]

Might just be me/my system, but none of the drop-down menus on your site seem to be working... :?

Pebbles, there is only one drop down menu which is on the 'Gift shop' the others are only single pages at the moment but the site is new and still growing. Please let me know if this doesn't work on your system and I can try and fix it.
Thanks Paul

 

[pebbles]

Thanks tsg - seems to be working fine now! I've long since stopped trying to work out the bizarre oddities of computers. Some very nice things you have for sale too

 

[Terry - Somerset]

I started woodturning about 18 months ago and at the time considered doing craft fairs. Having visited a few, I was disappointed by the poor quality of some (not all) of the items and resolved to wait until I was happy with what I produced before even considering it.

However I can identify with pricing low simply to cover costs and make a contribution (however small) to equipment. It allows us to pursue a hobby without filling the house with turnery once friends and xmas presents etc have been satisfied, and hopefully provides some pleasure to the recipient.

I'm now retired but having been an accountant during my working life I still tend to intuitively consider profitability, investment and cash flow even if it isn't immediately necessary. Sad isn't it, although I suspect all skills and trades do the same thing in their own area of expertise!! In the case of woodturning:

- hobbyists doing craft fairs etc generally don't value their time commercially and typically work from shed or garage etc with limited measurable overhead costs

- to make a decent income from lowish value items (sub say £20) would require a production mindset - eg: make batches of 50 pens/bowls rather than unique items. This reduces material costs (bulk buy wood and convert), set up times, uses custom made jigs where appropriate. Also need to find sales outlets, manage stocks, website, collect debts etc etc. This is not a hobby and potentially competes with low labour cost imports.

- I think there may be a living to be made making high quality, artistically original items with a unit price of £40-50+. Finding the right outlets could be a challenge and requires some talent - which I suspect I don't have.

Just a few personal thoughts after a limited time in the business!

Rgds

Terry

 

[Grahamshed]

I think you are right on all counts Terry. Maybe what we need is a market / fair/ whatever for higher end crafts where they could be labelled as art pieces and visitors will expect to pay higher prices.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

There is one of those that immediately springs to mind. I can't remember its name but its up at Newmarket race course just before Christmas. My brother took me there several years ago and it was very high end. There were about 5 or 6 different types of wood worker from memory. A chap making incredible Windsor chairs, another that made this superb folding table out of ash and then the turners. I wasn't turning yet at that time but I recall being stunned by some 4' high urns and massive hollow forms out of burrs etc. All in the 3-£500 range

 

[Grahamshed]

Sounds like the sort of thing Bob. and decent pens from striking woods could go for £75 or so. I would go to that, if only to look.

 

[Richard Findley]

Hi all

It may be of interest to some, I wrote an article in this months Woodturning Magazine that covers the basics of pricing and quoting for work. Might be worth a read if you are planning to sell your work. Next month the topic is marketing, so it all ties in together.

HTH

Richard

 

[bellringer]

Hi all

It may be of interest to some, I wrote an article in this months Woodturning Magazine that covers the basics of pricing and quoting for work. Might be worth a read if you are planning to sell your work. Next month the topic is marketing, so it all ties in together.

HTH

Richard

always like your articles and look forward to this one

 

[Grahamshed]

Have to toddle off to Toolpost then, They seem to be the only place to get it around here.