I deserve "I told you so"

[Lightweeder]

Supposed to be at a 3-day village craft fair this weekend. Was worth my while last year but nothing was moving. I decided to chuck a lot of my early stuff, which I'm sick of looking at, in an "Everything reduced to £2" bin. A woman mulled long and hard over one of my yew egg boxes, brought one of her friends over and eventually decided against it. Too expensive maybe ?

 

[Jonzjob]

I believe that at some craft fairs the punters expect to get things for nowt and get some change as well. A few we did didn't even cover the cost of the table, others that looked evil were very good. We came to the conclusion that some you win, etc.

 

[big soft moose]

Supposed to be at a 3-day village craft fair this weekend. Was worth my while last year but nothing was moving. I decided to chuck a lot of my early stuff, which I'm sick of looking at, in an "Everything reduced to £2" bin. A woman mulled long and hard over one of my yew egg boxes, brought one of her friends over and eventually decided against it. Too expensive maybe ?

or possibly too cheap - some people have a "if its really cheap it must be rubbish" mindset.

that said village craft fairs are IME often the worst for stuff not moving as they seem to attract a lot of timewasters and "tyre kickers" rather than people who want/need to buy.

My best results have been at xmas markets, and at craft fairs just before valentines day (love spoons went especially well) and mothers day - as these attract people who "need" to buy a gift and are thus less likely to leave empty handed

 

[wizer]

Keep trying LW, these things take time. Have you posted all of your recent work here? Praps you can get some tips on improving?

 

[Bodrighy]

You can't tell with these fairs, I did one on Friday for Help the aged and did better than any others for ages. Mainly things like potpourri bowls, light pulls and bud vases but it all adds up. Always have a good variety of different things and be prepared to change when you see the type of customers coming in

Pete

 

[stevebuk]

we have had a craft fair at my garden centre today and i went and chatted to the turner there, he hadn't sold anything up to my visiting him, but he says he sells quite a lot of stuff through them.

i however got the loan of a fruit turning dvd, and he gave me his card and told me to phone him and go over for a visit, how nice is that.

 

[Jonzjob]

We had one of our neighbours round here yesterday Pete. I showed them a couple of light pulls and they had no idea as to what they were. The French don't use pull switches at all, just normal wall mount switches in bathrooms and loos. They don't use them for curtains either.

I haven't seen any craft fairs in the 6 years we have lived here. Loads of 'Vide greniers', car boot sales, it literally means empty attics, And they are getting more popular, but no craft fairs?

If they had then I might just be tempted?

 

[Lightweeder]

Thanks for the encouragement. My problem is the type of craft fair I'm going to, and it's down to the fact I'm not prepared to pay £100 for a table at a decent fair, in case I don't sell. I get people going into raptures over my stuff, but they aren't there to buy - usually to look at an exhibition, or just have a coffee.