# Craft fairs, anyone?



## HodgeyPodgey (May 23, 2016)

I am thinking about making some stuff to sell at some local craft fairs. I will probably make some cutting boards, bandsaw boxes, box jointed boxes, magnetic bottle openers, and a large cross that i make.

What experiences have you had with craft fairs good or bad?
What are the things that sell?
How to find good craft fairs?
Should I have product on hand or take orders or both?
Should i try a trade days booth?

Thanks in advance for all responses.


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## Clarkie (May 11, 2013)

Hello Hodge, the craft shows don't live up to what people hope they should be. I did them for a number of years before finally building a following of customers for the products I made. If you first attend a bunch of the shows you will get a feel for just how much fun the shows aren't. I did maybe five shows a year, always making enough stock for at least 10 shows, and always coming away from the shows worn out and very disappointed. The shows would cost anywhere from 85.00 upwards to 300.00 for a space for 2 or 3 days. Paying extra for electric hook-up, minimal fee 10.00 to 20.00. So, before even selling a product you are out anywhere from 105.00 to 325.00. Think about how many pens you will have to unload to just break even for set up cost. Then as for cutting boards, everybody and their brother now make them, you'll find them much cheaper at the Walmart and less time to make. Out of 8 years of doing shows, I only sold out of product once, most shows pulled in between 150.00 to 500.00, and this after sitting and selling for 3 days, plus set up, breakdown, packing and travel. Some people still claim they are a lot of fun, I never found that to be true. Find a product you are good at making and then find a avenue for selling it, short of trade shows, where as far as I'm concerned the only one that makes out is the person renting the spaces, oh, and the guy who has the concession stand for food and water. Have fun, make some dust.


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## magaoitin (Oct 20, 2015)

I have always wondered about this myself. I see a lot of pens makers and bottle topper stalls the the farmers markets around me all the time and within a season they have all moved to an ETSY storefronts. I don't know how different crafts fairs are from farmers markets though.


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## Gilley23 (May 9, 2017)

Forget the pens and bottle toppers. Make a good variety of things and have them there to sell. In person sales are on the spot, not ordered out…..at least not nearly as much.

Pull at people's heartstrings…. Children's furniture! You'll go after parents and grandparents alike.

If you can weld, mix it up with metal work as well. Combine the two, get creative. Have a mix of inexpensive and higher end things, for variety.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I did some craft fairs over the years selling
different things I made in different media
and was always disappointed in the money.
I had fun though for awhile anyway.

I looked around and I figured out that the
people who were making money were selling
food, ladies clothing, ladies jewelry, and
stuff rich grandmothers buy for their grandkids.

The market is glutted with pseudo-handcrafted
items made in 3rd world countries. That's
not to say that craft shows are glutted with
imports, just that people can go to a ridiculous
amount of stores and websites and buy 
the imported stuff at very competitive prices.

The cost of selling on Etsy.com is quite low. 
There's price competition and imports but if
you're willing to work the hours and ship
stuff there's modest money to be made there.

If you can stick with it long enough and get
skills in things like marquetry and carving, you
may find that doing juried shows is a good
investment because you'll meet interior designers
and architects who may commission work,
not to mention developing your own private
clientele.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I'm thinking about getting back into craft shows, if only just because it can be fun. Hard work involved setting up and such aside, it can be a heck of a great way to socialize.

I found I was able to use my products to horse trade for things I liked, but couldn't justify buying.

I got orders from the shows too. After a while, the inventory was just the hook. My truck had all the dash and such ripped out and people would ask me to make dashes and such for them. Of course, no one else was making wood auto interiors (e.g., replacement glove box covers, ash tray covers, speaker frames molded to the curves of the rig, overhead gauge consoles and so on). Auto interiors wasn't even what I shot for.

Eventually, I got invited to a Paris art show with some big names. Unfortunately, it was out of this, then, twenty-four year old kids budget. I should have gone. Those things I sold, ignorantly, for $45.00 (for the next fix), would have gone for $450.00 and, in time, times more.

So play, have fun, imagine and climb in and out of the box.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

> I am thinking about making some stuff to sell at some local craft fairs. I will probably make some cutting boards, bandsaw boxes, box jointed boxes, magnetic bottle openers, and a large cross that i make.
> 
> What experiences have you had with craft fairs good or bad?
> What are the things that sell?
> ...


You need to think $20-25 items. I use to sell several of those and took really nothing in material.

Think fast nickel or slow dime…..You can always throw something bigger in the batch. A blanket chest usually is a sound item….

I think this stuff would sell well. Not a lot of money if you price it cheap enough and people don't mind $25-50.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

I used to do lots of craft shows. Rule of thumb, be unique and TALK TO PEOPLE.

I don't do them anymore. Since I do predominantly furniture now, it's not a good craft show item.


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## HowardInToronto (Sep 27, 2013)

Monte summed it up very accurately.

Kelly offered excellent insight into how to make money at something distinct you might enjoy.

Jack showed great pics of great ideas - people always want something they can use for gifts.

Space at a craft show is an investment. You do not do yourself any favours seeing it as expense. It's an investment in building a prospect list - one you can keep in touch with over time and market to. It's an investment to really watch what people will pay their money for.

Howard


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

One thing I always did in woodworking was, avoid competing, as much as possible. For example, back when others were pumping out burl, slab and stump tables, I did too, but I tried to do it differently enough to make my work stand out. I used tempered glass tops for my stumps and etched them, which is MUCH easier to do that most think. Here are a few examples [from forty years ago]:




























The projects, above, aside, there, certainly, IS merit Jack's advice of having a general price limit of around $20.00 for most your inventory. Of course, bringing a couple high end items can get you orders or, if you set up for it, they might sell.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

If you have a band saw, you can drag along samples for orders:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/functional_art/page2

In the end, remember, this will justify more toys, uh, tools to expand your abilities and inventory.


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## woodworkingprincipal (Jul 1, 2012)

Try the Facebook sale sites. They are free and many of these groups have thousands of members so there's lots of exposure. No set up, sitting for the weekend, tear down or travel expenses. If you are near a big metro area, there are LOTS of the groups online. I get LOTS of orders each month through these groups.


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## Woodmaster1 (Apr 26, 2011)

My woodworking club has a show the first weekend in December. The best thing about the show no fee for members and they handle all sales at the door so you don't need to be there all the time. You get your money the next week for your items that sold. This year they have more tables than ever. It is just about to outgrow the meeting room.


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## RHolcomb (Mar 23, 2010)

I love reading the negative along with the positive aspects of selling at craft shows. I've commented in many threads (both here and on other sites) about how most people say how great they do selling at craft shows but here, we finally get down to the nitty gritty where some are willing to say they didn't do well or don't like being involved with craft shows and choose other avenues to sell what they make. No one can make an informed intelligent decision on whether to start selling at Craft Shows until they have all of the information. The good and the bad. Bravo to those who have posted explaining your experiences!


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## tncraftsman (Oct 21, 2009)

This guy does a good job of sharing his numbers from craft shows

https://mowryjournal.com/category/woodworking/


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## jeffswildwood (Dec 26, 2012)

I did my first craft show this year. It was tough but I got positive results. It was just a local one, out doors but attracted a lot of people. First, I stocked items I don't see anyone else selling at any craft fair I had been to. I had items that were priced 5-20 dollars, 20-40 dollars and 40 dollars and up. Cover the whole price range. I also worked the crowd, when someone came up I didn't just sit there, I talked to them. Being friendly. Lots of smiles. The results? I sold out of everything except three items. Later, after the fair I was contacted and they sold. Made quite a bit of profit. The down side? By selling out I couldn't stock up fast enough for the next one.


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## richardchaos (May 12, 2017)

I haven't done thesis some time but if memory serves I recall the small cheap stuff sold all the time, the big expensive things I lugged around form show to show.

Also PANDER to females


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

I agree with statements about lower priced items, generally, being the ones that sold. However, the bigger items got me orders. From them, people figure out you aren't limited to the simple or small crafts. So I found it worthwhile to drag at least a few items along.

One show was interesting. I was in a park and my truck was at my display area. I'd replaced the dash, jockey box cover, ash tray, framed the stereo, built an overhead console for my gauges, and had custom panels to house speakers in the doors. I even had a wood cover over the Hurst shifter and it housed a rocker switch, which allowed me to kick the old Chevy wagon over-drive in and out. I had the doors open and soft jazz playing. Requests for custom wood auto interiors started coming in.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I do two outside festivals and 18 outdoor farmers markets, every year . All within one hour of my home. I have been doing this for nine years now.
Hard work loading and setting up tables but I almost always take in 10-20 times my space rent cost. 
(Outdoor shows are cheap to do) I found an item that no one else in the area makes and specialise in that. 
I make small boxes with images or lettering inlaid into the hinged lids. Could never earn a living doing this but I have a VERY well funded hobby. 
I agree… items that sell best are priced from $5 to $30. I promote the idea that what I am offering make great gifts. Pens are hard to sell, I understand.


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## bonesbr549 (Jan 1, 2010)

I did craft fairs many years ago. Know the craft fair. There are some where the target sales prices will be in the 20-50 dollar ranges, as I did mine in the fall so people were buying Christmas gifts. I found that if i made something small cheap, that I could nock out a ton of them, that was the only way to make a buck. I would take a bigger item as a display, to draw folks in, but never a sale. My wife did quilted hangings and glass items (small) and we did ok.

There are other craft shows where you have to submit a portfolio and get accepted and those have a higher paying client base and your larger nicer pieces can make some decent money, but those are few.

We finally dumped it, as it was not fun to do factory style knock out lots for the $$ in return. The last show I did was for a Christmas ornament of corn husk angels and could still be selling them, but the thought of cutting one more of those out made me want to puke.

I only do larger commission pieces now, much better $$ Good luck.


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## KMacKreations (Feb 14, 2018)

I have had good luck at out local markets selling jewelry items, lamps, key chains, etc. I have found though that people will spend money on their kids and pets before themselves so we have now included items for kids and fur babies.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

I have found it more profitable to sell wholesale to gift shops and small furniture stores than craft shows. I didn't do many shows though, before I decided to do 100% wholesale. The margins are lower, but IMO, there is much more potential for profits. Of course, this is if you have a product you can mass produce. What I used to make for craft show, I now cut in a day.

Honest question- Craft shows are at least 2 days? In my area, I would have at least 1 day travel most of the time. How many days a week do you work?


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## tncraftsman (Oct 21, 2009)

> I have found it more profitable to sell wholesale to gift shops and small furniture stores than craft shows.


CW, did you have products to sell wholesale or did you build to sellers specs? I've been researching selling wholesale but have not any solid leads. Wondering what worked for you


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

When I sold to stores, I just introduced my inventory.

Many stores were willing to deal on consignment and, for others I wanted in to, I pushed the idea they, by selling consignment, could avoid property tax and having to buy inventory.

In time, some stores bought inventory outright to get first shot at the one-of-a-kind stuff.

As to craft shows, I got a lot of orders when I went. I'm thinking of doing them again just for some retirement fun.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

I basically had a product line ready to go when I decided to go wholesale. But I listen to my customers. One of them wanted picture frames. I have never made a picture frame in my life at that point. I told her I would think about it. Worked my tail off developing what I thought was better than anything on the market and pitched it 2 weeks later. It worked. Plus, I was pre-selling to my other customers along the way. Now, it is one of my best selling items. Making about 50+ frames a week.

Make no mistake though, you need to set yourself apart. I could never compete with box store frames. So I found a way to produce solid wood frames with thick/big profiles that look nothing like the box stores. Plus I offer every size you can think of-3×5, 4×6, 5×7, 8×10, 11×14, and 16×20. Also offer them in 3 colors. They also ship with special mattes. so a 8×10 frame can also be used with a 5×7 picture if the matte is reversed.

Did it hurt buying a hundred dollars worth of mattes for a size that doesnt sell that much? Yep.

Did it hurt buying all that glass to get the price down? Yep.

But I can walk into any store that sells picture frames and offer something that no one else does.

I also offer delivery to 5 states, once a month, no shipping charges. This is huge. Most gift shops buy in bulk a couple times a year to get shipping down to somewhere in the 15% range. I tell them order one piece and I will stop.

This is a big inconvienence for me for about 4 days a month. I work my tail of for those 4 days, but I come home with the cash.

Sorry for being long winded.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

Oh, and don't be afraid to go after smaller chain stores. I haven't landed one yet. But I have an on going relationship with a 4 store and 10 store chain. If I land one or both of these, I will have to add on, and probably hire someone.


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