Any unsuccessful shows?

[HannaMariCreates]

Have any of you been to a show full of people and haven't sold a thing? or maybe less than 5 items? When did you start doing well at shows?

[SnowmanCollector]

Yes! I had successful shows before that one and successful shows after that one. Sometimes you try a different venue and it just doesn't work out for whatever reason. Do your research and try to find the right fit for you and your products. But sometimes it comes down to crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.

[Former_Member]

Yes, I did a show in the spring (great weather), had at least 20k of folks come through and sold about 10 items total. The promoters put me in between a ginger-lavender chocolate seller and a women who sold perfumed soap. I still shake my head to that. I guess my lesson that day should have been to make the best of the situation, but I couldn't think clear with all those scents around me. LOL

[Former_Member]

I did a show this past Saturday and sold only one item to a friend of mine who stopped by. Last year I did three and sold two items at each show to friends. It is discouraging to say the least, and I wonder why I bother, but I can't give up yet. I keep hoping the next show will be a good one.

[Former_Member]

I did about eight shows where I took a total bust at each one. I was about to throw in the towel, but I'm an optimist anyway, so I kept at it. For some reason, things turned around and all of a sudden, I was putting black ink into the books for every show, and lemme tell 'ya, it was a good feeling. Not a whole lot of profit, but at least I'm getting out there, I'm meeting people, doing some special orders, having a good time, and making a few dollars. It's a hell of a way to make a living, but I was having fun.

I'm still pretty much in the black ink column with shows, but it's difficult for me physically because I have arthritis in both of my knees and set up is a bear. I'm still having fun and I'll continue to do this as long as it's still fun, but oy vey, this pain thing...

So if your shows are a bust, don't give up yet. I did shows for an entire year and a half were I didn't make booth space, but keep at it. It will turn around. Black ink is a nice color, lemme tell 'ya. When you get your first really good show, it's all gonna be worth it and you'll be glad that you stuck with it.

[PlaynwithScraps]

I try to give a show 2 years before I cross it off my list. Things change each year so you never know.

I did a large street fair in July that I have done very well at before. This year they put me in the "child friendly" area along with face painters, toy makers, etc. I complained about my spot but they couldn't move me at that point. Half my booth is recycled crafts and half is jewelry and my sales are normally split 50-50. I did horrible.

[CindyTSews]

This has been a record breaking year for us. We have only had one poor and that was Festival of the Little Hills in St. Charles, MO. It rained steady for the entire weekend and we still did over 2k. Other than that it has been a tremendous year.

[TremoughGlass]

Its been a real mix for me too. I have had some fantastic shows and some that have almost been busts. My worst was a little town hall affair which was ZZZZ. The organisers were nice but didn't have a clue - they were so stoked at getting 150 people through the door. I sold one ring and didn't even cover my minimal booth fee. Complete waste of time. I've told my hubby to hide the phone if I ever suggest going for a small town hall one again!

And during 2012 and 2013 I did a monthly market at a local town. When I started it was great. It was reasonably priced, they provided a gazebo and advertising and the footfall was very good. But by March of this year it was clear it was dying a death. I always made my booth fee and petrol but not much else and realised my time would be better spent doing my ironing!

[Former_Member]

Yes, I did a few shows with a lot of people, turists stopping by, but hardly any sales. It happens.

[LiTelleJewelry]

I do one show a year, the same one and have found location at that show is KEY. It's location, location, location. A corner spot in a great location..... One time I had a great corner spot and my sales were triple from previous years. Unfortunately, we usually don't have any say about that.

[HannaMariCreates]

Yea i was wondering how you can get your booth in a spot that can be appealing to everyone. Do you think you would attend shows that have other sellers who sell the same things like you?

[WhimsyBits]

My very first show (about 4-5 years ago) I sold one thing ($20), which was to another vendor and I'm pretty sure she felt sorry for me lol

But ever since that show my sales were MUCH better. At my smaller church/school shows I feel I'm doing good if I make about $300 - and for the past 2 years I've done a larger show where I made about $1500 last year.

It took me about 3 years to get up enough courage and money to do the large show (booth fee is $150 vs the $40ish I was paying for church and schools) but it definitely paid off.

This past September I tried my hand at two outdoor market type of things - was hoping I would do well so that I could add some of those into my yearly schedule but both were a bit of a bust. Both were 2 day shows so I expected to do at least as well as my large craft show (but hopefully double) when I made about $800 at the first one (which isn't bad by any means) but then another one last weekend where I MAYBE made $150. That didn't even really cover all of my expenses. I couldn't even wander around and shop at other vendors because I don't allow myself to buy items unless I'm making money myself lol

But you live and you learn! It's always nice to try new things.

[stringnstone]

We do a large street festival every year where we have a corner spot... first year they put us there but each succeeding year we have applied early and asked for the spot. It makes a huge difference where you are located.

We have always made booth fees..knock on wood.. but have had some tense moments leading up to it.. this has been mainly high fee shows where we have a 10x20 space.

Hannah..Our Farmers' Market is bazaar and there are 4 soap sellers and several jewelry makers. The show mid Sept had 7 soap sellers and I didn't count the number of jewelry booths... I have noticed that we all seem to sell something different .. All though I hate being next but one to another soap seller.

[WhimsyBits]

Usually if you attend a show multiple years you have more pull on where you want your booth located. As long as the vendor the previous year in that spot doesn't want it also.

Good show organizers will not put similar vendors next to each other unless the space is just too small that you're really next to everyone.

[stringnstone]

WhimsyBits.. Do you find a difference between indoor and outdoor shows? We have always done well at outdoor shows and not as well at indoor shows.. not sure why.

[WhimsyBits]

I have only done the two outdoor shows last month - they were my first in my 4-5 years of indoor holiday craft shows.

They were more of the antique/junk/crafts/etc... type of markets that are becoming increasingly popular around here, which my stuff fits into because it's kinda rustic and I found that I just can't compete with the antiques and repurposes furniture. My items are bought 90% of the time as gifts and I think outside of the holiday season people just aren't thinking about gift buying yet.

At least that's what Im telling myself because I have a large craft show at the end of this month which I am hoping to make about $2k lol

Do you mainly sell rosaries as your shows? If so, that might be why - those seem like a very personal item to me and I would think people would buy them for themselves and not so much for someone else and around here everything is outdoors during the spring/summer that I feel during that time people are mainly buying for themselves.

[LittleMissHaywire]

I'm new to the team and I have to say this thread has made me feel much better about my recent bad show. I've only done 2 shows so far and I did pretty well at my first one, which was surprising because there was not much traffic.

The show I did last weekend was geared toward antiques and vintage items but I thought I would fit in well since I use a lot of vintage materials in my jewelry. But people just passed by my booth, didn't even stop to look most of the time. I barely made over the booth fee, which was only $30! It was so disappointing and frustrating but I guess it just happens sometimes.

I was also right next to a booth where the lady was selling vintage jewelry for really cheap, so I don't think that helped either.

Oh, and several people flat out told me they were going to steal my ideas! I can't prevent anyone from doing that, but do you really need to tell me you're going to? Ugh!

[stringnstone]

WhimsyBits... we do not sell rosaries at shows... tried it one year in a heavily Catholic area and they didn't go.. I make soap and my DIL and I make jewelry and knits. I love my rosaries and they ground me when I an scattered so I sell them here.. at one time I had knits also but I couldn't keep up with them in shows and a shop so I deactivated all my knit items.. just sell them at craft shows.

[AwesomeSauceDesigns]

I did a show last year at a community centre during Christmas time that was a total bust. I came in $3 over the cost of the booth, so that didn't even cover all my materials. When I looked around, I noticed nobody was selling anything - it wasn't just me. It wasn't promoted very well and did not have much street traffic. Mostly it was people that came in after getting out of the gym so they weren't really there to shop. I asked the organizer if she had a Facebook event to promote it about a month out and she never got back to me until a few days before the show and said she didn't know how to make one, so I had to put one together for it. I'm not going to be doing that one again.

I also did one in the spring that was a total bust. I came in $1 short of my table fees. I did their Christmas show and it was really good. The spring show had lots of people browsing but not too many sales. It's the only show I did in the spring but I heard from other vendors that spring shows generally aren't very good for sales.

[WhimsyBits]

Margaret... That's very interesting! I wonder why you do better at outdoor shows then.

I really want to do our state fair in about 2 years - they have a very good selection of craft vendors in 2 different locations on the fairgrounds. but after doing these 2 market-y shows I'm not sure if I should bother lol I about died just sitting around for 2 days - it would be a lot of sitting around 9 am - 9 pm for 10 days.

[weekendjewelry1]

I've done back to back shows (yrs back, in Connecticut) - similar shows, same area (not same town) - had one of my best shows ever at one of them. Sold nothing, at the other one. (And did fine at that show the one other time I decided to try it). Go figure.

[Former_Member]

Every show may not be huge money, but every show is a learning experience in some way.

Its just not like 1999 or 2005, shows were amazing back then. NOW you really must research and understand your target market.

[PlaynwithScraps]

Corinne- I do pretty good at shows with my jewelry right before Mother's Day.

[AwesomeSauceDesigns]

Dawn - I could see how your jewellery would sell well for Mother's day. My items aren't really suited for that though.

[AmysThreadworks]

My first and only show I've done so far I sold 1 item all day! The "good" news it that most vendors had similar stories--I decided it just wasn't the right venue for me. I'm doing a show in a few weeks that I don't have huge expectations for, but it's a fundraiser for my kids school and so I figure I will at least get to mingle with fellow parents and help a good cause. Late November I am doing a juried show and I do have higher expectations for that. If that show flops then I probably won't do more shows.