Display question

[WilderNorthDog]

So, now that I'm switching over to indoor shows, I'm wondering if the idea that I have would work...

I was thinking of displaying all the items that I have for sale, and have a little sign that says "Pick up your items at checkout"

Does anyone thinks this would work? I'm just worried about keeping stuff stocked on the display. And considering I'll be working alone. I was thinking this would let everything I have be out for people to see. And they have to come to me to get what they want. I would have everything labeled, so they could just come up and say, "I'd like the christmas plaid in the large bow." And I could just pull it out of my stock.

Does this make sense?

[Former_Member]

"Chum"......items for a customer to chose as they check out.....last minute choices. I like the idea, but I don't think those items should have preference over your holiday products. Here's a thread started that may also give you some other ideas.

https://www.etsy.com/teams/8070/craft-fairs-its-a-living/discuss/12166548/page/5/?post_id=174245811&...

[BeeBuzzPaperie]

Cute Shop!!
Do you mean you would have one of everything displayed and you keep the actual stock behind the counter with you? I've read a lot of threads where people have noted to price every item because customers don't want to ask about price. I wonder if having to ask you to get each item would fall into that same category. I don't know that it does, but just some food for thought.
Would your booth look sparse with only one of each item, or do you have a large inventory?

[WilderNorthDog]

I have a large inventory. I'm thinking specifically for a huge holiday show I'm doing. I would have everything displayed, with a name, price, and size options. With all the sizes displayed as well.

[SugarSidewalk]

Hi
That is a tough one as you are alone so I get wanting to be efficient. My only thought was that it doesn't "feel" as handmade if I am not getting the piece from the display but rather from stock.

You & I know it's the same but it feels like Stella & Dot a little bit vs me buying "this exact piece"

I hear you though...I did a show & was alone for several hours & between restocking, getting customers purchases complete & answering questions etc I was quite overwhelmed.

It might be different at a holiday show where people will appreciate the expediency.

I'm very little help :-/

I might start out without the sign - do your display as planned & if it gets crazy busy put up the sign to pick up the items at checkout.

I'm off to look at your shop now!!

[AvonnieStudio]

How about creating more levels to your display and only stocked up 2-3 for each item? As a shy buyer myself, the sign might keep me away when I do not feel comfortable interacting with other people. Also, I think your sign might make people feel like they are not allow to touch your item. I would avoid this idea, but this is just my personal opinion from a perspective of a customer's.

[WilderNorthDog]

I guess I should explain what I have to work with...

I was going to have a front table, with two pieces of gridwall behind the table. And I would have the bow and collar color option displayed on the gridwall. And have them labeled, with pattern names, size option. And then on the table, have more items for people to pick up and touch.

From what I've heard about this particle show that I'm worried about. It is very very busy, and it is very hard to get in. It is organized by the same people that do a show every week during the summer. And many of the VIP vendors at the summer show, have never even gotten into the Holiday show. So, with the number of people I'm expecting. I imagine that I will not be able to replace stock and deal with customers too. So I thought displaying stuff, might be easier.

I'm also very shy shopper, so I'm thinking that this sort of shopping event wouldn't be something I would even go to. So I'm hoping that my method might work for the type of customers that will be coming out to this.

Does this help? Any more thoughts??

[JustMeToo]

I think you will lose a lot of impulse buyers. Customers like to touch, feel and look at the exact one they are thinking of buying. I would have lots on display of each item to sell directly - whatever you have space for, and replenish as you sell. Congratulations on being accepted, and all the best of luck!

[ModJules]

I would put out as much as you can fit. Then, you could always do a sign that says, need a particular color or size you don't see? just ask!

As someone else said in another thread, what they don't see, they don't buy.

[CarolBradley]

Can you move the gridwall up next to the table so customers can take their selections off the rack?

[BeeBuzzPaperie]

I totally understand where you are coming from w/your futher explanations--Since it will be busy/high traffic, you may not have proper time to restock.
I do wonder tho, if every customer has to come to you for items, will that create a waiting line for people who haven't fully committed to the item they are waiting to see? You may lose people who don't want to wait. Like Carol said, people want to touch and see the exact one they are buying. If a customer is waiting in line to pay vs wait to see an item, that may end up in more $.

[JustMeToo]

Even at the busiest shows, there are short lulls. That's when you restock, straighten out the mess, etc. I always keep the same item right under the table display of that item, so I'm not searching for stuff! If you have to get stuff out while customers are there, there is nothing wrong with "I'll just be a moment" and get out what you need! I've been doing the big ones for 40 years - people are pretty good! (It also shows them that you're selling well, so that gets them more interested) :)

[WilderNorthDog]

I guess that is what I will do! I will have to play around with my set up. Those of you who have done holiday shows, would you recommend doing more holiday stuff? Or holiday and my best sellers? I won't have the space for everything, so I'll have to pick what to bring...

[JustMeToo]

I would take some holiday, and lots of best sellers. I make towels for the Christmas shows. I have a couple of dozen Christmas ones, but I have hundreds that aren't Christmas oriented.

[LizArti]

Erin, is there a reason you'll be alone? It sounds like hiring help might really make sense for this show.

Depending on my mood, I might move on if I had to ask for something. Can you display as much as you have room for and have a sign saying something like: "If you don't see what you want other sizes/colors/patterns may be available - please ask"

Best of luck!

[WilderNorthDog]

I have always worked alone. We don't have family in the area, and my husband stays home with the dogs. I'm thinking of asking my mom to come down for this one show. She is very shy, but she could probably handle restocking stuff.

[OutOfTheWoodsUSA]

See point 36.

Everyone has a different experience with arts & crafts show. No one can tell you if it’s worth it or not…you need to judge for yourself. All I can say is that if weren’t worth it; they wouldn’t exist because no one would exhibit at them. The best way to answer your question is to actually exhibit at one.

Here are my quick random thoughts about arts & crafts shows…

1) To find shows start by looking in your local newspapers or watching for flyers posted in store windows.
2) Go to the arts & crafts show as a buyer/looker to get ideas for yourself. If you see a particular way of displaying art work that appeals to you, ask the artist where the display was purchased. Most people are willing to share - just don’t interrupt the exhibitor while customers are in the booth. While you are at the show, look for a spot that you think you might like for your booth. Some promoters allow you to request your space. Keep in mind that corner spots often cost more than a space where you are sandwiched in between two other exhibitors. Schools usually have narrow spaces and not your typical 10x10 size. BTW…schools are usually hotter than hell…dress lightly even in the winter!
3) If you like what you see at a show, ask one of the exhibitors to point you in the direction of the promoter and ask for their contact information. Let the promoter know what it is you plan on selling. The questions you might want to ask the promoter via email include the following:

a) How many people attended the craft show in 2013?
b) How any artists/crafters did you have in 2013?
c) How many artists/crafters applied in 2013 and how many were accepted?
d) Is the arts & crafts show juried?
e) Do you have buy / sell vendors (other than food)?
f) Is there an admission charged for customers?
g) IS there a parking fee charged for customers?
h) What size is the allotted space?
i) Is there space behind the tent for sitting and/or storage?
j) What is cost for the space?
k) What are the other costs that may be involved? (jury fee, insurance, etc.)
l) What are the hours of the fair?
m) What time is the earliest / latest I can set up?
n) What will the 2014 dates be?
o) What is the rain date?
p) Do the artists have to break down or is there overnight security?
q) What is the web site I can download the application from?
r) Could you please send a craft show floor plan map?
s) If you plan on doing the art show by yourself (which we wouldn’t recommend for the first few times unless you have a very small quantity of items), you may want to ask about booth sitters for bathroom and meal breaks.
t) If you need electricity ask if it is available.
u) If you have special needs e.g. handicap, cargo trailer parking, need to be near a bathroom, etc. ask if these are possible

These are the things that particularly interest me, you may have other questions. If you sell jewelry, I would want to know if they limit the number of jewelry exhibitors.

4) Create a form to keep your notes (answers to the above questions) and get a file started on that craft show.
5) Create a file for each arts & crafts show promoter you email and drop all email correspondences in that file for future reference.
6) Create a file for every month and as you find a show put the information in that month’s folder. In January and February start planning your shows for the year. Many shows have discounts for early bird registrations - you may want to take advantage of that.
7) Other ways to find arts & crafts show include the following:
a) Google “craft shows and whatever area you are interested in” – there are more shows than you can shake a stick at!
b) Subscribe to magazines such as Sunshine Artist www.sunshineartist.com/ which lists the top craft shows nations wide (usually they are the higher end and more expensive shows).
c) Check out www.ArtFairInsiders.com
d) Join an Etsy craft show team
www.etsy.com/teams/8070/craft-fairs-its-a-living
e) Check out www.zapplication.org/ but be prepared for higher end and more expensive shows here.
8) Go to the library and look for books on exhibiting at craft shows. Two books I am aware of are “Handmade Marketplace” by Kari Chapin and “The Crafts Business Answer Book” by Barbara Brabec.
9) You may want to stick with shows costing $100 or less during your first few years. Once you get the hang of it you can advance to the more expensive high end shows.
10) There are many places you can purchase what you need. Below are a few places I buy my supplies from:
Folding Tables BJs, Costco
Tent BJs, Costco
Table Covers www.premiertablelinen.com
Business Cards www.Vistaprint.com or www.Moo.com
Bags www.discountshoppingbags.com
Grids www.graphicdisplaysystems.com
Containers/Buckets dollar store
Find vendors you prefer and bookmark them for future use.
11) If you find a show that is local and inexpensive and you want to take a nose dive without checking it out as a buyer / looker first – go for it! Once there, network with the other artists and ask them which shows have been successful for them – again, people are willing to share.
12) Bring at least $150 worth of change with you including $40 worth of dollar bills and coins if you are charging cents.
13) Bring things like
o Calculator
o Tape
o Stapler
o Scissor
o Pens / pencil
o Paper
o Marker
o Paper
o Clips
o Glue
o Hand wipes / sanitizer
o Band aides
o Analgesic for muscle aches
o Rope / bungees
o Safety pins
o Your tools
o Money apron / fanny pack
o Name tag
o Mailing list sign up
o Extra price tags
o Bag for garbage
o Tissues
o Paper towels
o Tent with walls and weights
o Tables
o Table covers
o Clear plastic tarps to put over merchandise in case of rain
o Chair – a tall chair with an attached folding table works nicely
o Umbrella to attach to your chair if you won’t be sitting under your tent
o Mirror (if you sell wearables)
o Breakfast and lunch if you want to save money
o Small cooler for drinks
o Comfortable shoes and clothing
o Jacket / sweatshirt
o Shirt change (just in case you get dirty setting up or spill)
o Sunscreen, sunglasses and bug repellant for outdoor shows
o Business card holders to place in several places on your tables and extra business cards,
o Master inventory list (create your own method)
o Smart phone fully charged
o Hand truck
o and lastly a smile!
14) Pack everything the night before and be ready to roll out of bed and into your car – well, maybe you can stop to pack your cooler.
15) Get your tax ID number – many shows require that number on your registration form.
16) Think about your need for liability insurance – some shows require this.
17) We do not put our Etsy shop “on vacation” while exhibiting at an arts & crafts show; rather, we use our smartphone to deactivate anything we sell.
18) Use levels in your displays to add height; it brings your items to eye-level and helps to draw attention.
19) Don’t plan on reading or checking your email during the show. Look engaged in what you are doing, say hello to people. Sitting or standing w/crossed arms, on the phone or reading looks bad and as though you're not interested in being there. Working on your craft during the show is OK and may even bring lookers and encourage discussion and possibly create sales.
20) Check your display often – people may leave garbage and turn your things upside down. You need to straighten up to make your display look presentable.
21) Figure out a price tagging / inventory system that works for you. We use the small strung marking tags www.amazon.com/Avery-Marking-Strung-Inches-12207/dp/B001E6CYOO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1380850986&sr=8-2&keywords=strung+marking+tags. On the tags we mark the price and our item number. When something sells we remove the tag and put it in a designated area. When we get home, we indicate when and where the item was sold on our master inventory list. You may want additional info on your master inventory list. Please do mark the price of your items…when I go around to the different booths to shop, I walk right passed if I have to ask what the price is!
22) At any given time we usually have about 10 items that are red dot specials. This moves older pieces and other items that may be less than perfect and keeps our booth fresh each year.
23) Before your first show, you should definitely practice setting up in your yard or a park at least once (preferably more) to work out all the kinks.
24) We have four six foot tables, three four foot tables, three six foot benches that we use to put on top of our six foot tables to elevate certain items. We also use grids behind our tables to hang our wall décor. We don’t necessarily use all those tables each time, but we have them because different venues have different configurations and we want to be prepared for whatever. We like to bring the customer into our booth so we will often set the three six foot tables up to form a U. If we have extra room we use either another six foot table on each side (this has us sticking out of the tent by two feet), or one four foot table on each side. Again, depending on the configuration, we might have the tables flanking each side and leave an open space in the back so customers can walk through. Play around using a floor plan made out of paper.
25) Be sure to include an area for your things in your space planning – a landing spot where you can bag purchases, put a drink, have paper and pencil, etc.
26) Some people keep a money box or even a cash register, while others keep the money in a fanny pack, their pockets, or an apron – personal choice.
27) Some artist charge the same for their art work on Etsy and the shows, some charge more on Etsy to cover Paypal and Etsy fees. We charge the same price; however, we remind the buyers that they will pay more due to shipping.
28) We have a beautiful unique wooden chair that Bruce carved out of a sycamore tree. We place this chair right in the front of our booth with a sign that indicates how long the chair took to make (100 hours) and our Etsy web site. This chair is a real attention getter and gets people to stop and linger at our booth. Many people take pictures of the chair – which is why we added our Etsy web site to the sign. Find your eye catcher and use it to your advantage.
29) Color coordinate your table covers – various bright colors of green with brown accents work well for us – colors of a forest/woods. Our sign is also a bright green as are any containers we have on the table.
30) Depending on how much you have to sell, you may want to leave yourself two hours to set up. It takes my husband (the artist) and me two hours to set up; however, we have a cargo trailer full of large bulky items.
31) You can store your containers under your table as long as you have table covers that go to the ground. We prefer the non-fitting table covers as they are much easier to fold (actually we roll them to prevent wrinkles) than the fitted covers.
32) The lower priced shows (churches, schools, fire departments, farmers markets, nonprofit fund raisers, etc.) typically have customers that are not looking to spend a lot of money so be prepared with items that are less than $40-50. Your higher end shows ($180+) have customers who are ready to spend a bit more. At either type shows have lower priced items available. If you don’t sell your higher priced items, you may sell many small items to cover your expenses for the day.
33) We usually ask the promoter for a flyer and if they don’t have one, we create one ourselves using the computer. We post this flyer at various stores as we work our way around town doing errands. We also send the flyer via email to friends and relatives and ask them to send it to their email list. Facebook is our friend in this regard as well. You don’t have to do this; however, the more people who know about the show, the better it is for your sales. You can get as creative as you want with this – offer a discount for anyone bringing you the flyer or a certain code on the flyer. Use your imagination – think outside the box.
34) We usually give a show two or three times before we give up and more on to the next. Obviously, if a show works out for you; put it on your calendar for next year.
35) We have always accepted personal checks and (knock wood) have never had an issue. Now that we accept credit cards, no one has asked us to accept a check.
36) When appropriate (show is part of a festival where other activities are going on or near the beach), we hang a sign that tells buyers they can pay for the item now and we will hold their purchase until the show closes. We take the buyers name / cell phone number and write it on the bag which we keep under the table we work from.
37) If you find you enjoy arts & crafts shows and plan on continuing, you may want to think about
a) applying for the Square www.square.com so that you can accept credit cards.
b) getting a professional sign with your business name to hang on your tent.
c) getting a cargo trailer to keep all your things in – this saves on packing, storing and having to remember what to bring to each show. If I had to pick one thing that has enabled us to continue, a cargo trailer is it. Packing and unpacking for each show would have been the deal breaker for us.

With each show you do and as you network with other artists you will find your own style and figure out what you need. Shows are lots of fun to do but they aren’t easy and take lots of physical work – especially if you have a large stock and / or heavy items. If you are not a morning person BEWARE…you will need to be!

[TigersandDragons]

Bruce - Again, why not just cut and paste in point #36, instead of the entire thread?
Yes, there are a lot of craft show newbies here, asking the same/similar questions. But the OP already does shows and asked specific questions for help on changing how they run their booth and display.
They probably doesn't need to skim through ALL 37 of your points.

[SomeKindOfPretty]

Agreed Tigers

[WilderNorthDog]

Haha...thanks Tigers. I'm still struggling to think of a way to best do my display. I have different booths sizes for all my holiday shows. So trying to figure out a way to make it work best for me. I really want to get rid of the gridwall that I use for outdoor shows. I'm afraid it will look to harsh at an indoor show.

Also...do any of you guys sell your items in boxes? I usually display my larger bow ties on card stock, and hang it off the gridwall. But some people (who are buying for gifts) want that info for the smaller bows (which I sell unattached to anything). I was thinking if I put the bow ties in boxes, and gave the buyer the box with a business card inside, people might enjoy that. Getting rid of my card stock/gridwall display all together.

But if I do that, I would want to be able to lean the bow ties up, so people can see them on higher displays. How would I secure them in the box?

(mostly talking out loud here...but if anyone has a suggestion. I would love to hear it!)

[WilderNorthDog]

This is sort of what I had in mind. To give you a visual!
http://www.babybosslady.com/2013_06_01_archive.html

[WilderNorthDog]

Ugh...that didnt just give you the image...the picture of the display is down near the bottom of the page. Sorry

[WilderNorthDog]

I realized what I said might have been confusing...so here is some pictures from my website that shows my current display...
http://www.bullenbeisser.org/#!tumblr-feed/c1nm1

[Former_Member]

You could get some display bracket like in a store and hang them on the grid wall and stack similar bows several deep.

Love your stuff btw! I may have to do some Christmas shopping in your store.