Craft Fair Best Sellers

bumpybecky

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

I use "Card Wallets" from the Works, 99p for 50 bags. Self adhesive too and size A6.
HTH

are sweets ok in those bags? I'm a bit worried about them not being food grade. Am I overthinking this?

curly07

Hi all

I had my first fair on Sat with my mum, it went oook i guess! we made our stall money back but not a great amount after that!

I think part of the problem was our stall layout/design! I covered the table with nice christmasy tablecloths but unless people came over to look they wouldn't of really known what we were selling. I had prices for everything, i made wee signs which sat infront of the items but i think they were just too wee!

I used some boxes under the tablecloth to set things higher but it still didn't look "great" i just wasn't happy with it, and i know i wouldn't of been attracted to it if i was walking past!

Can anyone give me any ideas / tips for making it look good and attracting the buyers?

As i said it was my first stall, and it could of went alot worse, hopefully the one this week will be better, if i can make it look good!

I have thought about making some signs but I don't want them having to many things to read either, as I don't think that would look good!

HEELLLPPP!! lol

jill_b29

Hi Curly07 - have you got a pic of your stall? It sounds like you have done everything I would do. Was the fair busy? What kind of products are you selling??

I have my first fair on Sunday and I am worried about the same thing to be honest!

This is how I plan to set mine out - wil let you know how I get on!!!!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/55466709@N03/5199520800/

curly07

Hi Jill- i don't have any pics im afraid!

I thought I had done all I needed to but I think a few bigger signs might help! its more of a market than a craft fair tbh! so its in the streets not like most craft stalls really! lol its a hard one!

Good luck with yours on Sunday! hope you do well. I have another this Sat so i hope it goes better!

If anyone knows any tips or found certain things have worked for them, please let us know!

I can't see your pic on my work comp but il have a look at home!

Im selling.. cupcake socks/flannles, pints of socks.

i have penguin poop, snowmen sweets ( didn't sell well at all!!)

other crafty things my mum has done! i don't know where im going wrong!

kisto

There are some really good posts on Folksy blog about craft fairs.

http://blog.folksy.com/2010/07/05/craft-fair-secrets-how-to-make-a-great-craft-fair-display

http://blog.folksy.com/2010/10/25/christmas-craft-fair-tips

(or any of these.... http://blog.folksy.com/category/seller-tips/craft-fair-advice)

The trouble is, you can do everything right but you can't control who comes to the fair. I have found with school fairs (certainly where I live in a fairly 'poor' area) that people don't want to part with much money. I never really manage to sell anything priced over £5.... people don't seem to take that sort of money. The things that sell well are the 50p - £1.50 items (anything that can be paid for with coins). It would seem people are happy to part with this without caring or thinking about it... any amount over that and they start to hesitate. My sock monkeys, necklaces and charm bracelets are between £6 - £10. I don't expect to sell many of those so I ensure I have lots of lower value items (sock cupcakes, elastic bracelets, earrings, peg magnets, hair accessories etc)

One thing I always take to every craft/christmas fair is a lucky dip. I charge 50p a go and sell out every time, without fail. In fact for my next fair I have well over 100 lucky dip items wrapped and ready to go. I buy party bag toys, stationery, hair accessories etc (most of it costing between 20p - 40p each). I'm only making a tiny profit on each item but it gets people (kids) to my table. The kids come back again and again for another go. They love it...and it gets mum and dad stood around my table whilst the kids are delving around for their lucky dip!!!:money:

Below is a photo of part of my table from a friends xmas shopping evening. It was a cosy evening in her house with friends, so slightly different to being at a craft fair. I used cupcake stands to display my hair accessories and jewellery. The cupcake stands are flat pack cardboard, from Sainsburys (very shabby chic). They are on special offer at the moment (just under £4 each I think).
I made the mistake of not pricing and labelling everything, but it didn't matter because of the nature of the evening. From past experience I do know it is much better to have everything clearly labelled/priced at a craft fair...but leave a bit of information out so that you can enter into dialogue with people. Allow them the opportunity to ask questions. Don't be scared to speak to them and tell them about the items. Charm them!
For my fair next week I am going to try and create different levels on my stall as I think it looks more appealing rather than being "flat" on a table.

(Hope this photo link works?)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=166032696749844&set=a.147548208598293.23517.139808562705591

curly07

Kisto- thanks very much for your reply!

I can't see your pic as im in work and things like fb are blocked! bt i will have a nosey at home!

I have made cupcake socks/flannels, i think i might buy that stand and place them on it! I do have a cupcake stand at home, metal and holds about 20 odd cupcakes, il see if these fit on mine, but i doubt it!

I like the sound of your lucky dip! sounds like a good idea, but unfortunatly I have so much to do, i don't have the time to do that!

anyone got any ideas for mens gifts? the one thing i sold out of was pints of socks! anything similar would be great?!

mollymunchkin

With regards to selling at craft fairs, the hardest bit I find is engaging customers in smalltalk! I tell them everything is handmade by me, explain a bit of what the item is, etc. Sometimes I resort to asking if it's stopped raining yet, lol. I find it hard to sound friendly without being pushy and scaring them off! A local craft shop has an old lady assistant who says 'now how can I help you, dear?' whilst looking at me over her glasses and I find it a little bit awkward and get out of there as fast as I can

Then there's the comments people make, like 'oh I could make that', and 'how much?!' I take everything too personally!

It all takes practice, I suppose.

jakes-mum

Starting to get butterflies over the craft fair on sunday, have done a mock up of my stall and also been over my mothers and 'influenced' her (ok i put my foot down and told her point blank) what she was taking for her own stall and how it would be set up (the woman is the clutter queen when it comes to stalls!!)
Going through the usual 'no-ones going to buy anything and we will be sat there like a couple of lepers with our home made sandwiches and flask of tea' which I get before each fair
Have invested in some battery operated lights this week as the mock up def needed some additional light to make it sparkle.

jill_b29 still love your stall mock up! hope you do really well

cl34

brudie25 wrote: »

Hi - glad I found this thread - Hi Giggle - I have spoken to you before and have looked on your blog many times! I make similar but different stuff!!

I'm busy as now have a fair or 2 every week until 18th Dec. I should be making reindeer food but I'm on here instead. Its my night off.

I think each fair can vary so much -what sells at one doesnt at another.

What the hell is reindeer food please?!

jill_b29

Thanks Jakes-Mum, thats kind of you to say. I am really hoping that I sell something!! Starting to worry that I have quite a bit of money tied up in the products and if they dont sell.......

I like the battery operated lights idea, prob is where I am we dont have any pound shops, where did you get yours from?? Were they expensive?

cl34 - Reindeer food is oats with sparkles inside that you sprinkle on the lawn on chirstmas eve for the Reindeers. If you google it you will see the poem that goes with it.

Sunday is getting closer and I feel like I still have loads to do.......