Anyone with craft fair experience?

Moonpixie

Hi, wondered if anyone has (or has had) and experience with craft or vintage type fairs and any advice or tips?

I really fancy attending events and fairs and I would be selling wholesale lotions & potions that I would be handcrafting the packaging for.

The only event I have ever done was a hospital fundraiser about 6yrs ago. I'd not long trained in holistic therapies and was doing massage tasters and selling oils/creams and I really enjoyed having my own little stall.

Then a while later, I had lots of bits left over, so I made some of the above and took them into work for people to help themselves to, but I made everything look very pretty by handcrafting the packaging and people loved them and left generous donations.

I've kept meaning to do this and sell at fairs and now I have the time to do so. I would buy wholesale products but make the giftbags/boxes myself.

TBH, this is not really about making money, but would be great to break even and cover travel expenses.

What should I primarily look into? Anything I should avoid? And would it be better to just do this seasonal (i.e leading up to the Christmas period)?

Thanks.

lincroft1710

I trust you have product liability insurance, you may also need personal liability insurance.

Moonpixie

No, I don't have anything yet as I'm just in the planning stage.

So, even though the products are covered already, I would still need my own product liability?

And yes, I'm sure I would need public as I think all sellers have this (or are supposed to).

lincroft1710

As you appear to be repackaging you would need product liability, just to protect yourself financially in case there is something in the packaging which causes injury to the purchaser or other third party.

Also it would be sensible to familiarise yourself with the 2015 Consumer Rights Act.

Moonpixie

Thanks. Are you familiar with any good/reasonable insurance providers? When I run a dance group a few years ago, I got in touch with a company who did a comparison thingy and they one the recommended I went with, but then found out is was actually quite expensive compared to other insurers group leaders where using.

lincroft1710

Sorry, don't know any insurers. If you search this board and the "Small Business" board there are threads about craft fairs and I'm sure there is post with some suggestions about insurers

savingholmes

Hi MoonPixie - I am in the same boat as you - so hope you get more replies. Hope things go well for you.

Deep_In_Debt

You could try these for insurance.
https://www.towergateinsurance.co.uk/complementary-therapists-insurance
I don't have anything to do with them but I knew someone who was a holistic therapist who had insurance with them so I just know the name.

C_J

I was given some excellent advice by another poster on these boards, which was to join the Market Traders Association which has lots of benefits including free liability insurance as part of their membership perks.

https://www.nmtf.co.uk/

brexit1986

Four places leap to mind:
1. The Brooklyn Flea -- a flea market on Saturdays and Sundays that has a variety of vendors, many of whom are pretty crafty. Personally, I recommend the Saturday location in Fort Greene.
2. Etsy's HQ is in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Dumbo and holds weekly craft nights.
3. There's a few museums of crafts and design. The names escape me but a bit of googling should turn them up for you.
4. Pearl Paint on Canal Street. This is an arts and crafts Mecca with 4 or 5 stories crammed with every kind of professional art supply you could imagine.

lincroft1710

brexit1986 wrote: »

Four places leap to mind:
1. The Brooklyn Flea -- a flea market on Saturdays and Sundays that has a variety of vendors, many of whom are pretty crafty. Personally, I recommend the Saturday location in Fort Greene.
2. Etsy's HQ is in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Dumbo and holds weekly craft nights.
3. There's a few museums of crafts and design. The names escape me but a bit of googling should turn them up for you.
4. Pearl Paint on Canal Street. This is an arts and crafts Mecca with 4 or 5 stories crammed with every kind of professional art supply you could imagine.

This is a UK site, the places mentioned may be a little bit further than the Original Poster wants to travel.