Another event sales report/conventions

In article ,
uybeads (BeckiBead) writes:

do people at cons usually have a lot of disposal income? I always
wondered how one does at a show like that (never been to one).

I was at Comic Con 4 days last week-- I had two tables in the Art Show (up
from one the last couple of years), and about three times the number of items
as last year, with most of the "increase" in items similar in type and price as
previously sold, or which BUYERS asked for. This year, gross sales were about
1/4 of last year's, probably not even enough to cover materials and fees. It
may be that this year I had more "competition"-- two years ago I had the only
jewelry in the Art Show, last year there were 2 of us (the other lady did
wire-wrap pendants), this year there were four, as well as several vendor
booths with jewelry (up from 2 last year); however, judging from the exposed
"bid sheets" at the Art Show, my "competition" wasn't selling much either.

spending.... Dealers in the "vendors room" (about 3 miles of isles of
booths, according to one reviwer...) were saying sales were "down" from last
year, despite an increase in attendees (75,000 vs 50,000). Big-business type
dealers/displays were giving away much less, and less valuable, "freebies"
and/or charging for the same sort of items that were "freebies" in the past
(like posters, postcards, buttons). More were charging for autographs or
pictures (in part, though, because "professional" autograph collectors are
running straight to eBay to sell them).

having money to spend.... A lot of people were "broke" for one reason or
another, so just attending was straining their budgets, but there was also less
to spend on: #2 son went to the convention with $180 that he had earned,
planning to spend most of it. He had $120 at the end of the show. Why? Because
there was little that appealed to him this time around-- he likes Japanese
"Gundam" and similar models, but the ones available this year were mostly ones
he already has, or not "in his price range"; the dealers/primary importers are
not providing much in the way of new, moderate priced styles. Same for the few
other "toys", video tapes and such he's interested in-- and most were
available, for the same prices, at local stores, so why lug it around the con?
There was a little statue, made of scrap metal and such, that he was thinking
of buying, but it was gone by the time he made his circuit of the floor and got
back to that booth.
Kaytee
"Simplexities" on
www.eclecticbeadery.com
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/simplexities