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What sells best at a craft show for you?



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 2nd 08, 09:39 PM posted to rec.crafts.beads
midi73
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Posts: 10
Default What sells best at a craft show for you?

I was just wondering (since the time is here again) what sells best at
craft shows for you guys. I'm talking local craft shows.

For me it seems to be handmade bead rings from either brass, plated
wire or copper using czech fire polish beads or glow in the dark
beads. Inexpensive but cute and people really seem to like them. At
times during a slow show they have paid my booth expense.

These outsell any gemstone bead ring more than 30 to 1. Interesting
but perhaps because the gemstone bead rings are more expensive and
made from Sterling Silver or 14KGF materials.

Average price of individual product purchase is about $5.

How about your areas? I'm in central Washington state.

Thanks in advance for any replies.
Sylvia
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  #2  
Old November 5th 08, 02:16 AM posted to rec.crafts.beads
Patti
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Posts: 383
Default What sells best at a craft show for you?

On Nov 2, 3:39*pm, midi73 wrote:
I was just wondering (since the time is here again) what sells best at
craft shows for you guys. *I'm talking local craft shows.

For me it seems to be handmade bead rings from either brass, plated
wire or copper using czech fire polish beads or glow in the dark
beads. *Inexpensive but cute and people really seem to like them. At
times during a slow show they have paid my booth expense.

These outsell any gemstone bead ring more than 30 to 1. *Interesting
but perhaps because the gemstone bead rings are more expensive and
made from Sterling Silver or 14KGF materials.

Average price of individual product purchase is about $5.

How about your areas? *I'm in central Washington state.

Thanks in advance for any replies.
Sylvia


Gemstone earrings have always sold best for me in terms of numbers.
In terms of dollar sales, probably dichroic glass pendants and
gemstone necklaces. In all depends on what kind of show it is and what
time of year.

  #3  
Old November 7th 08, 05:00 PM posted to rec.crafts.beads
midi73
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Posts: 10
Default What sells best at a craft show for you?

On Nov 4, 5:16*pm, Patti wrote:
On Nov 2, 3:39*pm, midi73 wrote:





I was just wondering (since the time is here again) what sells best at
craft shows for you guys. *I'm talking local craft shows.


For me it seems to be handmade bead rings from either brass, plated
wire or copper using czech fire polish beads or glow in the dark
beads. *Inexpensive but cute and people really seem to like them. At
times during a slow show they have paid my booth expense.


These outsell any gemstone bead ring more than 30 to 1. *Interesting
but perhaps because the gemstone bead rings are more expensive and
made from Sterling Silver or 14KGF materials.


Average price of individual product purchase is about $5.


How about your areas? *I'm in central Washington state.


Thanks in advance for any replies.
Sylvia


Gemstone earrings have always sold best for me in terms of numbers.
In terms of dollar sales, probably dichroic glass pendants and
gemstone necklaces. In all depends on what kind of show it is and what
time of year.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interesting isn't it? What sells when and where.
Everyone here loves the dichro pendants too--but here at least it's
hard to get anyone to go for anything very expensive. Our local
"handmade" craft shows have really turned into a venue for people
selling Cookie Lee jewelry and other purchased items. Too bad.

Thanks for your thoughts. It's nice to know what goes on in the rest
of the country. :-)
Sylvai
  #4  
Old November 8th 08, 04:03 AM posted to rec.crafts.beads
Sterling
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Posts: 127
Default What sells best at a craft show for you?

Our local "handmade" craft shows have really turned into a venue for people selling Cookie Lee
jewelry and other purchased items.


Who the hell is cookie lee and what makes her jewelry better than mine or any of your jewelry?
Yeah, that fu*ked up thinking really ****es me off. Even though my jewelry is made with REAL gem
stones and pearls and REAL Sterling SILVER, they'd rather go and buy this cheaply made, plated,
fake, crappy cookie cutter junky stuff. I just don't get it!

Ha - can you tell I get real emotional about this subject? The next time you are in Nordstrom's,
take a trip through the jewelry dept and you will be amazed at what you see and the price they are
selling this crap for. I mean, who wants to pay $40.00 for one of my handcrafted bracelets (made
of course with real gems, pearls, and sterling) when they could buy some "designer's" crapy
creation? Look at Silpada...... another cookie lee type home jewelry business. Yeah, they got
some nice looking stuff, but their prices are outrageous; especially since I can make 80% of the
offered Silpada jewelry items and bust the price to a fraction of what they charge and still make a
very nice profit. Can you say "way over-inflated markup" ?? The kicker to all this is that if I
made the exact same bracelet that is found in a Silpada catalog, and put the exact same price on it
that Silpada has on theirs, do you think mine would sell for that price? Figure the odds!

So, why is pre-manufactured cookie cutter jewelry more sought after than the unique, custom designed
and individually handcrafted jewelry that we make??
Here is another thing that makes me mad!! Why do people think they can negotiate with you on the
price of your jewelry but wouldn't dream of trying to negotiate the price of the pre-manufactured
cookie cutter jewelry? Is it because we are the artists, designers, manufacturers, purchasing
agents, advertisers, publishers, and sellers of our own jewelry? Oh, and lets not forget chief
cook and bottle washers too. If that were the case, then we should be able to totally inflate our
prices to compensate for all the hats we wear.


Gawd, I look back at what I just wrote and you'd think I was bitter. Me? Bitter? Naaaaaaaaa, just
a little put off, but will it keep me from making and selling my own jewelry? NOPE! I'm sill
stringing and crimping and putting price tags on all the stuff I make. Some day, maybe I'll be able
to over-inflate my markup and make some real cash and perhaps a name. Till then, I am just another
starving ARTIST just like all yous guys.

Thanks for letting me rant,


Sterling






  #5  
Old November 10th 08, 10:41 AM posted to rec.crafts.beads
Maren at google
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 311
Default What sells best at a craft show for you?

On Nov 7, 5:03 pm, "Sterling" wrote:
Our local "handmade" craft shows have really turned into a venue for people selling Cookie Lee
jewelry and other purchased items.


Who the hell is cookie lee and what makes her jewelry better than mine or any of your jewelry?

[...]
Thanks for letting me rant,


Admitting that I haven't read all of your post (yet), thanks for the
rant.
Where I am people expect craft fairs to be garage sales, at garage
sale prices. Well, at least to some extent. And most of them real
expensive to get into, require you to commit to 2 or 3 full days
(I work too, this takes vacation time, which at least I have), and
are badly advertised.
At the moment I'm strapped for time, and committing money to
fairs that I may not be able to make is not exactly on my agenda,
but for the one I have been to (OK, artists' fair at an art supply
store that
doesn't have beads), I sold some bead and pearl strands, seed beads,
a necklace and earring set and another couple pairs of earrings.
Reminds me, I have to email the owner of that store that you have to
put in calendar listings every week ... (I may take over for her as
she's
about 2 weeks from being due to have a baby).

Aloha,
Maren
  #6  
Old November 11th 08, 04:22 PM posted to rec.crafts.beads
midi73
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default What sells best at a craft show for you?

Hi Sterling;
Yes, I can totally understand what you're saying. It gets
discouraging but the people who run the shows don't really care one
way or another it seems as long as they get the spaces filled so they
can pay the building rent and make a profit.

Like the poor quality items that come in from other countries for
cheap prices, this type of "craft show" does little for an artist who
puts heart and soul into her/his craft in any venue including fiber
arts. It's sad. Unfortunately we only have one show here that I've
found that tried to have only handmade items. It went very well for
all vendors and the people were a totally different crowd who
appreciated the time and effort.

We only had one lady that time who tried to bargin and made nasty
remarks about one vendors things (which were very nice things by the
way) Finally the vendor just said, Excuse me Mam, but this is NOT a
garage sale where you can bargin...

Most people look at my stuff in a craft show and say, "Wow that's
pretty" or "Gee I wish I could afford that-it's beautiful" or "Oh my
God, how do you DO that ??" and then walk away or buy a $2-5 item.
Mostly, as I said, people buy very cheap stuff and this is not just
the economy--I've noticed it for years. The only time I didn't was at
a bead show in Sisters Oregon and people really understood the quality
and I sold a LOT. It was the ONLY reason I'm still doing this. At
least it let me know that what I was doing was not bad...

So......I understand where you're coming from... ;-) Sylvia
===========================================
Thanks for letting me rant,

Sterling


  #7  
Old November 12th 08, 11:23 AM posted to rec.crafts.beads
Maren at google
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 311
Default What sells best at a craft show for you?

On Nov 11, 5:22 am, midi73 wrote:
Hi Sterling;
Yes, I can totally understand what you're saying. It gets
discouraging but the people who run the shows don't really care one
way or another it seems as long as they get the spaces filled so they
can pay the building rent and make a profit.

[...]

Most people look at my stuff in a craft show and say, "Wow that's
pretty" or "Gee I wish I could afford that-it's beautiful" or "Oh my
God, how do you DO that ??" and then walk away or buy a $2-5 item.
Mostly, as I said, people buy very cheap stuff and this is not just
the economy--I've noticed it for years. The only time I didn't was at
a bead show in Sisters Oregon and people really understood the quality
and I sold a LOT.
So......I understand where you're coming from... ;-) Sylvia


which is why I'm not doing those "professional craft shows"anymore.
I'm taking every opportunity to get into my glass supplier's fairs
which
are free (and try to advertise as much as I can: the next one is next
Saturday: if you're in Hilo, there's an Artists' Fair at Hilo Art and
Glass
Supply, 318 Kinoole Street, a block up from the Hilo Farmers' Market,
hoping to help keep that store going, we need it, and the people
there are really nice.),
I signed up for the East Hawaii Cultural Center (not for profit org.
that
has art exhibits, local music, etc, mostly free admission, and if I
don't
make it to that fair I'll consider it a contribution to the EHCC) Arts
and
Fine Crafts Fair (the Saturday after Thanksgiving), and considering
to
sign up for the HIlo High School PTSA craft fair in spite of that I
seriously
doubt that I could possibly make it (and/or have any jewelry inventory
left if the other fairs go half decent), but that's where DD went to
high
school.

I don't think I'll get any more of my rather simple lampwork made
before
the next fair, already told DH that I'm glad he's got his new
computer
because he's not likely going to see a whole lot of me before mid
December (that's more due to work than due to craft fairs), but I'm
still trying to get my stuff out there, only I'm not willing to pay a
whole
lot of money for it at this time. - And I can't say that I'd
particularly
care if the people who put up the expensive events go broke. They
raised
their prices, very few still offer single day events, other than the
not-for
-profits (the YMCA is another one that does, and at a good price, but
I can't possibly do 3 Saturdays this month.).

There's got to be inexpensive events where you are, you may have to
do some of the advertising, but get yourself out there and always
remember
that it isn't a garage sale (even if I put a listing on
hiloyardsales.com today.
Heck, it's free, one more person may read it.)

Maren
HiloBeads: Beads - Beading Supplies - Hand-made Jewelry
http://www.hilobeads.com/
Blog at: http://hilobeads.blogspot.com/
Artists' Fair at Hilo Art and Glass on Sat., Nov. 15, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Art and Fine Crafts Fair at East Hawaii Cultural Center, Sat. Nov. 29,
8-4
Artists' Fair at Hilo Art and Glass on Sat., Dec. 20, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
  #8  
Old December 2nd 08, 03:41 PM posted to rec.crafts.beads
Vibrant Jewels[_2_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 73
Default What sells best at a craft show for you?

We have a bi-annual Gem and Mineral Show in Salem VA that is great... the
vendors are carefully monitored and most of the stuff is quality. Of course
the display table costs $600 for the weekend, so that kind of deletes the
cheapos. Plus the members of the local gem and mineral club are on hand to
monitor things.

On the other hand, most of the craft shows I've been to either have the
cheapo stuff made overseas, or crafters who don't realize what their wares
are worth and sell them too cheaply. I quit vending at those, it just wasn't
worth the time, effort and expense to try.

--
Karleen Cole
Member International Jewelry Designers Guild (IJDG)
Vibrant Jewels web sto http://www.vibrantjewels.com/jewelry/welcome.htm
Etsy shop http://vibrantjewels.etsy.com
Vibrant Jewels JustBeads Auctions:
http://www.justbeads.com/search/ql.cfm?s=21770
CLICK HERE to join myYahoo Group:
Ebay Auctions:
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZvibrantjewels
"midi73" wrote in message
...
Hi Sterling;
Yes, I can totally understand what you're saying. It gets
discouraging but the people who run the shows don't really care one
way or another it seems as long as they get the spaces filled so they
can pay the building rent and make a profit.

Like the poor quality items that come in from other countries for
cheap prices, this type of "craft show" does little for an artist who
puts heart and soul into her/his craft in any venue including fiber
arts. It's sad. Unfortunately we only have one show here that I've
found that tried to have only handmade items. It went very well for
all vendors and the people were a totally different crowd who
appreciated the time and effort.

We only had one lady that time who tried to bargin and made nasty
remarks about one vendors things (which were very nice things by the
way) Finally the vendor just said, Excuse me Mam, but this is NOT a
garage sale where you can bargin...

Most people look at my stuff in a craft show and say, "Wow that's
pretty" or "Gee I wish I could afford that-it's beautiful" or "Oh my
God, how do you DO that ??" and then walk away or buy a $2-5 item.
Mostly, as I said, people buy very cheap stuff and this is not just
the economy--I've noticed it for years. The only time I didn't was at
a bead show in Sisters Oregon and people really understood the quality
and I sold a LOT. It was the ONLY reason I'm still doing this. At
least it let me know that what I was doing was not bad...

So......I understand where you're coming from... ;-) Sylvia
===========================================
Thanks for letting me rant,

Sterling



  #9  
Old December 3rd 08, 11:19 AM posted to rec.crafts.beads
Maren at google
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 311
Default What sells best at a craft show for you?

On Dec 2, 4:41 am, "Vibrant Jewels" wrote:
We have a bi-annual Gem and Mineral Show in Salem VA that is great... the
vendors are carefully monitored and most of the stuff is quality. Of course
the display table costs $600 for the weekend, so that kind of deletes the
cheapos. Plus the members of the local gem and mineral club are on hand to
monitor things.

On the other hand, most of the craft shows I've been to either have the
cheapo stuff made overseas, or crafters who don't realize what their wares
are worth and sell them too cheaply. I quit vending at those, it just wasn't
worth the time, effort and expense to try.


There are a lot more people where you are than where I am.
I just had the first craft fair where I paid for and took in more
money
than I paid, about $1/hour I was there. Subtract the materials and
I'm still below even. All I sold was earrings. Funny enough, I sold
2 pairs of malachite+Swarovski crystal hoop earrings in spite of
that I arrived with only one pair. I made another 2 pairs while there,
because, I have a necklace that they go with. People who have enough
money to pay for the necklace don't buy jewelry at craft fairs around
here it seems. (BTW: I paid $25 as a member of the organization
that held it, and I'm not willing to pay more than that.)
DH said something to the effect that its "an earring kind of economy
".

I went to another craft fair the day before because I had some time to
kill and found that they hadn't been able to fill the space, and it
was
rather dead at the time when I went there (so, OK, it was a lot of
people's dinner time).

$600 fairs in this state are in Honolulu. There's 10 times as many
people
there as there are on this whole island (which is maybe about 10
times
the size). That's 300 miles, a round trip air fare, and staying in a
hotel
on top of the fair, not to forget air shipping the stuff.

Karleen, you're in the middle of people, I'm in the middle of nowhere,
and I
guess everybody else is somewhere in between :-)

rant (of sorts)
People who pay $2.65 for a gallon of (regular) gas (just went down
another dime this week), upwards of $5 for a gallon of milk and
$6 for a box of cereal and $0.47/kWh for electricity are, of sorts, in
an almost permanent "survival" mode. Gas having come down from
$4.499 (is never went above $4.50 here but it did on the other side
of the island, and some of the smaller islands are still way up there)
is leaving a bit more money in people's pockets here, but a lot of
the people here still see craft shows as cheap/free entertainment.
They don't come to buy, they come to hang out, and maybe learn
something.

I overheard one of the vendors (pottery) saying that it was an
event for either really low priced stuff or really high priced stuff,
and that's pretty much what Kalera said when I talked to her
last summer.
/rant

Maren
(Got one more fair on Dec. 20, at Hilo Art&Glass Supply. I can sell
supplies there, and even make the odd completely unrelated Craiglist
sale.)
 




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