Craft show sales?

Haven't done a show yet this year my first will be in mid Feb. Last year was a mixed bag, good shows only fair real good show only good to fair and ok shows GREAT!. About average for the show circut but down a little overall. I have noticed that pen turners have been in short supply for the past couple of years, the general product turners that I saw did only a fair to poor trade at most of the shows. I put a few "nice" turned bowls in my booth and priced them at firewood prices and sold two in three shows (they were the worst of the lot and the most expensive). One turner was selling nice salt and pepper mills for cost($20 a set) at one show and could't get rid of them. One guy with a ring master was selling out of stock at one show, and his prices were in my opinion high (basic salad bowl maybe 6 to 7 inches across $35 and up, 10 inch tall vase $45 and up). The one pen turner that I saw did fair at a show were I and several others sold out of stock.

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I have done a few shows starting about three or four years ago. They were mostly craft shows and I didn't do very well. I had several people suggest that I try art fairs instead. I was reluctant but decided to try. I found out last year that the better the quality show I entered (art fairs and even fine art fairs) the more I sold and the higher the prices I could charge. I will not do another craft show, ever. If it is not advertised as a fine arts show I will not waste my time.

Having said that. Every art and craft show veteran that I have talked says that they are selling less items and that people are looking and not buying lately.

Ted #2

I don't know if any of my experience counts, I'm in Mexico.. My sales are way down, mostly due to lack of tourism.. The economy is stopping most folks from vacationing.. I should probably break "sales" down into 2 sections, though, maybe "art" and "Utility".. There is still a good market for art, and I sell 1 or 2 of the higher end ($200+) a month, but the "utility" or "novelty" stuff is slow..

As bad as the economy is, there are still a lot of folks with money, and those are the art buyers... I think that with art, they buy what turns them on and rationalize/justify the price later..

Pens always sell well here, especially during the holidays when a case and mailer is included.. Easy gift for folks in the States.. Wood type is important for your local, gotta find what they like, though in general with most turnings, dark colors always sell better than light.. When I was in Central California, exotic hardwoods sold best, in Baja, the demand is mostly for desert ironwood..

The only key chains that do well for me are the "secret compartment" ones, which I put 4 or 5 toothpicks in..

When I moved down here, I stocked up on fan pull kits, thinking that since most homes here had 3 or more ceiling fans, it HAD to be a winner... NOT..

I then bought a dozen wine stopper kits (SS with multiple rings) Nobody bought them.. 2 reasons that I could determine, not a lot of wine drinkers and the metal part of those kits stick up out of the bottle and are UGLY..

I went with low-profile kits like Ruth's:

and started calling them "tequila stoppers" They sell pretty well now and are a good way to use up ironwood scraps.. Hope some of this helps... HAVE FUN!

mac

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My sales at a local Chiristmas show were actually up. I was prepared for the worst. One regular client bailed me out with a $900 sale. Over all shows were about normal last year. I sell mostly utility bowls. Never done pens, and starting to do a lot more boxes. They do sell.

Hey Mac, get my note on the other post about trying the Easy Rougher on your Iron wood?

robo hippy

You might also try selling online, at somewhere like etsy.com. The site has its issues but I think its the best venue out there. Fairly easy to get started, and the listing fees are only 20 cents for 4 months, 3.5% of sales and paypal takes their cut as well. Good photography is essential though.

-Kevin

Yep.. replied, too.. lol

I was considering it, but even unhandled it's pretty pricey for a holder for a square carbide scraper.. Also, it seemed like it was for starting with a round or nearly round blank, which I rarely do..

mac

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