Craft fairs

[Trout]

Mrs.Trout and I went to the big arts and wine festival here in town on Sunday, there must of been 400 arts and craft venders and only 3 had scroll saw stuff....

one guy had kids puzzles, he was asking anywhere from $25 to $30 for a 10 piece puzzle cut out of plywood..
$55 for a United States puzzle..

the wine stoppers like the ones Bruce just posted up was going for $25 to $35...
$40 for a wooden pen....

here's the kicker, a little wooden toy truck with a trailer cut out of a pine 2x4
was selling for $40, the little cars like the ones johnB posted was selling for $17 and they were no way near as nice as his....

and by the way the sellers were looking I don't think they sold every many of them either....
good luck to those of you who do craft fairs....

Trout

[Jim8Mad]

I just did my first two this weekend with somebody who goes quite often to craft fairs and farmer's markets. Most of what he does is the trucks with trailers, but he includes a couple of cars or some animals. With animals he sells them for $40, and with the cars $30. Things didn't go so well for us this weekend as we just broke even. There were other issues with the shows this weekend that affected things, but for the most part it was ok I guess. It did seem that there was a lot of interest in what we had so hopefully things will get better as we get closer to the holiday season.

[Trout]

this is the first craft fair we've been to in years, I think the only reason Mrs.Trout wanted to go was because we could drink beer..
I see what you do for your fairs and those are the kind of booths I look for so I was a little disapointed in what I saw.
they also looked like they wasn't having very much fun so I didn't talk scroll sawing with any of them...

I'll I can say is that you guys ROCK with your craft fair stuff...

Trout

[JROSE]

Yo Trout.....the Cordelia Kid here.....and you know, your right. Numerous items that they try to peddle at the craft fair's is way too overpriced. However....last year I had seventeen of my framed pieces at the Kaiser Center craft fair in Oakland. I also had a table set up where I sat sawing away at several pieces with my hand-saw. Comments???...were in the hundreds. People wanted to know where they could buy scroll artwork locally, how long has it been around (never seen it done or seen it sold) and were trully amazed at the patience required in completing each piece. The overall reaction from the people who stopped by and talked to me was very inspiring. They wanted to see more, but smaller items (like small plaques, smaller pictures). Although I did sell a couple of pictures, if I go again this December, I will have plenty of smaller pieces on hand (plaques, leaf plaques, ornaments, etc).
On of the nicer aspects of attending the crafts fair at the Kaiser Center in Oakland, is that I work upstairs.
Ciao for now.......

[sawdustus]

Our town has an annual fair in Sept. that is organized by the rec depart and the Kiwanis. A space is $75 and I have been thinking of taking one this year. There have been one or two wood craft people there in the past, but none doing much scroll work. I am not sure that I would make any money selling my ornaments, puzzles, napkin (letter) holders and tea lights but the $75 goes to Kiwanis supported charities. My biggest problem would be the weather. It is held rain or shine and I don't have a tent or covering of any kind that I could get into town and use. Oh well, I have until the end of the month to register, if I can get enough time in the shop to make enough stuff to take.

george

[Jediscroller]

George,
That sounds like a great start. I sell tons of ornaments year round with some of my best sales in September.
In talking to several professional crafters, it seems that everyone of their sales for the year are up significantly over last year which bodes well for the usually busy fall season.

JRose,
I would tend to disagree with your comment about things at craft fairs being overpriced. If anything, I see just the opposite with most folks undercharging for their work. While I can't comment on the turnings, a puzzle with 10 pieces for $30 is reasonable (especially for the bay area) though I wouldn't use plywood. My dinosaur puzzles sell for $10 (3 pieces) to $40 (9 pieces) but they're cut out of maple or poplar as opposed to plywood. In all my postings and seminars on the subject of craft fairs, this is the one thing I'm hoping people take home with them. Don't underprice your work. We're not in competition with Walmart or Ikea or any of the other big junk retailers. We provide hand crafted merchandise of the highest quality and that's how folks need to market themselves. When people ask me what I can do on a price, I will typicall tell them that I could double it if they'd like. If they think the stuff is overpriced, they're not the type of customers who would likely buy it anyhow.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Jediscroller

[snip] Don't underprice your work. We're not in competition with Walmart or Ikea or any of the other big junk retailers. We provide hand crafted merchandise of the highest quality and that's how folks need to market themselves. When people ask me what I can do on a price, I will typicall tell them that I could double it if they'd like. If they think the stuff is overpriced, they're not the type of customers who would likely buy it anyhow.

G'day Steve,
This has got to stop mate............. we're agreeing again LOL

I'll quite often knock a few bob of for someone if they have purchased a few items, are elderly or a youngster, but never for people that ask.
I have been known to draw the wrath of the War Office, when I tell some, that I'll gladly sell an item to them at retail prices, when they ask for a discount.
She reckons I'm a rude old bugger

I'm probably, not definitely am guilty of under pricing some gear, but it's the bread and butter stuff, all my other items I reckon are priced fair and VERY reasonable.

[Jediscroller]

Originally Posted by JohnB

G'day Steve,
This has got to stop mate............. we're agreeing again LOL

Hehehehehe, see, I'm not as bad as you thought. Though we don't agree on my name.

[JohnB]

SORRY Kev,
Don't know where that one came from.

[greatdane2]

John it was not your fault. We used to get our Cubs and Scouts in a line and show the first one a sentance and they would pass it on. What came out the other endwas a treat to hear. I think the computers do the same thing, at leaste that is the excuse I would use.

Alan.