How many FO's do you bring to your market fairs?

[Clear Black]

I am having a hard time containing myself when it comes to the number of FO's I want to sell. I am fast approaching my first fair this September. I just signed a contract deal with a professional label print shop locally to make these fantastic matte on vinyl labels for my cans. Considering I am getting 25 different labels (for 25 diff FO'S) I got a good deal and only a few cents away from what I had projected in my budget. The trouble is, thats only about half of the FO's that I essentially could bring. I left out virtually all of my flower FO's seeing how its end of summer/fall fair. No xmas holiday ones or spring time FO's. Just the ones I think will have the best chance of selling.

 

I know its not feasable, but deep down inside I want to be that chandler that carry's 100+ FO's lol. HOW DO I STOOOP!!!

 

How many FO choices do you bring to fairs? 

Edited June 18, 2017 by Clear Black

[wthomas57]

My answer:  Probably too many.

 

I am in the same boat as you and have a hard time containing myself as well. Just always can justify adding another. Ha!

SO many people and they have so many different taste so I try to bring as much variety as possible. Probably a mistake.

 

But honestly, it all depends on the show. Big shows that last a couple days and I have more space and more time... Ill bring more.

Smaller shows... less.

 

I think its more important to bring variety of sizes/styles rather than scents though. Thats been my experience so far anyway.

 

I have a show in a week that last 3 days and I am bringing overall about 18 scents. But I have 3 jars styles and wax melts.

 

[Clear Black]

Lol, yes. We are in the same boat. I think mine may be sinking faster than yours though. I pretty much sell one type of candle but I have also been testing aroma beads so maybe I will make some up and see if they sell. For my first few fairs though, I want to see what the general consensus are for my candles seeing as they arent your typical candles you see most places. After that, I think I can branch off to other items to bring.

 

But ya, AS for my fairs in November, it looks like I will be bringing 23 FO's. Wish me luck

[Jcandleattic]

Here's the thing, no matter what you bring, how many different scents you have, you will always have that customer that will request something you don't have. Sometimes on purpose (I've seen them browse talking about a scent, point it out, and then nope they want something they didn't see) and sometimes, just generally an obscure scent. 

 

I try to bring at least 4-5 candles in each size of each category I have

Fruity/Citrus

Bakery

Floral/Perfume

Spa/Water

 

And because I only do shows during the Holiday season, about 1-2 in each size of each Holiday scent I have. 

 

That may be too many because in reality I think it's around 30-35 scents total, but I typically sell quite a few. 

[wthomas57]

I also try to bring a few from each "category" but it all depends on the season like you said.

 

Spring and Summer, I bring htose type of scents (citrus, floral, fresh) and some yer round best sellers.

Fall, Its mostly fall scents which tend to do great usually anyway as well as best sellers.

Winter, same thing..... holiday scents plus best sellers.

 

I do this with each of my main candle styles as well as melts.

 

Ill have 18 scents this coming event this weekend. So thats not too bad

[Belinda]

It also depends on the area. The last two years I've done a craft show in December (a very small one) and had tons of Christmas scents/Fall scents but they mostly bought my leather and leather blends. I also sold a lot of aroma bead fresheners too. I had my Christmas stuff set up so cute (to me anyway) and what did they mostly go for....leather! YUK! Anyway, that's Texas for you I guess. But, even with during the Fall/Winter season I have still had people asking for a floral every now and then so you just really don't know. I think doing like everyone said though, take a few from each category and hopefully you'll have some of what most people want and like.

[TallTayl]

It really depends on the event. My summer fair runs nine weekends in a row.  We stay set up the whole time.  I stock 50 all in one size of soap and soy and beeswax candles. 40 are generally the same. 10 new ones get rotated in every week or two based on themes. 

 

For small fairs that I have to set up and breakdown every weekend I would bring far Fewer. And I no longer do multiple sizes. It is too much work.

[Clear Black]

7 hours ago, TallTayl said:

It really depends on the event. My summer fair runs nine weekends in a row.  We stay set up the whole time.  I stock 50 all in one size of soap and soy and beeswax candles. 40 are generally the same. 10 new ones get rotated in every week or two based on themes. 

 

For small fairs that I have to set up and breakdown every weekend I would bring far Fewer. And I no longer do multiple sizes. It is too much work.

Exactly how I was approaching the fair I am doing for Black Friday. Its a two day fair with about 120 tables. Only one size container, maybe aroma beads if I can make them look nice by then. Im just trying to figure out if I should bring any florals or substitute those for a few more traditional holiday FO's like Mistletoe or First Snow.

[TallTayl]

Well, lilac sells for me year round, as do many other florals. And fall scents sell for me in spring and summer. So who knows?