Odd Day at the Craft Show

[Candybee]

Tried out a new craft show yesterday. It was slow and few people came but I realise it was their first show and I wanted to be a part of them starting out. Also, it was an indoor show and a nice change from my regular Saturday farmers market held outdoors in the 90 degree plus heat!

I sell soap and candles so you all know doing an indoor show is a treat in summer!

So I meet the 'other' chandler. Shes very nice, sweet girl. So I go over to visit her booth. She has all these soy candles made in about 20-30 different types of jars. No kidding. Looked like she made a candle in whatever jar she could find! Very disorganized looking. I wondered how she prices everything. Then I picked one up and asked her if the fragrance had mango in it. She didn't know she says, she just decided to go out to her kitchen last night and make candles.

So then I look over at her other table display. Yee gawds! She's got a big table sign up with all this 'information' on how terrible parrafin wax is, how it has cancer causing carcinogens, turns your candle black with soot, etc, etc, ad nauseum. Sheesh! Anyway, I wished her good luck and went back to my booth. Kept wondering how can you make soy candles and not have a clue about curing them? or reading up on and researching your wax?

A little while later I get this customer interested in one of my goats milk, oatmeal, and honey soaps. I go thru the whole spiel about the attributes of the soap and she wants to buy it. Then she asks me to knock off a whole $1. Now-- I price my soaps very carefully and had already priced these particular ones at $4 for 4oz. A very reasonable price. I did offer to give her a dollar discount if she bought two but a dollar off for one was too much for me.

Then she tells me how she bought one down the street that was so much bigger and only cost her $3. I just smiled and repeated my offer.

She then goes over to the next crafter that was giving out free samples of crafting paper she had painted pretty flowers and designs on. She was promoting painting classes and giving out free paint samples. This customer complains about the free paint sample cause she accidentally smeared it while it was still damp. So she wants another. Then she doesn't like the color of the new sample and wants another.

Sales were awful and very few people showed up all day. This is how the day is going so I decide to close up and leave early. I am not making money anyway.

So as I am getting ready to leave they finish up giving out 'door' prizes and I 'win' my own donation. :laugh2:

So I tell the guy to take it back and give it out to someone else and finish up packing.

And just as I was getting all my candles packed and thinking I really didn't make enough to even make it worth while I get a last minute customer. She had been by earlier and loved my candles! So she buys a bag full of soap and candles and wipes me out of my baked cinnamon apple candles.

So-- all in all I do end up making enough to cover my expenses of going out there but what an odd day it was.

I'm sure you all have had some odd experiennces at craft shows. Just wanted to share my oddball day.

[prairieannie]

LOL, ya just never know what's going to take place at a show huh!?!

I've had some strange days like that too, every once in awhile it's like the stars are aligned just so and the customers that come in are in rare form. Keeps things interesting though! I'm glad your last customer made it worth any trouble you had!

[chauntelle]

Maybe it was a full moon?? Nice to have a variation and not the same old! Hope you enjoy your next one more!

[Judy, USMC]

Yes, I've done a couple of fairs/shows just to give the organizers some support. And sometimes I think I should have just given them a donation rather than doing all the hauling and setting up.

And then the people who think that they are at a flea market just put the icing on the cake!

But you gotta love the people who "want to think about it." And, when they see you packing up, just have to get something! More times than not I'll make at least one sale when the take it home boxes come out!?!?!?

[gmp]

Glad it ended on a positive note at least! And I agree about not giving that customer a 25% discount! That is very frustrating when people try to nickel and dime you!

[Candybee]

I just learned that while I was out Saturday a bear came into my neighbors yard.

Hmmm... maybe it was a good thing I was working at the craft show cause if I was home I may have been out in my back yard.

[Christy Doc Holley]

this is alot of the reasons I don't do craft shows around here anymore . I'm in va too .

[Crafty1_AJ]

Aw gee, it's disheartening to work your buns off and not get much return for all your hard work. I feel for ya! Hope you make up for your losses somehow very soon; keep plugging away and you'll reap your reward.

[Abbiepql]

Craft shows in VA are always a hit or miss and I am not talking just from the vendors side, but from a buyers side too! I don't hold out too much hope unless they are expensive and even that is not a true test of worth. I do 4 shows a year and so far they have all been proven winners for 5+ years, I fear to try any more than that and take a heap of steps backwards! Alot of work in doing shows.