7Angela7 Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 I received information on a fair at the end of November. Here is the information:3 day show11/23 - 9:30-3:0011/25 - 9:30-6:3011/26 - 9:30-2:30This is the 9th year of the show. & is a juried show.Ads placed in local newspapers & local tv event calendars. 5,000 on their mailing list & they distributed 5,000 postcards to other shows & businesses.Tables & electricity are included.Space fee:6x3 - $708x3 - $8010x4 - $9510x6 - $130In addition to the space fee, there is a central checkout w/15% of your sales. They give you CVR tags to put on all your products, which will be a PITA.Also, in addition to that, you are required to work 6 hours during the show (cashier, wrapper, greeter, restocking, sign in, roamer). I probably won't have anybody that will be able to man the booth, so how am I supposed to work 6 hours? If you can't work, they deduct another 20% of your sales.----------------------------I was interested in this until I got all the information, now I'm not so sure. In their terms & conditions, there are a few typos which makes me think a little less of this. What's your opinion - do you think they're asking for too much or is this normal?Thanks for your help!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EMercier Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Can they guarantee a certain amount in sales? IMO it doesn't seem worth it. I saw a few juried shows coming up and thought it would be great, BUT then saw stipulations sorta like yours. I declined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinInOR Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Well, that's only $43/day + 20%. Thanksgiving day shows around here are *very* lucrative - everyone is out and it's the traditional start to shopping. Though, you're competing with everyone shopping at the malls and stores that have great sales. Depends on your area, if it's a crafty type of place. Our area is big into handmade, so while some go to the malls, lots hit the fairs.Sounds like a central checkout system if they want someone to work cashiering. Never have done one set up like that. Lets see, say you made $300/day, that would be an extra $180 you'd pay them. So that ends up around $100/day... mmmm, I'd be too small to chance it. Someone like Fire would probably grab it.. Probably going to be a gut call. If you can "lose" $200 or so if the show sucks, you'll still be advertising yourself. Looking at it that way, it's cheap advertising...Actually, I just reread and pondered again. I didn't see the 15% fee for checkout, *then* the 20% non-work fee.Nope, not for me. I'd have to go to them as a customer for a few years to check them out before I'd commit to 35% of profit fees. It would have to be a pretty good show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glowlite Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 You have to pay for the booth, plus they take 15% of your sales and They want you work 6 hours!!! and if you can't they want you to pay them!!!! That seems really weird to me. I personally wouldn't do this show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 There are quite a few stipulations to that show but you'll ultimately have to be the one to decide if you can afford it or not. I know that I am too small to afford chancing it at a show like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindsaycb Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Sounds like I should go into 'hosting craft shows'! That's a lot of money they're making off the actual vendors. I wouldn't do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trish Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Personally, I wouldn't do it. It's JMHO...I did two Christmas shows last year that were supposedly very good. They were not. I barely made my booth fee on one, and doubled the other (2 day show) If I had to pay someone an addt'l 15-20% of that.... no way! There were lots of "lookers" but not many buyers. All the vendors were complaining at both shows about lack of traffic, but still.I've rambled. LOL Anyhow, trust your gut. Let us know what you decide! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Well it depends on what you think you can get done or make work, but for us, we have one show that they take 30% of our sales, but there is no booth fee and we can work it if we want, it isn't required. Ticketing every item is something Rockin' hates to do lol.I'd be real hedgy about this show, but your markets and costs are different than ours. It would be something I'd sit on for a bit, unless the deadline was like now or tomorrow to enter lol. What's your gut telling you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Angela7 Posted October 20, 2005 Author Share Posted October 20, 2005 My gut instantly told me no, and by reading all the replies, it's making it more of a no. I'm very very small time, and don't feel like I can give up an additional 15% to begin with, plus 6 hours away from my booth that I paid for. I don't think I'm gonna do it.Thanks for your opinions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BACKWOODS Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Sounds very risky to me. Three days and only 9000 people on Black Friday weekend. I bet you can find another show that weekend and do better because the do not hit you twice for commisions!!! I guess they are asking you to work 2 hours a day for them...I have never heard of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnS Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 I like paying the most $60.00 for 2 days but did do one for $125.00 for 2 days.The size of the space is 10x10 and that is about right.I see some of these are quite small so don't expect to get much in a booth.I am doing one soon that is just one table and $20.00 so that is OK with me.I also have a option for more tables so may go to 2.I did fine last year at this show so will do it again.I think I was the busiest of all of the others.Even if I only make $120.00 I would be fine with that.It also is 1 day only and I like that too.Those 2 days with 12 hour days are grueling. LynnS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Well, that's only $43/day + 20%. Thanksgiving day shows around here are *very* lucrative - everyone is out and it's the traditional start to shopping. Though, you're competing with everyone shopping at the malls and stores that have great sales. Depends on your area, if it's a crafty type of place. Our area is big into handmade, so while some go to the malls, lots hit the fairs.Sounds like a central checkout system if they want someone to work cashiering. Never have done one set up like that. Lets see, say you made $300/day, that would be an extra $180 you'd pay them. So that ends up around $100/day... mmmm, I'd be too small to chance it. Someone like Fire would probably grab it.. Probably going to be a gut call. If you can "lose" $200 or so if the show sucks, you'll still be advertising yourself. Looking at it that way, it's cheap advertising...Actually, I just reread and pondered again. I didn't see the 15% fee for checkout, *then* the 20% non-work fee.Nope, not for me. I'd have to go to them as a customer for a few years to check them out before I'd commit to 35% of profit fees. It would have to be a pretty good show.LOL! Robin thanks for the compliment!:wave: I 'dturn it down because they want some of your profits and you did all of the work!:undecided That don't work for me. And if you are a crafter working alone, they can hardly force you to do double duty as a cashier?????? Nope! However, I might be inclined to visit the show on the busiest day and inquirer of the crafters how they are doing and how they feel about being roped into working double duty. NOW THAT I WOULD DO! :tiptoe: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LynnS Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 After reading more into this NO WAY.I have never heard of one like this in my area and if there was I would decline.Look around at other places.Where I live there are shows every week-end.Check papers etc.Church bazaars too.I can go through some towns not far from me and see banners of craft shows all over towns.If there are some towns near you pick up their paper.I know Church Baazars are usually only $20.00. and one day. LynnS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb13 Posted October 20, 2005 Share Posted October 20, 2005 Sounds like what they call a "boutique" where I live. The difference is here they charge booth plus 11- 13% depending on the boutique. You do not have to stay with your product just restock, some do like to stay ie. the jewlery people. They only require a 2 hour "security" shift, or they take $15 dollars of your sales, not a percentage. They all run 4 days Wed-Sat. I have three of these coming up between now and first weekend of Dec. With all your stipulations, it's your call. When I first started boutiques it was hard because no one knew my name. Now I am getting those repeat customers. Good luck with your decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallbabydoll Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 I wouldn't do it, no way! The booth fee sounds fair, but with the % of sales they take on top of that, then want you to work or take more:eek: thats highway robbery. All that work, and you wouldn't make much for it. I was invited to a fair last year thats really big in our area, and it was $150 which is to steep for me. This sounds like it'd end up costing even more, so personally I wouldn't do it.But Robin did make a good point, it'd be advertising, and for that reason alone, you may want to consider it. If I did it just for the advertising, I think I'd take small ticket items that didn't cost much, and maybe even give away tealights with your business cards. That way people would get a sample, your name and contact info, and you wouldn't have to pay sales commisions on them. Take Pillars, etc for display purposes and let interested people know that these items are available to order. Maybe even have some orderforms printed out so they can fill it out and place the order, then mail you the payment later, and you make their order. No wasted time or product, and you don't have to pay the commissions. Just an idea, HTH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Angela7 Posted October 21, 2005 Author Share Posted October 21, 2005 Take Pillars, etc for display purposes and let interested people know that these items are available to order. Maybe even have some orderforms printed out so they can fill it out and place the order, then mail you the payment later, and you make their order. No wasted time or product, and you don't have to pay the commissions. Just an idea, HTH.lol, actually, for special orders they supply you with a form that you have to fill out, so they still get the percentage . If you don't follow the rules, you won't be invited back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire and Ice Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 I need to ask, does the paper work say when the crafters get their hard earned monies? I mean if theres a checkout lane and all that, then you don't get the money with the sale so when do you guys who've already forked your hard earned cash out to make the product get paid?This who Idea stinks from the get go!!!!! Let me guess, they mail a check in a month or two? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7Angela7 Posted October 21, 2005 Author Share Posted October 21, 2005 I need to ask, does the paper work say when the crafters get their hard earned monies? I mean if theres a checkout lane and all that, then you don't get the money with the sale so when do you guys who've already forked your hard earned cash out to make the product get paid?This who Idea stinks from the get go!!!!! Let me guess, they mail a check in a month or two?That's a great question, it doesn't say anything about this.Oh well, I'm not gonna do this show anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommaD Posted October 21, 2005 Share Posted October 21, 2005 No freaking way would I do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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