Great Show!

[HeavenScentU]

I just finished a great show for the weekend and I was totally impressed with myself. I was at the beginning of the shows entrance and all the other candlemakers were down the line, which was a relief. So I knew I had to sell my candles before the customers had a chance to move on, so I pushed soy like crazy even though I sold paraffin as well. My biggest sellers were the Soy melts and the Rock Candles. I was selling the soy melts for $4.00 ea. or 3/$10. and moved them until I sold out each day. The competitors down the line were selling the Soy melts for $1.50 ea. so I knew I had to push sales hard. It worked. People came into my booth and I had lots of comments that everything smelled awesome. I had people make their way through the show and came back because they thought my candles smelled the best even though they had to pay a bit more than what Scentsy $2.00 and the other competitors were selling the melts for. I had so many people come in and say their friends told them how great my candles were and that is why they were buying my products. That made me feel great because I don't do too many shows so I don't hear any feedback unless a customer calls or emails me. I just want to let everyone know don't set your prices because others are selling cheap, sell your products according to what you feel your products are worth. DH kept telling me to drop my prices to the $1.50-$2.00 range to match the others and I couldn't do it because I really feel my products were priced right. I was like Macy's and the competition was Kmart and I made almost $1200. for a 3 day show which was my highest sales record for a craft show.. I am curious how well others made out against the competition....

[sharyl55]

WTG :yay:

Sounds like you had a fantastic week end. Isn't it great when folks recognize you have a super product and are willing to pay for it?

[Judy, USMC]

Timing was everything at the Craft Fair at Camp Lejeune. Ours was the weekend after a unit retured from the Gulf - so many of their relatives were in the area to see them! I had the 1oz portion cups at .70 or 5 for $3. Also had the clamshells. Many were buying 10 cups at a time to sample the aromas before they bought the clamshells which will be available at 2 area shops where I sell on consignment. The out-of-towners were happy that their military relatives would be able to pick up the clamshells in the future and mail their selections to them. Many had never seen either container and loved the idea.

There is a soy candlemaker with her own store in town who sells ther jelly jars for $4. Mine were priced at $5 and I also refused to back the price down. I did fairly well - but not the volume she did. One gripe I had was I label the contents according to the federal regs - Net Wt 6.3 oz. She was advertising 8 oz Jelly Jars on her price list and doesn't put the weight on the jars. Illegal - yep. Misleading - certainly. No warning labels either - not legally required. It's rather hard to sell against someone who will sell cheap at a fair just to draw people to her store when they want a resupply...at a higher retail of course. Excellent way to get her name out.

All in all a very respectable profit. I was a little afraid this year because of the other reports on fairs in the area not selling as well. But with this one the military base location tied to a unit just returning - it went very well.

[LynnS]

Shows now are dwindling. The really really big ones(outside) are over and now Churches and schools. I did pretty good at the bigger shows considerng the area but like others here it was "You have the best smelling candles from all that are at this show".There were alot of candlemakers there too.

Another show a few people came back because their relatives sent them to me the next day.Also got a e-mail maybe interested in a fundraiser.Never heard back yet.Then another person got all my tarts I had of one scent after going home and testing the one she brought the day before. Others I have seen at shows have purchased mostly my tarts.They love them and get more at oyher shows.Also economical and no flame. I guess sales were medium but the feedback is what I like.

I now have a sales rep out of state and received 2 orders from another lady who lives in a another state. Happy about this.Going to put my candles etc in a art shop and they only take 20% of sales. Then looking into a flea market craft place that does charge but want to get in somewhere.I can pull out whenever I want.

For shows this week-end I think I will do the last one.Then stock for the other options.Long hours,several days is alot of work. Setting up is a BEAR.

LynnS