How did your shows do this weekend?

[LovelyLathers]

I did one of my biggest festivals of the year today was day 1. It was fantastic weather, 73 and bright sunshine. There were about 15,000 people

at it. I did great! Sold out of a few soaps, sold lots of gift baskets in fall scents. Pumpkin, Apple, Cranberry, and Lavender were the scents that sold like crazy . Did well with Frankincense and Myrrh, Cinnamon, Patchouli and anything Sandalwood. Music was great, food was great, people were in great buying moods. I am the craft chairmen of this festival for 14 years and love every minute of it.

Hope everyone had a great day also.

[LuminousBoutique]

worst show I've had EVER this weekend... great traffic, great show.. just the wrong crowd (these people were complaining that they could get 3 bars of ivory for $5.00...) and scentsy was there... scentsy lady bragged they sold 500 clamshells at this show.. wooptyfreekingdoooo!!

I think I made less than $100 in sales, for a FOUR DAY SHOW...and thats being generous. I'm heartbroken, but its also kinda hilarious... it was just the WRONG SHOW for me, lol. :laugh2:It sucks to take a loss.. but... well.. thats business I guess!!

some pics...

(I'm so bummed I didnt bring walls for that side... but it was too late I feel like her pillows were distracting..)

[LuminousBoutique]

what sold well though in the tarts... FYI everyone... was Cinnamon Buns, Hot Chocolate (chocolate milk), Christmas Tree, Pink Sugar, Applesauce Gingerbread, Candy Cane Lane (peppermint), and Apple Pie.

"clean" scents didnt sell at all.. aka cotton and others like it.

People seemed to like the twigs and berries.. and Grapefruit mangosteen. They didnt BUY them but they LIKED them:laugh2:

I cannot tell you how many times I heard "oh thats FABULOUS!" and cue the walk away.

In bath bombs, the big winner was Pomegranate, followed by Plumeria and Lavender. Champagne didnt do well, which suprised me- because to me it smells exactly like what I would want my bath to smell like.. but hey, to each their own.

[LovelyLathers]

Your display is beautiful! Sorry you did not have a great show, it surely was not due to the display. Looks clean, organized, products are very nice. I know it is disappointing and frustrating when it is just not a show for your products. Your bath bombs look great, love the display you did for them.

[pleasureridgecandles]

Sorry you had a bad show, but, your set-up is gorgeous!!! Very neat and organized!!!

[safetysue]

Great looking display. Sorry about the bad show. My crystal ball says there's a good one coming your way. Hang in there.

Forgot to mention - I had crappy day too! Cold, cloudy, windy pumpkin patch. Too early to buy your pumpkin anyway. The good news is this booth fee is free this weekend and only $10/day for the remaining weekends in Oct.

Edited October 3, 2010 by safetysue
Show info

[rebeccajo99]

Sorry about your show Luminous. Sounds like my show last week. First one I didn't make booth at. My show yesterday was much better than the previous one thankfully. I didn't sell as much as I wanted to, but I'm still happy with the results. There were at least 4 other soap makers at this show, but we all made different kinds/types of soap. I didn't know this, but one of the soap makers there was directing people to my booth because I was the only one that had goat milk soap. She came up to me towards the end of the show and we talked for a little while and she told me that. I was very impressed with her perfessionalism in helping the customer and not just trying to "make a buck."

My biggest sellers were my discontinued scents actually. I have had them marked down for a few shows now, but only sold maybe 1 or 2 a show. This show I sold most of them. Of my current line, the biggest sellers were the florals and outdoor/guy scents, but I only sold 2 max of a current line scent. I think the reason my discontinued sold the best this show is because people were thinking stocking stuffers and gifts for people at their kids school. I don't know, it was just odd to me today:confused:

[lsbennis]

Sorry about your show Luminous, your set up looks amazing and love the bath bomb display, I had DH build me a bath bomb display very similar to that and it works great. Your next show will be awesome! :smiley2:

[lsbennis]

Did a really fun Indie craft show on Saturday, very busy and lots of fun! Sold alot of soaps and candles. Was surprised that I had alot of guys checking out the soaps, picking up sniffing and buying...lol Think I will have to make more Man Soaps!

In soaps my biggest scent sellers was Pumpkin Apple Butter (first to sell out), Cervesa De Lima (Lime Beer Soap), Sexy Mountain Man (Redwood, Cedar & Aspen) and Honey Lavender followed up by Dark Chocolate Mint.

In candles, Spiced Cranberry and Pump Souffle.

Bath Bombs did not sell that well, to be honest most people did not know what they were, except for the few people that buy them from Lush, I thought this was kinda strange. Has anyone else experienced this?

[Kitn]

I did my first market, it went very well. I can't wait to go back.

[Abbiepql]

I stopped selling bath bombs two years ago because very few people here knew what they were. When they tried them, the came back for more, but it was more of treat item and I could not depend on them for enough sales to justify doing them. Now I buy them wholesale and have them on hand for those that want them and my gift sets!

[mparadise]

I had a crappy one this week too. I almost said no but it was a friend of my best friend's parents that was organizing it and it was only $15 so I gave in. I was under the impression it was PART of the town festival but it was sort of next door at the historical society and they had us on the back lawn so only a fraction of the people at the festival (the ones that had to park on our end of the common I think) even knew we were there so there was very little traffic. I still did $140 in sales and may get a home party booking out of it but if I had to do it over again I probably wouldn't waste my time. The upside is that because there were so few people I did win a couple of the raffle table items that I was pretty excited about.

[LovelyLathers]

Sorry to hear of so many bad shows and sales this weekend. Day 2 of mine was better than yesterday in sales with a smaller crowd. The crowd estimation was about 8,000 to 9,000 today. Sold lots of men's and florals today as well as fall scents. The weather was great again, a little chilly and windy at times. 'I hope everyone has a better show next weekend.

[chrisinpa]

Your display is so impressive!

Do you have more pictures....I would love to see more!

Sorry you didn't have a good show....their loss.

[SliverOfWax]

worst show I've had EVER this weekend... great traffic, great show.. just the wrong crowd (these people were complaining that they could get 3 bars of ivory for $5.00...) and scentsy was there... scentsy lady bragged they sold 500 clamshells at this show.. wooptyfreekingdoooo!!

Was your show billed as a "craft" show? If so, did you ask the organizers why they allowed Scentsy in?

I don't do shows anymore, but when I was hitting them pretty much every weekend, if there were vendors selling items they didn't make themselves, I would always let the organizers know that I wouldn't be back the next show if they allowed non-craft vendors. The better shows understood my complaint and usually complied with my request.

Thank goodness that was before Scentsy. They're everywhere now.

[LuminousBoutique]

Was your show billed as a "craft" show? If so, did you ask the organizers why they allowed Scentsy in?

I don't do shows anymore, but when I was hitting them pretty much every weekend, if there were vendors selling items they didn't make themselves, I would always let the organizers know that I wouldn't be back the next show if they allowed non-craft vendors. The better shows understood my complaint and usually complied with my request.

Thank goodness that was before Scentsy. They're everywhere now.

nope it was a "handmade market" and they specified really severely in all the paperwork that anything found to be non-handmade would be removed from the market and you would not be invited back, and/or asked to leave... So imagine my shock.... I emailed the promoter a letter asking for my booth fee back, and basically outlining why I was dissapointed and why I feel like they owe me my booth fee back..

Thanks guys for the comments on the booth, I'm proud I did it, but definately wont be going back. No response yet from the promoter.. guess I wont hold my breath lol

[LuminousBoutique]

Your display is so impressive!

Do you have more pictures....I would love to see more!

Sorry you didn't have a good show....their loss.

yep here is my facebook with lots of pics:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/album.php?aid=289510&id=326597294415&ref=mf

that should be public

[pixie]

Sorry your show didnt go over too well but wow your booth looks awesome! Really polished looking. I hope your next show is better and shame on the promoters for letting in mass produced items in a "handmade only" show.

[Maggie]

I love your display too LB and your products look wonderful. I really like the little touch you added to the craft soap boxes.

I have to agree with you...I think too that those pillows behind your "stuff" was a distraction. JMO...I don't like them. A whole booth of wild color print pillows would have my eyes going bonkers. But...to each their own as they say.

[chrisinpa]

Your set up is so well done.

I would have been shopping in your booth for a long time.

Thanks for posting your fb link.....I love your setup.

You will without doubt have many successful shows, you just need the right venue.

[momtohaley2004]

I would follow this up with a phone call or a postal mail letter. I cannot blame you for being upset. A contract is a contract and should be treated as such and if you weren't properly represented or if the show was improperly handled, then I feel you should get your funds back.

nope it was a "handmade market" and they specified really severely in all the paperwork that anything found to be non-handmade would be removed from the market and you would not be invited back, and/or asked to leave... So imagine my shock.... I emailed the promoter a letter asking for my booth fee back, and basically outlining why I was dissapointed and why I feel like they owe me my booth fee back..

Thanks guys for the comments on the booth, I'm proud I did it, but definately wont be going back. No response yet from the promoter.. guess I wont hold my breath lol

[Common Scents]

I had my first "show" of the season this weekend as well! It wasn't a craft show but more of an open house event with other vendors such as Longaberger, Pampered Chef, etc. It was a fundraiser for a local girl who is a friend of mine who has leukemia. We did a bake sale as well. The traffic was fairly light but actually not bad for a Sunday afternoon! We raised close to $400 for Amy! I sold close to $150 & I make candles only. We all chipped in and got a radio ad on the local station so my share was $15 & I donated 20% of my sales to Amy's fund too. The biggest win was a local kayaking & outdoors store wants my candles on consignment ASAP! YAY! And I have another show in two weeks in the same town & I know people will be looking for me! ALL of my bakery scents sold out - I mean every single one! Warm Apple Cobbler, Gingerbread Cookies, Chestnuts & Brown Sugar, etc! All that was left was fruits & florals! LOL! Now time to restock for the next one in two weeks!

[Candybee]

Luminous I had a very similar weekend! Only the show I did was not exactly terrible. It had an estimated 40,000 people show up and there were definitely crowds of people. My prob was I never did the show before and decided to do it at the last minute. So I got a bad booth space just outside the craft tent where the big sales were going on.

At least now I know where to go next year and I talked about it with the promoter and she asked me where I want to be next year so I have hopes that I can do well if I go back and am properly situated.

There was also a tupperware booth there so I was surprised because this was the crafter section only so everything was supposed to be handmade.

Fortunately, I made my booth fee and the gas money I spent. (Show was way out of town so gas was getting expensive going back and forth for 3 days!)

My show next weekend is one I have done for several years and has been the big breadwinner for me. So hopefully it will make up for this past weekend. I really really need to make some dough!

[LuminousBoutique]

I love your display too LB and your products look wonderful. I really like the little touch you added to the craft soap boxes.

I have to agree with you...I think too that those pillows behind your "stuff" was a distraction. JMO...I don't like them. A whole booth of wild color print pillows would have my eyes going bonkers. But...to each their own as they say.

yeah if its any indication of this show she sold alot :laugh2:I was like.. really?! hehe..

[LuminousBoutique]

I would follow this up with a phone call or a postal mail letter. I cannot blame you for being upset. A contract is a contract and should be treated as such and if you weren't properly represented or if the show was improperly handled, then I feel you should get your funds back.

agreed thats a good idea, I'll give him a call in the morning