Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Part Three of the Weekly Craft Show

By Rick Amorey

If you think it is easy to predict which item among your crafts will sell each week, then think again. I daresay that it is impossible to predict such things; or how much will sell each week for that matter. Some of my crafts have been sitting in my weekly booth for a month, gathering dust if I didn't wipe it off each day. Then, just as I was about ready to remove it to make some space, someone went in, bought it, and was gone before I understood what happened.

There is really no way to tell if you will be able to sell each individual product. But, it's a lot harder to face the fact that there is no way to find out how much you will sell all in all for every week that you set up a booth. It feels invigorating when your sales are on the up and up, and everyone seems to love your crafted items. But, when all you get for your pains and effort is a few furtive glances, then everything seems to be downright depressing.

Strive to keep your emotions in check, if you are doing a weekly show. Nothing says you have talent better than having your goods sell themselves. But, on the other hand, it's also true in the opposite direction when it seems like no one wants to purchase your crafted works. You may start to question your talent, and will probably get disheartened.

So instead of worrying about your week to week sales, focus on the numbers and tally them. See if there are good sales over longer periods of time; statistical data will provide a better account of your success than an individual day of sales. See your overall weekly average, and put an effort in maintaining or raising it.

Lastly, I will have to advise you to be cautious about customers haggling. Unfortunately, this is something that every seller in booths and stalls will have to contend with. You may even grow to hate it. You aren't some cheap flea market vendor, after all. You are the one who makes and puts in effort into the things they want to buy. Don't take it personally, though. It's just the haggler's mindset, and from their point of view, they just want to save money.

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