Vendor Based (or vendor booth) Businesses are the perfect solution for small business owners who don’t have the ability to manage a brick-and-mortar storefront.
2019 Top 11 Craft Fair tips and booth layout tricks to help your vendor experience, Advice from a seasoned craft fair stager | Stampin Fool
These are the top 5 mistakes handmade vendors commonly make at craft shows. If you're wondering why sales aren't higher, take a look through the list.
Craft shows are a unique way to shop and vendors can get creative with their setup. But there are certain things craft show shoppers shouldn't see.
This is the actual name of this magnificent specimen. It is an important piece, one gotten from a private collection and displayed by a vendor at the Tucson Rock and Gem Show. It was found in 1890 at Bisbee, Arizona, long a world-known site for azurite and malachite as well as copper. The photo was taken through glass, and the vendor held up a flashlight for me to take this picture. Velvet Beauty can be yours for a mere $25,000. It is the finest specimen I have ever seen of one of my favorite minerals. I believe the chunk weighs about 3 pounds and is about 9" in diameter. As often, I recommend seeing the large or original size view.
One of my most popular articles details the types of products that sell best at craft shows; you can read that here: What Sells Best at a Craft Show? This article explores the other side: Types of products that don’t tend to sell well, or that can actually harm the sales of best-selling products. I’ve created...
Craft Fairs are challenging. Customer relations, product display, and more must be done. Here are 7 tips to help you avoid common selling mistakes at shows.
First time vendor and want to know what to expect when you join your first craft fair? Read through concise tips and with a FREE Vendor Checklist.
Searching for a complete guide to natural ingredients? Look no further than StyleCraze, your ultimate source for information on their benefits, properties, and uses.
Not all of these points are red flags telling you not to sell at a particular craft show. However, they may be signs to proceed with caution. Craft shows can be labor intensive and come with several expenses. So you want to be sure a craft show is the right fit for you and your...
No one signs up for a craft show with the intention of alienating the shoppers but you may unknowingly be sending them away if they don’t feel comfortable. It’s important to have fun, be yourself and show pride in your work; that will always draw people to you. Here are 5 mistakes to...
Craft shows are a unique way to shop and vendors can get creative with their setup. But there are certain things craft show shoppers shouldn't see.
Not only is this handy utility apron great for craft show vendors, but teachers, artists, quilters, sewists, and anyone else trying to keep their stuff together!
Improving a pixelated image in Photoshop is possible by applying several different editing processes. Several other free online tools also exist to improve image quality on a pixelated images. Low resolution photos are often distorted when the size is increased and significant edits are required.
These are the top 5 mistakes handmade vendors commonly make at craft shows. If you're wondering why sales aren't higher, take a look through the list.
When you set out to create a new product, where do you start? >> How do you decide upon design? >> How do you choose colors, or scents, or materials? >> What makes you certain your product lineup needs this new product? The world is, as it always has been, changing. And...
Numbers 10, 11 and 15 will change EVERYTHING! Tips and tricks YOU need to know as a beginner craft fair vendor.
How to make DIY videos for your creative business.
just a bunch of beautiful things ! :]
You can spend hours, weeks, or months working on your products, but not sell much because of an unappealing booth. This seems unfair, but it’s the truth. The good news is, it’s not difficult to ensure your booth’s aesthetic appeal. We’ve written about craft booth design before, but this time we’re delving a little deeper. […]
An easy how-to guide for generating MLM leads and prospecting in network marketing and the tools that top network marketers use today - DON'T BE LEFT OUT!
I hope this isn't the first post you read on The Vintage Show Off site! This information is certain to touch off nerves and anyone not ready for this closer look at the financial side of being a vendor might never visit this site again. DO NOT READ THIS POST UNTIL YOU ARE TRULY READY. I have plenty of fun articles about booth decor and so forth. The article is depressing most of the way through, but there is hope. Vendors CAN be successful. Examining where your money goes might help you see where you can save and increase profits. If you really want to improve your bottom line, you should eventually read this post. Many vendors are not in it for the money. If you are just having fun and for the most part, could care less about the money, feel free to avoid this article forever. When I first worked this all out, I was shocked and amazed at my findings. I assumed that all my vendor friends would be interested and that we could all work together to figure out how to increase our profits. WRONG! Most of them avoided looking at my spreadsheets as if they had lethal bacteria on them. I'm not joking. I learned quickly that this information is not for everyone. And I really do understand that. Most of the vendors who avoided it were having fun. This info is a bit of a buzz kill. The vendors most interested are those who are wondering if they should stay in the business OR vendors who are VERY serious about trying to make more money. Those in it just for the joy KNOW they probably shouldn't examine their profits too closely. Are you sure you want to keep reading? Ok, then, here goes... Since vintage goods are so popular, antique malls are popping up all over and being a vendor at one of them seems like a cool thing to do. It seems so easy and fun at first glance. Once you're in it, you realize that it takes a bit more work than anticipated, but it's definitely fun. Few vendors think they are getting rich, but most think they're doing OK. The biggest misconception I see - many vendors believe that the bigger the check from the mall, the more money they are making. Sorry. I beg to differ. The monthly (or bi-monthly) check is NOT how you gauge your success! Here is an example month for a fictitious vendor named Matilda. Matilda gets her check at the end of the month. She grossed $2000. Woo-hoo! (For most vendors in a mall, that's a pretty good month. Many, many many vendors have NEVER ONCE grossed that much. There are a few deductions already taken out. The 10% store commission was $200. The extra fee for all sales made with a charge card was $18 (actually a pretty low estimate on a $2000 month). So the real check amount is $1782. Matilda is thrilled. Unfortunately, that's not her real profit. Matilda's rent is $200 a month. That leaves $1582. Many vendors don't think beyond this. Ignorance is bliss. There are plenty more not so obvious expenses. For purposes of this example, we'll say that Matilda prices everything at double her cost ON AVERAGE. (If she buys a chair for $10, she sells it for $20.) So, we'll say she spent $1000 on her $2000 worth of sales. Uh-oh. That leaves just $582 profit for the month. That's a little sad for a check that looked so nice, but unfortunately, there's more to consider. Most vendors are on the road a great deal finding those bargains. Very few sell things that require no running around. Gas money must be considered. And there are supplies to consider as well. Matilda paints and "fixes up" many of her furniture pieces. Paint, sandpaper, new hardware, light bulbs, price tags, fabric, staples, markers, tools, etc. A little here, a little there - it all adds up! Matilda spent around $200 for gas and supplies for the month. Her profit is now $382. Wait! There's more. Federal and state taxes. All vendors are supposed to do this. I paid my taxes and kept my records. 'Nuf said about that. Accountant fees. Even though you probably won't show much of a profit on paper, your accountant still has to be paid and just because you made no money doesn't mean they shouldn't either. Theft and breakage. It happens. Price reductions on things that sit in your booth too long. (I'll never try to sell another coffee table.) Price reductions on things customers talk you down on. Some things don't sell at all. You take a loss or in some cases, give up and take it to Goodwill. Even long time vendors make mistakes. Things you give to people you love. I never really minded that, but it still needs to be taken into consideration when figuring profits. Possible doctor bills - many vendors end up with shoulder, neck, back, and/or knee issue. Eight out of ten of the vendors I know best went to the doctor during the last 2 years from something directly related to their booth business. Months when your sales are really low yet you still have expenses. So now you are at $382, minus whatever you came up with for those last bits. Matilda figured out what she spent for a year on those extra things and then came up with a monthly average of $150. That's definitely the figure I feel least confident about. For some, it will be much lower. For others much higher. I also feel sure I am leaving out some incidental expenses. Matilda's true profit on $2000 worth of sales is $232. $232 measly dollars for all that TIME and effort! $232 earned when the check was $2000. Speaking of TIME, notice that hasn't been figured in. Matilda spent time: Working at the store - many stores require you to work at the store a day or two or else pay someone else for your day/s. Stores that don't require you to work usually charge a little more in rent. Riding all over creation looking for treasures. Cleaning, painting, and re-doing. Making tags and pricing everything and writing everything down so she'd have good records for her taxes. Hauling things. Hauled them home to work on them. Hauled them to the store. Sometimes, she hauled them back home again - seasonal items or items that weren't selling and needed to be worked over. Running over to her booth to straighten up messes when something big sold. She rearranged her booth when it looked the same for too long and sales slowed down. Last but not least - she spent loads of time cleaning up the messes she made at home working on all this stuff. Matilda figured she spent about 90 hours during the month (an average of 3 hours a day) working on things related to her booth. 232 divided by 90 hours = $2.57 an hour. At this point, you may want to take a break from reading this post to go get out a hankie or some Pepto-Bismol. Matilda could spend less time clipping coupons and save her family more than $232 a month. I came up with the "Matilda" spreadsheet first, but I wasn't content to stop there. Surely that was just a bad example. I looked at a few other scenarios, reworked the spreadsheet adjusting figures to give the most accurate estimates I could for each expense and here are the QUICK results on those. It's so easy in this business to fool yourself into thinking you're doing fine. It's easy to forget those extra expenses. Money for things like gas sometimes comes out of your home money (instead of your booth account)... a little here and a little there. Your time gets skewed as well. It's easy to lose track of just how much time you spend on things related to your booth. I'm retired with a decent pension. The money I earned when I had a booth was not crucial. My goals for having a booth had more to do with decorating my own house and having fun thrifting than anything else. But since making a profit IS important for many vendors, I decided my findings were worth putting out there for anyone who it might help. For anyone reading this who is not a vendor, have a heart when you shop at an antique mall! Vendors work really hard and put lots of love into all they do. As you can see here, they are lucky to break even when all is said and done.. I welcome all comments, whether you agree or not. My comments are monitored due to a ridiculous amount of spam, but I'll let on-topic comments be posted as long as there's not something horrendously mean and nasty. I suspect there are plenty of ex-vendors out there who will understand the truth of this post. My accountant has seen my spreadsheets and she agrees with their validity. I would especially love to hear from people who played with their own numbers after reading this. Expenses for each of us is different. There are lots of variables. Let's end on a good note - As depressing as all this may seem, there are ways to make money with a booth. Some vendors find a strategy that allows them to acquire things to sell without investing quite as much time and/or quite as much money. There's no one success formula I can give you. It all comes to many factors coming together nicely. Having a booth can be fun! But make no mistake. For those who don't really think it through, examine their books and figure out how to improve, it will just be a fun, time-consuming, messy hobby. For all but a few, it is seldom lucrative. If you NEED your business to be lucrative, think about where you can save money, where you can save time, where you can sell best... Examine your bottom line and continually look for ways to improve. And keep reading Vintage Show Off ! Update: This comment had several valid points that are very worth considering. I thought they should be added to the article so more people will see them - My books are even more detailed than the scenarios you used and I can attest to the accuracy of your assessments and comments. I can also attest to how to use different kinds of offerings with different markups in order to maximize whatever profits you can. But here's a vital piece of information you left out. My husband and I use my business as a quasi tax shelter. Much of my business can be written off as a loss. The tax savings is astronomical. We saved over $3000 dollars last year alone. While you may not be making an actual income and profit, for someone approaching or already within retirement that savings to a household might be reflected in what you don't end up paying out to Uncle Sam. My daughters and I also end up with the best of the best in terms of décor. It's just one more aspect to add to what was a wonderful article that I will definitely be sharing with other vendors. And just one more note. So many people are now doing this "for fun" that they often undercut the prices of people attempting to do this work and make some sort of profit even if just a small one. I wish people would really do the books and stop giving their work away at a loss. It really is impacting my bottom line.
Our original article on Craft Show etiquette continues to be one of our most popular articles. So we thought we would expand on it and break it down a bit more to give you a really good look at what each category of craft show participator looks for from you. Here are our other etiquette articles: Craft Show...
Your first craft show can be nerve racking and easily be a flop if you're not prepared. Here are lessons I wish I knew when I was a beginner vendor.
Craft show mistakes not only harm your sales that day, they can also harm your brand and get in the way of future sales. Be sure to avoid these big mistakes
Farmers’ markets are a good way to make extra money or to test out a new business idea. However, it’s important to sell the right product or you can end up losing money after vendor fees, your time spent preparing for and selling at the market, plus time and money spent making/preparing inventory. This article shares several...
The Print This photographic print leverages sophisticated digital technology to capture a level of detail that is absolutely stunning. The colors are vivid and pure. The high-quality archival paper, a favorite choice among professional photographers, has a refined luster quality. Paper Type: Photographic Print Finished Size: 8" x 12" Arrives by Mon, Apr 8 Product ID: 14887604
Impress guests with this intricately patterned oven-to-table bakeware set, where function meets superior presentation. From Temp-tations® Ovenware. Original item is . This product may be a customer return, vendor sample, or on-air display and is not in its originally manufactured condition. It may not be new. In some instances, these items are repackaged by QVC. Includes 1.5-qt baker, 2-qt baker, 2.5-qt baker, 1-qt bowl, and 1.5-qt. bowl Floral lace pattern Dishwasher-, microwave-, refrigerator-, and freezer-safe; oven-safe to 500F Approximate measurements: 1.5qt Baker 8.5" x 7.8" x 4"; 2qt Baker 9.4" x 8.7" x 4"; 2.5qt Baker 10.2" x 9.8" x 4"; 1qt Bowl 7.2" x 6.5" x 4"; 1.5qt Bowl 8" x 7.32" x 4.3" Imported
I am the classic over thinker/ over researcher. I google, pinterest, facebook, encyclopedia pretty much everything before I dive on in. So when I decided that I wanted to do a craft fair I read about every article out there and felt like I was pretty prepared. There was a lot of great and invaluable...
The antique capital knows its way around flea markets too.
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD - Experience the vibrant charm of the market scene with "Ang Babae sa Palengke" (The Woman in the Market) - an exquisite painting inspired by of Juan Luna's masterpieces. This captivating artwork portrays a lady tindera (vendor) amidst the bustling energy of the market, showcasing the everyday life and rich cultural heritage of the Philippines. With meticulous attention to detail, it captures the vibrant colors and unique charm of the market setting, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the dynamic atmosphere. Celebrate Filipino culture and adorn your space with this timeless piece. Whether displayed in your home or office, it adds an elegant touch and sparks conversations about the rich heritage and captivating scenes of everyday life in the Philippines. Experience the artistic legacy of Juan Luna in this inspired painting and let "Ang Babae sa Palengke" transport you to the vibrant world of market culture, where the spirit of the Philippines comes to life on canvas. _______________________________________________ WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE: You will receive 1 high resolution JPG digital file for your printable art at 300 dpi in 3:4 ratio file for printing sizes: 6''x8'', 9''x12'', 12''x16", 15"x20", 18"x24" etc. It's important to note that you will receive only one file of the print, which has been optimised for all sizes, including the largest printable size. ________________________________________________ INSTANT DOWNLOAD Kindly take note that this listing is for a digital instant download only. There will be no physical item shipped to you. Upon completing your purchase, your digital download will become available in your Etsy account under the "Purchases & Reviews" section at etsy.com/your/purchases. Additionally, an email from Etsy containing a download link will be sent to your inbox. It is recommended to check your spam/junk folder in case it does not appear in your inbox within a few minutes. If you checkout as a guest, the download will be emailed to you along with your receipt. Please note that the colors may vary slightly depending on your computer monitor and printer. For your convenience, this design can be printed at home, through online printing services, or at any print shop. _______________________________________________ DISCLAIMER Please be advised that this product is strictly for personal use only and is not authorized for commercial use or resale
Getting ready for your first vintage market or craft fair? Learn vendor tips and resources to make your event a success. Curated by Girl in the Garage
Advice for how to get accepted as a craft fair seller or vintage market vendor - From personal experience and from market organizers - by Girl in the Garage
Not all of these points are red flags telling you not to sell at a particular craft show. However, they may be signs to proceed with caution. Craft shows can be labor intensive and come with several expenses. So you want to be sure a craft show is the right fit for you and your...
These are the top 5 mistakes handmade vendors commonly make at craft shows. If you're wondering why sales aren't higher, take a look through the list.
A craft show vendor asked this question as we were rushing by and it got us to stop & purchase a product we weren't shopping for. Find out what she asked...
Editor's Note: We're excited welcome Rachel Gregg from CreativeLive to the blog for this guest post on 3 mistakes most beginner Etsy sellers make. Rachel interviewed experienced Etsy sellers including Craftcation Conference presenters Lauren Venell and Marlo Miyashiro. CreativeLive is one of the best educational resources for creatives. I have taken several awesome and rewarding CreativeLive classes, and also
There are so many decorating rules! Then, lots of experts tell you to break the rules.Should, should should! "Formula" is a better word, imho ... a mix of elements that combine to create a particular effect.
A craft show vendor asked this question as we were rushing by and it got us to stop & purchase a product we weren't shopping for. Find out what she asked...
If you're planning to host a craft show, read over these tips and comments, straight from vendors, sharing what they appreciate most from a craft show host.
So you’ve created a Facebook group in your niche and you have some members. Awesome job! Sometimes promoting your group and attracting members can be a challenge for new Facebook groups. But yet, with all of these members, your group is a ghost town with tumbleweeds blowing across your content. Why isn’t anyone engaging with […]
Craft Fairs are challenging. Customer relations, product display, and more must be done. Here are 7 tips to help you avoid common selling mistakes at shows.
This summer, try selling food at a farmers market!
Your complete guide to making money at craft fairs. If you've ever wondered why your booth isn't busier, you'll discover all the answers here.
