craft fairs

[Bryan Milham]

Not craft fairs but one thing that my club does is attend various large events, Westernbirt (The National Arboretum), North Somerset Show and Engineering Shows. It does take some organising, the club pays for the stand but does take 15% commission. Really it's to advertise for new members but we do very well for sales.

I'd like to try and get into the local village fairs, either free or on a percentage of sales basis, maybe when the house is finally finished.

And I agree with advertising, business cards do bring in commissions and further sales. One small Item I make (no more than a piece of polished beech) was bought by a lady, she's been back and bought 15 more so far. It seem they are the only thing she's ever found that she can use for something she does at work.

[Bellringer75]

I do craft fairs the most i made was £800 in one go i normal make about £200

What's your secret? I can do that at larger shows but the only time I can remember making those sort of sales is at the run up to Christmas. One reason i do very few now. As Roderick said, by the time you tot up cost of the table, fuel to get there, being business like you should add the cost of your time as well..... My experience is that few people who attend craft fairs are doing much more than looking out of curiosity and the possibility of selling more expensive pieces are slim. Any money made generally tends to be on sub £20 items.

pete

I sell mostly pens so they add up quick

[TWiG]

Wow Richard....that's an amazingly detailed response that is going to be of benefit as food-for-thought for many of us, so thanks for that.

Terry....I hope that you don't mind me asking this in your thread, but having read back through the thread, we haven't really touched on how we choose which CFs to attend. As a former customer, rather than stall-holder, I tire of walking into CFs and seeing the same old array of cheap-and-cheerful knitted clowns, imported tat and fruit sponges, and perhaps that's the sort of stall that is giving some CFs a poor reputation. But.....how do you, as a potential stall-holder, spot a good one?

Les                                                                   Good question Les , Choosing which CF's to attend is not easy , however I have found that Town Centre , holiday resort ( bucket & spade type ) to be less good than ones at Stately homes , Large gardens RHS   NT, Equine events etc . It may be a good idea to visit quite a few to get an idea with the intention of trying it next year / month (or not ) some can be costly but no guarantee of good sales , I spoke to someone once who did the Ideal Home show in London and it was £1500 for 3 days !!! Most events I have visited it is always the food& drink that turns over the most by far !!!  Many people see craft fairs as one step up from car boot sales and unwilling to break a £10 note !!  Also it can be good networking , you chat to other members ( non turners ) who may suggest other good venues  etc ... In my neck of the woods the Summer tourist season sees my biggest sales , some are only open in summer , I personally have not sold much over the Xmas period although I have some ideas for suitable stuff ( not arty stuff ) for this year in mind and will commit to preparations soon !!  Obviously craft fairs will vary from region to region with the more "well heeled" areas such as  the SE probably better but travel and accommodation will add to costs .   Hope you have some luck , I will be trying mine this year   ... maybe ... Terry...

[bodrighywood]

I think pens are a possible exception as they can be made within a price range that people will spontaneously buy. If, like me, you don't make pens though the story is different.

Pete

[Bellringer75]

I think pens are a possible exception as they can be made within a price range that people will spontaneously buy. If, like me, you don't make pens though the story is different.

Pete

I also make pens and box but pen just sell them selfs

[TWiG]

So , do we feel we ought to make things just because they sell ? or make things we like to make and hope they sell ?  a bit of both I suppose ! I often wonder about turners ( or other crafters / artists )who become known for a particular product, ( their signature piece so to speak ) do they get bored with making them but feel they must for commercial reasons , afraid to  try new things that do not sell well ?  so many dilemmas !!!!!! ..

[bodrighywood]

Are you making to subsidise your hobby or to earn a living? If the first then you can make what you like and aim to sell as best you can. If you are trying to earn a living however you have to make what people want. To be honest most professional turners earn a large part of the income from tuition, demonstrating, articles etc not just turning. I make whatever people want within reason and it can vary from legs for a repro Georgian table to drop spindles. For fairs, markets etc I have a few 'signature pieces' on display to attract attention but my main sales are of the under £20 type. If you do the bigger shows like the Oak Fair or some of the two and three day fairs then there are people who go to buy but the average craft fair in the local town hall or shopping centre you are aiming at the casual buyer. Market research, promotion, etc are all part of it if you want to sell your work seriously.

Pete

[Bryan Milham]

TWiG,

you ask a very good question there. Personally I don't make many bowls, I've never mastered making them look good and find once you've got one, why do you want another - so hard to sell.

I like to throw colour at things and experiment. I also like to spindle turn so my output is a lot of vases, that works for me, they are decorative and being coloured attract the eye so ladies seem to like them.

But yes I also make to sell, apples and pears, Lace bobbins (since the wife got into lace work) and the various tools, a few goblets, buttons (also started for the wife), knitting dollies and mice (for the children). I also have a thing for re-purposed glass - I trawl car boots and charity shops for glass bowls, bottles or lids in need of the 'other bit' and make it. To the right people these sell very well.

[TWiG]

Bodrighywood ...... I am sure you are correct in saying most professional turners do teaching , demos etc ,as a main part of their income , this makes me think that even if  the best cannot make a living solely from selling their  work it seems the craft of woodturning is virtually unsustainable  ( financially  ) which is a great shame really .....is it the situation that hobby turners are just keeping it alive ? or perhaps in the eyes of some killing it  (financially )   ?  ...Terry...

[Roderick Evans]

Twig
Did the craft fair on Saturday............every stall holder was a craftperson.....no bric-a-brac and no "bought in" items....i.e a genuine craft fair.
There was also a garden plant sale on just around the corner and well publicised. Nearly everyone who came into the hall said  "we've spent all our money on plants!" There were people who were interested and took away business cards, but sales were diabolical. The majority of stallholders didn't even cover the cost of the table,including me.  So to summerise, don't do a craft fair on a bank holiday and don't do one if there's a gardening event on the same day!
Rod

[TWiG]

Well after all the tips /advice etc  and some research / visits of my own I doubt I will do any craft fairs.  The galleries which I sell from are doing very well at the moment and have a new one to supply and through a chance meeting I will probably be included in a web based marketing enterprise for Devon Craftsmen / Artisans / Artists ....( does anyone sell through the internet ?) I mostly make larger ( more expensive ) pieces which do not really suit most craft events , Saying that , there was a large , upmarket craft event at a nearby town ( Bovey Tracey ) last weekend   ( £400 min stand for 3 days ) and it seemed busy and I knew a few people there who were pleased with things , but there was only 1 turner ( can't remember his name ) with very nice boxes .Wood was well represented with furniture etc which is always good to see !

[bodrighywood]

Perhaps the term craft fair needs to be clarified a bit. There are the ones that are run by organisers aiming at the hobby jewelers, felters, card makers and so forth that at best are visited by the curious public which are (in my experience) not worth doing unless you are selling the cheaper range of items and then there are the larger shows that cost more for a stall but are aimed at people who are perhaps more likely to buy things that cost a bit more. These can range from £50 a day to several hundred and you pays your money and takes your chances. I have found that the shows that have a theme such as dog shows, agricultural shows, shows with lots of things going on such as Bath and West, etc are usually not profitable on the day but can lead to commissions or future sales if you are prepared to pay the often very large costs. I do one regular monthly market which, over a 12 month makes money and one other monthly one which has led to tuition, as well as commissions but don't do any town hall, type fairs as I rarely do more than cover basic costs. Facebook, a web site, getting your name out there can help as can joining forums that perhaps aren't wood oriented but are hand made or craft friendly can also help. It really does depend on whether you are looking to cover the cost of your hobby or make a living though as your needs and expectations are going to be different. A lot also depends on your stall. A paste table with a cloth and a load of bowls is not going to encourage people as a rule and you need to look seriously at your display. A good example is a recent one I did where another wood turner up the street had a table with bowls and a couple of other things on it sold very little though his prices were at best cost of materials whereas I did really well with a a variety of work ranging from Wabi Sabi eye catchers to £3.50 finger tops but displayed in a more professional manner. It really is a matter of giving it a go and finding what is best for the sort of thing that you make and seeing what works for you where you live.

Pete

[TWiG]

Hi Pete ,  I realise that craft fairs can vary greatly ( as does turners work !) and there is potential for sales ,though I am not a very "driven" seller so to speak , also I do not think I would enjoy being at craft fairs very often either , so little time and so much to do . I may start selling wood for turning and other crafts before long as I have access to more wood than I can ever use ! I am content with current sales and sell most of what I make through galleries esp in the summer , I am in Devon, and also sell in Cornwall so it is Tourists that buy most of my work ( I think ) .....  cheers ...Terry  ( ps  I still cannot get photos on this site but if you would like to see some recent work look on a forum called arbtalk under the bowl turning thread ).

[Graham]

It would be interesting to know if, or how much, location plays a part in turners sales. Do those who live in coastal resorts have a better market with souvenir buying tourists / holidaymakers ? Would you be even better off living, or working, in a shack on the roadside in the new forest or similar. Would turning 'driftwood' in a beach hut produce more sales than a shop on Oxford Street ?

[Les Symonds]

Would turning 'driftwood' in a beach hut produce more sales than a shop on Oxford Street ?

That's a very salient point....although I've not yet attended craft fairs, it is most noticeable that items made from locally sourced materials sell better than others.

Les