Selling things you make at craft fairs?

[redhappy]

Considering this as a way of making a bit of extra money. Not expecting it to pay the rent!

Anyone dp this? How successful is it? What sort of things sell best?

I can knit, sew, and we have just bought an electric jigsaw which I am thinking about using to make some wooden dolls.

Just been on the 3D2D website- really exciting and something I'll maybe look into for next year- can't really imagine myself at such big and fancy fairs (I remember going to the West End in Edinburgh one by the church and being overawed!) but you've got to aim high!

Good thing about 'fancy' is I don't feel so bad about pricing- at the wee village hall fairs there are lots of tut tuts upon lifting price tags!

thanks for the pm RedHappy, very useful, will start investigating. x

Speaking of pricing, what do you think of mine? I find it hard to cover costs and add some for the hours worked and yet keep it competitive. Any advice very welcome.

Just had a look through your facebook page fuppygish, liked a few things (well, liked lots of things obviously but liked in the facebook sense), my mnet name is a synonym of my facebook name so you can probably work out who I am.

I really don't know much about pricing. I think yours seem fair though. I would expect it depends a lot on where you are selling?

When my sister was starting out she decided on an hourly rate she was willing to work for, added costs and that's how much she sold for. She's doing a lot of wholesale now too, so I don't know how that's changed her pricing structure, I imagine she has put everything up as she still sells from her own website.

Pricing is really hard isn't it.....I don't really charge for my labour at the moment but art is weird as I can take weeks and months to design and create a picture but if I sell lots each 'labour cost' decreases....(now just got to sell lots, hmmm!)

I will look at your pricing Fuppy and get back to you, and RedHappy, will stalk you through fuppys facebook!

PS hello HippyHippo!

hi hambo

i agree, pricing is hard. i cost at a price it'll sell (making sure i cover cost of materials) but this means i'm working for pennies

The Cheque Guarantee card system is coming to an end. Cash, bank transfer and debit cards are the preferred system, so what does that mean for little craft staller?? Do I say cash only or risk taking cheques from new customers??

HippyHippo - I can't find you on facebook? I am getting lost with all the people here. If I start it off could we all list our details to make it easy for us to follow each other etc (if we want??!). I've seen this done on MN before and it is easy to keep track then!

Hambo:
Twitter - @thecreativeshed
Web Shop - www.blockart.co.uk
Facebook - www.facebook.com/#!/pages/BlockArt/144403768903844
Blog - thecreativeshed.blogspot.com/

Purplepidjin:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mimapants

which links to my folksy shop.

Pricing is a bloody nightmare!!!

Agree about pricing being a nightmare- I've now got a policy of 10% off for friends and family to keep it fair and even- I was doing things waaay too cheaply for them and barely covering costs! It is so difficult to know your market and who will walk through the door- I agonised over pricing the advent calendars I sold last year and in the end went a bit higher than I'd originally planned, and they sold fast! But then £15 tea cosies stayed put... argh

My details are just my blog- no fb/twitter YET! Good idea to list them on the thread so we can ooh and ah over each others' stuff:

cold comfort crafts

Starting to make advent calendars again- feels dreadful Christmas is too far away to be sewing robins! (Impending baby due requires organisation)

lol, thanks for trying hambo but its
a) a blank page so not worth finding
b) completely different to my mn name

i'll do a big reveal once there are at least some photos on it!

As some of you already know, I'm here:

www.facebook.com/sewcraftyshop
www.folksy.com/shops/sewcrafty

no blog or own website.

SewCrafty - your stuff is lovely -been poking about your facebook page!

HippyHippo - hee hee! It is boring doing all the web stuff, but strangely addictive too!

I have a fair on Saturday so been preparing lots of little cheap things... Just found out that the organiser is charging 50p to get in...it goes to charity but I am still annoyed as I always think it is weird to charge someone who may just be browsing. Anyone done this kind of thing before? Surely people who are 'just passing' may be put off? grrrr.

Do any of you guys sell cards? Would 5 cards for £2.99 be reasonable? They are square 135mm sq...

Where's the fair Hambo? 50p per family or per person. I quite fancy a couple of the personalised ones but would need the bigger size I think.

Oh and the contact us on your website isn't working

Hello HuckingFell - your name made my tired eyes laugh! (or rather me)...

I could do with you testing full time! Appreciate that!

I can do sizes in 150mm x 150mm - that is a nice clear size for personalised ones....which ones is it you like?

I'm not sure about per person or per family - hoping per family...

The postcode on the click through for the newsletter is not in correct case - sounds picky but your work is in text so would be worth fixing - it's a confidence thing.

Can test websites for goods

Ha! You'll not believe it but I used to be a tester too!

You can't test your own - schoolboy error

Where's the fair!?

Have text to send you re personalised ones. dont want to put it on public forum.

Send it to [email protected]!

The fair is in a teeny place called Bonnyrigg but no one has much money! So am making small things in the hope I will make the craft fair money back.

I can't find the postcode ? aargh!

Lol at hunt the postcode am near you then within an hour anyway.

Ho! We may have worked together at testing in the past!