Hi,
I know this might sound stupid, but for those of you that do attend craft markets / fairs, how do you find them in the first place?
Do you have a favourite website that you use or do you all just 'know the right people' ?
Any help would be useful, i feel like im a little lost
Thanks in advance :D
It depends where you live, but the Internet is a good place to start. You can check with craft bodies in your region, e.g. Craftscotland.
There's https://www.ukcraftfairs.com/ but I've never found anything I can get into on this. I'm lucky I have one organiser that I know from way back when so when I moved and needed new fairs he was my fiurst port of call. I've picked a few up along the way, recommended by other people, but my biggest problem is 'oh we have enough jewellers....' Once this organiser retires, each year I think it will be next year, as the fairs get less each year, I'm stuffed! You will find local smnall fairs quite easily - keep a look out for what's on in the local paper and then call the number and see if you can get in on the next one, but round here they aren't the right fairs for me, I never do well at school fairs or family fun days.
You might want to try Artisan and Vintage markets or farmers markets as they often have a craft section and seem to be springing up everywhere. I haven't tried the craft fair lot yet cos I got put off in the 80's when they were killed off by the car boot sale evolution. Everyone wanted something for nothing and it wasn't worth it.
People still do want something for nothing. I met a lovely lady at the Malvern Show who was selling nice clothing and silver jewellery. She comes from Torquay, and only uses jewellery handmade in Devon. She liked my dichroic stuff, and said she would like to take some to the Axminster Show/festival thingy last weekend. I took some to her (not very far from Axminster!), and she made a lovely display of it. She said there was lots of interest, but nobody bought anything! They just said it was too expensive, even after she said it was all handmade, individual and unique. One woman was going to buy a piece marked £16.50, but changed her mind because (she said) she thought the label said £6.50. I couldn't make it for anywhere near that!
I'm doing the Feniton Fun Day next Sunday, but don't expect to sell much at all, as there will be lots of mass produced cheapo stuff there as well. I'm trying to make a few thimbles and buttons to sell for not too much, and some quick and easy beads to make into bracelets. Might try the idea of selling some orphans off cheap on the basis that what I class as a fuggly may turn out to be the light of someone's life!
Nick
I hear this all the time with my scarves. The sign on the stand says 'from £15' yet they pick the most expensive hand devored hand dyed scarf and when you say 'that will be £x (usually £27.50 - £37.50 in this climate) they go, no, it's £15 it says so here (pointing). And what is the word in front of £15 madam? Apparently 'from' and 'all scarves are individually priced' is misleading. GENERALISED STATEMENT ALERT: The people who would buy handmade, unique, individual are not coming out to fairs as much; the people coming to fairs by and large don't care if it is imported, handmade by you or the gnome at the end of your garden, if they like the colour and the price then they buy, if not, there's always Elizabeth Duke @ Argos / New Look / Accessorize. Quality fairs attracting quality buyers are getting as rare as hens teeth.
I don't sell my beads but I do visit craft fairs and artisan markets and I think Sue is right a lot of the folks there don't want to pay the going rate for quality handcrafted goods. Unfortunately the rise of cheap imports devalues genuine craftsmanship !
Stallfinder is a site that advertises space, not used it yet as only do the once a month Sunday market in Leek
I put all my fugglies in a box, as long as they are not cracked it doesnt maytter how awful I think they are, they sell. I use the smallest little grip seal bags I can get around 2" square, fill it for £5. My beads are not small so they dont get many but I pay for my stall and more glass each time. I did have one bloke comment that £5 was a lot for a small bag but I gave him a full lecture on the process!
Quote from: Enchanted Cobwebs on June 30, 2013, 02:17:42 PM
I put all my fugglies in a box, as long as they are not cracked it doesnt maytter how awful I think they are, they sell. I use the smallest little grip seal bags I can get around 2" square, fill it for £5.
That is an excellent idea - thanks for sharing :)
Mine live in a take away tray, £1 each or £7.50 for 10 - you'd be amazed how many people buy 8 or 9 for more than the price of 10 and when you point it out they tell you they don't need any more or can't find one to match so will stick at 8/9. I sell a few sets of beads at fairs, but people prefer rifling through a box of beads so have taken to letting them do just that. Box isn't posh, but is quick to pack up at the end of the day!
I'd forgotten about Stallfinder. Used to use it but never found a fair near here that I liked the sound of (some I visited were a bit 'jumble sale'). Has anyone tried their paid service to advertise they are looking for stalls?
Another great tip Sue ;)
I have just organised a craft fair myself and am slowly filling up the spaces, ive decided to go for one of each craft and no more, so as everyone has a fair chance at selling. The last craft fair I attended had about eight jewellery stalls out of about 15 stalls in all. It just wasnt worth the effort of setting up etc, so im taking a chance and arranging my own fair. Ive met quite a few crafters from the fairs ive attended and so far they all seem quite positive about having a stall, so fingers crossed it will work. The money raised from stall hire and teas and coffees goes to charity after the cost of the hire of the hall has been covered. Its not till october 12th so I will let you know how it went. eeek :)
hi, thanks so much for responding, i set this up then some how managed to not get told or miss the link saying that people had posted.
I will definately look into stallfinder.
The problem that i am having is at the moment i cannot do saturdays so am looking for sundays, and they all seem to be carbooty, which is fine for the non decent glassy stuff and all my other crud, but not really for my 'good' work.
the best sales that i have had are ones that i have set up and organized my self at uni, but theres no one there now. hey ho.
Skyblue, im sure your fair will be amazing :D
Thanks again, :D
I use stallfinder too and have found a number of events from there but also get the 'too many jewellery stalls' line. I've also noticed people want something for nothing, just this weekend I had someone pick up a crystal bracelet asked her friend how much it was who, not having her glasses on, said £1.00 and she didn't want to pay that. When I pointed out it was actually £6.00 they couldnt get away quick enough.
I've also used the idea of putting beads into a clear bag to sell although mine were not glass beads like you guys make just beads I'd bought and had more than I needed. I tried mine in bags totalling £1.00 but as I say they were lower value beads (I hope I've used the right wording there as I don't want to say they were cheaper or others were dearer as I obviously appreciate the handmade element!!)
I have found some locally on facebook. There are loads of little craft groups. Search the town name where you are and then a few other search terms eg craft fair, craft group, etc. See what you find.
I also found a page on the council website showing their "market" days when they have foodie and craft stalls in town...
X
I've seen one or two on FB that have been reasonably local and sounding interesting, but when you visit they have tarot card readers, palm readers (fine in their place but not exactly a craft?) Phoenix cards, Usborne books, I've even seen Avon! Oh and jewellery pertaining to be sterling silver that is £1 for a pair of earring, £2 for a bracelet but when I asked they did admit to not actually making the lampwork beads. Any sign of a precious metals dealers notice? Not on your nelly. Not sure I want to travel to join in with this kind of craft fair.
I do fairs where there are lots of other people selling jewellery, but I don't think it's a problem if what you are selling is different to theirs. At my last fair a lady bought a lovely necklace from one stall and found stud earrings on mine that were a perfect match, then another customer bought a pendant from me and ended up buying earrings that she thought were a nice match from the other stall. Janet
Lots of the 'hand made jewellery' stalls I have been alongside are purchased components in base metal linked together with purchased jumprings. Not knocking it, some are very tasteful but its not what I see as handmade, more hand finished. The worst ones are the 'sterling silver plated pandora' bracelets with six manufactured beads calling themselves hand made because they made up the bracelet (a 3 year old could do that!) Is plated silver even plated with 925?
BUT, my target customers would know the difference. I always try to have some £5 items with the best selling being stud earrings. Its not a bad thing to have lots of jewellery stands around you as hand made glass is a definite different item.
I have tried to sell bead sets at craft markets but without success, maybe I need to try a bead fair. My sales are finished pieces usually the £15 - £40 price range though often up to £80 and the £5 fuglies. I always have a few really expensive centrepieces just to get attention but dont display the price on those, if its the first thing people see they assume everything is expensive!