Where do you find your markets?

[Blue Box Studio]

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.

[JKC]

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

[Enchanted Cobwebs]

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!