Another month, another craft fair. This time it was organised by Edinburgh Craft Fairs, who had done a large amount of promotion and had signs plastered all over Morningside. It was quite cool seeing pictures of my wee beasties blown up to being a foot tall! The craft fair itself was fun enough - I got talking to some really lovely people and sold the odd thing here and there (octopuses continue to be my most popular item), but not enough to dine out on my takings (we dined out anyway at the lovely iglu anyway!). For most people there, craft fairs were their main source of selling their business, and they approached it as an average basis - some are good, some are bad, and it's hard to tell which it's going to be from the start, since there are so many factors to consider - the venue, the weather, the time of year, credit crunches, etc. Christmas is always good, though. But whilst I was there, I realised that I just don't really love doing them - I hate the sitting around, the constant waiting and hoping that someone's going to buy, the fretting about whether my stall is good enough, looks attractive, is set up in a good place, whether other people round me are selling more and all that. That is all a part of retail which I just don't relate to enough. So I've decided that I'm not signing up for anymore fairs at all, apart from the Christmas one. I've tried something, and I didn't enjoy it. I think that that is okay.
Craft fairs do kick my productivity up a notch or five, and so I now have heaps to list on etsy (and a few things have also been deleted thanks to a couple of sales). I'm taking a break from the sewing and the hooking for a few days to let myself get back into it and get excited, but I've got a good amount of stuff to tide me over listing-wise in the meantime.
It's nearly the end of April, and unfortunately, I didn't hit my sales targets which were either hitting the big 5-0 on my store, or selling 15 items this month, if I hit the first one. Well, I didn't. I have sold nine so far, and am stuck on 46 sales. I'm really willing people to click on the buy button on etsy, but it just doesn't seem to be working! I'm sure I can tempt some people in with these new listings, fingers crossed!
3 comments:
suerte........
hello there lovely and talented. i had a wash for a show on saturday also. frustrating yes, but as it was, it was an alright day. i like that you assessed and realized you do not like doing craft shows. you are learning and hey, thats what its about right? i have another application for another craft fait in my tote to mail off (or not?) today. that will make it three weeks in a row that i have shows. not sure WHAT i will do for inventory if i have a really good show, but what a good problem to have. chin up. your sales will get back to going. you make very great stuff.
i am just the opposite. i love doing shows (i've only done one craft fair, but i do sell at comic conventions) because i like the immediate response. my etsy sales are through a collective because i don't like the day to day worry and wondering. and i love talking to people in person, but i hate dealing with customers through email. and yet...i just don't have the time for craft fairs and often my stuff is too weird for the general public.
so it's good that you figured out your pattern and needs, i guess i really need to figure out mine. you are a good inspiration for getting me to think about this stuff!
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