Craft Show - How many of each item

[peony]

My cousin asked me to do a show at her son's HS. I've read a lot on SCS about what to do and how much to charge, but I haven't seen anything about how many items to bring to the show.

I've never even considered doing this before and now I'm all flustered. It isn't until October or November, so I have time. It's only 1 night (or day, I'm not sure!), but it's a weekday, not a weekend. Don't know if that will make a difference.

Anyway, how do I decide how many of each item I should make.
Any help would be VERY appreciated! Thanks!!!

:confused:

[MonTigg]

I'm thinking of doing a show and thought the same thing! I was thinking I don't know if you thought of this but I could make sure to keep one of each item and then taking orders... so even if you don't have time to make enough or things sell better then you expected you can still bring in some business!

[munhaven]

I've done a few craft fairs the last couple years and here's what I do.

Cards - I always make 10 of each design. No particular reason - just a good number.
Candles, coasters, etc - Probably no more than 10 total but I have a bunch of different designs
Domino pins - About 2 dozen or so
Magnets - A lot. You get quite a few glass marbles in a bag and I had also bought a sheet of 2x2 tiles and there's 36 of those. I do all different designs.

[peony]

[QUOTE=munhaven]I've done a few craft fairs the last couple years and here's what I do.

Cards - I always make 10 of each design. No particular reason - just a good number.

Thanks for the info! Now, a follow up question. How many designs, or how many cards total?

Thanks, again.

[munhaven]

I probably have 25 or so different designs but even so there's always someone looking for something I don't have. You're going to have that and there's probably no way to get around that.
You do have to consider your space too because it doesn't make sense to have tons and tons of cards if no one can see them. I was using peg boards that I had tied together and then just stood up on end. Works fine unless you're outside and the wind picks up. Now I have a spinning rack that I bought from the Ben Franklin when they went out of business last fall. Haven't used it yet, but I think it will work GREAT!

[peony]

Thanks!

[Julzz]

I do shows every weekend in the fall until christmas, so I have to have mass cards made up. I usually make 3000-6000 cards at least 10-20 per design..By christmas I've neerly sold out...I have just started to do the big show in Iowa...So since it is a high school show, I've done very well at these types of shows..You will want at least 1000 cards... or more. I sell my cards for $1.75 for the plain and $3.50 for the more embellished look...I do very well at each show. If you have more questions just email me at [email protected]

And I will try to answer them for you.

Thanks

[Julzz]

My spaces are usually 10x10 or 10x12 something like that.. I use just plain baskets for a display...Everybody says that they like the look of my display???? seems to work for me...I also have a card rack that I bought off of ebay..I haven't decided if I like it yet or not..I seem to sale more cards out of the baskets..I also use card jackets to protect my cards..I just went around to the local thrift stores and bought flat, rectangular, nice looking baskets, inexpensive... It is the key to making a profit...

[Mich]

I only have experience with one craft show I did last year.

I think I had too much variety actually and I think my table was overwhelming to some people - just too much to look at.
I had probably about 6 boxes of cards (variety), ornaments, magnets, pens, notebooks, calendars, coasters.
Coasters, magnets and pens sold the best for me. Cards didn't sell at all, but I know others have experienced the opposite.
If I were to do it again, I'd probably not do the quanitities I did of everything. I think I got myself so worked up over it that I just kept stressing that I wasn't going to have enough. Then when it was all laid out on the table it was like, geez, I have too much stuff! :-)
Good luck - have fun with it!

[newstamperamy]

I have never sold cards, but have worked a lot of holiday/craft shows with people who have sold their cards. The only thing that I can say is that you never know. I know that it not helpful at all - lol! Maybe make some and then bring the materials to make some more - there is always down time and people love to see the "artist" working. Other things that also sell well are little backs of gift tags. My friend made some really cute ones and packaged them up with a bit of raffia. She sold packs of 10 for $4.00 (they were very simple with To:, From:, and an embossed holiday image.) Also, I don't know what the religious population is where you are, but around here Chanukah stuff sell very well bc it is harder to find in stores.

As for pricing, the best I have ever seen someone do was selling her cards for $2.50 each or 5 for $10. They were pretty simple, not stamped, but done with cute stickers, embellishments, ect. They were very nice. She also had a few prepackaged sets.

You might also want to do a couple of card sets that kids can color in for the holidays or as thank you notes. I have seen it done with crayon kids stamped in black and then packaged with little sets of crayons or mini paint sets.

HTH!

[peony]

Oh my gosh .... THANK YOU all for all the helpful tips!!!

I'm glad I started thinking about it now so that I can build up a supply. I've already ordered the card jackets. I'm also thinking of buying the clear boxes for packaged sets. I'm not sure how many people will be looking, but I decided I didn't want my cards looking tattered. I do know they will be selling foods and drinks and I was afraid of sticky/dirty fingers ruining the cards.

Thanks, again!

[Ariel M]

not to be silly, but what are card jackets??? Are they the clear envy's?
AH! I am also doing a craft show in Oct. and it's the biggest one around here. So thanks for all the tips y'all!
Ariel

[Julzz]

I get my card jackets at clearbags.com They seem to be very fast with delivery, and the cost is not way out there... A card jacket is a plastic protector that you can but to cover your cards...either to slipe inside or they make some that actually open, to show the inside of the card..I make sure that when I am at a craft fair I also recycle those off of the card, unless the customer really wants them.