James R. Shields wrote:
Went to the big Charlotte Craft Show a couple of weeks ago. Had over 100
booths there from all over the U.S....but not one turner. What's going on?
I've accumulated over 100 bowls, candleholders and lamps that I can't sell.
The main reason is that the retailers mark them up too high to sell. Sold
some to the Mint Museum here...but a bowl I sell them for $75...they mark it
up to $175...so they don't sell many of my bowls. Any suggestions
appreciated.

Wholesale can be a problem. It certainly doesn't work for me. The usual
mark-up is to double the wholesale price, or keystone pricing as its
called. I've never come across bigger mark-ups, but it is up to the
retailer. Having said that, I doubt that the difference between $150 and
$175 would make a lot of difference to sales volume. My experience (in
rural Nova Scotia) is that once you get above a ticket price of $50 you
really do have to wait for the right person to come along.

As for the crafts show, there could be many reasons why there are no
woodturners there. Maybe none of them made it through the jury process.
Maybe woodturners have found in the past that that show is not
profitable for them. Maybe woodturners find craftshows are just not the
right venue for them.

My experience with the few shows I do each fall is that they are only
marginal in profitability. Most of my sales volume is in $10-$20 items,
and is fairly reliable. The larger ticket items are a crap shoot, but
they can turn a mediocre show into a reasonable show. I have yet to do a
show where I make enough money to be really happy considering all the
work that goes into it. Additional benefits I get from doing local shows
are people coming to the studio later, people coming and taking a
turning course, or making other contacts, perhaps someone with a tree
they don't want

--
Derek Andrews, woodturner

http://www.seafoamwoodturning.com
Wedding Favors ~ Artisan Crafted Gifts ~ One-of-a-Kind Woodturning