Does anyone here sell things at craft shows, flea markets, etc as a source
of income, or as a source of funds for continuing on with your addiction? If
so, what kind of things do you make, what sells well, and is it worth it?
Are people attending these things willing to pay a fair price for an item?

I have a little expertice in these matters. First you almost have to
draw a line between craft show and flea market and ther is also a big
difference between craft shows.
In a flea market quality doesn't always sell. I have seen some
absolute junk being sold like hot cakes. I mean it didn't make any
differance to the guy making the stuff if there was a 2 inch knot hole
in the next chunk of wood or not, that was the next piece to be cut
and folks bought the stuff. To grade the lumber #3 would have been a
compliment.The other problem with flea markets is if you do come up
with something thart sells next week everyone will be selling the same
thing only cheaper. Some of the sellers will also have acess to scraps
from some manufacturing plant so the have no marterial costs. Tough
racket but you can make money and have fun .

Craft show type 1. Good quality moderate prices. the competation may
be stiff but folks will pay for quality work but a fair prices. This
is the type of market I did business in for about 5 years. I made
childrens furniture, tables, chairs, desks, shelves, toy boxes,and
beds. All of which are a lot of work. I used pine and poplar as my
woods of choice. At that time rough poplar was cheeper than pine. The
key here is to be able to make the items fast and well. Good tools and
lots of jigs.

Craft show type 2 These are usually juryed shows, very snobbish . Yes
you get high dollar for your stuff but it hat to be almost an "object
de art" to qualify to show. You can make the same stuff but use
better woods like oak and walnut with a better finish.

Pricing
Charge what the traffic will bare. Go to these places and see what
other folks are charging. A good starting point though is 1/3
material, 1/3 labor, 1/3 profit. then adjust from there.

Bottom line: Did I enjoy it? Yes
Would I do it again? No
Did I make money? Yes
If you like long hours, hard work and get to meet a lot of interesting
people along the way, go for it.
You can make money but you'll never get rich.

Lot of luck
JL
On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 14:35:07 GMT, "js"
wrote:

Does anyone here sell things at craft shows, flea markets, etc as a source
of income, or as a source of funds for continuing on with your addiction? If
so, what kind of things do you make, what sells well, and is it worth it?
Are people attending these things willing to pay a fair price for an item?

Tue, Jan 20, 2004, 2:35pm (EST+5) (js)
asks:
Does anyone here sell things at craft shows, flea markets, etc as a
source of income, or as a source of funds for continuing on with your
addiction? If so, what kind of things do you make, what sells well, and
is it worth it? Are people attending these things willing to pay a fair
price for an item?

I've been considering flea markets. But, as I see it, you've
pretty much got to have two people - so one can take trips, while the
other watches the goods - toilet, snack bar, check out the rest of the
place, etc. I haven't found anyone for that yet. But, I think it'd be
a good place to sell.

I know of some people who make a substantial part of their income
that way.
They pretty much do it every weekend tho, and I don't think I'd care to
do that.

JOAT
You have two choices in life: You can dissolve into the mainstream, or
you can be distinct. To be distinct is to be different. To be different,
you must strive to be what no one else but you can be.
- Alan Ashley-Pitt=A0=A0=A0

Life just ain't life without good music. - JOAT
Web Page Update 20 Jan 2004.
Some tunes I like.
http://community-2.webtv.net/Jakofal...OMETUNESILIKE/

Make sure you know your girlfriend REAL GOOD before you move in with her,
Tony
"T." wrote in message
...
I've been considering flea markets. ***********But, as I see it,
you've
pretty much got to have two people ****************- so one can take trips,
while the
other watches the goods - toilet, snack bar, check out the rest of the
place, etc. I haven't found anyone for that yet. But, I think it'd be
a good place to sell.

Howard writes:


My wife sells stuff on eBay (http://www.MyNewThreads.com), and
consistently does well. However, anybody who hasn't done it tends to
seriously overestimate how much work is involved

over-estimate or under-estimate?

Charlie Self
"Character is much easier kept than recovered." Thomas Paine

http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/m.../business.html

Keep in mind it's just as hard to sell a $60 dollar table as it is to sell a
$600 table. Target your customers, sell towards the upper end, and don't be
afraid to price your work where it should be.

--

Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


"js" wrote in message
...
Does anyone here sell things at craft shows, flea markets, etc as a source
of income, or as a source of funds for continuing on with your addiction?
If
so, what kind of things do you make, what sells well, and is it worth it?
Are people attending these things willing to pay a fair price for an item?

"Rumpty" wrote in message
...
Keep in mind it's just as hard to sell a $60 dollar table as it is to sell
a
$600 table. Target your customers, sell towards the upper end, and don't
be
afraid to price your work where it should be.

--

Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start


Not if you're selling a $600 dollar table for $60.

Harry




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LOL Harry!

My suggestion is don't waste your time selling cheap crap, go after the high
dollar market and you'll be able to buy a new truck now and then.

--

Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


"Harry Muscle" wrote in message
...
"Rumpty" wrote in message
...
Keep in mind it's just as hard to sell a $60 dollar table as it is to
sell
a
$600 table. Target your customers, sell towards the upper end, and
don't
be
afraid to price your work where it should be.

--

Rumpty

Radial Arm Saw Forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/woodbutcher/start


Not if you're selling a $600 dollar table for $60.

Harry




-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =-----

Market is down right now and has been for the last two years. Customers are
being very picky about what they buy and at the better shows looking for
more quality. Shows that should have brought in 5x booth fee are doing 2 or
3x booth fee. Items that are unusual are going like hot cakes though. Cut
off point for most shows last year was around $50 US with items in the $20
and down range doing best. One show I did was only fair on both wholesale
and retail for most vendors, guy selling wooden hats for $600+ sold out and
had to stop taking orders. If you have good quality and a new twist to
something you can sell well at shows, or if you are cheap you can sell well
at shows, It's like any other business.
"js" wrote in message
...
Does anyone here sell things at craft shows, flea markets, etc as a source
of income, or as a source of funds for continuing on with your addiction?
If
so, what kind of things do you make, what sells well, and is it worth it?
Are people attending these things willing to pay a fair price for an item?

What about selling on ebay?

Dave Smith

"Sweet Sawdust" wrote in message ...
Market is down right now and has been for the last two years. Customers are
being very picky about what they buy and at the better shows looking for
more quality. Shows that should have brought in 5x booth fee are doing 2 or
3x booth fee. Items that are unusual are going like hot cakes though. Cut
off point for most shows last year was around $50 US with items in the $20
and down range doing best. One show I did was only fair on both wholesale
and retail for most vendors, guy selling wooden hats for $600+ sold out and
had to stop taking orders. If you have good quality and a new twist to
something you can sell well at shows, or if you are cheap you can sell well
at shows, It's like any other business.
"js" wrote in message
...

I've tried to figure the economics of this ever since my sister showed
me a crappy plant stand that she bought at a craft show. It was a
simple pine stand with 3 shelves somewhat sanded, minwax stained, and
a coat of poly slapped on. They were sold for $15. At first I thought
why pay $15 for that crap, I can make much better for 1/2 the price
So since everyone in the family thought it was so nice, I decided to
make a bunch for presents. Material consisted of one 6' 1x6 pine, 12 -
1" drywall screws, 12 screwhole button plugs, a little stain and a
little poly. Average cost from the Borg about $8 ( I realize if buying
in bulk from someplace else I might get that down to $6). Cut the
board in half, crosscut one half into thirds for the shelves and rip
the other half into 4ths for the legs. 45 cut the corners of the
shelves. Round over all edges of the shelves and legs on the router.
Drill the 12 holes in the legs and counter bore for the plugs. Sand
everything (granted I wouldn't put as much effort into this for a
craft show as for presents). Stain everything. Poly everything (I
sanded between coats and gave them all 2 coats. Probably would stop at
one for the craft show). Screw it all together and glue in the screw
plugs and voila they were done. I cannot concieve of me averaging less
than a half hour per unit for craft show quality work (hell I couldn't
do it that fast, but I am real slow). Plus time for materials
purchasing, shop cleanup, etc. Then time to find craft shows, sign up,
load the truck, drive there, setup, sell the stuff, pack up and drive
home. Probably add about a half hour per unit sold. So, a minimum of
an hour or more per unit for at best a $9 gross profit (before
overhead, insurance, gasoline, show fees, etc.). Seems to me better to
work some crappy job and keep my woodworking for fun and relaxation.

Dave Hall

I've tried to figure the economics of this ever since my sister showed
me a crappy plant stand that she bought at a craft show. Then time to find
craft shows, sign up,
load the truck, drive there, setup, sell the stuff, pack up and drive
home. Probably add about a half hour per unit sold. So, a minimum of
an hour or more per unit for at best a $9 gross profit (before
overhead, insurance, gasoline, show fees, etc.). Seems to me better to
work some crappy job and keep my woodworking for fun and relaxation.

Dave Hall

That is one type of crafter you see out there. Here is another:

Find show, Talk to other vendors who have done show to see how good of a
show it is.
Jury for show (Take professional(not snapshots) slides of merchandise
including booth) send slides and jury fee to show promoters at least 3
months prior to show (sometimes up to 1 year before show) If you are
accepted then you make inventory for show. You will need the following
before you go to the show:
Booth:
Tent: some shows require a professional tent, such as a light dome
($1000+ -) Crafthut ($1000 +-) EZup (3 to $400 +-) or something similar.
Some shows you can get away with just a dinning fly or no tent for some
products, if you get permission first. (see jury slides of booth)

Display: You will need to get an attractive display, not just a few boards
on a saw horse, I use shelves that I set my work up on, others use screens
and walls, all of which must be approved by the show promoters (see jury
slides of booth).

Lighting: So that you can show off your goods in the best way, even in
daylight tents can be dark. Lighting should be invisible to the customer.

Insurance: $100000 in the minimum for a show.
In my case I am now up to about $1800 before I pay a booth fee or have
merchandise.

Booth fee for outdoor show ranges from $100 to $1000 depending on the show
Indoor shows range is $100 to $3000 but you don't need the tent.

Altogether a decent show will run you $2000 and up before you even make the
first item.

Now you need a place to stay and food, figure for 2 people $100 a night min.
(I camp out a lot when I can, it cuts costs.)

Granted you can get in to some shows for $10 and no jury etc., but you
figure which type of show you can do the best at.

And then there are guest shows where they pay you to come, I do several of
these and they are the way to go. One is $600 booth fee and 3 year waiting
list. They give me the booth and tent with electricity, buy lunch and
supper, pay me $100 a day to come. Don't expect to get these until you have
a name for yourself though.

Your $9 profit just got eaten up quick, you have a lot of competition at
these shows and items like the plant stand usually set around begging. The
people selling at these shows are good real good and the customer in very
savvy about what they want. On coat of poly splashed on a pine board
doesn't cut it. At the lower end shows you can do it, but a lot of them
are just glorified flea markets.

"Sweet Sawdust" wrote in message


Booth fee for outdoor show ranges from $100 to $1000 depending on the show
Indoor shows range is $100 to $3000 but you don't need the tent.

Altogether a decent show will run you $2000 and up before you even make
the
first item.

I make a lot of doll sized items for my grandchildren. I bring them to work
to send out UPS to them and inevitably my co-workers say "why don't you make
them to sell" or "you can make a fortune with them" and on and on.

I should show them your numbers.
Ed