Craft Fair: The Do's and Don'ts

Well, it's that time of year again! It's the Summer craft sale season and Puces Pop craft fair opens this weekend. A bunch of HQ designers and artists will be selling their awesome stuff, as will Angie and I, so I thought this may be a good opportunity to offer some tips on how to make the sale an even better experience. Whether your and experienced craft sale veteran or this is your first time, follow some of these rules and it will be the most fun you've had all year....


Customers:

DO: Bring cash with you. It's very rare that there is a cash machine in the venue or the seller has an Interac machine with them.

DON'T: Barter. This is the worst. Trust me, asking "Is this your best price?" not only ruffles feathers but 9 times out of 10 it IS their best price. This is not a fish market, so the product doesn't really have a shelf life or best before date. Waving a Loonie under their noses isn't going to make them drop the price.

DO: If you like something but it's out of your price range, feel free to take a business card. Some sellers will do commission work or have other products with a wide range or prices on their websites.

DON'T: Act like the seller is behind soundproof glass. I can't tell you how many times I've heard from vendors some of the rudest comments made about their products right in front of them! Some examples:

"I can make that!" (Maybe you can but you wont.)
"I saw something like this at H&M/Urban Outfitters/Simons/etc., for half the price"
"Nuts-o!" (that one was said upon seeing my paintings)
"My brother/sister/friend makes something like this but a little better"


DO: Make sure you check out all the tables. Sometimes a seller can get stuck in a bad spot, which is just the luck of the draw. So, it's always worth your while to see what everyone has to offer as it may be that one particular seller, situated behind a pillar and next to the washrooms that has the perfect thing for you.

DON'T: Stand directly in front of a sellers table and have a long conversation with friends. It blocks the table and can be kind of annoying. And it's boring for the seller... I've heard too many conversations about babies, new floors or office romances. Stop it!




Vendors:

DO: Have everything clearly priced. Some people can get a little scared to ask the price of something in fear of it being out of their budget (Me included).

DON'T: Forget to shower. It's a long day in some of those basements, so don't make it seem longer with bad hygiene. Seriously, I've had to be next to some pretty stinky people in the past and it makes for an unpleasant experience. The worst part.... I actually got used to the smell of armpit and garlic, so the fresh air outside seemed foreign to me.... I probably looked like Dracula, stepping out into the sun. "BLAH! Hissss"
DO: Be friendly and make sure you take time to grab a coffee and a snack before hand. Nothing makes people more irritable than being starved.

DON'T: If you're not having as many sales as you had hoped, don't put on a sulk. Nothing acts as Kryptonite to sales worse than someone who looks unapproachable and pissed. Even if you don't make any sales, think of it as a great way to network and advertise your work.

That's all I could come up with off the top of my head. I hope it's helpful.

Hope to see you all at Puces Pop
June 5, Saturday, 11 am - 6 pm
June 6, Sunday, 11am - 6pm
At the Ukrainian Federation 213 Hutchison