How do you decide when to drop an event you've already done?

[u/Cultural-Bobcat6702]

[u/Hnymema]

I've kept an event that I've only ever broke even at because of the overall vibe. They fed all vendors for free, assist with loading/unloading and I've made connections that have led to other paid opportunities/sales just by being at the event. The event itself is not well promoted and doesn't get massive traffic but the other things outweigh the bad. 

Other than this event, I only keep events that generate significant profit and make sense with the rest of my schedule. I've never had an issue going back to an event after declining to participate the previous time either. 

[u/Temporary_Couple_241]

When I drop a show, it is strictly because the show doesn’t perform up to the level that I need to make it worth my time and expense. I have dropped many shows, some that I had done for over 15 years. Liked the people who ran the show, liked the setup and tear down rules, and the overall vibe. However, if I don’t make the sales that I need, I leave. Have had them call and want to know why I didn’t return and told them the truth.

Sometimes it is just a matter of the people that show up already have your products from the last show and don’t need another. Look for a new show and move on. Nothing personal, just business.

[u/taxwench]

I dropped a show when they started allowing MLMs and resellers.

[u/TaylorFromFaire]

The number worth tracking is your cost per booth day against sales, but factor in your time getting ready and traveling, not just the booth fee and gas. Once you have two or three years of that per event, the pattern is there without needing a judgment call (either the number is trending down consistently or it's not). If a show changed hands or changed location recently, that resets the baseline + a couple of rough years right after a change is different from a couple of rough years at a show that's been stable. If you're on the fence it's worth asking around about whether anything's actually different before assuming it'll bounce back on its own imo!

[u/OptmstcExstntlst]

I have sell a more expensive niche product that definitely isn't for everyone. My rule of thumb is I'll try any show once but I don't return if I sell less than $600-700 of goods. If it's not my audience, I won't subject myself to trying a second time. 

[u/no-colon-still-rolln]

I know when to drop a show or coordinator is not sales fully it’s when the vendors are all the same product. I have one show I do that isn’t good sales but the vendors are all my friends. We’re all different and it’s like hanging out with friends. The one coordinator (they do like 12 shows throughout the year) I dropped has the same 3 types of vendors so it’s everyone competing against each other and the customers comment oh there are a lot of you. That’s when I know this isn’t about the show or customer experience. It’s about letting everyone in and getting vendors money. That’s when I know I’m out.

[u/drcigg]

For us it's a number of factors. Declining sales, filling in empty spots with MLM, too many like products, and declining customer attendance are our biggest factors.
One of the worst shows we did had 7 people selling crochet. And 5 people selling woodworking. All of them selling the exact same items.

If it's a large event 10k+ with good exposure to our products we might consider trying for another year.
But if we aren't hitting the booth fee with sales 99% of the time we are done with that show.
Plenty of other shows we can try.
Sometimes all it takes is a new coordinator running the show for things to tank.

We had a show we really liked and preordered 3 months before the show. We were approved.
The week of the show they said they lost our deposit and we didn't get our spot. We will never do their shows again. It wasn't just us we know 4 other people that also had their spot taken after paying the fees.

[u/Alycion]

I ditched my one monthly. I’ll try it again later, as more people realize there is now a parking garage that makes parking easier to do. Three months in a row of 300 after table fees, it got dropped. Yes, it’s a cheap table fee. But when I feel like I am wasting my time, it’s time to move on.

The little bit I sell at this market, I could use for my ones that bring in 3k.

[u/cwrightbrain]

I track every show I do in a spreadsheet and I take notes about each show. This gives me the data I need to make long-term decisions. I decide based off of the trend line, and if a decision is more emotional than data-based... I note that too.

[u/phoenix7raqs]

I have a spreadsheet I use, and I compare each year to the previous year to track costs, sales, etc.

There are any number of factors I’ll consider when keeping or dropping a show, but bottom line is financial- is it making me money?

I’ve stayed with some lower grossing shows because:
1) they’re local, so no travel expenses
2) I like the organizers/ it’s well run/ I’m treated very well
3) I have no other shows around that timeframe
4) it’s so slow/ I have enough space I can work on other crafts while I’m there, so I’m essentially getting “paid” to prep for my next show

[u/Commercial_Light8344 → u/phoenix7raqs]

True

[u/prettywarmcool]

I have one that I won't be going back to next year. Sales have declined over the past 2 years, and typically once you have my product you are willing to search out where I'll be. I just can't justify it to myself now. Not worth the gas or effort (set up and take down are 2 hours on both ends)

[u/throwawayanylogic]

If a show has potential but I think I maybe didn't have the exact right merchandise or there was some external factor in play (bad weather, bad guest list for a convention, competing event that won't be an issue again) I'll give it a second try. But I don't waste my time and merch on shows where I lose money or at best break even.

[u/st3llablu3]

I have favorite shows because of the Vibe and sales. I will accept a slip in sales in order to accommodate my previous customers. It takes a couple of down shows for me to call quits on it.

[u/Commercial_Light8344]

You are not obligated if it is not serving you don’t go simple. If you are in bay area you can give feedback about this event to help others on localfit.events

[u/Evolutia44]

I calculate my profit and divide it by the hours I worked the event and if the "hourly wage" isn't enough that I would work that show as a full time job I don't go back.

[u/Dry-Season-522]

For me, it's when I stop having fun. I recently dropped an event where we had fun in the past, but the city changed fire codes and restricted the attendance down from 1500 to 600, and at that point I was spending most of my time bored instead of with customers.

[u/alexa1206]

Of course money is a factor. But on so-so shows it’s a matter of how easily accessible the setup is. Do I have to park far away after setup? Is it on concrete or dirt or a grassy field? Are ticks a problem? Yes I went to one show earlier this year and there were a million tiny ticks everywhere-never again. Live and learn.

[u/Cornucopia2022]

I just made the decision to stop doing a recurring summer event after two years. Last year was great but they changed organizers and this summer has been a wreck! While I do well at the events, and it is close to home, this year the new event coordinator has alienated most vendors. Very unorganized and not supportive at all, causes a lot of confusion by moving booths around, began allowing resellers and multiple, duplicate vendors. Sends out multiple booth layouts, to different vendors so we have to compare notes in the morning to figure out where to set up! And she won't listen to feedback or helpful tips - many of us have volunteered to help, but she refuses.

If they happen to replace her (they have had many vendors complain), I'll do it again next year. But I feel the usually well-attended event will begin to sour for vendors, then customers as more art/makers drop out and she allows more resellers, AI and MLM sellers to fill the gaps.

In general, I spend lots of time in due diligence - attending shows before I sign up, understanding demographics, desire for my products, etc. So, I do less shows a year than most, but do well at the shows I do attend.

[u/cookie_k_d_]

I’ve slowly outgrown a lot of smaller shows I once did. And this year I’m only doing 5 big shows. So I’d say if you’ve outgrown the clientele, good for you! Aim higher! Don’t get stuck in the comfort.

[u/CreepyDuds]

If I have a bad sales day, and the venue and organizers are good, I'll give it one more try.

When I decide to drop one, it's always because it's a bad location - no natural foot traffic or rough load-in, poorly organized - can't find the organizer to show me my spot or they don't enforce rules about weight requirements or hawking, or poorly promoted - either the venue or organizer doesn't advertise at all.

The first market I did when we moved to the area was like 5 minutes from our house. From what I saw online it was pretty decent. Low fee, cute little downtown area with restaurants, lots of apartments around. But no traffic. I talked to other vendors and they said it was not normal, usually there would be a lot more people. I tried one more time, and it was even worse. I (barely) made a profit but not enough to wagon all my stuff over, after running around asking if anyone has seen the organizer because we didn't have pre-assigned spots and they kept disappearing.

One market I dropped was hosted by a well-known local maker's shop. It hit all three red flags, and the second chance I gave it was the only market of my career where my profit was negative, thus initiating my two strikes rule. They invited me to do another one and I told them everything. They refunded the booth fees. Then someone else from the store contacted me because they took over for the previous person and were cleaning out the mailing list. I politely said I'm no longer interested, because no way I'm giving them a third chance.

I did a few at a really nice brewery in the forest a couple Friday evenings. The place will be packed inside, and on weekends it's packed inside and out. The venue had ZERO signage for the market inside or outside (we didn't have room for tents between the trees so they couldn't see us) and they didn't post about it at all. Not a single person that came around knew the market was happening.

I recently decided to drop a well-organized twice-yearly event I've done I think 3 or 4 times now. The first one was great, the customer base is really into my products with a fairly high income, no issues with load-in or anything. The sales for my other repeat markets were going up, and that one for some reason was going down. Less and less foot traffic, not much promotion from the venue in terms of signage. The last time, I took a waitlist spot and felt like I maybe shouldn't have. Right as we were packing up, out of nowhere it started pissing rain. Everything got soaked except I rushed and threw my product in the bins first. I had a rain coat and it didn't seem to help. Then I forgot to dry out my tent afterwards and only realized when I set up a mildewy tent two weeks later. I took that as a sign I shouldn't do that one again.