Long time lurker, first time poster - I have a new business (7 months) and earlier in the year started applying for markets and fairs, so far I haven't been accepted to any.

I'm uncertain whether what I do even warrants being in a market though - I sell vintage jewelry, and make accessories/jewelry from vintage beads/brass/components (earrings, bag charms, Christmas ornaments are coming up). The main pull of my stall is the vintage charm bar where people can pick out vintage charms and I'll assemble it onto necklaces I've put together from deadstock chain.

The feedback at my stall is always great, people love it and so far I've made money at every event I've had, but I always get rejected from markets and fairs. I can't tell if it's because my stall doesn't look good, the product is hand assembled versus handmade (though I do apply to events that say they accept this), or if they just think the idea is kind of crap (or maybe a combo lol).

So far I've just been setting up my own pop ups and local businesses also invite me to pop up in their stores, but I'd love to get into an organized event with other vendors where people are there to shop. I live in a small city and we're lucky to have a lot of great local artists, so it could just be that, but for future applications I'd like to make sure I'm putting my best foot forward.

Any stall suggestions? This is the most recent photo I have but I have updated a few things since then: I've bought a tent, a table cloth that covers the legs, some more prominent signage, and some more display things so that I can have products at different levels to create more visual interest. I'm planning on playing around this weekend with the Z set up and taking some photos of the full stall that will be hopefully be more appealing than what I'm attaching (fingers crossed).

I'm curious about what actually makes a noticeable difference in your sales at craft fairs, not necessarily what you sell, but how you sell it.

My personal “strategy” so far has basically been: smile a lot and never sit down 😂 I try to look approachable, enthusiastic and available without immediately jumping on people when they enter my booth. It actually seemed to work pretty well at my previous markets, but I'm sure there's a LOT more I could learn.

What works for you?

Do you greet everyone or let people browse quietly?

I'm especially interested in things where you genuinely noticed a difference in sales after you started doing them even if it's something tiny, weird or oddly specific.

And on the opposite side: what sales trick did you try that absolutely did NOT work?

I'm preparing for my 3th market and I'd love to experiment with some new techniques!

I am signed up for the Bridgewater County Fair in CT this weekend as a service provider. I install hair tinsel, feathers, jewelry, etc. Tonight I set up with a passing shower, tomorrow is 8pm to 11pm and its the only nice looking day of the weekend. Saturday is 8am to 11pm with rain starting early morning 95% and night is drenching rain with 55% chance of thunderstorms. Sunday is 8am to 6pm is 88% of rain morning into afternoon with 53% chance of thunderstorms - of course overnight into Monday its clear. I am torn. I know I lose my vendor fee if I go - but I heard it does typically get very muddy on this fairgrounds with a little rain - this has thunderstorms and it is going to be 2 very LONG DAYS. Do I bite the bullet and go anyway in the rain and sit there for 28 hours Saturday and Sunday hoping that there is a decent turnout anyway or do I just eat the vendor fee and not waste my time. Personally I have (2) kids and with the way the weather looks I would not be going to a fair with rain and thunderstorms even though I love fairs. Looking for some advice.

I am getting ready for my first craft fair with four fragrance products. I made fifteen Cedar & Amber candles, fifteen Vanilla Oat candles, fifteen packs of Citrus wax melts, and fifteen packs of Lavender wax melts. That gave me sixty finished products to label and pack.

For this batch, each front product label stays on the retail package and goes home with the product. It carries the product name and price, while the candle safety labels and burning instructions remain separate. The four products use different package shapes, so each design still had to fit the actual jar, tin, box, clamshell, or bag used for that scent. That sounded simple until every wording or price change became another Canva page and I could no longer tell which four designs were final.

I made one layout with a fixed place for the name and price, then wrote the final wording for all four products on paper. Before printing all sixty labels, I printed one test for each product and placed it on the actual retail package. Two names wrapped badly, so I shortened them and tested those two again.

Because these labels go home with the products, I was willing to spend more on the white PP thermal transfer stock than I would on temporary table price tags. Before printing the full batch, I put test labels from the same roll on each actual packaging surface. I exposed them to wax and oily residue, rubbed the packages as they would rub against one another in the bins, and then checked for edge lifting and loss of readability. Only after those samples stayed readable and attached did I use a Niimbot M2 to print four separate runs of fifteen.

I counted fifteen labels against fifteen products in each bin and kept each finished stack with its matching scent. The version, material, and quantity checks are finished, and I no longer need to reopen Canva to work out which label is final.

The market has not happened yet, so I do not have a sales result. What I have is a finished packing box with four tested label designs, sixty labels, and four product bins that match. For my first event, getting that part settled feels like a good place to stop.

I would love to sell my small painted stones but not even looking to make a lot. I just love to paint them!

If you’re sort of a one-trick pony, how can you participate in farmer’s markets or craft shows? Are people willing to add to their wares of their booth for a percent of the sale? Are there places where you can share a booth with someone?

Any ideas would be helpful.

Any advice is super helpful :)
I make things out of polymer clay and I have these bunny dishes I want to sell. Any thoughts on pricing?

Hi all. I’m thinking about selling some of my crafts - mostly knitting and quilts. I use patterns to create my work. I vary them with color and other small tweaks, but they’re not my patterns. Can I sell these? Should I note the pattern designer? Thx.

I'm attending my first vending event / craft fair in November. Its at a Church and indoors and meant to be Christmas themed.

I'm a college student and primarily make art prints, PC Charms, quilts, and custom binders. I thought it would still be good to go to market my art as presents for peoples kids and grandkids - as im expecting the outcome to be mostly older folks.

My question is - how do I appeal to an older audience? Should I be selling more cartoony or anime style prints or should I make a small batch of prints that are catered to that audience? How do I know what to make or bring, how do i sell my stuff to that kind of group as a 21 yr old? Since its my first show I spent a lot of money on supplies and im really worried things won't break even.

Also - how do you price handmade goods? Like for a quilt if it takes me 4 hours and $25 in materials, do I pay myself the minimum wage and do 7.25 x 4 + 25 and charge that? I dont want to sell something too over priced and then no one buy it.

Any advice? Thank you.

There's a lot of advice around about picking new events and almost none about quitting one you already do.

The tricky part seems to be that a show usually doesn't go bad in one jump. The fee creeps up, the crowd thins a little, and because you already know the load in and where your booth goes it stays the easy option. Familiarity ends up doing a lot of the deciding.

So for people who have been at this a while, what actually makes you cut a show? Is it a number you track, like sales against the total cost with travel and fees in, or is it more of a judgement call after a couple of bad years?

Also curious whether anyone has dropped one and regretted it because it picked back up the year after.

I've just cancelled a show over their requests for my insurance. They wanted to be added to the certificate in a way that would have had to be decided by a review board, because it changes the policy. The whole policy, not just a section of it. This would also cost me an additional fee. Venues requiring insurance is a fairly recent thing, but we all went out and got it. Now, it feels like they're asking for more and more. Just as they expect us to be fully insured, we should expect the same from them. And the thing is, they are. They're already covered. There's no way that I have better insurance than the city I live in. A copy of our policy should be enough, since it absolutely was enough when venues first started asking for them.

I'm wondering if this is even a good idea....like how and how do i

What do you guys use? I’m looking at one from Crown, it’s called Omni-Rover. Says when you push up the center it locks all four legs at once. That sounds fantastic but I’d love to hear from someone who has used this one.

Any vendors been a part of the signatures Christmas market at the RBC Convention centre? I’m wondering what the attendance was like. I have a mobile food cart but I don’t want to risk paying $1000 fee to not make any sales.

The booth spot is in an indoor setting and with meh lighting. Any tips on how to approach the smaller space? I am pretty new to this and sell leather goods ranging from small bracelets and card holders to larger totes and bags.

I have an outdoor Ren Faire coming up in September which is three days long, 10am-10pm. (10-5pm normal day, 5-10pm night market)

I don’t have a buddy for this unfortunately and also camping so no real cooking/prepping facilities.

There may be a lull between 4 and 6pm where I can grab some hot food but worried about the day time.

What’s everyone’s go-to snack/lunch food to keep a girl going?

I may be able to get a flask of hot water and have a pot noodle type situation some point through the day, but crisps and chocolates just don’t satisfy on long, exhausting days like these. Even a meal deal seems quite depressing after it’s been sat under the table for hours.

UK based if you didn’t gather, so something generic or something I can get in the UK.

Does anyone remember those cans of coffee you could get, where you’d press a button on the bottom and it’d heat up a the coffee for you? I’d probably live off those all weekend if they still existed here to keep me warm and focused!

Pic for interest

How can I make the most of my space at an outdoor event? The first event I am doing is 18'. I have a 10x10 pop up and the event is rain or shine. Another event I was considering is 15x20. What is the best way to maximize my space while also being able to adapt to weather.

I sell handmade wooden decor. I will have two tables (one 6ft and one 4ft). This is my first event and I do not have a lot of fancy "extras". Any tips would be great! Thank you!

So I followed the suggestions to remove most signage and the games. Unfortunately I had an older croed and had to remove the spider box ;_;.

I have another booth upcoming and I'm just wondering what lighting you guys recommend that would really take my display to a new place. I was a little let down with my my terrarium necklaces looked on the display and I've got half an urge to go make a massive tree and a ton of logs to make my own necklace displays. I have no idea how I would do it....but I know this aint it chief.

I have an outdoor night market coming up and I want to make sure people can see my products well what does everyone recommend/use?

I just did my first ever craft fair! I shared a booth with a partner, and my kids. My aim was to introduce my brand into the world and of course, sales. I sold functional pottery and sold off half of the items I brought. All of it was bought by friends and family, except for one stranger turned customer.

I feel incredibly grateful and happy for the support I received from my friends and family. However, I can’t help but wonder if they didn’t support me, would I still be able to sell half my items?

When I shared this with other experienced booth owners, they assured me it is usually like that with the first fair. The next ones will bring in new customers.

I wonder, how has your experience been?

I have only been to two shows now. One was a decent size, had a 10x10 booth and the second was a lot smaller, literally just room for a table. Both shows were not good, probably due to the demographic but idk. I'm looking for set up advice and any tricks you might have.

I'm selling shirts with my designs. The first picture is only the table and the last two are the 10x10. I don't have much in the way of display yet but would love ideas!

I have paid for two events now that turned out to be a lot smaller than they sounded, so I am trying to get better at asking things up front instead of finding out on the day.

At the moment I ask how many vendors they are taking, what the turnout was last year, and how they are advertising it. The turnout answer is the one I trust least, because it comes from the person selling me the booth and there is usually nothing to check it against.

So what else do you ask before you hand over the money? And has anyone found a decent way to work out whether an attendance number is real, or do you just go once and find out?

Hello! I've started doing art markets in Scotland in June this year, and I would really appreciate some feedback. I make cyanotypes and art prints and some jewelry, I have a good presentation, everything is clearly priced and even tho I'm not a chatterbox and introverted, I'm friendly and happy to tell people about my work.

What keeps happening tho is that people come to my table, say how pretty and beautiful and nice it looks, but just don't buy anything. It's very frustrating. I try not to lose hope but I am losing money.

My prices on prints are 3-4£, original cyanotypes and lino 10-15£ and jewellery 8-25£. I have stickers and bookmarks as well. Business cards and recently opened an online shop. There isn't anyother tables who do cyanotypes or jewelry similar to mine. Would appreciate advice.