First time seller at a Craft Fair/Event - advice needed.

Loobz

Hi,

I am working on art at the moment and hope to sell prints at a fair in April. However I am not sure if I need a license to sell or be a registered business to sell at the fair. Also do I need public liability insurance? I would hope to sell at a few different fairs/events throughout the summer. However my first is in April

Any other tips, do's and don'ts for my first craft fair most welcome. Will be selling from a 3 metre square tent.

This is basically a hobby, branching into first time art sales.

looksee

You really need to be talking to the people running the fair. Generally speaking you pay for a table (or whatever) and that covers you. You need to check out the cost of the table/unit etc, whether that covers you for insurance (it pretty much has to for pubic liability) and check what else is covered - a friend was selling in a tent a couple of years ago and someone drove a vehicle into the tent wall from the outside, no-one injured but a lot of stock damaged.

Ask about the extent of their advertising and what else is happening - if there is no footfall you are wasting your time and money.

You do not have to have a registered business. Everything like tax etc is up to you to sort - I think they are not much interested under a certain amount, you might check on that though, that information is from a few years ago.

You need to know will you actually get a table or is it just a space, is there electricity (will you need it?), is there flooring (can be very damp underfoot in a tent). You will need to think about things like a chair, flask of hot drink, food (you may not be able to get away from your stall, though people tend to keep an eye on each others stalls while you pop to the loo etc.) Business Cards, packaging, presentation surfaces to put your prints on. Always take string, sticky tape, pins, scissors, thumbtacks, stapler, damp-proof boxes to keep your stock in. Pens and pencils, sheets of light card, a few jcloths or similar. Try and have samples of your work damp-proof mounted (a damp day will have everything curling up and looking sad) and the stuff you are selling in plastic/protective sleeves. Having bought your prints people will be wandering round other stalls, they will need protection for your art.

I'm sure other people will have lots more suggestions, but rooting around in my memory those are the kinds of things you need to think about. Good Luck!

Loobz

looksee wrote: »

You really need to be talking to the people running the fair. Generally speaking you pay for a table (or whatever) and that covers you. You need to check out the cost of the table/unit etc, whether that covers you for insurance (it pretty much has to for pubic liability) and check what else is covered - a friend was selling in a tent a couple of years ago and someone drove a vehicle into the tent wall from the outside, no-one injured but a lot of stock damaged.

Ask about the extent of their advertising and what else is happening - if there is no footfall you are wasting your time and money.

You do not have to have a registered business. Everything like tax etc is up to you to sort - I think they are not much interested under a certain amount, you might check on that though, that information is from a few years ago.

You need to know will you actually get a table or is it just a space, is there electricity (will you need it?), is there flooring (can be very damp underfoot in a tent). You will need to think about things like a chair, flask of hot drink, food (you may not be able to get away from your stall, though people tend to keep an eye on each others stalls while you pop to the loo etc.) Business Cards, packaging, presentation surfaces to put your prints on. Always take string, sticky tape, pins, scissors, thumbtacks, stapler, damp-proof boxes to keep your stock in. Pens and pencils, sheets of light card, a few jcloths or similar. Try and have samples of your work damp-proof mounted (a damp day will have everything curling up and looking sad) and the stuff you are selling in plastic/protective sleeves. Having bought your prints people will be wandering round other stalls, they will need protection for your art.

I'm sure other people will have lots more suggestions, but rooting around in my memory those are the kinds of things you need to think about. Good Luck!

Good info here, thanks!

Jellybaby1

Ditto everything looksee said. I and some friends have been on stalls at a few craft fairs and just to add to the list, a book or magazine to stop you from staring at your customers while they browse. I find it gives them a little more freedom to browse and they relax and don't feel they are being watched. Also, ensure everything is clearly priced and have enough change in your kitty. A notebook for (hopefully) taking commissions.

Its better not to go alone if at all possible or at least have a friend or relative drop in at some stage to give you a break. Otherwise as looksee said, make friends with your neighbouring stallholders, everyone is usually pretty good at helping each other out.

At one time I enquired with the organisers of a fair about insurance and they said I had to have public liability cover, but as I couldn't afford that, I didn't go to that one.

Another nice thing though unexpected, depending on what is being sold, I discovered my neighbouring stallholders gave me a little gift (jam/jewellery) from their stall at the end of the fair, so I returned the favour.

This might give you more information:
http://www.favecrafts.com/Craft-Business/Tips-for-Selling-at-Craft-Fairs-or-Markets/ct/1

Good luck with it!