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Craft Fairs

  • 28-11-2019 12:26am
    #1
    lulu1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭


    Does anyone do craft fairs or is it a complete waste of time. I did one on Saturday came away with 10euro so disapointing


Comments

  • #2
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    lulu1 wrote: »
    Does anyone do craft fairs or is it a complete waste of time. I did one on Saturday came away with 10euro so disapointing

    I know how you feel but I suppose it depends on what you are selling. I tried handmade cards, calendars, woolly hats - naddah! Cost me more to pay for the stall. I know some people have bought jewellery at craft fairs but I never got into it. Gave it all up in the end. Etsy have changed their game recently and making it harder for European crafters to sell anything anymore.


  • #3
    lulu1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭lulu1


    Jellybaby1 wrote: »
    I know how you feel but I suppose it depends on what you are selling. I tried handmade cards, calendars, woolly hats - naddah! Cost me more to pay for the stall. I know some people have bought jewellery at craft fairs but I never got into it. Gave it all up in the end. Etsy have changed their game recently and making it harder for European crafters to sell anything anymore.

    Sweets Sweets and More sweets was all the children were after. There were 2 tables on either side of me selling bags of pic n mixes and they were going like hotcakes. I could have cried at the much time and effort I put into my work all for nothing Aw Well lesson learned


  • #4
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    lulu1 wrote: »
    Sweets Sweets and More sweets was all the children were after. There were 2 tables on either side of me selling bags of pic n mixes and they were going like hotcakes. I could have cried at the much time and effort I put into my work all for nothing Aw Well lesson learned

    If you don't mind my asking, what were you selling? I've seen fancy cupcakes doing quite well at small local events.


  • #5
    lulu1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭lulu1


    Jellybaby1 wrote: »
    If you don't mind my asking, what were you selling? I've seen fancy cupcakes doing quite well at small local events.

    I was selling personalised embroidered items and had even teachers names on them thinking they would sell but no

    Believe it or not I spent the 10e on an apple tart and 2 cupcakes:):)


  • #6
    Jellybaby1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,108 ✭✭✭Jellybaby1


    Aw that was hard. I know several other crafters having trouble selling anything too. Irish customers don't seem to be interested in buying handmade items. American crafters seem to use Youtube to demo their craft and then link to all their social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr etc. etc.


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  • #7
    NovemberWren
    Registered Users Posts: 374 ✭✭NovemberWren


    the corruption of these is by; Dublin Council; - they are the stifling, corrupt, instruments of big private enterprise, corporates, big firms. Dublin Council charge E50 per stall. And Dublin Council are bureaucrats, on the side of stifling public innovation.
    If an area needs to be leased from them (unfortunately), that should be the only action they should have in the affair.
    A young, individual, entrepreneur, should be designated to oversee then.
    (and that person should be warned of the 'run-around' they will get from .... Dublin Council).


  • #8
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭[Deleted User]


    Jellybaby1 wrote: »
    Aw that was hard. I know several other crafters having trouble selling anything too. Irish customers don't seem to be interested in buying handmade items. American crafters seem to use Youtube to demo their craft and then link to all their social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr etc. etc.

    Facebook and Twitter, maybe, are the only words that will register in the minds of Paddy and Mary, 90% of the time. Mention anything else to them will get you a "sage nod" but they will let you babble on.


  • #9
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    I traded at fairs and street markets many years. A variety, arrived at after much thought and experience. The main thing is small, low cost items with just a scattering of more costly. Takes time to see what will sell so please don't give up yet. People will buy small items in twos and threes. Always plenty at E5 and under . soon adds up.

    My range was…. home made jams of unusual flavours. Hand knitting in a huge variety, baby, hats, anything knittable. Rosaries in many varieties. Some jewelry. Did well and learned as I went along what would sell. Oh sometimes baking.


  • #10
    lulu1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,815 ✭✭✭lulu1


    Graces7 wrote: »
    I traded at fairs and street markets many years. A variety, arrived at after much thought and experience. The main thing is small, low cost items with just a scattering of more costly. Takes time to see what will sell so please don't give up yet. People will buy small items in twos and threes. Always plenty at E5 and under . soon adds up.

    My range was…. home made jams of unusual flavours. Hand knitting in a huge variety, baby, hats, anything knittable. Rosaries in many varieties. Some jewelry. Did well and learned as I went along what would sell. Oh sometimes baking.

    Might try childrens jewelry maybe little braclets but kids now would turn their nose up at them. A lady stood at my table with a little girl of about 4, the lady pointed to a lovely little doll that i had made the little one shook the head ,the lady pointed to another few things nothing suited so off they went. Give me strength:):) Rosaries might be an idea for next year


  • #11
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    Good thinking. I know how frustrating it can be. But Irish folk do appreciate hand made; just has to be in "fashion" at that time. And what they think is "good value"

    For me it was the jams and the knitting that went best and as I was trading in tourist places too, a lot of overseas folk who loved cabled work and unusual things.

    Made hats like cat faces, frog faces! Anything that catches the eye. Miser mitts and wristlets did well. I still knit those for the Canadian market

    Actually few rosaries . Although we did have some semi precious ones that went for awesome prices once. That was one thing where folk preferred the E5 plastic junk to even a simple olive wood hand made...Still have a dozen or so really lovely bead ones in my box

    lulu1 wrote: »
    Might try childrens jewelry maybe little braclets but kids now would turn their nose up at them. A lady stood at my table with a little girl of about 4, the lady pointed to a lovely little doll that i had made the little one shook the head ,the lady pointed to another few things nothing suited so off they went. Give me strength:):) Rosaries might be an idea for next year


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