With the popularity of the local outdoor "craft show" or "flea market" comes the influx of new vendors seeking to ply their wares. I say, the bigger the fraternity of sellers, the better. I always come away with new ideas for displaying my products. I love to discover how crafters are motivated to create their own personal designs. Barring the occasional rainstorm, fun and camaraderie reign.
But.....there's always one bad apple in the bunch. Hopefully, it's not you. I work hard to assure it's not me. See if you fit the profile:
1. We all arrive at the same time (see #5). With our trailers, and U-Haul trucks, and helpers. So, are you the one who blocks the entire thruway until you have unloaded, set up your tent, merchandised (and re-merchandised) your items, got a cup of coffee, chatted a bit, took a few selfies......? A pox be upon your house.
2. Hey, about those traffic patterns.... Each outdoor show is unique, but they all have similar layouts that permit, or prohibit, buyer foot traffic. We want people to see our displays and get up-close-and-personal with our products. However, there is that "demilitarized zone" that belongs to vendors, where we keep our cleaning supplies, extra product, our point of sale devices, and our money. We don't want customers there. You are more likely to earn the Miss Congeniality award if you stop allowing people to be where we don't want them.
3. Are you the one who comes over to my booth, compliments my products, asks a lot of "how to" questions, sneaks some iPhone photos, and then shows up next week with the same product? I can't, even.
4. Okay, this point will be made in the form of an allegory.... I make furniture and accessories from repurposed and recycled products. Especially mirrors - barn wood, architectural salvage, etc. I was recently selling at an outdoor event and was placed next to a vendor who sold screen printed clothing. Customers like to try on clothing, so mirrors are pretty much a must-have for an apparel shop. But, these gals didn't have the foresight to bring along a mirror for customers. So, for each sale, they sent their customers over to my shop to check themselves out in my mirrors. At the end of the day, I went over to see what they had for sale. We chatted a bit and I chose a t-shirt I wished to purchase. You'd think, after extending their customers my courtesy all day, I would have been gifted a t-shirt or at least extended a discount. Nope.
5. We all want to go home. The show organizers usually frown upon tearing down early, so it's always a madhouse as hundreds of vendors try to pack up and load. Refer back to #1 and be courteous. We all want to go home.
Peace,
N
