http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/topic/19351 goWholesale Forums Topic: Flea Markets vs Craft Shows en-US Mon, 22 Mar 2010 04:29:38 +0000 bbpress 1.0-alpha-5 q http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/search.php http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/topic/19351#post-69731 Mon, 02 May 2005 06:27:14 +0000 wigiwood 69731@http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/ Here in North Carolina, a flea market has antiques and collectibles and a craft show has what I call "country stuff", more like actual hand made crafts and dolls. http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/topic/19351#post-68826 Mon, 18 Apr 2005 13:36:48 +0000 rmay635703 68826@http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/ <blockquote><div><cite>nanaplaza wrote:</cite>Flea markets - where everyone is looking only to buy pennies on the dollar.<br /><br />Craftshows- where promoters getting greedy in space fees with recessions now who can make money?<br /><br />?????</div></blockquote> <br /> <br />Greedy with space fees goes on a couple years and then the price drops drastically as does attendance. Thats the point pretty much every wisconsin show is at. (excluding art in the park and most town events that keep low rates) <br /> <br />The promoters don't seem to learn, when you loose money due to folks dropping out of a show the last thing you should ever do is raise rates or the show will simply die. Bay Park is currently learning that the hard way, I tried explaining it to them that during a recession you must LOWER rates and take it up the rear a while until things stablize or your show will dissappear completely. They instead raised rates <br />(a new manager from IL took over and seems to think shows run the same up here as in Chicago, she will learn) <br /> <br />I know many promoters around WI and most that stay in business are willing to be VERY flexible, the pricks that are worrying about a drop in profit (as opposed to keeping the show in operation) and react by raising rates don't last very long. <br /> <br />There are at least a dozen shows I know of that have gone out of existance in the last 4 years because they tried raising the booth fee in light of decreasing attendance. <br /> <br />Hopefully a few see the light, most do but usually too late after the place is just about completely unprofitable. <br /> <br />Cheers http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/topic/19351#post-68721 Sun, 17 Apr 2005 11:18:06 +0000 nanaplaza 68721@http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/ <blockquote><div><cite>JimKirkwood wrote:</cite>Although only new in this Forum, I have been reading a lot of the threads with interest and there seems to be a misconception with some, that Flea Markets and Craft Shows are pretty much the same thing.<br /><br />Whereas a lot of Crafts folk do have stalls at Flea Markets, they are essentially an 'open house' as far as what can be sold there. On the other hand Craft Shows are specifically limited to Craft items and in the case of a lot of shows these days, are limited to what you make yourself. More and more Shows are 'juried' and photos of products have to be submitted for 1/ verification they are Crafter made, 2/ approval to sell at that Show and 3/ to make sure there are not 20 stands all selling the same thing.<br />I have heard of 700 Crafters all submitting their applications for 200 booths at some large Craft Shows.<br /><br />I guess the other major differance between Flea Markets and Craft Shows is the quality of product on sale. Flea Markets tend to attract a myriad of 'Dollar Store' type booths selling cheap nick nacks. In the main, Craft Shows host quality 'hand crafted' products.<br /><br />Still, both are good fun and a good way to make money.</div></blockquote> <br /> <br />----------------------------------------------------------------------- <br /> <br />Flea markets - where everyone is looking only to buy pennies on the dollar. <br /> <br />Craftshows- where promoters getting greedy in space fees with recessions now who can make money? <br /> <br />????? http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/topic/19351#post-68225 Sat, 09 Apr 2005 06:11:51 +0000 rmay635703 68225@http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/ "Sure, a lot of the smaller Shows allow ANY type of Craft to be sold and people onsell factory produced Craft items purchased from companies like Craft Wholesalers and Factory Direct Craft Supply. " <br /> <br />Thats all there are in the midwest, even the big shows are probably smaller compared to those on the coasts. <br /> <br />Now that isn't to say there isn't some form of Jurying here and there are minor display requirements, your tables have to be skirted to the floor, things have to look nice but again shows that have tried to force enclosed booths have usually gone unattended. They can try to force whatever they want but if people ignore them they dissappear, hard times have caused this. <br /> <br />Many craft shows won't allow sunglasses specifically (if thats all you sell) but so long as you sell a crafty looking item your just fine and pass the rather ineffective Jurying process. Furthermore you can stuff your booth with whatever resale you choose in most cases so long as you sell some crafty items along side. <br /> <br />The thing to remember is just because You CAN doesn't mean it will sell, the people at craft shows are looking for specifics so you need attractive crafty items. IE you could carry sunglasses along side your normal items but no one will probably buy them. <br /> <br />Some craft shows up here were trying to enforce the Jurying to be only handmade. But it has backfired horribly as the people in Minnesota, Upper Michigan, Most of IL excluding chicagoland, Northern Indianna, and Iowa do crafts to make money as a full time job. <br /> <br />Now that isn't to say there aren't a lot of craft shows that are juried somewhat, but they are VERY lenient only looking to see that what your selling looks sort of crafty handmade or not. <br /> <br />This country is very divided in how things operate, the central areas like I've said are TOTALLY different than the east, far south or west coast. <br /> <br />Crafters can't make it here in the Midwest solely on handmade crafts alone. As a result most of the shows that tried to crack down on resale items have dissappeared or become a complete waste of time as they have lost vendors and customers (customers leave when they sense less selection). Best example is Craft Fair USA in Milwaukee. I would say compared to about 10years ago about 75% less sales volume goes through there due to their stupidity in trying to separate handmade from "assembled". <br /> <br />Whereas Art in the park which is HUGE and right in my home town has gone up every year. The only requirement of Art in the Park is that your item is somewhat creative and need not be handmade throughout and it is the BEST show of the year in WI. <br /> <br />My guess is if the money flow in the better off areas slacks a bit you will see the trend toward jurying backfire like it has here, driving away vendors and customers killing the show. (Extreme Juring did work at first around 92/93 but after its initial boost those type of shows have been sliding until now they are pretty much dead) <br /> <br />Not to say I don't sell any crafts, I do make most of the items I sell, but I also carry fillers like laser crystal, some premade frames (I paint and decorate or cut and assemble most of my frames and molding) <br /> <br />This is true of most Midwest crafters, there are a few holdouts but shows for true handmade items are maybe 2 a year here in Wisconsin and about 4 a year in MN. Illinois I'm not sure of since I avoid chicagoland completely. <br /> <br />Now if I could make it ONly selling my handmade painted frames with custom poetry for weddings, confirmations, etc. I would definately only carry those items. But I need to do what I need to to survive this extended lul in sales. <br /> <br />Cheers http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/topic/19351#post-67297 Mon, 28 Mar 2005 19:22:17 +0000 jimkirkwood 67297@http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/ Thanks for that other perspective RMay, but I would say your area is the exception to the rule, rather than the norm. <br /> <br />I have travelled from Pennsylvania to Florida doing Craft Shows/Fairs and there is an increasing amount of Shows now 'Juried' and only accepting Crafter made items. I dont think I have been to ANY 'legitimate' Craft Shows/Fairs on the East Coast that sell Sunglasses or Dollar Store type items. <br />Sure, a lot of the smaller Shows allow ANY type of Craft to be sold and people onsell factory produced Craft items purchased from companies like Craft Wholesalers and Factory Direct Craft Supply. <br /> <br />Here are some major differances between Craft Shows/Fairs and Flea Markets. <br /> <br />SHOW FEES. Of the 16 Craft Shows/Fairs I am currently booked into in PA, VA, DE and FLA, all but 4 are Juried and the Booth Fee starts at $100 for a basic 10' x 8' space and increases for things like power, undercover, supply of table &amp; chairs etc..... The 4 local 'Craft &amp; Bake Sale' Shows I do range from $15 to $25 all inclusive. <br />PRESENTATION. Its not just a case of throw a tablecloth on the table. Most Craft Show/Fair vendors, to accent their products, have very professional displays complete with lighting and signage. Craft Show/Fair promoters require a photo of your booth display along with 2 or 3 photos of your products accompanying the Show inquirey. This is all before you are accepted for the Show and a contract sent out. <br />CLIENTELE. Its a fact that most people go to a Flea Market looking for a bargain. With Craft Shows/Fairs, people go with the specific purpose of viewing and buying genuine Craft items. For example, a fellow Crafter that does the same circuit as I do, turns bowls from wood burls sourced from around the world. His beautifully crafted 6 inch bowls start at around $360 and he will sell 8 to 12 at any given Show. Its doubtful if he would ever sell one at a Flea Market. <br /> <br />On my experience from Pennsylvania to Florida, Craft Show Promoters are now becoming very selective about their vendors to ensure the Show content is genuine, exclusive and high quality. This obviously is'nt the case in all areas. <br /> <br />In the main, other than 'Hard Stand' Flea Markets, the philosophy is 'sell what you brung', they dont care about presentation or quality and are cheap to attend. There is nothing wrong with that and as I said, both Flea Markets and Craft Shows/Fairs are good fun BUT, as I have outlined in more detail above, they are vastly differant to each other. http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/topic/19351#post-66488 Wed, 16 Mar 2005 17:45:54 +0000 rmay635703 66488@http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/ <blockquote class="uncited"><div>I have been reading a lot of the threads with interest and there seems to be a misconception with some, that Flea Markets and Craft Shows are pretty much the same thing. </div></blockquote> <br /> <br />Actually there is no misconception, it depends on WHERE in the country you live. Here in Wisconsin Crafters can't make it selling only crafts so a lot of resale creeps into their booths, what has happened over the last 5 years is that most craft shows (3 out of 4) now do accept most anything and there are very few that are Juried and fewer still that have a waiting list. <br /> <br />It turns out in Wisconsin a craft show is similar to a flee market in texas but a flee market in Wisconsin is similar to a garage sale or county dump elsewhere. <br /> <br />The misconception is that all areas treat terms the same. <br /> <br />Many "craft" shows as they are called here are mearly better advertised and have better clientel than a flee market as you can still sell sun glasses at both mediums if you really want to. <br /> <br />I know because I have done the Wisconsin /MN /IL /UP ciruit every weekend since I was about 12. <br /> <br />Cheers http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/topic/19351#post-65796 Sat, 05 Mar 2005 22:10:30 +0000 jimkirkwood 65796@http://www.gowholesale.com/forums/ Although only new in this Forum, I have been reading a lot of the threads with interest and there seems to be a misconception with some, that Flea Markets and Craft Shows are pretty much the same thing. <br /> <br />Whereas a lot of Crafts folk do have stalls at Flea Markets, they are essentially an 'open house' as far as what can be sold there. On the other hand Craft Shows are specifically limited to Craft items and in the case of a lot of shows these days, are limited to what you make yourself. More and more Shows are 'juried' and photos of products have to be submitted for 1/ verification they are Crafter made, 2/ approval to sell at that Show and 3/ to make sure there are not 20 stands all selling the same thing. <br />I have heard of 700 Crafters all submitting their applications for 200 booths at some large Craft Shows. <br /> <br />I guess the other major differance between Flea Markets and Craft Shows is the quality of product on sale. Flea Markets tend to attract a myriad of 'Dollar Store' type booths selling cheap nick nacks. In the main, Craft Shows host quality 'hand crafted' products. <br /> <br />Still, both are good fun and a good way to make money.