# Craft Fairs and Soap Sales...



## cmzaha (Dec 1, 2014)

*SUCK* big time this year. I largest 2 weekend 5 day craft fair which I have been doing for 5 yrs started on Black Friday. Downside was the manager brought in 4 new soapmakers besides the 2 of us that are usually there, and both of us normally do very well and have become market friends. About the only sales she had yesterday were some I send to her booth because I did not have what the customer was looking for and I knew she did. Bet I did not sell over 10 bars of soap of no lotions. Oh yes we had a new vendor selling lotions that cure eczema, psorisis, dry cracked skin, etc etc etc. I sold no lotion and I usually sell lots of lotion in this market. It it was not for my hubbys horseshoe art and my daughter's Fairy houses I would have bombed big time. :sad:


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## shunt2011 (Dec 1, 2014)

So sorry it sucked Carolyn.   I've been pretty lucky this year.  I've done well at my last two shows.  I have my final one 2 days this Friday and Saturday and hoping for the best.   Hope things pick up if you have anymore this year.


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## cmzaha (Dec 1, 2014)

shunt2011 said:


> So sorry it sucked Carolyn. I've been pretty lucky this year. I've done well at my last two shows. I have my final one 2 days this Friday and Saturday and hoping for the best. Hope things pick up if you have anymore this year.


Thankyou, here's hoping you a fantastic weekend next week. Around here the promotors cannot find quality vendors and are filling up with all the new soapmakers that think they can make a killing at selling their fantastic soap! I am calling the promotor today about getting down this womans signage, maybe I will get a chance to sell my lotions and balms again


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## OliveOil2 (Dec 1, 2014)

My craft fairs have been unpredictable this year, the two that I dreaded and wanted to cancel were my best for sales. The craft fair in the affluent community with a high end setting wasn't any better for sales, they purchased more with each purchase, but fewer people attended. There were fewer soapmakers around this year, so far I have been the only one at each fair, and that does help.
 Carolyn hope that things get busier with the new year, I have heard that many companies in Southern California are waiting till 2015 to hire, nothing scientific, but have heard this directly from business owners, hiring managers etc.


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## shunt2011 (Dec 1, 2014)

cmzaha said:


> Thankyou, here's hoping you a fantastic weekend next week. Around here the promotors cannot find quality vendors and are filling up with all the new soapmakers that think they can make a killing at selling their fantastic soap! I am calling the promotor today about getting down this womans signage, maybe I will get a chance to sell my lotions and balms again


 
I'm finding that to be true with venues adding more soapmakers who are new instead of being faithful to their regulars who have been committed to their shows for years.   I hope things get better.  And thank you!  I've not done this one before but it's huge so keeping my fingers crossed.


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## houseofwool (Dec 1, 2014)

I'm sorry that they have let in new bath and body vendors. It is hard. Really hard.


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## missfoofoo (Dec 4, 2014)

I have a craft sale this weekend, it will be my 11th year doing this show and its usually pretty good for me.
There are always new soap makers coming and going and a few like me, who are there every year.  I've learned
not to sweat what everyone else is doing and just focus on doing my best at promoting my own products.  
I remind myself that I'm happy to be selling soap and not something even more competitive like jewellery.  
There will be 50 new vendors at my show this weekend, a result of 5 big shows happening this weekend with
the addition of two new soapers, there are over 200 booths and a total of maybe 10 soap/body care booths.
Most shows divide their vendors by category percentages, jewellery 20%, pottery 12%, food 25%, etc., and change the 
numbers accordingly.  If pottery sales are down for a year or two, they may decrease percentage of potters and increase 
the numbers of stained glass artists, or soap makers.  Ask your show coordinator if they follow a plan or just simply take
vendors first come first serve.  Remember that your product is unique and let your customers know it too, up your signage,
improve your display, whatever it takes, and good luck with your next sale, hope you do well!


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## cmzaha (Dec 4, 2014)

GuThis is not new for me. I have been selling for 5 yrs and watched all the markets go down this year in our area. Some are lucky to live in areas where sales are still high. Just a little not, my display is one of the best out there with the most product. You are talking a venue with over 200 vendors 10 soapmakers make up 10% of the market, not bad. I am talking a fair with less than 100 vendors, private property, small town, with customers mostly from the immediate area. Makes a huge difference. Jewelry is not a good comparision, you cannot find to jewelry makers making exactly the same. We may say our soap is different, but to the average customer it is *Soap*, and if it smells good and they want soap they will buy it. This show is booked by us regulars a year in advance and is juried. 
Fortunetly for my daughter our website sales just got slammed. Yeah, a light at the end of the tunnel...


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## happygoluckyfarms (Dec 10, 2014)

My first craft show ever last weekend I was placed next to a melt n pour lady (nothing against it ) I just work really hard to make my gm soap and whipped body butters . Anyway it was two days booth fees were so high $130 and I made double my space fee in two days . She didn't do well either and the smell of parfume overwhelmed me all day as I just use eo . Meet nice people though .


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## navigator9 (Dec 11, 2014)

happygoluckyfarms said:


> My first craft show ever last weekend I was placed next to a melt n pour lady (nothing against it ) I just work really hard to make my gm soap and whipped body butters . Anyway it was two days booth fees were so high $130 and I made double my space fee in two days . She didn't do well either and the smell of parfume overwhelmed me all day as I just use eo . Meet nice people though .



I would definitely contact the organizer of this craft fair and politely point out to him/her that putting two b&b crafters next to one another does not benefit the craft fair or the crafters. The best thing to do, in the future, is to inquire beforehand about their policies on this matter, and if it happens anyway,(as it did to me) and you find yourself setting up next to another soaper, get ahold of the organizer immediately, and ask if it's possible for one of you to move. (Another reason why it's good to arrive early.) If we don't let organizers know that this is a problem for us, we can't expect them to avoid it in the future. (That is, if they care......most do, but some, well.....not so much. But it's always necessary to speak up!) I"m sorry that this happened to you, it's a shame when we work so hard and end up having an unfortunate experience like this. Not all craft fair organizers are crafters themselves, and don't think like crafters, so sometimes we need to educate them. You'd think they'd know better, but......(shoulder shrug)


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## happygoluckyfarms (Dec 11, 2014)

Shes said she was sorry but didn't help my sales  She said it wont happen next year lol


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