Help! Christmas Craft Fair jitters.

dneruck · Oct 7, 2014

Hi all,

I've signed up for a Christmas Craft Fair on Nov 23 and I'm beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed wondering if I'll have enough products. Last year they had approx. 1000 people passing through and are looking to do more marketing for it this year. This is my first big event and I have no idea how much product I should take. I've been going to a local farmers market for a few months now and I'm also wondering how to go about keeping up stock for that at the same time.

Also any ideas for packaging are welcome. The soap that I take to the farmer's market are shrink wrapped or wrapped in coffee filters. I've thought about maybe doing some gift packets with soap and body scrubs and body butter. I thought about lotions but I've never made lotion and I don't think I have enough time to test. I also make lip balms and solid perfume. Any suggestions on how to combine these items to make good gifts sets are welcome. Thanks!

Seawolfe · Oct 7, 2014

I don't know if I would do lotions because there's not a lot of time for testing, but other things you can make that are easy (besides body butter and scrubs) are: bath bombs, lotion bars, bath salts, shower melts (the small bath bomb types), lip balm in tins or tubes (tins look easier), maybe salves. Other things that might sell are liquid soap, laundry soap, guest soap, soap dishes, poufs, sponges and hand towels.

I think gift sets are a no-brainer, first guess would be by scent or theme. Or let people pick what they want for a set price (eg $23 for a big soap, small soap, soap dish, body butter all in a nice basket).

LunaSkye · Oct 7, 2014

Seawolfe has a lot of good ideas. I'm not a seller, but I am the sort of person who would love to see guest soaps. I treat those as the type of sample that I wouldn't mind buying. I can also see letting the customer mix & match their own bath sets working out well. Lastly, you could use residual soaps as free samples: just make some balls, let them sit for a day or two, and cut them up.

Susie · Oct 7, 2014

There was a vendor at the last craft fair I attended that had some basic baskets that they sold as part of a you-pick-it, we-pack-it (I think that is how they phrased it) gift basket option. There were no soaps, but they had candles, lip balms, body butters, scrubby poufs, loofahs, etc. Each group of items had a color dot on them. The colors were by cost of the product, so the candles and big body butters were the same color, the lip balms and poufs were the same color, etc. You got one of each color for this price, one of these three colors for that price, etc. They had shredded tissue paper for filler(the shredder was right there), then the products, then you picked the color of wrap and ribbon. And none of those prices were any less than the retail cost! They even charged for the baskets and packaging.

I thought they were brilliant! You walk up to a table, and walk away with a gift for that "impossible to shop for" person all wrapped up and ready to go. And since the customer chooses each item in there, it still has the personal touch.

I thought then that a soaper could truly be a HUGE hit with this idea. Just offer the different size packs. This is just an awesome idea for mother's day or Christmas!

cmzaha · Oct 7, 2014

I always pour a couple hundred small christmas tree soaps with a piney or fir needle fragrance for my holiday craft fairs shrink wrap them and put them in a large jar. They always sell out for me during the holiday season. I actually have never been able to sell gift baskets at any craft fair, but do take some nice bags or a few boxes and tissue in case someone wants to put together something. Bath bombs make good stocking stuffers and will fit in the big ball canning jars. You would have time to make up some solid lotions or lotion bars if you want to pour them in a mold. I like to jar them, easier packaging and it they get melty they are contained. We find melt and pour soap sell pretty good for the holidays if you make any really decorative ones. Mini cupcakes are always a hit when packaged in a small box for stocking stuffers. Unfortunetly high traffic does not always mean high sales. I usually take around 400 bars a day and if it is a multi day show I replinish what I am short on. Normally I have approx 700 bars in stock, but I do sell at weekly markets. One of my weekly markets has an attendance of 5000+ people each week.
One of the biggest mistakes I see new market sellers do is Not take enough stock to even pay their space let alone make any money. Do make sure your tables look like you have plenty of stock, many will not pay attention to a booth that is scarce for product. And have different levels. Go and have fun, I love doing what you are doing. Belive me customers can tell when you believe in your product and enjoy being at the market.

dneruck · Oct 8, 2014

Thank you all for your great suggestions!

I like the "you pick it, we pack it" idea. The only problem I might have with that would be finding the baskets. I live on an island in the Caribbean and I'm not sure if I'll be able to find the quantity of need at a reasonable price. Do you think gift bags could work just as well?

Susie · Oct 8, 2014

Anything that will hold products and look festive should be fine. If you are in a high tourist area, you might look for local craftsmen who make something that can be used for packaging to make it more appealing to tourists.