Maybe it is because you are new. Does she have a more established booth where the regulars recognize her? I imagine once you settle in and become a regular face you won't have the issue again.
To summarize the advice I'm seeing: it looks like I should go for "clean abundance" of my products by keeping it simple but having unique options to draw the crowd?
It's outside a monument downtown. Full of foreign tourist and young teenagers and hipsters. All kinds of age groups for foreign tourists( 70% under 40 years old, and others are families and seniors) , locals' age group is like 15-40, some are young couples with toddlers; oh and tons of LGBT people. ( gay bars, gay barber shops, gay couture and underwear and adult toy ) and a few old shops selling customized clothes.
I think foreign local ratio is like 65:35 at the monument craft fair market. So I'm kinda at lost here. Sorta hard to pinpoint a customer base preference. Young vibe with a few all age group products?
From my observation, everyone bought anklet or bracelet is a new customer. I kinda ask part time students her shop name ( she did not have it on ) and google her. She sells online, too. But looks like mostly sells at market. Her customer is like 80% foreigner.
What amazes me is her pricing did not scare off potential buyers. But from what she said, it's like 10 or 30 times her cost of materials. Probably higher, I have never tried google pure silver charms or 18 k plated gold, so might be higher because things on TaoBao is dirt cheap!
I use premium materials and some even French or British and USA brand organic stuff and I price it NOT accordingly. I sell it cheaper, but some people said it's too expensive. I'm actually cheaper than leading brand and most of the brand selling soaps. This means my profit margin is low. And people don't even like my pricing!
Ignore that lady. I think she was trying to psych you out. I'm not a seller, but I think sometimes having one interested-looking customer can set off sort of a chain reaction. I helped my mom with her craft fair booth and it seemed like it was no customers, then 3 customers at once.
Maybe try this to get people to pause at your booth - ask them to smell 2 or 3 scents and tell you their favorite. Write it down and thank them for their opinion. then ask them what their favorite scent is for lip balm or soap.
Create positive interactions, and think of every positive interaction as a "win" even if they don't buy anything.
Thanks Dixie, my sister's friend came by today. Her chit chat did drew attention to booth. And I sell some today.
I was kind of upset because it's a rain storm that killed 2, and 5 missing in my country. ( landslide, sudden flooded "river" in the middle of the road because of bad drainage/ septic systems. ) And it never occurred to them it might be dangerous even it's downtown. And the lady share a tent with me is quite a show.
I'm not upset about not selling, though it would be nice. But in the storm people barely stops at booth. And we are kind of doomed there. Even if someone stops and ask price and don't like my pricing, I will feel better. Or chit chat some small talk. But none of this happened. Most of the shop owner just sit there and watch it rain cats and dogs. Like 98% of us. And worst of it all, this craft fair is operated by government culture department. It really feels like they just want shop owners to pay booth fees and doesn't care if you die on the way here or something.
I avoid booths with little stock, worried I'll get stuck chatting with a desperate vendor.
