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It's Craft Show Season Again!
BG: Self employed making quilts and other fabric-y goodness. In the fall and winter I spend my Saturdays at different craft shows.
I did pick up some new shows in the spring and summer this year. Most people don't go to craft shows in the spring and summer, so of course I didn't sell anything. One show I was at - no one even showed up. Luckily I am in a vendor group online with many of them so we just spent the day chatting. Finally at a show in mid September, I had some sales. Yay! Good thing though, because I'd received an angry letter from my local tax office, wondering why I hadn't had any sales. Because no one wants a $5 potholder? *shrug*
I'm not going to type up a report for each individual show because that would take hours to read. They all went pretty much the same, and it all started with Really Big Craft Show.
Now I've been sewing my rear end off making sure that I had enough stock and enough of different price points. Of course Mom has decided that I can't possibly know how to handle myself alone at a show and it's my ineptitude and poor booth setup that has made my spring and summer shows so bad. (I know it's because of the time of year, but meh). So she's not only taking over MY booth design and layout, but also bringing some of her own things to sell.
First thing she's upset about is that I don't bring *all* of my quilts to *all* of my shows. Now I do bring everything to Really Big Craft Show. Because I have a 10x20 booth. And because people come to the show ready to spend money. And I have that fancy card swipy thingee. But I generally don't haul out 80+ quilts into a 10x10 booth at a little church show. Because I know from experience that they don't sell there unless I mark them WAY down, and that ain't happening sunshine. I bring a few quilts, and I also have a "quilt-folio" that has photos of all my custom work, all of my ribbons I've won and all of the quilts I currently have for sale. I think it works out rather well.
Second thing she does is rearrange my booth. Often just as I've finished setting up a table and turn to work on the next one, she's behind me changing everything. Every time I get up to go to the bathroom or grab a snack (for her), she's rearranging things. I wouldn't mind it if she didn't spend all day at the show telling me that people would be swamping my booth if I'd set up my things properly. Hello, it's a table. It has stuff on it that I want to sell. Everything is clean, cute and priced fairly. They either want it or they don't. No big deal.
Now the main reason why I don't like doing shows with my mom is because if she's there, then her boyfriend shows up. I actually don't mind him a whole lot, cause he does help out. But also then my Gma has to be there too. And her Dr has finally told her that she has Alzheimer's, but she never remembers that she has it. So we're all keeping a close eye on her and trying to help her out and she's angry and snipping at us the whole time. I don't mind having 4 people in the booth if I have a 10x20 because it helps keep people honest. It really bothers me when I have 4 people in a 10x10 because if my mom redesigns my booth (To where people can walk in) then having 4 people takes up *all* the space for customers and then I don't sell anything.
So speaking of my mom coming to my shows...All of my Saturday shows have a longer setup time Friday night and then a shorter time Saturday morning. And mom works Friday nights, so she'll ask me to haul in everything Friday night and then wait for her to show Sat morning and frantically set things up. Personally I think she likes this method because she knows with the limited time we have, that I will have to go with whatever setup she decides on, or risk not being set-up in time for the first customers. And I'm getting fed up with her bullying me in *my* booth. So I would set up fully on Friday nights, exactly the way I wanted to. If she wanted to change things, then she did them herself.
Oh boy did she complain, but I was fed up with her nonsense. It just meant that I had the pleasure of listening to her whine and complain all day. So according to mom; I'm a hopeless loser, I'm lazy, I'm ugly, and I charge too much for my things. If I marked everything 50% off then people would buy my worthless crap. (Then I would be losing money!)
Another thing I have to deal with is the other vendors. Now most vendors are really nice people and I've developed sort of a second family with all the friends I've made at shows. But some vendors are rude, pushy and don't like following the show's rules. I've had vendors next to me put up huge discount signs (basically marking everything up really high and then marking it 50 or 75% off) This is a huge show no-no. I had other vendors walk into my booth and pull customers out to look at their things. (Jealous much?) At one show I had my booth neighbors put their overstock under one of my tables. (Mom says they asked permission first, but we were scrambling for space with our own overstock.) These same neighbors stepped on and rolled greasy wheels over my quilts. Since most of my shows are smaller venues, many of the other crafters are hobbyists. All of the other quilters I've met use cheaper materials and either make comforters or tied quilts. (So less work involved. They also price them dirt cheap.)
But probably the worst vendors were at a small church show. They actually had the nerve to ask me to pack up all of my quilts and put them away. Why, you ask? Not because they were offensive, but because their booth was for charity and they wanted to sell their charity quilts instead of people buying my *awesome* quilts. I told them if they had a problem to speak to the show management, because seriously? Don't come crying to me because you feel worried. Did you think I would just take down my whole booth because you asked?
And of course, the customers! Over the past 6 weeks I've been insulted, called a liar and even cursed out by customers. Not just at Really Big Craft Show, but every Saturday. It's been majorly damaging my calm. And of course they say things in front of my mother, which only adds fuel to the fire there.
Some of my "favorites":
"That's really pretty, but why does it cost so much?!"
"What are payment plans?" and "What's layaway?"
"But those other quilts don't cost as much, you should price match!"
"This is BS! I can get better stuff at Wal-Mart!"
"You're stupid if you think people have that much money for a blanket!"
"Honey, you're ripping people off!"
"Now this isn't the price I pay is it? Don't I get a discount?" (I've never seen you before in my life - so no.)
And to be honest, if it wasn't for one awesome customer - I'd be closing up shop at the end of the year. I'm getting tired of being treated like shit for trying to make minimum wage. Hell, I've won 11 ribbons at the State Fair, I know I'm a damn good quilter. But apparently that doesn't mean anything. People in my area would rather have cheap shit from China then something uber-awesome. *shrugs*
And that's why I've been taciturn and hiding for the past few weeks.
I did pick up some new shows in the spring and summer this year. Most people don't go to craft shows in the spring and summer, so of course I didn't sell anything. One show I was at - no one even showed up. Luckily I am in a vendor group online with many of them so we just spent the day chatting. Finally at a show in mid September, I had some sales. Yay! Good thing though, because I'd received an angry letter from my local tax office, wondering why I hadn't had any sales. Because no one wants a $5 potholder? *shrug*
I'm not going to type up a report for each individual show because that would take hours to read. They all went pretty much the same, and it all started with Really Big Craft Show.
Now I've been sewing my rear end off making sure that I had enough stock and enough of different price points. Of course Mom has decided that I can't possibly know how to handle myself alone at a show and it's my ineptitude and poor booth setup that has made my spring and summer shows so bad. (I know it's because of the time of year, but meh). So she's not only taking over MY booth design and layout, but also bringing some of her own things to sell.
First thing she's upset about is that I don't bring *all* of my quilts to *all* of my shows. Now I do bring everything to Really Big Craft Show. Because I have a 10x20 booth. And because people come to the show ready to spend money. And I have that fancy card swipy thingee. But I generally don't haul out 80+ quilts into a 10x10 booth at a little church show. Because I know from experience that they don't sell there unless I mark them WAY down, and that ain't happening sunshine. I bring a few quilts, and I also have a "quilt-folio" that has photos of all my custom work, all of my ribbons I've won and all of the quilts I currently have for sale. I think it works out rather well.
Second thing she does is rearrange my booth. Often just as I've finished setting up a table and turn to work on the next one, she's behind me changing everything. Every time I get up to go to the bathroom or grab a snack (for her), she's rearranging things. I wouldn't mind it if she didn't spend all day at the show telling me that people would be swamping my booth if I'd set up my things properly. Hello, it's a table. It has stuff on it that I want to sell. Everything is clean, cute and priced fairly. They either want it or they don't. No big deal.
Now the main reason why I don't like doing shows with my mom is because if she's there, then her boyfriend shows up. I actually don't mind him a whole lot, cause he does help out. But also then my Gma has to be there too. And her Dr has finally told her that she has Alzheimer's, but she never remembers that she has it. So we're all keeping a close eye on her and trying to help her out and she's angry and snipping at us the whole time. I don't mind having 4 people in the booth if I have a 10x20 because it helps keep people honest. It really bothers me when I have 4 people in a 10x10 because if my mom redesigns my booth (To where people can walk in) then having 4 people takes up *all* the space for customers and then I don't sell anything.
So speaking of my mom coming to my shows...All of my Saturday shows have a longer setup time Friday night and then a shorter time Saturday morning. And mom works Friday nights, so she'll ask me to haul in everything Friday night and then wait for her to show Sat morning and frantically set things up. Personally I think she likes this method because she knows with the limited time we have, that I will have to go with whatever setup she decides on, or risk not being set-up in time for the first customers. And I'm getting fed up with her bullying me in *my* booth. So I would set up fully on Friday nights, exactly the way I wanted to. If she wanted to change things, then she did them herself.
Oh boy did she complain, but I was fed up with her nonsense. It just meant that I had the pleasure of listening to her whine and complain all day. So according to mom; I'm a hopeless loser, I'm lazy, I'm ugly, and I charge too much for my things. If I marked everything 50% off then people would buy my worthless crap. (Then I would be losing money!)
Another thing I have to deal with is the other vendors. Now most vendors are really nice people and I've developed sort of a second family with all the friends I've made at shows. But some vendors are rude, pushy and don't like following the show's rules. I've had vendors next to me put up huge discount signs (basically marking everything up really high and then marking it 50 or 75% off) This is a huge show no-no. I had other vendors walk into my booth and pull customers out to look at their things. (Jealous much?) At one show I had my booth neighbors put their overstock under one of my tables. (Mom says they asked permission first, but we were scrambling for space with our own overstock.) These same neighbors stepped on and rolled greasy wheels over my quilts. Since most of my shows are smaller venues, many of the other crafters are hobbyists. All of the other quilters I've met use cheaper materials and either make comforters or tied quilts. (So less work involved. They also price them dirt cheap.)
But probably the worst vendors were at a small church show. They actually had the nerve to ask me to pack up all of my quilts and put them away. Why, you ask? Not because they were offensive, but because their booth was for charity and they wanted to sell their charity quilts instead of people buying my *awesome* quilts. I told them if they had a problem to speak to the show management, because seriously? Don't come crying to me because you feel worried. Did you think I would just take down my whole booth because you asked?
And of course, the customers! Over the past 6 weeks I've been insulted, called a liar and even cursed out by customers. Not just at Really Big Craft Show, but every Saturday. It's been majorly damaging my calm. And of course they say things in front of my mother, which only adds fuel to the fire there.
Some of my "favorites":
"That's really pretty, but why does it cost so much?!"
"What are payment plans?" and "What's layaway?"
"But those other quilts don't cost as much, you should price match!"
"This is BS! I can get better stuff at Wal-Mart!"
"You're stupid if you think people have that much money for a blanket!"
"Honey, you're ripping people off!"
"Now this isn't the price I pay is it? Don't I get a discount?" (I've never seen you before in my life - so no.)
And to be honest, if it wasn't for one awesome customer - I'd be closing up shop at the end of the year. I'm getting tired of being treated like shit for trying to make minimum wage. Hell, I've won 11 ribbons at the State Fair, I know I'm a damn good quilter. But apparently that doesn't mean anything. People in my area would rather have cheap shit from China then something uber-awesome. *shrugs*
And that's why I've been taciturn and hiding for the past few weeks.
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