Selling At Summer Shows And Fairs

[DoubleC]

Good luck at the show Ray. And really I don't mind being small right now. I have to do things mostly myself and would never be able to get 1/100th of your stuff anywhere. I don't drive either so the Farmer's market is going to be fine for me over the season, with local calls in between once we get the never ending paperwork taken care of.

I played hooky today and didn't touch a piece of paperwork, made a leather belt buckle and another necklace. Finishing them up now. When I have a piece of leather in my hands I remember why I'm doing all the other things I don't like so much, like the paperwork and meetings, etc. And when it turns out nice I REALLY remember, LOL.

Again good luck, sell a gazzilion things and have fun. Cheryl

[Leather Girl]

Ray,

All the best on your show and what can kill your takings more than rain is snow. Here we can and have had snow every month of the year.

This year the farmers market, I get to be indoors and no struggle with the tent in hail and high winds. My favorite show is by far the Medieval

Faire.

Randi-Lee

[Chavez]

Thats a very interesting thread you started, Ray =)

Are there any alternatives to card machines to take card payments on the go? I know there's a card reader gadget & app for an iphone, but as far as I remember, the comission the provider charges is huge. Perhaps one can use their paypal account & mobile interenet access to process a payment with a smartphone?

[dirtclod]

Chavez a couple of times i have had people pay useing paypal on a smart phone. I had them show me the screen where i had been paid and it worked out fine. I don't have a credit card machine yet. Some say they use a service where they write everthing down and put the information in when they get home. If i was the buyer i wouldn't do that. Theirs to big a chance that they will lose the book with my information or for somebody to steal it. Paypal has one of the card readers for your phone now i belive.

Edited April 20, 2012 by dirtclod

[Sylvia]

HI Ray:

Here's how to deal with those "annoying" kids. Cram a box of cards or post cards... or on hot days... those cardboard fans on a stick....in their little ambitious hands and tell them you will give them a 'store credit" or a "fiver" if they pass them out for you. ) You'll suddenly transform from that old bastard at the leather booth, to that cool guy who is paying me to hand these out!

One of my most fond memories of summer fairs was MY handing out fans and I did it for free. LOL

[Glendon]

Chaves, the gadget plus iPad / iPod or Android app you are thinking of is called Square. A lot of the dealers and artists at anime conventions have started using it in the last few years. The fees are a little high, but not insanely so I don't think. A swiped card transaction costs 2.75% and a typed in transaction costs 3.5% + 15 cents. Ya, that's higher then the 20 cent average per transaction a merchant account would cost, but that is with no monthly fees, no minimum transactions, no set-up fee, no nothing.

Edited April 21, 2012 by Glendon