Setting out your booth...

[ArtS]

Thanks Ray!

ArtS

[wildrose]

Okay, so here are some "fresh" pics of my booth, and a little backstory.

I am currently selling at the Radford (Virginia) Farmer's Market. This is REALLY small - there are maybe 10 vendors there (and that includes non-artists, i.e. produce vendors) every week. It grows and shrinks regularly. And we see some customers every week too. But I often hear "oooh, I might like a new wallet as a Christmas gift" and folks look over my things pretty closely. So I give out lots of cards and sell little. Hopefully, those orders will come through, and it DOES get me noticed.

I'm doing a bigger event in October: the Highlander Festival. Radford University students/teams are the Highlanders. It is a big Celtic themed show and I'm hoping to do really well there.

My current problem, I believe, is that I don't accept credit cards right now. When I had a separate business bank account in PA, I had a company through which I processed credit card sales. This, I found, more than doubled business. Most people, like me, do not carry enough cash in their wallets to make an impulse buy of over 10.00 at a market (or even show) setting. I'm in a vicious circle right now though: until I make enough, I can't open my own account, and I can't make enough without taking cards!

So here are those pics...I should mention it was raining when I took them.

If anyone has more questions, feel free to fire away. Some other things I should probably add:

My table lay out (inc. shelving) changes from show to show.

I have a really nice blue velvet table cover, but I usually save that for "big" events

While I might not be the most professional leatherworker on this site, I do have years of experience at festivals!

[wildrose]

I read back to the past few posts, re: jurying and costs. Here's my .02 on that:

I've paid at most almost 500.00 to be in an event, and at least 20.00. What has kept me out of events has not been the entry fee (if it was an event I wanted to be in) but the need to have insurance. I'm such a small time vendor, that to ask me to keep insurance for the few events/year I do is ridiculous. Fortunately, some events will let you be on their "rider". I experienced that at the NJ Renaissance Kingdom. For an extra fee, with my application, I was covered by their policy. I did at one point have my own policy, but that cost me over 100.00/year. That may seem like small change to some of you, but to me, it was alot, especially with the monthly fee I was paying for being able to process credit cards.

Jurying: this is a process wherein you must send photos of your work, and your display, to the committee running the show. This can be great because it (theoretically) keeps out the "beanie pet" sellers and such. But it can also be a hassle if you don't have quality photos on hand, or you aren't certain exactly what you plan to bring. Personally, I've not had a problem with it yet, and I like juried shows. You sometimes have to pay and extra fee for the jurying process itself.

I think, overall, crafters are "fee-d" to death! It makes me wonder sometimes how these little mom/pop knitters and woodworkers make any money when I see them underselling themselves at shows!!!

[UKRay]

Classy looking stall, Wildrose!

I'd really appreciate knowing a litle more about taking credit card payments as I can also see the time coming when people simply won't carry enough cash to make a purchase. Like Wildrose, I rely almost exclusively on cards and other folk will doubtless be the same but I hadn't given any thought as to how it would affect my sales.

So what is the procedure? How do I get started? How much does it cost and are there any 'hidden' costs? What are the problems we face taking plastic instead of cash? Who actually loses when a card scam happens? This is all very worrying!

[rdb]

Classy looking stall, Wildrose!

I'd really appreciate knowing a litle more about taking credit card payments as I can also see the time coming when people simply won't carry enough cash to make a purchase. Like Wildrose, I rely almost exclusively on cards and other folk will doubtless be the same but I hadn't given any thought as to how it would affect my sales.

So what is the procedure? How do I get started? How much does it cost and are there any 'hidden' costs? What are the problems we face taking plastic instead of cash? Who actually loses when a card scam happens? This is all very worrying!

You need to set up a Merchant Account at your bank. They will set it up, and charge you. Probably around $200 or so between the fees for the acct, and the card slider. Then they charge you $15 a month or so monthly. There is also a fee from the card co. say 1.5 - 3%.

Theyll have booklets and such to show your options, including being able to accept online. Generally, they have several tiers for this acct, depending on your needs, or wants. Each one is a different cost. I have the cheaper one...for each sale to be protected, I have to call the 88 number, and register the numbers before I give the card back. It takes a minute, but it protects me, and the card owner.

This really is the proper way to do it. There are some options online that maybe preferable, but if you have a relationship with your local bank, at least you can deal face to face.

Ever since I got it this time, Ive only used it twice. So, it can be an expensive, and running cost, if your cliental is mostly cash, or checks. But when you need it, you need it. It makes the customer feel as though you are safe to buy from, for returns, and merchandise problems.

You will be able to take cards over the phone, which is a plus.

[serena]

There are other credit card processing companies out there but I don't know which one to recommend or even if I would recommend any as I have heard good and bad about them. But if you are interested here is a couple of them.

www.propay.com/

http://www.100best-merchant-accounts.com/m...-costco-60.html

http://www.authorize.net/

Hope this helps.

[UKRay]

Many thanks for all the information about taking card payments - really useful.

How do you all manage to keep track of your stock at events? Do you start out with a list of everything you take and check it off at the end of the day to see what has been sold - or do you just know what has gone and remember to make more when you get back to base?

I have a fair sized pile of stuff developing right now and would like to stay on top of the stock control thing if I can - any suggestions?

[OutBackP]

I use a duplicate receipt book and for everything I make it gets a number and is written down in the receipt book with brief details about each piece. I also mostly write the number with a fine sharpy on the leather. When i sell a piece I mark it down as sold and take out the front copy. For a market etc this can then go in with your float. This way I can keep track of everything sold and have a record for the future.

[Drac]

I make multiples of most of the stuff I make and carry the extras with me to events. when one sells, I pull out another to replace it. when I get home I just count inventory then make more to get the number back up. as an example I keep 4 sets of single D ring wrist restraints in stock. if I sell 2 sets at an event I make 2 more when I get home. something to remember with most of my stuff though is most of it is done more along the lines of "production pieces". the set of restraints hanging up looks just like the next 20 sets that I'll make for that design even though it's all by hand.

[UKRay]

Has anyone got a good way to display expensive bags on their stall? I have just been hanging them up but, given the advice received earlier in this thread, I'd like to bring them closer to the paying public. Like most people I can't afford to lose them so how do other people get around this? I don't want to chain them down... or do I?