Craft Shows - help & advice needed

[JimmyC]

I'd much appreciate any help I can get.

I'm thinking about doing some selling at craft shows this year, mostly doll furniture, and boxes (not at the same show) for now. I have a few questions for people who have done it before:

1) What type of paperwork(tax#, selling license, etc) do I need, and how do I obtain it.

2) What kind of payments do you accept (cash, checks, credit cards) and :

a) if you accept checks have you had any problems with people bouncing them.

b) if you accept Credit cards, how did you go about setting it up, and what's the cost.

3) What were the best fairs and festivals that you attended (as sellers).

Thank you very much, in advance, for any help and advice that you offer.

Jimmy

[ScottM]

Originally Posted by twodognc

I'd much appreciate any help I can get.

I'm thinking about doing some selling at craft shows this year, mostly doll furniture, and boxes (not at the same show) for now. I have a few questions for people who have done it before:

1) What type of paperwork(tax#, selling license, etc) do I need, and how do I obtain it.

2) What kind of payments do you accept (cash, checks, credit cards) and :

a) if you accept checks have you had any problems with people bouncing them.

b) if you accept Credit cards, how did you go about setting it up, and what's the cost.

3) What were the best fairs and festivals that you attended (as sellers).

Thank you very much, in advance, for any help and advice that you offer.

Jimmy

Jimmy I have done a few and I can give you some advise. I will PM you with my number.

[christopheralan]

"In God we Trust. All others must pay CASH..."

[walnutjerry]

Originally Posted by twodognc

I'd much appreciate any help I can get.

I'm thinking about doing some selling at craft shows this year, mostly doll furniture, and boxes (not at the same show) for now. I have a few questions for people who have done it before:

1) What type of paperwork(tax#, selling license, etc) do I need, and how do I obtain it.

2) What kind of payments do you accept (cash, checks, credit cards) and :

a) if you accept checks have you had any problems with people bouncing them.

b) if you accept Credit cards, how did you go about setting it up, and what's the cost.

3) What were the best fairs and festivals that you attended (as sellers).

Thank you very much, in advance, for any help and advice that you offer.

Jimmy

Jimmy---I did craft shows for 15 years. Followinf is an attempt to answer some of your questions.

1) You will need a tax ID number for reporting and paying sales tax collected. Obtained from a NC tax office. My CPA said "you do NOT want a sales tax audit, it is worse than an IRS audit." Pay the sales tax and sleep well. Keep records of what and where you sell. It will help you down the road in a lot of ways.

2) I accepted cash and checks-----never got set up to accept credit cards and do not feel I lost that much profit by not doing so. Others say sales boomed with the acceptance of credit cards. Impulse buyers will flash a CC in a heart beat. If you want to deal with the paper work and paying a percentage on each sale, go for it. I never had a check to bounce.

3) The best shows I did were juried shows. I always did better in the mountains at a 1 day, well established juried show.If you can, go to the show you are considering and see it, find out how it is managed by talking to the vendors. Sales are not always good at the same show year after year. Be professional with your work and presentation of it----sales will take care of itself. Put your effort into quality all the way through. Not all crafts people do well at the same show either----some things just sell better than others. Remember only about 2% of the lookers are also buyers. I never did well at a show with a lot of entertainment and food booths----------they draw a lot of people but most are there for the music, a hot dog and ice cream.

Just my humble opinion and experience--------there are no guarantees the sales will be at any show you do.

Good luck with the shows.

Jerry

[Badabing]

That's some great info Jerry! Did you try any of the bigger shows like the Southern Christmas Show or the Spring Show here in Charlotte? I have a friend that wants to share a booth with one or two others and I've been considering the offer. I don't care if I make money, I just want to cover the cost of the booth and expenses. The experience will be worth it

[walnutjerry]

Originally Posted by Badabing

That's some great info Jerry! Did you try any of the bigger shows like the Southern Christmas Show or the Spring Show here in Charlotte? I have a friend that wants to share a booth with one or two others and I've been considering the offer. I don't care if I make money, I just want to cover the cost of the booth and expenses. The experience will be worth it

Joe---------I did do the Southern Christmas show in Charlotte one year in conjunction with 5 or 6 other crafters. We rented two spaces and made out a "work" shedule so all would not have to be there every day. All said and done-------if I ever do it again it will be solo. Sales were not that good for me for a 12 day show-----about 600.00. I also did the Christmas show in Raleigh one year-----a 6 day show if I remember correctly. It was about a break even deal after lodging, meals and entry fee and travel.

You get to met a lot of people though!!

Jerry