4 hour craft sale. reality was 7 hours after set up and take down.

[Sam Fleisher]

Don't know if I'll do this one again.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

and the other half of the display

 

[Brian Gustin]

and the other half of the display

nice display.. if I hadn't known better I'd have almost guessed that was our local UMC rummage sale event .. we used to do them a few years, but this year we just haven't bothered, and I'm just getting my stuff on consignment to a couple of local galleries (Now I'm in 2) so I know what you mean what with the setup and takedown time , plus travel time , for the sales made, it's not even worth going in most cases..

 

[Dave Landers]

with the setup and takedown time , plus travel time , for the sales made, it's not even worth going in most cases..

Here's how it would go for me when I did shows:

Go to the bank for change in case I have luddites wanting to pay with cash.
Inspect everything (dust, finish, cracks, correct prices, etc).
Make sure Square, Paypal, Venmo are working on my phone, hope there's decent signal or wifi at the venue.

Unpack tables etc from the shed, shlep it all around to the truck, load it up.
Box up product, load it up.
Drive.
Unpack tables etc. Oh, the product boxes are on top of the tables... rearrange in the parking lot.
Shlep tables into the venue.
Setup tables etc.
Shlep boxes in, unpack, setup.
Hide boxes, dolly, etc or shlep em back to the truck.

Hopefully sell some stuff.

Retrieve boxes, etc.
Repack product.
Shlep boxes to the truck.
Fold up tables etc, shlep out to truck.
Ugh. Can't put the tables on top of product boxes, so reorganize again in the parking lot.
Drive home.
Unload boxes back to the house.
Unload tables and shlep them around to the shed.
Throw table cloths into washer, store them later.

Take checks and leftover cash to the bank.
Mess with the stupid form(s) for state/local sales tax.

 

[Sam Fleisher]

That about sums it up except I leave the bowls in plastic tubs. Single guy here so it doesn't bother me having stacks of containers around in the house.

 

[robo hippy]

You just never know with craft shows. Some are easy load in and load out, some are terrible. If you go with a bunch of change, then all sales, they seem to have the change. If you go short on change, then every one wants change. The show can be good one year and bad the next. You can get multiple requests for some thing you don't have one year, and the next when you come with a bunch of them, no one wants them. Some thing can sell fine one year, and not at all the next year, especially if you have stocked up.... I think it took me about 90 minutes to get my set up done, and another hour plus to get stuff on the shelves. I did used to do a lot of trades for my Christmas presents. Oh, if there are food booths, they generally have change. I always bring my own bowl/plate to craft shows. Hope you had some good sales!

robo hippy

 

[Dave Landers]

If you go with a bunch of change, then all sales, they seem to have the change. If you go short on change, then every one wants change

I price everything in $5 increments. Pay with a credit card and I add sales tax. But I will pay your sales tax if you pay cash. Tax here is way more than the credit card fee, but it's worth it to me to avoid the hassle of the math and dealing with coins or $1's etc. And it makes some folks feel they're getting a "deal".
I have a spread sheet that reverses out the sales tax for cash sales (so in the end after tax it works out to the marked price).