Craft shows/vendor events
 

Those of you who sell at craft shows, do you insist on strictly crafts or do you also do "vendor events" with various things like Scentsy and Pampered Chef? Do you have a preference?

For me, this is a hot button topic so consider yourselves forewarned. haha. I did shows for over 25 years and stayed away from the ones that had "Buy and Sell" lines. Finding those shows was harder and harder to do. If the advertising said hand made only I'd participate, if it included "gift lines", I stayed away. A craft show is hand made crafts, not simply opening up an order and putting it out to sell. My criteria was if you could prove that you made it from scratch in your home, then it could qualify as a craft item. Tupperware, Tastfeully Simple, Pampered Chef and Scentsy are commercial products and belong in their own vendor shows. They have their place and certainly draw interest, but they are NOT craft or art items. I fought to keep them out of all the shows I ever did and for me it is a very touchy subject. I never felt that I competed with their products, but they did draw $$$ away from legitimate crafters. How fair is it that I work 12-15 hours a day to create products and all they do is fill out an order and wait for UPS to deliver? Since there has been a decrease in the number or true crafters the past few years, many show organizers are allowing in the buy and sell merchandise because they want to keep their booth numbers up and sell out all their spaces, but they are degrading the overall quaility of their shows by doing so. I don't believe that wine belongs at a craft show either, but that is a whole other topic.

As a buyer, I prefer craft shows! I love looking at all the different products, and often engage in conversation with the crafters. I don't like the commercial aspect of the vendors, and personally would never buy from them. I have several friends that do clothing, jewelry, candles etc on the side, and all have connections to other vendors that I would give my business to.

I guess I know how hard the crafters work to make their products, and like to support them.

I agree with Sue. I am just a participant, not organizer for craft shows. First experience with 'Sip N Shop' show, weather was bad so did not attend. While there was no booth fee, drinks were to be given freely. I am still out on those shows ! I agree that commercial products should not be sold with crafting fairs. This year organizers are asking what crafts you will be selling and they should check these close. Sometimes if i have too much of bought sewing items, I put then on table with garage sale prices. they may or may not sell. Have heard tales of people ordering craft items from China, etc and selling that stuff at shows---a Big No on that. Some people ask if I made all of my crafts and I proudly say I did. I have lots of repeat customers.
I think I said enough--lol !

I have not gone to a "craft" show for that reason, among others, for a very long time. If I want commercially produced items, I know how to get them. I know that many of my quilting friends do go to shows that are craft and vendor focused, because they want what the vendor is selling and they know they can get it. For example these gals attend the mega sized quilt shows that draw folks in allowing them the opportunity to comparison shop BIG ticket items such as high end sewing machines and long-arm quilting machines. That is very different from Pampered Chef, Sentsy, and so on at a local show..

I like crafts shows for the 'handmade' items. But, I also like craft shows where there are venders that sell items that are used by crafters, as in crafting supplies and the like. Like if it is a quilting craft show, I like looking at the different sewing machines, longarm machine etc., as well as the venders that sell patterns/fabric/notions. I'm able to find things that can't be found else where, some because it is a newly put out item.

What I don't like is venders at a craft show like those selling kitchen items etc, and those with nothing at all with making crafts.

I stopped going to big craft shows. Most of the vendors were selling commercial products. I find nice handmade items at the Farmer's Market now.