About Craft Shows

Craft shows are one of the most popular entertainment venues to be found in the United States and around the world. No matter the location, craft shows are filled with a variety of items ranging from exquisite jewelry, wooden plaques, ceramic statues and comfy quilts to novel inventions that have been crafted, painted, carved or sewn by hand. Whether selling your own craft items or checking out what others have to offer, the atmosphere at a craft show is pure fun and excitement and a great way to spend the day.

Considerations

Providing craft persons with a venue, such as a well-advertised craft show that is geared toward offering a large selection of craft items to the community, can attract a significant amount of traffic to each individual craft vendor who has her items displayed for sale.
Not only do the crafters sell the items they've brought to the show, they are also able to take pre-orders for holidays or special occasions. Or they can take a special order that is made per the buyer's request, such as a hand-carved name and address plaque for her home.
Craft shows also allow the crafters the opportunity to hand out brochures, flyers and business cards that provide contact information and website addresses.
For buyers, craft shows offer an opportunity to view an abundance of handmade craft items all in one place--giving the buyer the advantage of comparing quality, style and price among the sellers to ensure they are getting the best-made item at the best price.
Buyers who are looking for items for their home or gifts that are different, unusual or even one of a kind will have a significant number of choices at a craft show.

Features

Spacious display areas for numerous crafts are one of the main features of a large, well-organized craft show. A multi-day craft show, for example, is usually set within a large facility that allows for the booths or stalls to have ample room for displays, provides easy access for visitors and has plenty of navigation room for the crowd.
Additionally, an indoor craft show provides protection from the rain and offers a comfortable atmosphere with air conditioning or heating depending on the season, restroom facilities and food and drink locations.
Craft shows that are held outside have their own unique features. By being outside, the booths and stalls are not restricted to a particular space within the floor plan. Many craft shows are held at parks, stadiums, fairgrounds or any other adequate and easily accessible location with ample parking where the visitor has the opportunity to walk around a larger outside area. Unless the craft show is a small sidewalk affair, restroom facilities and food and drink vendors will be available.
Craft shows have a festive and stress-free atmosphere that allows buyers and sellers to interact in an informal and friendly manner.

Types

Sponsored craft shows are advertised via billboards or newspaper ads by a particular company. These shows are promoted on a large scale, offering a variety of craft items, and may have 100 or more vendors.
There are company-sponsored craft shows that are geared toward a particular craft such as beading, soap and candle making or jewelry items. These may be on a smaller scale because the shows are craft specific.
Sidewalk craft fairs sponsored by a school, local company, city or county are promoted in most areas throughout the year.
During the holidays, many churches, schools and community centers and organizations will have craft shows that focus on holiday crafts ranging from silk floral centerpieces and handmade placemats to decorative ornaments, scented potpourri and candles.
Individual companies may also have employee-based craft shows in which the craft items are available for sale to the public.

Benefits

Advantages of participating in craft shows as a seller are numerous. One of the main reasons is the ability to promote and sell items to a large number of people for a nominal entrance and set-up fee. Many crafters travel the craft show circuit to sell their items because it's more cost effective than dealing with the overhead of renting a store. Many crafters have their own website or are part of an online community with storefront options, or they sell their items on auction sites. While participating at craft shows, sellers have the benefit of promoting their business. Crafters also use the shows as a means to observe other crafters' items for new ideas, compare their crafts to their competition and to gauge selling prices.
As a buyer at a craft show, the benefits include having an abundance of quality hand-crafted items available for viewing. Not to be confused with a flea market, where price negotiation is part of the fun, craft shows offer a variety of items in a range of prices. Unless the seller is offering a two-for-one deal, a buy-one-get-one free special, the purchase is a large-dollar item, the buyer is purchasing in large quantities or it's the end of the day and the seller wants to deal, the prices are usually set.
As a buyer, if you're looking for quality hand-crafted or personalized gifts that are reasonably priced, a local craft show is the place to visit.
Purchasing options at a craft show may vary depending on the type and size of the craft show, as well as the individual seller. While smaller individualized venues may be set up for cash-only purchases, the larger advertised shows will have vendors that offer cash, check and credit card purchase options.

Potential

Potential advantages for crafters who are interested in displaying their wares at a craft show are many.
A well-organized and advertised craft show provides the seller with the opportunity to sell his crafts to a specialized group of people who are interested in these types of items. Another plus: exposure to a large and diverse group of buyers and the ability to sell face to face with customers, as well as the ability to offer the option of pre-ordering personalized craft items.
Being able to observe other crafters allows sellers to compare items with their competition and to adjust pricing accordingly.
Advertising is a key component to any business venture, and participating in craft shows is no exception. Participation allows the seller to utilize brochures and business cards to market his craft items and draw traffic to his location, whether it's a traditional brick and mortar building or an online store.
Profit is the result. Selling crafts at a show eliminates the overhead costs of renting a store and paying for insurance and utilities. These savings allow the crafter to invest in more supplies, which in turn allows for a larger inventory of quality crafted goods.