How Much Jewelry?
Tuesday November 14, 2006
One question that pops up a lot on the Jewelry Making Forum as well as via email to me is How Many Pieces to Bring to a Show?
Considering we are getting into premo-craft show time, this is an excellent question, but my answer may surprise you:
Of course, bring everything you have; however, as someone who used to do this all the time when I did shows, don't kill yourself by trying to make jewelry up to the last second. You don't have a crystal ball, so there's no way to guess what will sell. Bring what you have. Make what you feel comfortable making if you have time to make more, but worse case scenario if you don't bring enough - you sell out!
Comments
I agree with you. I definitely had enough inventory but each time I had an upcoming show I would knock myself out to make more. Not that many new pieces sold. I figured it was not worth the exhaustion. Now I spend more time planning my displays to make it easier for the customer to browse through all of the choices. I have to learn more on the marketing aspects of selling jewelry. How can one display 100 necklaces?????
Exactly! And, really, you should have so much jewelry out that you look all cluttered. There is such a thing as giving customers too many choices.
I think it’s a ood idea to bring a lot of jewelry. People will be more atracted to a display full of jewelry.
I’m not sure if I totally agree with you on that born2bead. There is such a thing as overkill, sort of similar to the idea of white space on a web site, easier to look at.
Just how many pieces should you put out at a craft fair/show? I, myself, like to look at different styles, etc, and if I didn’t see anything I liked at a table, I’d go on to another table, so isn’t it better to have different pieces on display?
I agree with Sharon and Tammy. Do a test set up at home. Overcrowded table may discourage someone from going through it. Too little may get the same reaction. Is the set-up too fancy or not fancy enough. A black clothe will help some pieces stand out. An attractive piece on a necklace holder will attract at a distance.
Well that was my 2 cents.
I was etting up for a show once and frantic because I didn’t think I had enough inventory. My husband gave me great advice. He told me to add up the prices of all my pieces, then asked me if I truly thought I was going to sell that much. I realized I had plenty of stock on hand when I put it in that perspective and I calmed right down!