Craft show season

Craft show season is starting. It's hard to believe there is a "season" for it, but it's true. Where I live, the craft shows start popping up in late spring/early summer and go right until Christmas time. I love all pieces of a craft show - from crafting & selling, seeing what others are making, purchasing from crafters, to talking with like-minded crafters and people shopping.

When I made the dive into selling at craft shows, I also decided I would sell online. Online selling is nowhere near as easy as in person. It's absolutely hard to get people to see your items (and it doesn't seem to matter what online platform you use). I currently utilize two platforms: my blog site and Etsy. There are benefits to each and downsides to each.

On my website, I keep all my profits; no percentage of my sales is going to another company for using their platform. It's slightly easier to list on my site, and if I were more organized, I could use my site inventory to check people out at craft shows and keep better track of my inventory. On Etsy, it's a little more involved to list items; they take a percentage, and I have to meet criteria for it to even be eligible to sell on Etsy. No big deal, but it's time-consuming, and there's no way for me to list simultaneously on both sites. I have to do them individually, and it can take a good 10 minutes to do (getting the pictures uploaded, writing descriptions, etc.).

The super cheap side of me refuses to pay for marketing/ads. So any traffic that gets to my website is from me telling people about it, handing out business cards, and the rare instance someone tells someone they know about my site. Same deal for Etsy. Only Etsy is widely known; people are always on Etsy looking for stuff. I have no idea how the algorithms work on Etsy to know what is driving people to my shop.

To my surprise, I got a notification earlier this week that I had sold something on Etsy. Shocked. Completely and utterly shocked. Off I go to pack it up and send it out! A sale on Etsy where I only paid a small fee to have an item listed, without spending all day sitting at a craft show waiting for sales. Then, a few days later, I get a second notification of a second sale on Etsy! Shock again, a brief moment of wondering what is driving people to my site. Am I being scammed? Nope - no scam. So far, it appears these are both valid, real purchases. I have shipped both items out, and payment will be hitting my account soon.

It feels good to make a sale on Etsy; hell, it feels good to make any sale at any time! Now I need to get my act together and get more things listed on Etsy and my site. Things won't sell if I don't have them out there for people to see. This also means I need to keep crafting away. It can be hard to dedicate time every day or every week to just craft, as it's not what is paying the bills; it's more of a hobby with a slight chance of making money.

Since I work Saturdays, I try to find craft shows that are on Sundays, which is difficult. If I know a show is going to be a hit, I'll take off for it, but then I feel like I need to make double or triple on my sales to make up for a day of guaranteed pay. I go to a three-day show in October, which is worth me taking off for the income over the course of the three days.

Do you go to craft shows as a shopper or do you prefer to shop online? What things are you looking for that fall into the handmade category? I'm always looking for new things to make & sell.

If you want to come visit me at a craft show I have signed up for a few so far:

August 29 - Peace Love and Poms 3rd Annual Show Case

1259 E. Main St. Annville PA

11 AM - 4 PM

October 9 - 11 - Stars Hollow Fall Festival

Historic Alexander Schaeffer Farm

10 AM - 6 PM each day.

Otherwise - check out:

Etsy shop: https://lovecatsandeverything.etsy.com

My website: www.lovecatsandeverything.com

Til our tails cross again,

Mel

#lovecatseverything #cats #crafting #craftshow