Displaying items at craft fairs

[flower girl]

Hi lovely people:)

Later this month I will be doing my first craft fair. I have read (I think) all advice relating to this, but wondered if i may ask a question.

How do you display your crafts? pros / cons...etc..what have you learnt?
I am especially interested in hearing how people display bags and cards. I am planning on giving my table some height to give some interest with my cushions and bags. For cards - is it worth buying a greeting card display holder/stand or would baskets work well...and so on...

I would love to hear your thoughts.
Many thanks

[candles by lisa]

I don't sell cards I'm afraid but all the craft fairs I do there are people that do do cards. The card stands are nice but very expensive I have seen lots of people selling them out of baskets and they sell them very well indead. I think what they do is separate the baskets into the different styles, like childrens, weddings, special birthdays you know the kind of thing.

Not much use but hope it helps some.

Cheers.

Lisa

:D

[Michelexx]

Hi

I sell bags, jewellery and other accessories and I found that giving my table some height really worked. I use a pine shelf (I think it might even be a shoe shelf from Argos) This allows me to dispaly my items by colour ranges. I belive it is really important to think about your display and practice setting it up at home. If possible I leave my table set up for a few days so that I can keep looking at it. Once I am happy with it I take several photos which help me set up quickly on the day as time is always limited.

I have also started organising fairs and I am always shocked that as crafters we are considered creative yet people do not always give their display enough thought. I have seen people who make beautiful items but do not show it off to its best by not planning a display.

With regards to cards I have seen them displayed in a variety of ways. A display stand is one way but not all craft fairs will allow extra display units bought in as it is difficult to do table layouts when everyone is bringing diferent types of stands. One particular way I like is fabric covered boxes where the cards are placed by category which allow people to flick through....it gives the table a real shabby chic style. Make sure that which ever way you set out your display consider the whole look of the table.....there is no point in doing shabby chic style card display if it does not suit the other items you are selling.
The worset display I saw was cards all layed flat over the table....the cards were lovely but all sprung slightly open so when you approached the table you could not see the pictures!

Hope this helps

Michele

[Ifor-Jones]

Good idea to set it up in advance to look at it and rearrange - think how you would see it as a customer approaching. Sometimes customers are very wary of stopping at first and you need to grab their attention and then they might stay to browse. I do cards and I have a couple of table stands from 3 D Display which are acrylic and a reasonable price - but probably as a starter you don't want too much expense. People do like to browse through boxes of cards, but you must have some displayed more clearly to catch their attention first.

Good luck

[Beadservice]

It's a really good idea to have height on your table. You only need a few people at your stall, and then anyone else passing can't see what you're selling if there is no height

Personally, I don't like to see cards displayed flat on a table, nor in baskets. I'd suggest you get a tiered folding cardboard greeting card display, which will sit on the top. They only cost about £7 and you can get them on Ebay.

Good luck with your fair

Debbie

[flower girl]

:)

Thank you everyone for all your informative, helpful replies.
I had thought about laying a table before hand and take a photograph when happy, to use as a plan on the day - so am pleased that am thinking the right way. I agree that the look of the table is really important and really appreciate your advice.

[silversurfer]

I personally like card stalls flat, I can see everything then. I'm not a person who will browse in boxes, I can't be bothered, I like it all in front of me so I can decide which I like best. I went to a fair where the lady had over two hundred cards (flat, but not open) and I bought a lot of |christmasy stuff from her.
Jewellery I like to look down on rather than at eye height. I like to see an overview so to speak so I set out my stall flat with the odd bust and tree here and there to give a bit of interest.

I think I'm the exception rather than the norm but every little helps.

[Tip Top]

I also sell a mix of cards and toppers at the craft fairs that I do (I've only done 3 so far!)

Here are links to 3 pics taken at my first ever fair (thanks to Swirlyarts for taking the photos!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21810422@N02/2316407198/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21810422@N02/2316407186/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21810422@N02/2315599339/

The middle photo shows that I have a cardboard tiered stand (bought from ebay) but I also have some loose cards on the table and also some in baskets.

If it helps, I took over £120.......!!:o
Then again, my second one I took £11.75!!

Good luck and if you need any more help just ask!!;)

[ilovecrafts]

Lovely display Tiptop!
i'd have just wanted to buy, and buy, and keep on buying!

[Tip Top]

Lovely display Tiptop!
i'd have just wanted to buy, and buy, and keep on buying!


Heheheheh!! Some people did and then bought online the day after!!:D:D

It took a lot of thought and faffing on the floor at home with bits of masking tape to get it looking how I wanted! Its been more or less like that for the 3 fairs I've done - just changes a little depending on actual size of table, but it seems to work ok for me!

I have seen a lot worse - I burst out laughing when I saw it, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!;)

I think it all depends on what you're selling and what works for you!:)

[flower girl]

Thank you, Thank you :)
All advice very helpful!
And Thank you Tip Top for the very helpful photos of your display.
Your display looks fab!
I really appreciate all your wisdom and advice.