Taking Orders at a craft fair?

[suejspencer]

I'm doing my first craft fair in December and would like some advice.

As well as making loads of different ranges of cards to sell there, I also make 3D Photo Decoupage cards made to order. I would like to promote this as I think it is quite unique and my regular customers love them.

I can't make them on site and would have to get a photo from them to scan and make the card at home and send it to them along with their original photo. But I not sure how I can take payment. They might not trust me to take all the money up front. (I usually charge about £5.00 A5). If I take a deposit, how will I get the rest of the money?

Has anyone got any suggestions?

[emmat123]

Hi Sue,

I am in the same situation as I make personalised lamps.

I am planning on either taking the full amount (based on the fact I will provide them with a receipt, landline phone number and address). Or I might ask them to pay £10 deposit and then send them a Paypal invoice for the rest.

At the end of the day, if they order on your website they are still trusting you to send it, so it's not that different really!

Emma.

[The Bead Fairy]

If they are serious about an order they won't mind paying up front. if it was a more exspensive item I'd say consider taking a deposit but in your case i think it would be ok to ask for all of it up front. have some printed out reciepts that you can fill in and give them a copy of, and also give them a firm completion date as this will add to thwe trust factor.
Hope this helps.

[l_o_i_s_b]

People are unlikely to have the photo with them that they will want you to make into a card so you could make up some order forms with their info and give them your address and ask them to send you their photo with a cheque for full payment, or even half payment, because if they are serious about the order they will be sending their photo and wanting it back!

Lois x

[Caroleecrafts]

I have been to craft fairs and ordered, and taken orders, paid in full up front. I think you will fin that most customers expect this, if you let them have something with your address on there should not be a problem