Dear stalls...

[thepinksheep]

Is that my impression or stalls fees are quite dear?
I am put off buy it... How do you guys find it?

[AliCat]

Hi Maria

I agree that some stall prices are really high - especially for one day, smaller shows. But I think we suffer a little from our location! There are a few shows which are worth paying a little more for but some of the large events in the South are astronomically priced!

With an average price of £5.99 for my items, it is impossible for me to be able to cover the many hundreds of pounds some of these shows cost and still make a decent amount on top (to make it worth being there at all!)

There are a few shows which seem to be more realistically priced (even down south!) but they are very much few and far between!!

[Lilac Moon]

I pay on average of £30-£40 for one dayers and upto £110 for 2 days. I am too scared to pay more than this.

[vgbear]

On the whole I only do ones between 15.00 and 25.00 as most of my items are 50p and the dearest being £4.00 you have to sell an awful lot just to cover stall fees.

It does seem lately though that more and more people are setting up events businesses to make money that way and charging more and more for stalls.

I have had quite a few lately offering stalls at 20.00+ for small fairs and you just know you are not going to make it back.

[C Hupfield Ceramics]

I pay on average between £20 - £60 for a stall for 1 day, and up to £150 for a weekend event. Depending on the type of show and how long it has been running, how well the organiser advertises etc. Its important to do your research on fairs and events before booking willy nilly

The most I have paid is £200 and that was over 4 days on a bank holiday.

[lightphase]

i pay between £140 - £300 per weekend for a stall the dearest i have is for 2010 at the nec which is almost £900 for a 4 day show. Average product price between £1 - £9.99

[marblemark]

this is a great subject but there is no correct answer..i have done shows like burghley horse trials and been really worried about paying £900 up front but then had a fantastic 4 days and have done various shows which have been say 25 to 60 pound for the day and done both realy well and awful.i think that genrally the bigger shows get a lot more advertising and publicity and people are coming for shooting,dogs,steam engines etc so you can get people who might not normally go to a "craft fair" as such coming in and then buying.i do agree though it is horrible paying loads up front for all the xmas shows and just hoping you've picked the right ones.

[stephen186]

The amount what is paid for stalls is outrageous, i really hope the stall owners make some decent profit everyday so as to cover up the daily stall rent.

[Caroleecrafts]

Having done three events this year and sold £0, I feel that the stall prices are too high and judging by the emails and telephone calls I am getting atm, the organisers are having a problem filling the spaces. Offered a stand the other week normally £145 for £35 says it all as far as I am concerned.

There are some good ones out there but the organisers seem to be crafters themselves, therefore they know how to advertise and appreciate the work that has gone into making all the products and how hard it is to attract customers. These fairs tend to be handmade only which is better and the public then know what they are getting.

I have just done a party last night (which I was dreading) did not cost me anything except time and petrol and did far better than at any fair past or present.

[greannancrafts]

Some events I do cost thousands to put on cost include hiring of venue - the more upmarket the more expensive.

Often it can take 4-5 days for 10 men to erect marquees etc.

Advertising isn't cheap, papers magazines, road side bill boards.

Often road closures/redirections all have to be paid for

The organiser and their staff have to be paid a wage from the event.

Most rely on gate money for their main revenue.

One organiser I know of lost £25,000 on one such event, all because of bad weather!

Jane

[lightphase]

i know people moan about stall fees and it really annoys me sometimes. on average i spend about £5000 a year on stall fees before i book any of the massive stalls. and i know when i spend this im doing good shows and that no matter what the weather 1000s of people will come because year in year out the organiser is building up her client base.

I only really work with one organiser up in the north west and must say the job she does with her husband is very stressful and second to none.

The annoying bit for me can be the following

1 - some crafters who think that £20 a stall is to dear, i wouldnt get out of bed to do a stall under £100 ive been there made a loss and almost gone bust. My problem with these stall holder (not having a go at any one on here) is that they will try the big shows at £100 - £200 turn up with not enough stock or no thought to there layout and moan when they dont cover the stall. Stalls are like artwork, it takes months and ages to perfect them

2 - the public. Dont get me wrong i love customers but sometimes i walk round and hear them moan oh its the same stuff as last year. they dont think of the time and effort that goes into a stall and what they need to make them sucessful.

there we go ive had my moan il go back into my hole now. I do know though that at some shows advertising can cost around 5k to get in the 10 000 people that attend, and with that in mind what would the organiser do with 50 stalls at £15

[AliCat]

Totally agree, Lightphase. You cannot go to a fair with 20 stalls and spend £10 on your space and then complain that the advertising hasn't been in local papers, etc. It is all relative but then the organiser should expect to spend more in the early days in order to have a long-standing show. If £10 per table is unrealistic for them to put on a good event, it would be better for them to charge a little more and ensure that it isn't a one-time-only deal where no-one is happy.

I book a range of events in various locations - schools, village fetes and larger shows and pay a range of prices for my stalls - from £15/£20 up to £300. I have just looked and the average for 2009 is working out around £70 (if I divide the total amount spent by the total stalls booked). I think you find the types of shows which work for your product and should use this to decide which are going to be most successful for you.

For example, I can't imagine that large sculptures at over £100 a go would sell at some of the village fetes I do but then they will probably do much better at one of the shows I can't afford. There is a place for everyone. If I booked a large event for £900, I would have to smash my all-time sales record just to get close to breaking even... I may as well stay at home and make no money!!

In the end, the truth is that if you are not making your living selling online and need the face-to-face sales, you have to spend money on fairs. Don't forget, the organisers are running a business too and whilst we would all like to think they are in it just to make money for us stallholders, they have to make a living too! I organised exhibitions (very big ones & not craft-related) for 20 years and believe me, organising any event - be it large or small is not easy!

OK - long rambling finishes here! Good luck to you all selling at fairs - lets hope it is a great Christmas and then we won't be worried about our stall costs so much!!

[CarLisaCrafts]

I think its a case of balance isn't it. When is to much? Well tat depends on your perspective... I am newly started and tbh i am finding craft shows pointless for me. Now I have done expensive ones and cheaper ones and find them just the same, its all relative. For me I can make my stall money back BUT its like giving away my precious stock.. it does however show people you are out there and some will call again or use your card to 'look you up' so in some ways you are getting publicity too not just the stand.. Can you put a price on that??? I like the shows but I do think sometimes its a lot of money especailly for the newer amoungst us.. but I guess you have to speculate to accumerlate and I am learning all the time..

Its a tough one and I can see both sides.

[moni219]

stalls

Some events I do cost thousands to put on cost include hiring of venue - the more upmarket the more expensive.

Often it can take 4-5 days for 10 men to erect marquees etc.

Advertising isn't cheap, papers magazines, road side bill boards.

Often road closures/redirections all have to be paid for

The organiser and their staff have to be paid a wage from the event.

Most rely on gate money for their main revenue.

One organiser I know of lost £25,000 on one such event, all because of bad weather!

Jane

I total agree,you do have to take all out goings into account.
my fairs I do the stalls are £25, and I have also paid £160 for an event,and only covered my costs.
I think the £25 is a fair price for a day.What do you think?
People who have organized fairs will know how long and how much work is involved.

[thepinksheep]

I think the £25 is a fair price for a day.What do you think?
People who have organized fairs will know how long and how much work is involved.[/quote]



£25 seems more than fair! I am put off when they charge close to £100 or more... considering all the other cost we also have to add on like transport, food, props...