“How much stock to take to a craft fair?”

Dear Design Doctor

I’m doing my first major event and I’m wondering how much stock to take to a craft fair? It’s not just about storage problems, but mostly about how much I should make in advance. Plus I don’t want to take too much home again either! Any help greatly appreciated.

The Design Doctor for this real life question is Patricia van den Akker, Director of The Design Trust:

‘This is a very popular question and I have seen some creative business advisers share ‘formulas’ to calculate how much stock to take to a craft fair, but to be honest this is a kind of ‘How long is a piece of string?’ question. The answer will depend on …

• How much stock you have got
• Your sale and order predictions
• Your profile and brand recognition
• How much marketing you will do and to whom
• How many visitors and buyers there will be, and if they buy or browse
• What kind of fair it is e.g. trade or consumer
• How much space you have got
• The price level of your stock
• How you want to position yourself: giftware or luxury?
• The quality and desirability of your work
• When the show takes place
• The weather (!)

Of course, if you bring too much stock to a craft fair then it can be a waste of time and money, and you might even break some of that work. Having to drag all leftover stock back to your car after the event when you are tired, perhaps up long stairs after a quiet show, can be pretty depressing …

But if you bring too little stock or the wrong stock then you might regret it and blame yourself for not making the right choices.

These 5 practical tips will help you decide how much stock to take to a craft fair:

Tip 1: Use your common sense & ask for advice

Don’t be afraid to talk to the organisers or more experienced exhibitors at the show what kind of sales you can expect and what last year’s bestsellers were at the show. Ask for specific advice about how much stock to take based on their experience of that particular show.

Think about what kind of products would really sell at that particular show. For example in the run up to Christmas, you can expect more sales of giftable items up to £70 for example, whilst people would be quite happy to wait or commission you if they come to an Open Studio event in the spring or summer.

Tip 2: Is it a trade or consumer show?

If it is a trade show then you only need to take one item of each as buyers will order from you and you will deliver later. Trade buyers normally expect delivery of orders within 2 – 4 weeks so make sure that you have some stock already available.

If they put in a very big order then you can negotiate longer lead times. If the trade show takes place in June and the orders are for Christmas then delivery in September would be expected. Want to find out more how to deal with larger trade orders? Read this blog post.

If it is a consumer show then most people would expect to be able to purchase on the spot or to pick purchases up on the last day of the show. For larger or more expensive items you can arrange delivery and even hang pieces if required (that’s a good way to build a relationship with your client and to provide excellent customer care! You might be surprised how many people are unable to hang a picture properly …)

Tip 3: Where do you position yourself in the market?

If you are selling higher-end craft or design products then a fairly minimal stand with only a few items that are well-lit, often works well. Do make sure it’s in line with your brand and add a bit of personality! Luxury stands and displays often use either white or dark colours, and look like a gallery or museum display.

A very common exhibition mistake I see is makers of high-end crafts who have got far too many pieces on display.

If you want to sell luxury goods then you need to focus on selecting only a couple of your very best pieces, and then display and light them very well.

And yes, you do need to be confident to pull this of!

If you sell higher-end aim to create a ‘scarcity’ mentality amongst your clientele.

Another ‘selling trick’ is to use ‘red dots’ to show that pieces have already sold. High profile exhibitors often have a waiting list of clients who are happy to wait to get their specially commissioned pieces.

REAL LIFE STORY: When I was part of the organising team of Chelsea Crafts Fair (back in the 1990’s!) some of the best-known ceramicists used the ‘red dot’ technique. And a well-known silver smith used to bring only 5 or 6 pieces and when they had sold he would arrange meetings with potential clients by appointment in his studio or their house a couple of weeks after the event. It worked really well for him to have a ‘waiting list’ because his clients would then want his work even more!

On the other end of the spectrum, some makers show loads of work. This can work really well if you are selling at a lower, giftware price level when it is common to show a lot of work in shops too.

However, most established successful exhibitors have got just enough stock but create well designed displays of pieces that work well together. They keep some stock ‘behind under wraps’ to share with visitors later during the event.

A very common mistake that new exhibitors make is thinking they need much more stock than they actually do.

You might make a lot of work in advance, but then become selective with what you actually show and how you show it.

If you show all the work that you have produced then it very often comes across as a little chaotic. Also, it’s very common that at the start of your career you are still developing your style and niche, and therefore your work might be more eclectic. Create collections with similarities in style and colour, and display them separately.

Otherwise, it’s really hard for potential clients to see what you are about, what your style or story is, and what you want to be known for.

Really think about the first impression you want to give to visitors, how you will stand out and be memorable at events that are visually very busy. Get creative with your display!

Tip 4: Use your space creatively but effectively.

To attract your ideal clients to your stand add colour or fix beautiful, large images on your walls. Showing image of what inspires you can be very attractive too, especially for jewellers who make very small items and need something eye-catching to draw their ideal clients in. I regularly work with Scottish designers who share images of their local landscape or nature, which attracts the right kind of client and then start a memorable conversation.

Putting relevant pieces together as a collection and lighting them well is really effective. Think about what else you need on your stand, for example, storage for stationery or cash, or a stool to sit on. Use different surfaces to put items on, and use the walls effectively. You can read my article about what to bring to a craft fair here.

Have some extra stock available on your stand or easily accessible. You can always replenish while the show is on. In fact, many exhibitors like to improve on (or fiddle with?) their display in the quieter moments of a show.

Tip 5: And it is not necessarily a bad thing if you run out of stock.

Having loads of ‘red dots’ on your stand is pretty good (having loads of ‘gaps with nothing in them’ isn’t that great so rearrange your display).

It depends on how you follow up with your client if you can turn their interest into a sale or commission.

Ask your clients what they are looking for and suggest another piece instead.

Get it out of storage especially for them (it will make them feel really cared for!).

Or share your website and suggest some pieces there. If they purchase on the spot you can offer them free postage & packaging as a special offer.

The reality is … you will never get this stock Dilemma entirely right.

Even established exhibitors get it ‘wrong’ sometimes.

But if you do your research in advance, you respond with alternatives, follow up where necessary and learn from your ‘mistakes‘ for future shows, then you will get closer and closer to predicting what your clients want. And how much stock to take to a craft fair next time!

All the best with your first show. Happy selling, and happy learning!’

Are you an experienced exhibitor? How do you predict how much stock you take to a craft fair? Share your comments or suggestions below in the comment box.