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have a couple questions from those that have been there done that


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If you are a been there done that type of person, i have a couple of questions for you.

 

How do you find out about craft shows?

How much product to you need to take? Say i have baby dresses do i need four blue in every size?

Do patterns sell better then product?

Is it worth making patterns instead of product to sell on online?

 

Thanks! :think

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I would suggest visiting some local craft shows and taking detailed notes of the types of items being sold, price ranges, inventory amount the booths have, etc. Prices vary across the country, so that would help give you an idea of the going price rate for your area. You could also talk with vendors and see if they'll share any information about how sales are going. There's no point in taking part in a show that has lots of traffic but very few buyers.

 

Once you know how much you might be able to charge for something, then start looking at the items you'd like to make. Figure up how much time it takes you to make an item. Take the price you think you'd be able to sell it for and subtract out the cost of all supplies. Take the amount that's left and divide it by the number of hours it took you to make it.

 

Would you be happy making that amount of money per hour? You may find that you're only able to make $2-$3 per hour. (And don't forget you have to report this income on your income taxes. If you make less than $500 [i'm not sure if that's the exact figure] you can count it as hobby income, but you can't deduct expenses. You don't have to pay self-employment tax on hobby income. If you make more than the hobby threshold, you'll have to declare it as income, and pay the additional 15% self-employment tax on it in addition to federal and state income tax.)

 

If your goal is to make money, a part-time job would very likely end up paying you more per hour than you can make selling at a craft show. If you crochet so much that you have more finished items than you know what to do with, maybe you want to just make some money back from those items plus not have them sitting around any more. In that case, the hourly rate you get may not be as important to you.

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I think it depends on your product and the area you are selling in. I have not done a craft show yet but am thinking about doing one. In my area craft shows run $150 for 1 space and I think that MAY include electric but not sure. My cousin did a craft show several years ago - spent the $150 on the space and only sold 1 item. She does exquisite pottery pieces too! We figure its the area! Everyone at the last craft show I attended had either crochet, knit, food or jewelry! Attend a few in your area and talk to the vendors, they are usually very friendly and will help you. Also call the places that hold the shows and talk to someone that can give you info on what the charges are, etc. Ask the question you asked here about having to have a certain number of items. I think most shows want you to sign up months in advance so you will have time to accumulate your selling items

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