General Chat

I've come upon a potential brainwave. I've been making handmade greetings cards to sell at craft fairs and things, but I've discovered (through trial and error) that I never seem to be able to sell enough cards at each fair to cover the cost of my stall or table space.

It occurred to me that perhaps I might be better off asking local businesses or art shops or the gallery in town if they would stock them - at least it would save on table or stall costs - so I wondered, is there anyone on here (or anyone who knows anyone) who has followed this type of route and had any success with it?

Try the Shops/Gallerys Etc.on a Sale or return plus Commission Basis,It might work.**M**.

hi kate my mum had a craft shop and used to sell hand made cards give it a go they can only say no.

Thanks, Merlin and Tory, that is a good idea. I'm only just starting out really (for the last 6/7 months) so I haven't had a lot of work yet and my income's a bit sporadic.

I've been making cards now and then since about Christmas so I've got quite a stock now but nowhere really to sell them. (I am doing a few craft fairs but not selling cards because I just won't be able to sell enough cards to cover my costs.)

I sold cards I had made, for many years, and found the only way to make a profit was to go round the local shops, I sold though news agents, the best one was hairdressers, also garden centres, if you do shows folk will buy if you are affiliated to a charity,
I gave a percentage to a local school for disabled youngsters , also did brownies and guides fund raising dos... very best of luck, try them all they can only say yes or no,( sale or return on commision..)

Jean x

That's a thought, Jean. I did give some of my cards to my old school's Christmas Fayre last November - everything they made went to the school.

Forgive my inexperience, but how do you work out commission etc? (Believe it or not, they never thought to tell us any of this at university so I've been working by trial and error so far.)

Kate, you will have to break down your costs: cardstock,time it took to make card, exrtas, first try to buy as cheaply as you can, trawl the net, find the sites that give best deals, if you can afford buy in bulk or see if a friend will share with you, the larger amount you can buy the more you profit by, also have a look at what hand made cards are selling for in specialist shops and stores, your work needs to be top quality, and individual, but word of caution, alas you will not make a fortune selling cards, you will probably only cover the cost per card plus 10-15% I used to make other stuff, bookmarks buy note pads usually of market stalls, plain, then decorate, these do well at fund raising dos, kiddies love them, if I can help you further p.m me

Jean x

What about ebay? I have a friend who does arts n crafts and she sells her stuff on ebay. Another friend used to make beaded jewellery and also sold that on ebay.

Athena

Thanks for that, Jean - good advice. I don't think you can make a lot selling cards, really. My main thing's photography but I haven't had a lot of work with that yet. (I did bulk-buy just after Christmas on blank cards - got 150 for £15, plus the business rates have gone through the roof round here and a lot of shops have sold up and moved to other locations so there have been a few closing down sales, too.)

And Athena's idea is good, too - at least with putting them on eBay or something like that you don't have to go round trying to sell them and they're ready to go when someone buys them.

Dont give up though, my niece takes photos local
scenes and buildings, makes them into cards,
sells ,through heritage centre, also makes it know
that you would make special cards to order,
improvise the ones you already have,,

I think most art and craft places are on sale or return. I notice my local little shop is selling someone's handmade cards. I've no idea how much commission they take but they were very reasonable when my daughter was selling her beaded jewellery there.

I sell my artwork through galleries as well as direct to customers but for the sort of stuff I do the gallery takes 40% commission so I only get 60% of the selling price.

You have to take into account the costs of materials and of any costs incurred travelling to get them or to go to the outlets you've found.

For cards you may have to provide your own display stand. I have had to provide my own cabinet for my glass for two galleries I use.

Good luck

Sue

That is a good thought, Jean. I have loads of photos of local landscapes and also a huge bank of flower photographs - I'm hoping to get prints made at some point (or failing that, to approach an image library to see if they would be interested - then again, I have so many pictures, I could almost set one up myself!).

And that's something else I've learnt, Sue - never overestimate your facilities. I went to a craft fair on Easter Sunday, posted my booking form off. It was at a pub and restaurant so I assumed they would provide a table for each person - they assumed people would write on the form if they needed a table. (But they did kindly find me a bench to use.)

A lady I knew went round the local newsagents, children's nurseries and garden centres and they took them on a "sale or return" basis.

I've also noticed people selling handmade products in the local library.

I hope that helps.

Aileen xxx