A Lousy Show

Re: A Lousy Show

Mike Schwing from Md.

>Ah bummer Bill. I suspect they were thinking about buying flats of annuals or yards of mulch, and wondering what they were doing spending the gorgeous day walking through the aisles instead of biking or gardening or whatever their pleasure may be. I know it wasn't for lack of quality where your booth was concerned.

Better luck next time.

Re: A Lousy Show

Gary Evans, Tallassee, TN

>I feel your pain, Bill,

I did a spring show at a local retirement community a couple of years ago. I talked to a lot of folks, many of whom obviously had money, but only sold one bowl, and it was a commissioned piece. Didn't sell anything that I took with me.

So it goes,

Gary

Re: A Lousy Show

Tom In Red Deer

>Hi Bill,

It happened here as well. I was at a Spring Craft Show on Saturday and the relatives of your customers must of been here!

Lots of oo's and ah's and "lovely work" but very little cash changed hands.

Most of the other venders I talked to had the same experience. The only ones that made any money sold food.

It was like people where in a trance.

I did manage to cover expenses and pay for a bottle of Scotch to drown the sorrows but that was it.

Oh well, like you said, we have lot's of stuff ready for the next one!

Tom in Red Deer

Re: A Lousy Show

Raymond Overman in SC

>Sorry to hear about the local show Bill. I've just put my name in the hat for a booth at our local Spring festival on Mother's day weekend. I hope that your experience isn't a thermometer for the market here.

My father and I get together with this show and share the cost of a booth. If nothing else though, my father and I get to spend a weekend together talking about woodturning so it can't be a bad time.

Good luck with the next show.

Re: A Lousy Show

Glenn Hodges

>Been there, done that, quit the spring show because of low sales. I decided to stay home and turn bowls in hopes of selling stuff at fall shows. Hope it gets better. At least you did not have a big gas bill getting to a show a long way from your house.

Glenn Hodges

Re: A Lousy Show

Ron in Drums PA

>For years I've noticed that the first two weeks of April is a lousy time when it comes to sales. I believe it's because Uncle Sam is looking for his share of the profits and buyers are keeping their money close at hand.

Re: A Lousy Show

Bill Grumbine (Kutztown PA)

>Thanks for the comments everyone. Misery loves company, and I guess I am in some good company here. One lady at the show wanted to blams the president for the lousy showing. I realize that there are a lot of different political vviews here, but unless he was making a speech on TV and everyone stayed home to watch it, I find it hard to assign him the blame.

Bill

Re: Great weather Sat = lousy show for me too.

Al Crandall --NE of Indy--

>I think everyone stayed home Sat. to get a jump on their yards and gardens. I was hoping for cold and rainy. The "crowd" was non-existant.

Agree With Ron

John McAtee

>I have to agree with Ron that April is probably the worst month of the year for both interest and sales. I've kept statistics on this over the last five years or so that bears this out - April's always the worst. I think Ron's right in that taxes are a factor. Also, people minds and pocketbooks are moving out of winter and into spring - yard stuff, new car/truck, home fixups, etc.

Re: Agree With Ron

Bill Grumbine (Kutztown PA)

>Yard stuff, tractors, and all that sort of thing. I spent all day for two days sitting in a gym thinking I could have been sitting on the tractor disking the yard and getting some other landscaping projects underway. So, I can relate to that entirely.

We were talking about this the other night, and there are some definite cycles in the business with regards to students, furniture, and craft shows. If I can just harmonize it all, I think I will be happier with the way the whole thing runs over the course of a year. Of course, if I could do that easily enough, I would quit my job as a woodworker and go around the country telling others how to organize themselves. If anyone ever saw my shop though, I could be jailed for fraud!

Bill

Re: Agree With Ron

John K Jordan

>>I've kept statistics on this over the last five

>years or so that bears this out - April's always the worst.

So which month is the best? I think many people would be interested in your statistics - a month-by-month listing of the sales percentages would be great if you have that much detail.

JKJ in East TN

Re: Agree With Ron

Ron in Drums PA

>I have sales statistics for my business for the last 20 years setup in an excel file. It easy to do as long as you do it.

Being a printer most of this info wouldn't relate to the sales we as woodturners would be interested in.

As an example December is my worst month because who buys printing as an Xmas present and print buyers budgets has run out by then. I bet as a woodturner this would be a great month.

Best Months

John McAtee

>John, my best months are always September and October. November is close 2nd. These are the months when the craft fairs have done the best, in sales amount but not necessarily traffic. I'd be interested in hearing the experiences of others.