2 art show questions.

Re: 2 art show questions.

TomW in SouthJersey

>Ron - I can't answer your question. but where and when is your show? I might be riding the wilds of Pa. on the motorcycle this weekend and maybe in the neighborhood.

Tom

Re: 2 art show questions.

John Trant (Baltimore/WashDC)

>I put a sheet of bubble wrap between each bowl of a stack. The stack is nesseled in a sheet of bubble wrap and placed in stackable/nestable lidded storage boxes I get from Lowes/HomeDepot (about $5 each). These are the kind of storage containters that have 2 half-lids which are hinged on the long side and interlock in the center. When I started, I used newspaper instead of bubble wrap. I find having the same size stoage container for all of my office stuff, hardware, bowls, drapes, etc facilitates storage of the empty containers at the show.

After the sale, I wrap the customer's bowl in bubble wrap (along with a business card) and bag it up in a "T-shirt" style shopping bag (Staples or Office Depot).

More recently, I have purchased "stemware" gift boxes to package my Christmas ornaments. I am thinking about buying better bags but it is a low priority expense.

John

Re: 2 art show questions.

Les Robison

>For transporting the bowls, etc., I have gone to Dollar Store and purchased some towels in various sizes. Have the Mrs. sew them together to form a bag. Put the bowls, etc. in each bag and then box them. The advantage is they are always reuseable and really protect the items.

For shows, when I make a sale, I put the bowl, etc. in tissue paper and then into a bag. The bags (and tissue) I also get at Dollar Store. They come in lots of sizes and colors and cost 2 for $1. I staple my business card and a care instruction sheet to the bag.

Good luck at the show.

Re: 2 art show questions.

John Lucas

>Ron

I use shop towels and cut up blankets to wrap pieces and store them in the big plastic containers that Walmart and Lowes sells. They stack When full and store inside each other when empty. The lids keep rain out when setting up in the rain.

I use tissue and plastic bags I got from a mail order place. I would have to look it up to tell you where. John

Re: 2 art show questions.

Dale Cook

>Hi Ron. To transport pieces to a show I wrap them in paper towels and put them in a cardboard box,the kind from a grocery store with the handles. I tried bubble wrap once but it left a slight imprint on some pieces,most of my stuff is high gloss lacquer.When I sell a piece I wrap it in tissue paper and put it in a nicer bag, the kind with some handles,I think I got them at walmart.Good luck.

Re: 2 art show questions.

Dick Hines

>I use big plastic boxs from Lowes. Home Depot also has them. I put 2-3 sheets of newspaper between each bowl. On vases and hollow froms I rap them in news paper.

I rap eack piece in tissue paper and place it into a brown paper bag with a handle. The bags come from Uline. I tie a bow from raffia to the handle and tie one of my business cards on one end of the raffia.

I just can't stand to go to a show and buy something and have it put into a used plastic bag.

Lots of money is spent in the business world on just the package the product comes in.

One More Question....

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Thanks for posting the questions Ron. They couldn�t be timelier for me as I have my first Art Fair June 18th. I also have a question to add, and that is....do most of you Fair participants take credit cards? I'm not planning on going that route for now....but am wondering if there will be a lot of passers by if I don't? I guess I'll find out.

Thanks for any insight to your experiences with this issue.

Jennifer

Re: 2 art show questions.

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Dick, have you ever had issues with ink rubbing off onto the bowls? That would make me nervous.

Jennifer

Re: 2 art show questions. *LINK*

Raymond Overman in SC

>Ron,

I wrap my bowls in brown paper that comes in rolls in the paint section of the big orange box used for trimming out for painting. Then transport them either in a cardboard box. The only shows I do are within 5 miles of my house though. I'd probably go with bubble wrap and plastic bins if I had to travel any distance.

As for after the sale, I bought handled kraft paper bags and tissue from Nashville Wraps over the Internet. I was pleased with the pricing for the quantity I needed and the bags looked nice as well. Link provided below. There shipping was fast.

I'm not affiliated, just had a good experience with them.


Nashville Wraps

Re: 2 art show questions.

Dick Hines

>Have never had a complaint. Most people think the extra effort is a good thing.

Re: 2 art show questions.

Dick Hines

>Just read your post again. At first I thought you were talking about the tissue paper. As far as the news print the answer is no. Not so far but I have a show this weekend and I am now sure everything will be covered with ink. LOL

Re: One More Question....

Robert Savit

>In my experience it almost a necessity to be prepared to take credit cards. The best deal I've found for a merchant account is from Costco. Become a member and you can get a pretty inexpensive merchant account from Nova, through Costco. The best thing about it is that you can get a seasonal account which you can inactivate for 8 months out of the year.

Bob Savit

Absolutely... *LINK*

Peter Teubel

>You *WILL* loose sales if you don't accept plastic. I use ProPay.com for my CC sales. I don't do it real-time; I process the day's slips in the evening when I get home.

Now most of my sales are credit cards.


ProPay

Re: One More Question....

RonZ

>Plastic is a must, especially for those impulse buyers. Paypal works fine for online sales. Just make sure you don't loose money being signed up.

Re: One More Question....

Anthony Y

>Jennifer,I did shows for a few years without accepting cards and finally gave in about five years ago. At my first "card" show the first sale was a lady who wanted to buy a $12 bottle stopper, she looked at my Visa sign and said "oh you take Visa" and walked out with $72 worth of turnings!

Re: 2 art show questions.

Anthony Y

>In the early days I had a customer complain because I was using newspaper, I bought bulk tissue paper after that.

Tissue paper *LINK*

Anthony Y

>Lets see if this works


http://www.fetpak.com/whstore/main.pl/itl?175

Re: 2 art show questions.

Jim King

>I posted this photo some time ago , it has doubled my cost end quadripled my selling price. A bit of work but if you want to make money the effort is worth it.

Re: Absolutely...

Sean Troy

>Hi Peter, are you very satisfied with this co.? Which program are you using that they offer. Thanks, Sean

Re: One More Question....

Bruce Wiseman

>Jennifer, where is your showing? I would like to stop by if possible.

Re: One More Question....

Sam Dean

>Is this the Art Fair on the Square in B-Town?

Re: One More Question....

Russ Fairfield

>On credit cards, I am totally against the "comventional wisdom" on this one.

After hearing about all of the sales I was missing, I started taking credit cards, and nothing happened; there was no increase in sales. After 2-years, I quit taking credit cards, and nothing happened; there was no loss of sales.

I do take personal checks, and I have yet to get a bad one in 20-years.

Others have different experiences. Use your own judgement. I would recommend getting at least a year and several shows for experience before thinking about the credit card business.

Re: One More Question....

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Sam, What is the Square in B-Town? The one I'm in is the 54th Street Art Fair on June 18th. It's just east of Broad Ripple. Between the Monon and Keystone.

Jennifer

Re: One More Question....

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Bob, Thank you. I'll keep this in mind for if and when I go that route. I am a member of Costco.

Jennifer