Pres Posted June 3 Report Share Posted June 3 Back in the 90's, I would do the Penn State Arts Festival mid weekend in July. This juried show allowed locals to jury in with actual works after viewing slides of work. Locals had a better chance of getting in in that manner. I did the show the first year with what I thought was enough, and ended up with empty shelves the first year on the 2nd or 3rd day. Lots of mugs, boxes and bowls went like crazy. I found out later while talking to other potters from around me and elsewhere that they believed you had to do the show with $10K in stock. The next year I aimed at that, and had pieces left over. I still found that my smaller stuff went off the shelves like they had wings! Mugs,-large and small, boxes of all sizes, and bowls. I did find that teapots would sell under strange circumstances, but another story. QotW: What is your best selling item at shows beyond mugs? Second part: What do you recommend a new potter doing a show start with in the way of work? best, Pres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyK Posted June 3 Report Share Posted June 3 I've not done any shows, but my best seller at my summer veggie stand is bowls... Pres and Rae Reich 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Min Posted June 3 Report Share Posted June 3 11 hours ago, Pres said: What is your best selling item at shows beyond mugs? Dollar wise or volume wise? Dollar wise it would be my (lazy) susan sets, volume wise my tiny prep bowls. 11 hours ago, Pres said: What do you recommend a new potter doing a show start with in the way of work? This is a really hard question! Perhaps it depends on the potter and where their style of work leads them. For functional work I would say a few styles and sizes of bowls and some less expensive small items like spoon rests, trinket dishes etc. Pres and Rae Reich 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted June 4 Report Share Posted June 4 I never figured the number two item-Mugs yes on #1 Number two small stuff-like spoon rests (maybe #2 in volume not cost) and sponge holders In terms of cost it may be small to meduim bowls all funtional wares and stick to smalls to start with (smalls being not large one of a kind items) Pres 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly in AK Posted June 4 Report Share Posted June 4 Volume wise it’s small bowls. Little bowls, like what you might put dipping sauce or chopped herbs into. Good as ramekins for crème brûlée. Pres 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted June 5 Report Share Posted June 5 Sponge holders were my biggest sellers, often more than mugs. They were probably the most profitable, too. I only had about 5-6 minutes of work in them and sold them for $22. They always covered all my booth fees. Pres, Kelly in AK and Roberta12 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEP Posted June 5 Report Share Posted June 5 After mugs, it’s small bowls that you can eat out of (as opposed to bowls large enough to serve things in). Cereal bowls, noodle bowls, salad bowls, etc. Pres 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark C. Posted June 5 Report Share Posted June 5 small bowls are good Sellars-I make a miso size (small hand held size) and a ceral bowl that is larger. The Misos are popular to more people at shows but less in wholesale. That stuff matters meaning where and how its sold. Roberta12 and Pres 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeU Posted June 6 Report Share Posted June 6 I don't do shows/craft fairs anymore but when I did the best sellers, and the best return for my time/effort, were the catchalls (little bowl-shaped dishes for trinkets, a pile of thumb drives, small handfull of nuts, the morning's pills, keys etc.), decorative tealight bases, spoon rests, and small (maybe 5x7) shallow trays. Pres 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta12 Posted June 9 Report Share Posted June 9 Most of my shows are holiday shows now. So after mugs, would come ornaments. No kidding. They are kiln fillers (as @Mark C. says) and do not take up a lot of space. Then spoon rests, small bowls, and earrings. Earrings take a lot of time but.....customers will pay more for a pair of earrings than for a mug. How is everyone's summer going? It has suddenly gotten warm here. But not complaining. At least not yet! Pres and Kelly in AK 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeU Posted June 12 Report Share Posted June 12 On 6/8/2024 at 8:09 PM, Roberta12 said: How is everyone's summer going? No idea how it's going for "everyone" , but for me, it's been downright chilly for much of the months since the March thaw (upper New England). Heat kicked on the other night. A week or so ago it went from 46 to 85 between late in the night and mid afternoon. Lots of rain too. Hit upwer 60's today, be in the 50's overnight. However, I like it-that's "hot" enough LOL! Don't care for heat and I just bide my time until it snows again.❄️ Roberta12 and Kelly in AK 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.J. Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 I'm just finished my second year at shows. I don't do too much functional wear, and hand build. My best sellers are wind chimes, and then airplant holders. Pres 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denice Posted June 17 Report Share Posted June 17 I don't sell at shows but I do sell at galleries. I sell about the same amount of large sculpted teapots and vases, for a small item I make kidney bean shape paperweight with hand carvings and unusual glazes. They are really good sellers, my husband even hid a few of them so I wouldn't sell all of them. Denice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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