Fairs a bit slow, B2B good - The Sequel.

Submitted by Sumptuosity on Mon, 02/10/2006 - 08:11.

Well, it is Monday morning and before I get back on the ol'sewing machine (I don't mean literally, I'm not actually sitting on top of the machine)I thought I should write another blog. It can be part of my plan to be super organised as to my time management...

Again last weekend's fair was a bit slow. The highlite was that I had a customer order a number of cushions for her home - this was a lady whom I had met at the same fair in November 2005 and later posted her fabric samples. I had telephoned her and she said that she was busy with Christmas and would be in touch with me soon. Well, as you can imagine, as the months went on I thought 'oh well, can't win them all' - so I was delighted when she telephoned me last week and asked when my next fair was to be. Silks will be ordered this morning and order completed asap!

John (my husband & business partner) helped out at the fair on Saturday - he always enjoys talking to the ladeeez! And a trio of very nice customers suggested a number of shops to try as potential stockists in some of the Yorkshire market towns. They also purchased a number of our sumptuous silk & vintage luxury lavender bags as stocking fillers.

I think that my point is 'to always think positively' it does help.

B2B is continuing to go well, with three new stockists last week and one potential who I need to telephone to see if she has decided yes or no. - I'll keep you posted.

Right time to do some exercise, then some sewing (brooch stocks are low to say the least) and then some telephoning of current stockists to see how September sales have been.

Cheers
Ruth (Sumptuosity)
www.sheer-sumptuosity.co.uk

helloooo

Submitted by emily on Mon, 02/10/2006 - 11:12.

Hey Ruth!

It's good to hear things are going well with you (despite some slow fairs). That's fantastic that you're expanding your stockists. How do you find keeping up with all the sewing? Are you able to keep yourself well stocked?

Emily

work: www.webfooteddesigns.co.uk
blog: www.marblecake.org.uk

work: www.webfooteddesigns.co.uk
blog: www.marblecake.org.uk

Slow September sales

Submitted by annasmedgard on Mon, 02/10/2006 - 16:43.

Hello Ruth
I have been thinking about your slow sales since your last blog, and my theory is that your customers are having a tight month - past holiday, pre Christmas..!
There seems to be lots of craft fairs popping up in November. My local market town has the annual one on 12th of November. I think that is when people will really open their wallets, so I would make an insanely large amount of lavender bags if I were you, I think you might need them ;)

Anna
Moderator, flyingstartups.com

Anna
Moderator, flyingstartups.com

Things were similar a few years ago

Submitted by Samadan on Wed, 04/10/2006 - 06:14.

Hi Ruth,

I tried doing fairs a couple of years ago selling my photography. I did 4 various sized ones over October to December. October was by far the worst with steady increase running up to Christmas.

From talking to other traders, they were saying in October it was a particularly bad year and many were making losses.

Great to hear things are developing B2B as well, helps smooth out the bumpy fairs I bet.

All the best,

Stu.
www.visit3d.co.uk
www.hogton.com

Lavender bags & Pin Brooches

Submitted by Sumptuosity on Wed, 10/01/2007 - 11:37.

Hi Anna,

As I am writing this in January (so with hindsight!) I can say that you were so right! The last fair that we did with 'Made in Yorkshire' ran from the end of November and well into December (about 11 days in total) and it was incredible - No I didn't have enough stock and so was making like crazy in the early mornings and evenings of each day. I had seriously underestimated the demand both from the fair and from the growing number of stockists that we have been getting. It has been a very valuable lesson!

Ruth

October

Submitted by Sumptuosity on Wed, 10/01/2007 - 11:47.

Hi Stu,

I think that October is a pretty grim month - although I did have some success with some new designs for 'Halloween' pin brooches. I sewed a few pumpkins with wicked faces - mostly to amuse myself and they sold immediately. I even had the brilliant experience of going into a shop in York to buy some stamps when I noticed that the girl behind the counter was wearing one of my brooches (a pumpkin). This was the first time that I had ever seen someone (not a family member or friend) wearing one of my items away from one of the Fairs. It felt great!

I am continuing to develop B2B (which is something that my husband has been keen on all along) and I can now really begin to understand the importance of not having 'all your eggs in one basket'. As you state it does help to smooth out the bumpy fairs.

Hope you had a good Christmas and that 2007 will be great for you

Ruth

Hej Hej Emily

Submitted by Sumptuosity on Wed, 10/01/2007 - 11:56.

Hej Emily,

Good to hear from you - hope that you had a great Christmas and that you will have a brilliant 2007!

Keeping the business well stocked for both the fairs and the growing numbers of B2B in the run up to Christmas was completely mad! I had seriously underestimated how much I would need to have available for both areas of the business as I wanted to keep stockists happy and make sure that I still had some items to sell myself. I just about managed by making every morning and evening but who knows how much more I would have sold if I had actually had it. This is particularly true of the notebooks that I made. Still it has been a valuable lesson and one which I am working on to make sure that 2007 is different.

Ruth

Mind reading

Submitted by cassandra77 on Wed, 10/01/2007 - 12:05.

Hello Ruth,

I am so excited to hear that you had fabulous sales on the run up to Christmas. It is so completely encouraging to read about the highs of fellow business start ups.
I have had similar experiences with markets. I was involved in a market in Purley and it was absolutely dire. If it wasn't for a good friend of mine swooping in at the last minute to do her Christmas shopping at my stall, I would have gone home £10 poorer due to stall rental.

I know what you mean about keeping the eggs out of just one basket. I have currently decided to open up to the idea of bringing a few other products onto my site that I have found outside of my own creativity. One little number was such a shock as it turned out to be my best seller. I ran out of stock a few days before Christmas. I have also spotted a lady that makes super lovely handmade soaps and will be adding small travel soaps and smellies to my site.

Keep up the incredibly fabulous hard work and I can't wait to read more about your successes.

Cassandra
www.geehowquaint.com