Craft Show Tables - Is Expensive Better?

"More expensive doesn't always mean better. "

I think we all know this statement because it applies to just about any business expense, but over the weekend it was confirmed for us.

We attended a very established craft show featuring around 100 different vendors. This location has 4 craft shows a year, every year, and has been going on for over a decade. However, this was the first year we had attended this particular event as a vendor.

The layout was pretty simple, and they had two main sections. The front area by the door which lead into the main room (it's actually a theater at an amusement park, the main room was where the chairs would have been and crafters were even up on the stage). The other main area was the hallway that wrapped around the main section. It was easily accessible from all areas, and not hard to see. Even still, this narrow hallway section was about half the cost of the main. Since it was our first time at this event, we opted for the hallway because of the price and to see how it went.

I was amazed at how well we did considering we were "stuck out in the hallway". I really don't think there was many guests that didn't make it back in that hallway, and the table was large enough for us to make $200 in sales (the table cost $35). That was slightly above average for us to make that much for a table so cheap. The last event we attended was only about $150 in sales for the same size table. What really blew us away was talking with another vendor who stated this was the "slow show". *GASP!* If this was slow, I want to see the busy one for sure. *grin*

The main difference between costs was not so much the location, but the size of the space. Could we have made more with a fancy, large display instead of a table? Possibly, it's hard to say because of all the variables involved. We wouldn't know for sure unless we attended the same event at the same time of year. However, it's been our experience that the size of the area and massive set up makes little difference. Our table doesn't get much more basic, and our sales really come from talking with the customers. Just last fall at a different show someone with an elaborate display a few tables from us didn't even sell half as much as we did. We talked to our customers - he didn't as much. By the way, he had soy candles like us. ;)

The lesson from this experience was this: spending more on a table at a craft show doesn't always mean more sales. We took the smaller area in the out of the way place for less cost, and still made a nice profit. The guests were there to see all the tables, not just those in the main section, so we were found either way by most. Being in the main section could have gotten us lost in the crowd, because it even took us a few times walking around to find every table.

While taking a look at some of these shows before buying a table is a good idea, it's not always an option. Testing on your own is going to give you the best understanding of what's worth it and what's not. Don't be afraid to take a loss, and chalk it up to experience!

Direct Sales Helpers - On the Road