Crowded House Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I recently got an email from a local (but large) church asking me if I wanted to be in their Christian craft fair in a month.The jury fee was $15, and the booth fee was $75 - no table, no tent, outside rain or shine, PLUS 15% of all booth sales went to the church.All this seemed okay but this is their first show ever. They had no stats on attendance (or the projected attendance), and their only advertising would be at another local (large, established) art fair one week before theirs.Does the prospect of this being a moneymaker (for the crafter anyway) seem a little "iffy" to anyone else?I'm looking for thoughts on this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vicky_CO Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 If it was me I would not do it. The booth fees is okay but a first year show should not have a jury fee honestly a church craft show shouldn't have one period because they get volunteers to jury the show they don't have to pay people to jury which is what the jury fee is suppose to be for. 15% is a little high after all the rest. I have done shows where they take a percent on top of the booth fee but those are well advertised established shows and then the percent is usually 10%. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CathyinME Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I agree with Vicky. I'd think twice about doing this show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenScentU Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I have done a few church bazaars and I tell you if you are not part of the congretation than it is going to be tough. The last one I did the people only visited the booths of the people they knew everyone else didn't make any money. The kids that were earning money for trips really made all the moolah. Can't complete with that...I haven't done any of them since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunshineSundries Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I agee with Vicky also... This is a church show so I would expect to pay maybe $35-50 for a booth price with a 5-10% in sales going back to the church. Now if I was a member of this church, I would probably up the % to 15 or possibly 20 (it's for my community of friends after all), but that high of a % would be *my* choice, not theirs. The booth price is to cover expenses of opperating the church during the show and to pay for advertising. Now if they were putting ads in all the local papers and on the radio, handing out/posting flyers, and had *major* signage to help promote this first year show, then I'd think about it (especially if the church had a large membership - 700 or more). It's the % I don't rightly agree with - 10% is the average around here... but that's just MHO...The ultimate decision is up to you and what is "average" in your area. Around here (and in my experience), that show probably wouldn't be largely attended by either vendors or customers...Good Luck!TishETS - I didn't even think about the "jury fee" - I have never had to pay a jury fee for a church or school show... that to me just sounds crazy as everyone that puts on the show is donating there time - where is that $15 x number of vendors going to? Jury fee for a church show..... PA-LEEEZZZE!!! no disrespect but that's just sounding like they don't care about the vendor they just want their bucks because they don't expect it to be well attended... kinda puts me off.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doglover Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 The jury fee was $15, and the booth fee was $75 - no table, no tent, outside rain or shine, PLUS 15% of all booth sales went to the church.This truly sounds like a money maker for the church to me. I, unfortunately speaking from experience, have done a few church shows...one or two were first time events. I thought I would help them out and be a part of this growing event. To my dismay, my sales did not even cover the booth fee! And at one show, the church members who did show up, would not even go into the crafters' booths! I would definitely recommend reconsidering selling at this show. Being a first time event (and the pricing seems a bit steep, also) -- and limited advertising-- I would not do it. But that is MHO! Best of luck to ya! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sockmonkey Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I personally don't like the sound of it. The $15 "jury" fee is simply a donation. The juried fairs I am familiar with charge one fee. If you don't make the cut, you get your money back. With this church, since they broke it down, I'm assuming they get $15 whether you make it in or not. Frankly, I doubt that they will reject anyone, since this is a first time event.So, you're out $15 no matter what, then you pay $75 on top of that. Now you're up to $90 in fees. Suppose, hypothetically, since it's a first year event, that you only sell $100 worth of merchandise, that's another $15 in commission you will have to pay the church. That will put the total you have spent at $105 to rent a space, yet you only took in $100.Their advertising is pretty lame. I can't believe they aren't putting an ad in a local paper or getting it promoted as a community event on the tv or radio. Some people who attend a real art fair might not be the least bit interested in going to a church for an event, so they are severely limiting the potential visitors to their event by only advertising there.Unless you just want to support a church (which I assume you don't have any ties to), I wouldn't do it--at least not this year. Is the church on a real busy road, so that it would get any traffic? Otherwise, I don't know how they will bring in the volume of people you would need to make a decent profit at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 The fees are high especially given that they're a non-profit. If they are trying to raise funds they should set up their own booth at this event and get their own members to donate items for sale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crowded House Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 Thank you everyone, for your well-thought out and considerate replies. I haven't done many craft fairs but I was considering this one because it is local. After reading what everyone here has said I think I will pass.Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scented Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 I'd probably skip this show, because I don't much like first year shows and I wouldn't like the fee lol. Then again, I think this sounds like scalp the vendor and no one will argue because we're a church. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sudsnwicks Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 You could go to the show - as a shopper. If you like what you see, then you could always sign up next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crowded House Posted August 3, 2006 Author Share Posted August 3, 2006 Suds, that's a great idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugenia Posted August 3, 2006 Share Posted August 3, 2006 Thank you everyone, for your well-thought out and considerate replies. I haven't done many craft fairs but I was considering this one because it is local. After reading what everyone here has said I think I will pass.Thanks again! I was only approached by ONE show that required a percentage of sales, and that was AFTER the first $250 of sales (w/125 booth fee) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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