I remember preparing for the harvest festival when my boys were young. We prepared leaf fairies, acorn necklaces, jacob’s ladders, and potpourri sachets. I’m sure I enjoyed it much more than the boys. They were more interested in the cinnamon apples, playing with their friends, and climbing on the haystacks.
Craft Bazaars are a fun introduction to selling your crochet items at retail. Most Bazaars are small and offer booths at affordable prices.
You’ll find details about bazaars in your area at local schools, community centers, retirement communities, clubs, and churches.
Pricing Example: Owl Stuffy (you can find the pattern at Cre8tionCrochet.com)
Cost of Materials: Scraps plus $7 batting
Labor: 1 hour
Recommended Retail: $12-18
What’s Inside:
- Audience
- Inventory
- Cost
- Profit
1. Determine Your Audience
Craft Bazaars are normally small, used to raise funds for nonprofits and seasonal. Your customers will most likely be people looking for quick gifts under $20.
- Children
- Parents
- Teens
- Grandparents
- Friends
- Aunts
- Uncles
- Teachers
2. Decide What Will You Sell
To make the most profit from a Bazaar you need to sell items with the lowest cost of production. You also need to take into consideration the audience. For example, low priced gifts that children can buy their friends and loved ones.
- Hair accessories
- Jewelry
- Scrubbies
- Wash cloths
- Coasters
- Pins
- Brooches
- Mittens
- Amigurumi
- Sweets
- Coffee/Tea cozies
Gifts packaged for Dads, Moms, men, women, friends, boyfriends, boys, girls, babies, Aunts, Uncles, Teachers and Grandparents tend to do well around major holidays.
3. Determine the Cost of Production
Before you price your crochet items you need to know what it costs you to make it.
Overhead – anything that isn’t materials and labor (advertising, legal fees, distribution costs, property tax, accounting, etc.)
Materials – all supplies that go into the finished product
Labor – wage of person directly making the product
Lower your cost of production to increase your profit
4. Decide How Much Profit You Want
As a hobbyist there is no need to worry about profit but selling as a business you MUST make a profit.
You can set a dollar amount like $1.00 per piece OR you can use the formula below to calculate your profit.
C.O.P. (cost of production) = Materials + Labor + Overhead
Wholesale – (C.O.P. x 2)
Retail – (Wholesale x2)
Craft Bazaars are a great way to see how your products are received. Don’t forget to have fun while you’re there. My boys had the right priorities. It’s nice to sell things but the most important thing is to have fun with friends and enjoy yourself.
Read How Mary Catherine Neil Prepares for Her Yearly Craft Show
How Much Inventory Do You Make?
A Peek into Twinkie Chan’s Renegade Craft Booth
Do you sell at craft bazaars? What tips do you have? Share in the comments below OR join me on Facebook.
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