Attending my third show this weekend, 3 days indoors. Still need to move a few bowls off the tables, just trying to decide which ones.
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My Third Show
- Thread starter David Wyke
- Start date
Looks great David! Good luck.
Steve Worcester
Admin Emeritus
was it a juried show?
Let us know how it goes
Let us know how it goes
Nice setup! Good luck!
Looks like you like to turn bowls.
I’d prob remove some/most of those somewhat similar to others in size/shape/figure. A friend who did shows for years would hide similar extras under the table then get them out as the others sold. If someone was interested but undecided about one piece, say, the large walnut bowl in your case, pull out the other to offer a choice.
I don’t do shows but I have attended some. It might be more interesting to mix up things to, for example, put different sizes together, display natural edged pieces along with the others. Might look less sorted/organized but perhaps more interesting to the potential customer, add to the feeling of discovery as they browsed. Less crowding, of course, can help put focus on individual pieces.
Remove the one on the floor first, that's never a good display idea. Taking a causal look at the picture, it looks like there must be 6-8 that could be cut from the right side based on similar looks. I'm not a fan of pulling out a couple of similar ones for the customer to choose, unless they ask. With 26 bowls with a traditional shape, you can easily get a customer to lock up from indecision.
Good luck to you...
I just had my annual show this morning. It was outdoors and I believe the temperatures scared buyers away. Still, I did sell 12 pieces...not a bust just not robust (see what I did there?).
I just had my annual show this morning. It was outdoors and I believe the temperatures scared buyers away. Still, I did sell 12 pieces...not a bust just not robust (see what I did there?).
I love it! I'm going to remember that one.
Looks good, David. Hopefully the ones you remove will go right back onto the table as you sell a bunch of bowls. 
How'd you end up doing at the show David?
And how did you price stuff?
Sorry for the delay in replying, had no time during the show and was tired when it was over. Took a day to unpack and my lathe missed me so I had to go turn a couple of green bowls😁.
Overall the show was a success, sold a lot of bowls and was shocked that my two 17-1/2” “bring them into the booth bowls” sold and they were in the $300 range. Sold a few walnut, most of my natural edge, and a lot of ambrosia maple. I had several customers from the last show come by and tell me how pleased they were with their purchases and several wanted more heart bowls🙄😁.
I had a lot of lookers on the hollow forms and several trying to decide on a small hollow form or large salad type bowl. I left them alone to let them decide and all chose large bowls.
As far as the display, the photo was when I just had everything laid out, most were taken off the table and the bowl in the floor was removed, hadn’t planned on leaving it on the floor. Next time I won’t take a photo until I have the final display set😁!
Pricing, I have a basic formula I use for basic salad type bowls and change the multiplier depending on the grain and overall shape of the bowl.
They increased the hours of the show this year which made for very long days, 8am to 8 pm. Crowds were very thin after 5-5:30 pm. This was more of a Christmas show and only a hand full of wood vendors, several pottery, and the rest were boutiques and more Christmas type things.
When the promoters heard I probably would not do the show next year they came by and talked with me about adding an artist type section next year. If the hours are the same I won’t be doing this show next year. But that’s due to changing how I sell, which will be the subject of a new thread.
So overall very happy with the outcome of this show.
Overall the show was a success, sold a lot of bowls and was shocked that my two 17-1/2” “bring them into the booth bowls” sold and they were in the $300 range. Sold a few walnut, most of my natural edge, and a lot of ambrosia maple. I had several customers from the last show come by and tell me how pleased they were with their purchases and several wanted more heart bowls🙄😁.
I had a lot of lookers on the hollow forms and several trying to decide on a small hollow form or large salad type bowl. I left them alone to let them decide and all chose large bowls.
As far as the display, the photo was when I just had everything laid out, most were taken off the table and the bowl in the floor was removed, hadn’t planned on leaving it on the floor. Next time I won’t take a photo until I have the final display set😁!
Pricing, I have a basic formula I use for basic salad type bowls and change the multiplier depending on the grain and overall shape of the bowl.
They increased the hours of the show this year which made for very long days, 8am to 8 pm. Crowds were very thin after 5-5:30 pm. This was more of a Christmas show and only a hand full of wood vendors, several pottery, and the rest were boutiques and more Christmas type things.
When the promoters heard I probably would not do the show next year they came by and talked with me about adding an artist type section next year. If the hours are the same I won’t be doing this show next year. But that’s due to changing how I sell, which will be the subject of a new thread.
So overall very happy with the outcome of this show.
Congrats! Now go buy some new tools and wood!