Would someone else sell my pens...?

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glycerine

glycerine

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So, I was thinking. I've been turning pens for a while now, but I also have a full-time job and this is something I do on the side because I enjoy it. I've thought about trying some craft shows, etc. but don't really want to incur the cost of a booth, fees, gas, travel time, time it takes to do whatever else is involved in getting setup to do a show. On top of that, I love to make things, but am not a smooth talker by any means. So I may be able to make a great pen, but not so great at selling it. I do sell some locally to people I work with or by word of mouth, but I am definitely not a salesman.
Do any of you that do alot of shows also sell pens for others and take some of the profit to cover your overhead? I'm just wondering if maybe I could start a partnership with someone in the future. I'd be willing to share my profits in return for not having the extra costs.
Is this a silly idea? What do you think? Give me your opinions and pros/cons from both perspectives...
 
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If your pens were good, I'd consider it.:tongue::wink:

Now being serious...How about you build yourself a glass display case with a lock on it. You can then sell your pens in a store on consignment. There are craft stores, consignment stores, jewelry stores, art galleries...the list can go on and on I'm sure. Heck, the local hardware store here has offered to sell pens for me, but I am not interested. You just have to go out and make a deal with someone and provide a secure display that will attract customers and yet protect you and the store owner from theft.
 
We have taken 2009 off, but we did art & craft venues for about 15 years before that.

The contracts say the goods displayed "Must be made by the artist who must be in the booth". If two artists are to share a booth, both must be "juried in" and both must be "in the booth" at all times.

Have I seen this violated, yes. Would I recommend violating it, NO.

At least ONE promoter in the Chicago market has kicked exhibitors out of the show, in the middle of the day for violating the rules.

Embarassing, I am told.
 
ed4copies said:
We have taken 2009 off, but we did art & craft venues for about 15 years before that.

The contracts say the goods displayed "Must be made by the artist who must be in the booth". If two artists are to share a booth, both must be "juried in" and both must be "in the booth" at all times.

Have I seen this violated, yes. Would I recommend violating it, NO.

At least ONE promoter in the Chicago market has kicked exhibitors out of the show, in the middle of the day for violating the rules.

Embarassing, I am told.
Click to expand...

I think that is pushing it abit if you ask me. One thing to have strict rules but sensible ones are needed also. When these shows start cleaning up the juried end then maybe they can throw some weight around. Not sure about the show you are talking about but what qualifications do the jurrors have and how much do they allow as far as buy and sell items being called hand made. Always a grey area.
 
ed4copies said:
We have taken 2009 off, but we did art & craft venues for about 15 years before that.

The contracts say the goods displayed "Must be made by the artist who must be in the booth". If two artists are to share a booth, both must be "juried in" and both must be "in the booth" at all times.

Have I seen this violated, yes. Would I recommend violating it, NO.

At least ONE promoter in the Chicago market has kicked exhibitors out of the show, in the middle of the day for violating the rules.

Embarassing, I am told.
Click to expand...

jttheclockman said:
I think that is pushing it abit if you ask me. One thing to have strict rules but sensible ones are needed also. When these shows start cleaning up the juried end then maybe they can throw some weight around. Not sure about the show you are talking about but what qualifications do the jurors have and how much do they allow as far as buy and sell items being called hand made. Always a grey area.
Click to expand...

So John what your saying is if the rules are in the particular show your in all Items must be made by the artist or crafter and the promoter adheres to those rules by kicking out someone that is not adhering to the rules that is PUSHING it. I applaud the promoter that Ed is speaking of, he is doing exactly what your asking making no grey area but simply black and white. Some of the shows that I apply to go so far as to ask for photos of the artist in the process of making their art. Most jurors are artist them selfs that jury in the show that I do.
 
jttheclockman said:
I think that is pushing it abit if you ask me. One thing to have strict rules but sensible ones are needed also. When these shows start cleaning up the juried end then maybe they can throw some weight around. Not sure about the show you are talking about but what qualifications do the jurrors have and how much do they allow as far as buy and sell items being called hand made. Always a grey area.
Click to expand...


That particular promoter is "Step-by-step" productions in Chicago. Donna, the owner, chooses her exhibitors. She has earned a reputation that encourages those who truly MAKE their products to do her venues. Several other promoters in the same market have become "flea markets" because they did NOT enforce their rules. But, in the short run, they had bigger venues.

When and if we go back to shows, Donna will be MY first choice, since I won't be competing with merchandise from the Chicago Merchandise Mart--Donna also goes to THEIR shows to help her identify "buy-sell".

She takes pride in her shows. She is growing.
 
Just for historical perspective, when we started doing shows, in 1995, getting INTO a juried show was nearly impossible. They were GOOD, handmade shows and no exhibitors left. Every year, the same crowd.

Once the first "buy-sell" was allowed in, MANY of the hand-made left as a matter of pride, they said. That starts a spiral of the "higher end" CUSTOMERS leaving, too. Once it starts, I have NEVER seen it turn back around.

Art-Plus in Chicago had 50 shows a year in 1995, went out of the industry in 2008. BUT they had BIG venues, that became flea markets. Then, with $12 parking, no one came.
 
Thanks Ed. If I can't find that promoter, I"ll be asking you for help, because that's my kind of promoter! I'm sick of people breaking and bending the rules at juried shows. I've had it out with a few promoters about this crap. Heck..I spent several hundred dollars to meet code at a show recently and I get there and half the people don't meet code. I'm steaming mad!!!:at-wits-end::biggrin:
 
Today, I would go to the show a year ahead of wanting to get in. (If I did not know the promoter or a few exhibitors)
 
OKLAHOMAN said:
So John what your saying is if the rules are in the particular show your in all Items must be made by the artist or crafter and the promoter adheres to those rules by kicking out someone that is not adhering to the rules that is PUSHING it. I applaud the promoter that Ed is speaking of, he is doing exactly what your asking making no grey area but simply black and white. Some of the shows that I apply to go so far as to ask for photos of the artist in the process of making their art. Most jurors are artist them selfs that jury in the show that I do.
Click to expand...


Wow I only wish someone would teach me how to multiquote in the same posting. Since I do not know how to do that I will say Roy, I did not say pushing the rules was bad but in Ed's first post he talked more about being in the booth all the time and that is just unphysically possible. If a show is very busy and I can agree with wanting to be there as well but if you have another capable person with you then why is it mandatory and someone has to go to the bathroom at some time unless they are inhuman.

Now Ed and Jeff. I can not agree with you more about shows. I have been doing shows for over 25 years and have seen the decline in not only quality shows but quality crafts and I am not only speaking pens because I do other things as well. I commend the person who is running a tight ship and if they have developed over time that reputation and that vendor repeats then they are to be comended. But I see too often these shows want the almighty dollar so they start letting in more and more unproven vendors and the cycle begins. The problem I noticed is that the person running the show is trying to do the right thing but is not qualified to make judgements in what is handmade or not. I have been appoached to be a judge and I refused because of the grey area thing.

I will give you an example that we all see and that is pen making. And I have seen this first hand. We all buy kits and blanks and turn them to fit a blank and finish them. What we are basically selling is are ability to fit and finish our pen better than the next guy. But along comes a guy who buys an order of pens from someone like us and all he does is lazer names in. Now he has a booth in the same show as me and he is calling his work hand made. Yes they were but not by him and he is using a machine to etch names in. Now he never claims he made the pens but says they are hand made. This is not one of those high end shows I agree but still it is just one example. I see this too often in the scrollsawing world too.

Paying big bucks to get in shows is not an easy pill to swallow so it is a catch22 thing as I see it. If you find those high quality shows then you maybe better off if that is what you seek.

I am trying to get away from the show circuit and find a place to sell my wares without me being there. That place may show up one day.
 
ed4copies said:
We have taken 2009 off, but we did art & craft venues for about 15 years before that.

The contracts say the goods displayed "Must be made by the artist who must be in the booth". If two artists are to share a booth, both must be "juried in" and both must be "in the booth" at all times.

Have I seen this violated, yes. Would I recommend violating it, NO.

At least ONE promoter in the Chicago market has kicked exhibitors out of the show, in the middle of the day for violating the rules.

Embarassing, I am told.
Click to expand...

Oh, ok. I had no idea that's how it worked. Thanks Ed!
 
workinforwood said:
If your pens were good, I'd consider it.:tongue::wink:

Now being serious...How about you build yourself a glass display case with a lock on it. You can then sell your pens in a store on consignment. There are craft stores, consignment stores, jewelry stores, art galleries...the list can go on and on I'm sure. Heck, the local hardware store here has offered to sell pens for me, but I am not interested. You just have to go out and make a deal with someone and provide a secure display that will attract customers and yet protect you and the store owner from theft.
Click to expand...

Ok, that might be a better idea. For the displays that you have, about how many pens do you keep in them at one time?
 
Sorry, but I don't have any displays with pens out on consignment. I go direct sales to the people. If I was displaying in a store setting, I would try and build something to hold 25-30 pens. People need variety, but too much variety can be bad too. I would put some pens in a pen case and go to a few stores before you build anything. I would want to know where I am going to put my pens...they might be on a table, they might be on the wall, there might only be a square foot of space, or 2 feet of space..info you need as to what type of case to build, and what size.
 
workinforwood said:
Sorry, but I don't have any displays with pens out on consignment. I go direct sales to the people. If I was displaying in a store setting, I would try and build something to hold 25-30 pens. People need variety, but too much variety can be bad too. I would put some pens in a pen case and go to a few stores before you build anything. I would want to know where I am going to put my pens...they might be on a table, they might be on the wall, there might only be a square foot of space, or 2 feet of space..info you need as to what type of case to build, and what size.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I misread and thought you said that's how you sold your pens. Thanks again for the info.
 
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