Building a business focused on a craft that you’re passionate about can be a super-exciting time, but it can also seem a little daunting. Making the product is just the beginning. There are so many aspects of running a business you need to learn along the way, and online sales can (more often than not) be slow to pick up.
Selling your products at craft markets can result in immediate sales and feedback about which products are popular and which need improvement. In this post you’ll learn how to set up a successful craft market stall to ensure you show up prepared and ready to maximise your sales.
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Why sell at a craft market?
You eagerly design and create all your products, set up your website, launch your online shop, and wait for the sales to come rolling in…but all you hear is crickets.
I’ve heard the same story time and time again. While some people have one post go viral on social media and instantly have bulk sales, for most of us it takes time to build an online presence, promote our business, and build a solid customer base.
Craft markets are a brilliant way to increase your exposure and promote your business locally. As an added benefit, they generally bring in more immediate sales than online when first starting out. You may choose to sell at craft markets initially, while still building your business online. You may decide to only sell your products at craft markets. Alternatively, you may keep craft markets in the mix, so you have multiple streams of income.
Here are some of the many benefits of selling your products at a craft market:
- Relatively low cost for a stall (depending on the market)
- Generally easier to make sales immediately compared to selling online
- The sales are all yours (no percentage taken in fees)
- Get feedback on your products and pricing
- Meet other craft business owners to give/receive support and advice
- Increased exposure (have flyers/QR code available to grow your email list and following)
- People get to meet YOU – the person behind the business
- No time spent listing items online
- Adds credibility to your business having a physical stall where people can see your products
Why is it important to know how to set up a craft market stall?
The first time I took my macrame products to a market, I made one sale. I spent much of the day packing, unpacking, setting up, time at the market, travelling, then unpacking when I got home. All so that I could end up out of pocket.
Fast forward to today, and I feel a lot more confident, make substantial sales, and have come to really enjoy markets and meeting the people who come through and the other stall holders. I generally sell hundreds of dollars of products in one day, have customers coming back saying they loved what they bought, have people follow me on Facebook and Instagram from the market, and receive emails inquiring about products because they’d seen me at the market.
There are many factors that affect how many sales you will make at a market. Some of them are out of your control. How you set up your stall, however, can be the difference between ending the day on a high, and returning home bummed out.
10 Best Tips for How to Set Up a Successful Market Stall
Below you’ll learn some of my top tips for how to set up a successful craft market stall to make sure you show up prepared and ready to maximise your sales.
Tip 1: Prepare how you’ll take payments
I’ve included this as the first tip because it’s important to complete with ample time before the market.
Making it easy for people to purchase from you is imperative to having a successful market day. Many people don’t carry cash on them anymore, so having a way to take card payments is a must. On the other hand, there will still be people who want to pay with cash. Therefore, you’ll also need to have some change on hand.
Firstly, decide which platform you’ll use to take payments. Square, Stripe, and Shopify are common online payment platforms that have portable devices to take payments (some of which work with your phone). Most of the bigger banks also offer some type of portable device to take payments that can be linked to your account.
Once you’ve decided which platform you want to use, you’ll need to sign up for an account (generally this step is free). Then order a portable device, compatible with that platform, to take payments at the market. Make sure you leave enough time to allow for delivery because this can take a few weeks.
Sign up to Square with my referral link to receive credits on processing fees up to $1,000 in sales over the next 180 days (six months).
Finally, the day before the market, make sure your portable payment device and phone are fully charged and updated to avoid any delays or other issues with taking payments at the market.
Tip 2: Prepare stationary and packaging
Markets are a great way to increase the exposure of your business and also raise your credibility as more of a “bricks and mortar” store. They also allow people to get to know you as a local who wants to help (customers) solve their problems.
Not everyone who walks past your stall will buy something. However, over time, if they see you at the market regularly, they will come to get to know you and your products. Then you’ll be at the front of their mind if they do decide to purchase what you sell at a later date.
Having cards or flyers for people to take is a great way to get your business name out there and to drum up future business. People may want to follow you on social media or recommend your products to a friend. So, being able to hand them something with your business name, what you provide, your contact details, and links to socials can ensure they remember your business.
You’ll also need to plan how you’re going to pack the products people purchase on the day. Make sure whatever you choose is in line with any market policies. Many markets don’t allow plastic bags anymore, so paper bags and sustainable packaging is required.
Tip 3: Gather equipment needed for display
Depending on the market, the type of equipment you’ll need will differ. Most markets you’ll need to supply your own trestle tables (occasionally indoor markets will provide these or offer to rent a table for a small fee).
While you could easily spend hundreds of dollars purchasing the perfect display equipment, I recommend starting off small. Gather enough to get your display looking neat, professional, and interesting, and then build on it or change out items as you learn and your sales increase. There will probably already be some items you need to purchase just to get basic-market-ready, so there’s no need to spend on items that are not must-haves initially.
Get creative when finding equipment for your display. Many household items can be used to make your products sing. Use tiered kitchen platters or woven storage boxes stacked on top of each other to create height and display your products. Keep an open mind when scouring your local Buy Nothing/Pay It Forward pages and repurpose a free item to use in your display. You can often pick up bargains from Kmart and local Buy & Sell pages as well.
Common items you’ll need to set up a market stall:
- Tent/shade/weights (if outside)
- Table/s
- Full-length tablecloth/s
- Tablecloth clips (to hold the tablecloth/s in place)
- Chair/stool
- Clothes racks/hangers (if you sell hanging items)
- Tiered display shelves (use crates, stackable shelves, raised serving trays etc. – to create different levels and make your display more interesting and attractive)
- Price tags/pricelist board
- Products (don’t forget these!)
- Props to make your products more sellable (tell a story about how people will use the product – e.g. mugs on drink coasters, pot plants in plant hangers)
- Business name signage (if you have it)
Tip 4: Research and obtain public liability insurance
Most reputable markets require you to have your own public liability insurance. It makes sense for you to have this for your business anyway to cover your behind!
The minimum requirements for public liability insurance may vary by market. Find out what the requirements are for the market/s you’ll be attending to make sure you have the appropriate cover.
I originally set up my cover for $5 million, which was fine for the first market I did, but then I had to raise it to $10 million for the next. Since raising my public liability cover to $10 million I haven’t had to change it again. Funnily enough, the monthly payment for the higher cover was exactly the same as the lower cover!
Tip 5: Work out how much stock you’ll need
In the weeks leading up to the market, decide how much stock you want to take. Then plan how many products you need to make each day to achieve this.
Unsure about how much you’ll need? Unless you have excessive amounts of stock, just take everything. It’s better to have it there and have to pack it up and take it home again, than to sell out of what you took knowing that you still had more stock at home.
Another tactic is to ask another vendor who sells similar items how much of each item they usually take. Markets generally put out lists of businesses attending on their Facebook pages, groups, or other social media accounts. You may get the odd person who doesn’t want to share this information with you. However, most people are happy to help new vendors make their first markets as smooth as possible.
Display a few of each item (or one of each colour variation) and keep the rest hidden underneath the table. Then when customers purchase items, you can restock.
One popular item that I’ve found sells out at markets is this hanging macrame jar lantern.
Tip 6: Plan your display
Your display will need to be somewhat flexible as often different markets will have slightly different sizes or spaces available. Sometimes you’ll arrive at the market and, due to last minute cancellations and unforeseen events, your space has changed. This may mean having an extra smaller table with you incase you’re unexpectedly in a corner stall.
It’s a good idea to set up your display at home before your first market. This gives you time to play around with the setup and get it just how you want it. Take a couple of photos once you’re happy with the display. Then you can use the photos as a reference while setting up your stall at the market.
Some things to consider when planning your display:
- Create different levels (heights) to make your stall eye-catching and professional
- Display best-selling items in a prominent position to draw peoples’ attention as they walk by
- Make sure it’s not too crowded – all products should be neatly arranged and visible, except for those lower-priced items in baskets designed for fossicking through
- Keep extra stock hidden underneath the table
- If you have hanging items, use a clothing rack or attach an upright panel to the back of your table to display these items
- Display your business name in a prominent position (or if you don’t have a sign, make sure you include a card with your business name & contact info with all purchases)
- Use colours in line with your brand
- Decide how you will display prices – on individual items or one price list/board
- Consider having a smaller table or surface hidden below/behind the main display for wrapping and packaging purchases
Tip 7: Pack food, drink, and other items you may need on the day
Unless you’re lucky enough to have someone helping you at the market, you won’t be leaving your stall except for the odd toilet break and perhaps to buy some lunch or a coffee.
The stallholders around you will generally be happy to keep an eye on your stall while you’re gone (provided you’re nice to them!). Although, if a customer wants to buy something, the best they can do is tell them you’ll be back in 5. So, it’s best to minimise the time you spend away from your stall if you don’t want to miss out on customers.
Pack a cooler bag with a large water bottle, snacks, and a light lunch (or dinner if it’s a night market). It’s almost guaranteed that every time you put a piece of food in your mouth, a customer will come along and ask you a question. Therefore, take easy-to-eat snacks that you can pick at during the quieter times.
Having some stationary items and first aid products can also be helpful. A few pens, sticky tape, scissors, stapler, bulldog clips, and paper/card can all be used to fix issues with your stall, make last minute signs, or help out fellow stall holders. Having some bandaids, antiseptic cream, sunscreen (if outside), and a nail file will treat most minor injuries and other problems that occur during markets.
Tip 8: Actively promote your business
Promotion should be something you think about leading up to the market, during the market, and after the market.
In the lead up to the market, take pictures and make reels of some of the products you’ll have at the market and tag the markets’ social media pages in your posts. If you show up on the market’s social media pages this makes you visible to people following the markets’ page and can get people excited about your products.
Prepare at least one or more of the following for during the market:
- Flyers/cards to hand out with orders or when someone wants your info
- A QR code sign to display linked to your social media or email list sign up so people can follow you or sign up to your email list (include a sentence enticing people to scan it)
- Consider offering a special discount for market-goers if they join your email list and make a purchase on the day
Then after the market you can continue building relationships with the people you met by posting on your social media accounts and sending emails to your email list.
Tip 9: Offer custom orders and postage
A good way to increase your sales on market day is to offer custom orders and post them to customers in the following weeks. This can allow you to continue making sales even after selling out of an item. Or allow you to make a product that will better meet your customers’ needs.
In order to make this as easy as possible, add in the common postage rates for your orders as separate items in your payment platform.
For custom orders that are simply a different colour or design of a current item you offer, you can simply add the item already listed with notes about the changes needed. Then add the postage cost as a separate item and the customer can pay immediately and receive the item the following week (or however long it takes you to make).
If the custom order is something more unique that you haven’t made before, you may have to take the customers’ details and get back to them with a quote in the days after the market.
Tip 10: Have fun!
This is arguably the most important point of all. What is the point of building a business around a craft you’re passionate about if you’re stuck at craft markets hating every moment? You could much more easily return to the daily grind of a 9-5 job you hate without the uncertainty of whether or not you’ll receive appropriate income for your efforts.
Even if you’re not a very outgoing person, I’ve found you can still enjoy attending markets. Make a point of just introducing yourself to the stallholders either side of you. If you do this at each market you attend, you’ll soon know a fair few other business owners. This makes it a lot more fun because you get to catch up with all the new friends you’ve made at each market.
Let go of your attachment to sales
Another tactic I’ve found that works is letting go of your attachment to sales. Obviously, do everything you can in the leadup to the market to maximise your chance of making sales. Then on the day of the market, once you’ve set up your market stall, practise releasing any expectations of how much income you’ll make and just focus on forming relationships and having a great day.
This allows you to relax and get into the vibe of the market. You can enjoy networking with other stallholders and have fun conversations with market-goers to identify if your products are right for them without forcing sales. Often, because of your positive vibes, it actually translates into more sales anyway.
If you focus on having fun during the market, then in the event that it is a really slow day and you don’t make many sales, at least you can stay positive. You can simply use the day as a learning experience and see what lessons you can take from the day. Then make changes to improve for the next market.
Conclusion
I hope by now you’re feeling more confident that you know how to set up a market stall to sell successfully at craft markets. If you have a tip to help maximise sales at markets, let me know in the comments below.
