First, to explain a boutique. It is often referred to as a "drop off show" by crafters because you just drop off your items and pick them up later, although it is a little more complicated than that:
1) First, you apply to the show and get accepted. There usually isn't a jury fee, just a straight show fee. Then they take a percentage of sales, depending on if you work at the show or not. (see below for an explanation of this)
2) Then you label your products. The label consists of a "crafter code" or a ID unique to you, the crafter, the product number (usually something you've made up, or a specific inventory code), and the price of the product. Until Avery came out with itsy bitsy labels I could send though the printer, this process took hours, sometimes days, to complete.
3) Then on a specified day and time (sometimes you even need to set up an appointment) you go drop off you items. Sometimes you need to set up your space, sometimes they do it for you, sometimes you need to "check in" and have a show administrator count everything again, sometimes you don't. It all depends on who runs the show, what kind of computer system they use (if any), and how much they trust you as a person. I say this because there is one show that every time I bring a baggie of 200 lip balms, they shake their head and say that they trust me, rather than counting them all again J
4) Some shows ask you to contribute hours to working at the show to lessen the load of the show administrators. If you don't work, some charge you a higher percentage of sales (like 25% rather than 20%) and some charge you by the hour (like 10$ for every hour you don't work), still others don't penalize you but "pay" you for your hours in "money" that can only be used at the craft show (like 4 hours of work = 30$ of credit).
5) Then at the end you go and pick up your product. Just like check in, check out differs for every show. Some you just pick up and leave, others you count everything you have left in front of a show administrator.
6) Then you go home, figure out what you sold and how much you should get a check for, sit back, wait for your check, and then argue any discrepancies with the show administrators (if its worth that much to you).
So I've completed my first boutique show for the year and for the first time I didn't work it because of house hunting. I'm sort of glad I didn't work 4 hours (+ 2 more to drive there and back) because I would have saved less money than I will make in future income by sitting at home making soap for those hours. All in all, it went better than last years spring show. But I am also trying to decide if I will continue at this location at all in 2006. I'll have a better idea after the fall boutique.
As for a show report, my best sellers were:
Soap: Tied: Lavender, Plumeria, & Rejuvenation
Bath Salts: Tied: Lavender & Love Potion
Bath Fizzys: Wisdom
Lotion Bars: Lavender
Lip Balm: Butter Crème
Glitter Gel: Blue
2) Then you label your products. The label consists of a "crafter code" or a ID unique to you, the crafter, the product number (usually something you've made up, or a specific inventory code), and the price of the product. Until Avery came out with itsy bitsy labels I could send though the printer, this process took hours, sometimes days, to complete.
3) Then on a specified day and time (sometimes you even need to set up an appointment) you go drop off you items. Sometimes you need to set up your space, sometimes they do it for you, sometimes you need to "check in" and have a show administrator count everything again, sometimes you don't. It all depends on who runs the show, what kind of computer system they use (if any), and how much they trust you as a person. I say this because there is one show that every time I bring a baggie of 200 lip balms, they shake their head and say that they trust me, rather than counting them all again J
4) Some shows ask you to contribute hours to working at the show to lessen the load of the show administrators. If you don't work, some charge you a higher percentage of sales (like 25% rather than 20%) and some charge you by the hour (like 10$ for every hour you don't work), still others don't penalize you but "pay" you for your hours in "money" that can only be used at the craft show (like 4 hours of work = 30$ of credit).
5) Then at the end you go and pick up your product. Just like check in, check out differs for every show. Some you just pick up and leave, others you count everything you have left in front of a show administrator.
6) Then you go home, figure out what you sold and how much you should get a check for, sit back, wait for your check, and then argue any discrepancies with the show administrators (if its worth that much to you).
So I've completed my first boutique show for the year and for the first time I didn't work it because of house hunting. I'm sort of glad I didn't work 4 hours (+ 2 more to drive there and back) because I would have saved less money than I will make in future income by sitting at home making soap for those hours. All in all, it went better than last years spring show. But I am also trying to decide if I will continue at this location at all in 2006. I'll have a better idea after the fall boutique.
As for a show report, my best sellers were:
Soap: Tied: Lavender, Plumeria, & Rejuvenation
Bath Salts: Tied: Lavender & Love Potion
Bath Fizzys: Wisdom
Lotion Bars: Lavender
Lip Balm: Butter Crème
Glitter Gel: Blue
Best thing is, I put away everything left that I have a large inventory of in a big box with the labels still on them. This will cut down on labeling time for the fall show quite a bit. I used to tear off all the labels and re-label for the next boutique coming up in May, but decided to try something different this year and see how much time it saves me.
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