Mulhenberg Summer Festival- Day 4

Sales were down 18% overall from last year. But given how some of my past shows have gone, I think this one turned out OK. I won't be returning next year though. First of all, I believe the Philly Folk Fest has changed the weekend it's taking place on next year. So if all goes well next weekend and I return next year to the Folk Fest, it will be taking place the same time as the Mulhenberg Festival. I don't make enough at the festival to pay for hiring someone to do the show for me.

What stuck me last night is the large amount of product loss that is inherent in the retail market. I'm not just talking the "five finger discount" that we all know happens, but the blatant destruction of property. This year I've had to change my whole display. I used to leave lip balms out in a basket, displayed in neat little rows. Now I have them in a set of drawers, organized by flavor. This was to lessen the stealing and the fact that so many people let their little kids play in the basket. I was constantly trying to arrange its contents that had been put into disarray. I next found a set of drawers for my lotion bars. I leave testers out on the table (2 of each fragrance) and put the rest in drawers. These drawers are accessible from both sides of the display, and they all have lids. Most people get the hint and ask for the lotion bar they want. Yesterday someone decided they were too good to try a tester, pulled out the drawer, opened the lid, took out a lotion bar, and broke the safety seal, and just left it on the table. These are the people that walk through Wal-Mart drinking unpaid for soda and leave the bottles everywhere. These are the people that try foods in the middle of the grocery store. They are the reason I inspect everything I purchase before I put it in my cart, because I am tired to getting home and finding the package of cookies has been opened, eaten from, and re-closed in a way that it is almost impossible to notice the intrusion. With all I do to prevent this, in my little 10x10 world, the loss still cost me almost 1% of sales. Not a lot, but enough to add up. The big retailers raise their cost to cover such things; we are all paying for other people's lack of couth.