Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on July 24, 2011 at 6:00pm

Flea Markets: Fuggeddaboutit. Waste of time. Been there. Done it. Lost $$$. Move on.

 

Festivals are ok. You're not gonna get rich I guarantee that. Only a select handful of builders do. John McNair for one, but he sells his for $500+. John Lowe but he again is a name. There are a few. I sell... er more like build to order but then again it would never support me.

 

Festivals are good but you have to have an inventory, good pricing (which is hard to do based on the festival and the income level of attendees), and timing. Summer fests are good if the crowd is willing to spend. Fall festivals I would assume are better as the holidays are approaching. Most of my festival visitors have said they want to talk to me towards Christmas. You have to balance out inventory with time spent waiting for something to sell and that takes time to know the market. Nothing over $100 has sold for me. $85 is usually my sweet spot but I have to scrimp on the build to justify that. I would say my build to orders are much better constructed. More time put in and more attention to detail. Then again, I would be the one to take a month to build.

 

Rotsa Ruck

 

-WY

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on July 24, 2011 at 6:02pm

 One more tidbit -- find something else to sell at the same time. Broaden your offering.

 

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Dazedlemonpie on July 24, 2011 at 8:56pm

how about guitar lessons, either regular gtr and or CBG....that way you get to sell your cbg while getting lesson fees as well. Post a few ads in your local paper, craigh list, junior high, elementary school, wherever its free and see. You got nada to loose but to gain. just my 0.2......good luck dude

Larry

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Permalink Reply by Jim Mitchell on July 25, 2011 at 12:05am

Hey Crow, Hope all is well... I have sold most of my stuff from the net. Posting videos (or getting someone else to do it has been the best way for me to sell my builds) I have attended festivals.  In most cases sales from those events have come after the fact. As you know I take a lot of time on my builds and they are on the upper end of the price range. But I have played around with prices from $225.00 to 550.00 at the shows. I have sold both but even at $225.00 I don't feel like the lower price sold the instrument.  Have you thought about going to Mount Dora? They have a Musicians Swap meet. every month.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff "Sweet T" Tinsley on July 25, 2011 at 12:49am

Flea markets and trade days are strange beasts. I used to make and sell pioneer/hillbilly/primitive toys. Many hundreds of people would peek in or file through the booths, ooh and ahh....... and not buy anything. But I could give a toy to a child for free and people would seek my booth out because they saw a kid having a good time with my little toys.

I guess what I'm suggesting is that if you decide to "get on the circuit", you'll probably do best to have a cohort to wander around with one of your axes. People seem more likely to buy if they believe someone else has already done so. AND DO IT AS A HOBBY first if you can. Jumping in fully committed is great if you are oping a bistro, but it's a good way to lose your ass and start to hate a once beloved hobby working weekend shows.

Good luck, no matter which way you go.

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on July 25, 2011 at 1:37am

I think selling at a flea market may work well, but you might want to produce in a lower price range. Additionally, I think you might need to go every week to give people a chance to see you and come back prepared to buy. So, think about investing in the full season. Having walk away literature may increase return interest too.  Here in the flea markets, most venders sell low ticket items and customers are simply looking for cheap purchases. Good Luck, Keni Lee         

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Permalink Reply by Crow on July 25, 2011 at 1:56am

thanks for all the insight, guys! to clarify a few things:

my guitars are lower price range, $50-75 and super low investment in materials and time, which i know means i have to sell MORE of them to make a decent profit, which may be self-defeating, i mean, how many can i sell before interest burns out?

JEFF TINSLEY: so glad you spoke up! i was considering the same thing - a small array of primitive/"redneck"/simplistic homemade toys to attract the interest/fun/cheap buyers.

 

my product line would be cheap and cheerful, one string duclimer scale instruments for kids, simple cheap three string slide guitars for adults

 

i plan on including instructional materials for the instruments as well, with "walk-away" literature, as someone put it, so it's cool to see i'm thinking on the right track...

 

thanks for all the information guys!

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on July 25, 2011 at 2:17am

Yeah, i give out those self-printable business cards to whomever i think would be a prospect. One suggestion, make cards like that with your site and a 'promo code' for $$ off if they hit your website.

at fests, folks know that the food is expensive, the kids are going to hound them for every little toy, its hot/cold/rainy/crowded, and they don't have the $150+ to send at a fest.

If you can, set up an account to take credit/debit and advertise that! That is a big factor.

-WY



Keni Lee Burgess said:

I think selling at a flea market may work well, but you might want to produce in a lower price range. Additionally, I think you might need to go every week to give people a chance to see you and come back prepared to buy. So, think about investing in the full season. Having walk away literature may increase return interest too.  Here in the flea markets, most venders sell low ticket items and customers are simply looking for cheap purchases. Good Luck, Keni Lee         

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on July 25, 2011 at 2:24am

Did that. Can-Dul (canjo with a dulcimer shaped wood back). I've sold two of 6 in the past 4 shows. Kids toys are a great simple/easy concept but i haven't had luck. Parents just don't want to buy "craftsy' things for kids OR dad thinks he can build one (which is true). I'll send you picks if you want to try one.

-WY



Crow said:

 

my product line would be cheap and cheerful, one string duclimer scale instruments for kids, simple cheap three string slide guitars for adults

 

thanks for all the information guys!

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Permalink Reply by Sharecropper on July 25, 2011 at 5:23am

 I have been running a hot dog cart this summer at different flea market type events ,  haven't had any luck selling any cbg's there .  I don't know the legalitys or realitys of this , but can you put a link of your web site on your   you-tube videos ?     I would price your crow style build at least $65 .......I think I've seen members on this site reporting of selling more than 200 cbgs a year !   That seeming to be the best case scenario the math would seem to say diversify . Mass market ....sell through the world wide web .         Sorry, I'm not sure if you're thinking of having a  "REAL"  store or not .....but with a real store you could do consignments and /or rent out $25 spaces on saturday in front of the store and run your own flea market . Everybody has something they want to sell these days .    Good luck !

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Permalink Reply by Hellhound Custom Built Guitars on July 25, 2011 at 5:48am

Hey Crow,

 Lots of great advice out there and there is a good amount of intrest in what we do. I started building and selling last year (selling only as a means to keep building) ebay has been good to me in the past but sales have slowed way down as there are so many more builders out there. Name quality and $ all play into it. I have put cash in my pocket by building these truley unique instraments. In have recently had some success selling at my local cigar shop where I place my instraments on display for a comission. As far as the flea markets I would avoid any place that charges a large fee to set up a booth. christmas sales are a great way to generate a good cashflow but the demand can take the joy out of building. well i check in again good luck to ya whatever you do.

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Permalink Reply by Cigar Box Nation on July 25, 2011 at 8:27am

I'm preparing to sell at the Hanover PA Dutch Festival this Saturday.  10,000 people.  I've got 19 guitars done.  More to build.  Nation member, Mike Orr will be selling with me. 

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