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My mistake at the markets

Okay, so I sell at markets and festivals and such. One of my big mistakes starting out this year was just selling guitars. I learned real quick that it's tough to get folks to plunk down $100+ on a guitar when they don't know how to play. They appreciate what I'm doing, but they don't want to buy in at that high a cost. could tell, they wanted to buy something. I simply wasn't carrying items that fell in their price range. It sent me back to the drawing board and made me think a lot more like a retailer and less like a builder. Now, I have added handmade items that run the $10-$30 range. They look cool and they give customers the opportunity to spend some money at the price point they wanted to and is more profitable.

What kind of accessories and related products do you sell?

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Comment by Poorness Studios on August 26, 2019 at 10:06am: I've been on the other side of this. Not specifically for CBGs but some handmade other item that you really like but just can't justify the cost. I too like to still buy something from the merchant so its always good to have little things around.

As luck would have it, I was at the York CBG fest this past weekend and I noticed some of builders had picks, slides, strings, T-Shirts, gig bags, and other stuff that were in the $20 and below range.

Comment by Rick Tish on August 25, 2019 at 6:23am: Uncle John,

Never thought of birdhouses. That would be a look. Put a little roof on there and watch it sell! My wife suggested jewelry boxes.

Comment by Rick Tish on August 25, 2019 at 6:21am: I think the trick is to create something that people can talk about when somebody comes to their house. I talk to this wonderful couple at least once a month at a market in a small town. They are always talking about the pick wall art and how everybody asks about it when they come over. Customers are the best salespeople you can get.

Comment by Rick Tish on August 25, 2019 at 6:19am: Ken,

I sell coat racks made from guitar necks that did not make QC (warped, bad truss rod, chipped headstock, etc). $30 gives the customer a good deal and I make a couple of bucks. They tend to sell well with folks that are into music or, more importantly, married to a guitarist! I also sell pick-shaped wall art with pics of whatever folks want. I can put old band pics and whatnot on there and create somethings that has a memory attached to it. $10 if you pick it up in person, $15 if I mail it to you. The next item we're adding is cigar box purses. There seem to be a lot of ladies showing up at these markets looking to spend money.

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Comment by KaptnKen on August 23, 2019 at 10:51am: Found the same problem, lots of lookers and admirers but few takers. What items have you added to sell in that $10-30 range?

Comment by Uncle John on August 23, 2019 at 1:49am: Good idea on the smaller priced items. I never had much success selling CBGs. I remember going to a biker fest with lots of Harleys and I had 2 Harley LPGs and a Harley Diddley. They were pretty. Minimal interest and no sales. I later gave them away.

Birdhouses might be good sellers.