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Dolls N DreamsHi, just a few questions for those of you that sell your creations at shows.
I use to have a Merchant account but gave it up a few years ago because I sell
on my site and ebay and everyone that buys from me seems to use Paypal now.
How can you sell at a show when someone wants to use a credit card?
Do most people at a show buy with a credit card?
There is a local show here in the fall that I was thinking about selling from,
but just wanted some show advice!
It says you drape your table? What do you all use? Do you make banners
with your names on them?
How many bears do you usually make for a show?
I'm just full of questions but I knew I would get great answers here!
Thanks in advance!!!
Hugzz
Tami
Dolls N DreamsThank you so much Lisa, you have been great help! :hug:
PS.... Your creations are wonderful!!!
I have my own credit card facilities because depending on how much you charge for your bears I find nearly everyone pays by card.
I dress my stand differently at every fair..it doesn't have to cost a lot but I buy fabric and trimmings...this time I got a lot of cheap silk flower rose bushes and cut the flowers off and stuck them everywhere...then got some Laura Ashley rose fabric in their sale oddments and made a swag for the table front along with satin bows in cerise.
I like to change...I see bear makers at fairs with the same look they used 4 years ago ...they'd say it makes them recognisable..I'd say it makes people think they've seen it before. But then I only do 4 fairs now..when I did a few more..I still changed for Spring, Autumn and Christmas.
We have some boxes my husband made which a really too heavy and we need to change...and a fancy thing with shelves, both of which we paint to match whatever scheme we're doing. I don't have a sign I have a fancy clock ...but I do need a sign.
Hi Tami~
I've been doing TB shows for the past 18 years. When I first started there were so many shows that I could easily do 2 shows every month (all local). Those were the days! Anyway, in 18 years of shows I never took credit cards and I never lost a sale because of it. But Lisa is right, the promoters of majors shows today will probably take the credit card sales for you. Usually I only had time make 15 bears for each show. Since I almost always sold out I always wished that I had more.
I bought a professional black table cover when I first started doing shows because the covers are suppose to be fire retardant...but I have seen artists using sheets for covers. I always used a banner above my table so I could be easily located by my collectors who were looking for me.
My bears are small so I would pack my bears and supplies in decorative hat boxes to transport them and then use the boxes in my displays. Your space is very limited at the shows.
After 18 years I decided to stop doing shows but good luck with yours. Shows can be a lot of fun!
~Kathy Myers
Hi Tami!
First... I know as a collector myself... I have had to pass on a bear if the artist did not take credit cards. So when I decided to start doing shows too... (and Paypal is not an option at shows 
) I looked into a Merchant account that did NOT have any monthly fees!! This was important to me as I don't do shows every month!
I use Global Payments... thru Discoverbiz. Here's the phone number: 800-347-7996 I paid $35 for an imprinter with my company name.... I wanted that on their charge slips. I only pay a percentage of the sale IF I use their services. NO charges if I just happen NOT to have any charges in a particular month!
You will be able to accept Discover, MC, Visa, and if you sign up for it... American Express
Got my $ deposited into my checking account within 48 hours.... I telephone my charges in.
The Discover charges get deposited separately from the other charges. Discover deducts the service charge before depositing into your account. The others deposit the entire amount... then take their percentage at the end of the month. Just had my "end of month" and the service charges came out fine!
I had several questions in the beginning and they were VERY helpful!
LuxembearsOh Boy. I have not done a show in five years. I have only done two shows total, in Kohler WI. I took about 40 bears both times and sold over half at each show. Then I decided shows were too much of a hassel because I was on my own. Plus, the ABC show in WI was always in FEB which, weather wise can be awful here. My hubby can't easily leave the farm to help me. SO I decided to just do interent sales.
WELL...I may be doing the ABC Unlimited show this August in San Diego, CA. Having to travel almost across the country I would be kind of limited as to my table set up supplies and such.
QUESTIONS for shows:
TAXES...do you have to pay CA state Tax if you do not live in that state?
TABLE DISPLAY..Would you say it would be a good idea to display awards? I would think yes, but only photos of the bears/animals with awards, not the actual awards thenselves.
INSURANCE... I have to carry my bears in luggage...<cringe>...so they will be at the mercy of the airlines. Does anyone have thier luggage insured? I cannot ship ahead to the hotel because we are staying somewhere else. I'll be in CA for a family reunion, so I thought perhape I could do the show also since I will be there anyway.
Have I missed anything?
LuxembearsThank you very much Lisa. I feel like dunce really...you think I would know this stuff but I had no plans of doing any more shows anytime soon. I am just so busy in my everyday life and I work on bears at home every day. Building up stock will be tough, I think as I always sell them as I make them.
If I do the show( which I am pretty sure I will)I think I will only have a 4' table and there is NO WAY I am taking 40 bears....more like 10 to 15.
Erin, even if I do not do the show, I will still be in San Diego Aug 11 thru the 17th so I would love to meet you in person. I will be meeting Sonya...she is the one who told me about the show.
Anyone else doing this show?
Judi~ How wonderful that you will be in CA! I did the San Diego show for so many years that I've lost count. I did it when it was Linda Mullins show. ABC just took it over a couple of years ago. The last few years that I did the show I also only used half a table. If you will only have a small inventory that should be enough space but 4 feet is not much room so you have to be creative with your displays. You may want to practice setting up your display at home because they have Early Bird buyers and you really don't have much time to set up before collectors start coming in. I used to sell out to the Early Birds so by the time the show opened to the general public I was mentally ready to go home.
Definitely make little display posters that announce your awards and accomplishments...that's a good thing. I did their Jan show this year and all the artists were in one main room (as opposed to when it was Linda's show and she pulled in enough artists to fill 5 rooms).
San Diego is a fun place to be in the summer. I'm not doing the show anymore but I will have to attend it if you are doing it because I would love to see your creations in person.
~Kathy Myers
scott's bearsOH My !!!...As donna M and I sit hera having a cup of coffee in my living room GETTING READY FOR ANOTHER SHOW ... 
We leave in a few hours for show #1million...This one is in RENO NV we have to go over the BIG HILL to get to this one 7000feet!!!
Donna's car is packed to the hilt and we have know idea how we will fit my stuff in the truck !!! nuttin new with that we never have room we are the gods of fitting stuff in a car or truck (just dont open a door till we tell you to lolo)
Scott is not packed and is getting his coffee in him he cant move till he has his coffee as many folks have learned.. SOME THE HARD WAY ... 
SCOTT WAS STILL MAKING BEARS TILL 2:00 IN THE MORNING...Donna helped with jointing and finishing seems and then went to bed shes not as much a night owl as scott and is driving over the big hill
This is the typical story of us and a show we have more stuff then we need,the house is in disaster,HANDS AND ARMS THROBBING, a bit cranky wiht worry that no collectors will show up to buy and all the other crazy thoughts that come with SHOWS....And this time donna has 2 RIBS out of joint I just dont know how she does it...
We will stay with a collector to cut costs tonight and sat and pray that the show will make us just enoutht to cover the cost of california gas at $3.30 per gallon!!!
send good JUJU our way and we will see you all at the end of the weekend with a update AND A STORY AS DONNA AND I CANT GO ANYWERE WITHOUT GETTING INTO SOME TWISTED SITUATION 
BEAR HUGS
SCOTT
