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jenny Sep 18, 2012

Just been chatting to various folks about doing fairs and that got me thinking.
I have 2 fairs booked...Hugglets for the first time in 4 years next February...and the Sheffield fair in November.
As much as I LOVE meeting up with friends and chatting...seeing customers .... all the chit chat costs so I have to weigh it up. The journey....that costs a hefty chunk nowadays....parking costs...
The costs of booking a table...advertising...we have to have a dog sitter ( otherwise Teddie our Tibetan Terrier would eat the house)
Then there is all the build up of stock, that causes cash flow with no sales guarantees in the offing.
I understand why the organisers might want to run a fair because that's the business they are in but is it good for our business to attend or is it just a way to fund a bit of socialising?

So just by way of sparking discussion I am interested to know what others think. I have yet to find a really solid business argument for doing fairs nowadays. There's the nostalgic one and the human one of just wanting to be there and meeting people...and I like that too.  But in reality is the warm fuzzy feeling worth the effort and the money when people seem to like to buy online so much these days?

Plum Cottage Bears Cute Animal AmbassadorSep 18, 2012

Jenny, I have been thinking along those same lines.  I have a clutch of bears to offer for adoption, but the cost of doing shows holds me back.  I live in Southern California, south of Los Angeles.  There used to be a lot of bear fairs around here, but over time the bear fairs have dwindled to two, in San Diego, one in January (two days) and one in August (one day).  The promoter puts on a fine show, and it is a pleasure to participate.  It is fun to network with other artists and collectors, and to see the look on a collector's face when he/she bonds with a bear.  It is also great to go to the supplier's booth and see the actual mohair, not just pictures on a website. 

However, you do have a point in that shows are expensive to participate in, from a strictly business perspective.  My older brother, a retired attorney who knows very little of the bear world, has told me that from a purely monetary standpoint, it would be more economical for me to sell my bears on the internet.  I bought a digital camera on Ebay and am trying to teach myself how best to photograph the bears.  I am planning only two shows next year, the two shows in San Diego.  Now the choice is between Bearpile and Etsy. 

I am currently taking courses (online) in e-commerce and survey of marketing, to give myself some guidance.  Just reading the marketing textbook, it is amazing how the internet has changed commerce.  Nevertheless, I came up in the bear world doing shows, both as an artist and a supplier, and I suppose I am nostalgic for the face-to-face contact of shows.

desertmountainbear Sep 18, 2012

I think that if it only money you are looking at then bear fairs do not cut it.  The price of airfare, table, room and food make it expensive to do a show.  Are the networking opportunities worth it? maybe.  I am sure there are many collectors out there who do not buy on the internet.  I am sure that there are some who after seeing a bear in person, whether buying it or not will find the artist online.

I have gone back and forth about this.  The shows are fun, it is so nice to meet up with other artists.  I did two not too long ago and had a wonderful time.  Everything sold well.  But I spent a lot to do the shows, and I had to keep my bears off the internet for months.  That really bothered me. I felt it was much too long, months.  And I think that that hurts internet sellers.  When I really think about it, the show itself was not that much fun, it was the before and the after that I really enjoyed. 

So I think that I may get on a plane and go just for the fun of it.  That way I can socialize, and network without the stress of it all.  (I am all for keeping stress levels down.)   I will stick with selling my bears on the internet.

jenny Sep 18, 2012

Actually that's a good point. That perhaps the need is more about just being there but maybe not selling that much. I think that the next fair I do I will only take minimal showcase style bears....perhaps lots of photos and visual stuff but not so many bears that it hurts my cash flow to the point of eating up my overdraft!

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desertmountainbear Sep 18, 2012

The problem here at least is that the tables that are at the venue are huge.  I would be very happy doing a show and bringing 5 bears, but not with a big table.  I know with the Philadelphia Convention everyone is there for the whole weekend.  I thought I would just throw a couple in a suitcase, just by the chance that someone may want one.  That would pay for the trip, and then I could enjoy the company, and food.

rowarrior Sep 18, 2012

I'm now having visions of Joanne doing dodgy deals out of a suitcase round the back of the carpark at that fair 

6 users like this: desertmountainbear, Francesca, HeidiBears, jenny, New Avenue Crew, tcfolk

desertmountainbear Sep 18, 2012

I'll be the one in the black overcoat, and dark glasses 

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FenBeary Folk Sep 22, 2012

How interesting re the smaller tables.........................it has given me food for thought.

I am/was planning on holding a fair next year but am struggling to find a suitable date at the moment, what with new fairs springing up all the time, existing dates moving and people deliberately choosing dates to obstruct me!!!

Anyway offering a showcase table option sounds a really good idea, at a good price.

I love fairs but have to say the cost can often outweigh the monetary return. At my stage in this business I have used fairs not just for selling but also to enhance my customer base, introduce myself to new collectors and for advertising but I can see a day in the future that certain fairs are really not worth the effort. Some fairs charge a disproportionate amount for their stands compared with the footfall that they have.

I do find it a shame that in this economic climate that the cost of exhibiting at a fair will eventually prevent artist attending and the rise in fair popularity at the moment will be ultimately killed by this expense.

I know it is time consuming organising a fair and the cost is not small BUT in SOME cases I feel fair organisers have taken the high handed approach with regards to costs, I know of one fair who are happy to have anyone and everyone attending just to fill gaps, it's a case of as long as we are ok. I do believe that this attitude is not helpful to the industry. If I was a new collector attending this fair it would certainly put me off attending any others, even the really good ones, like Sheffield and Hugglets.

PaeoniaDrop Oct 3, 2012

I know at other types of conventions, some people split tables. I don't know if it is allowed, but it might be fun to have the company and to be able to show a smaller set of bears rather than trying to fill an entire table.

Personally, I do not feel good enough to sell at a show, but I'd love to just attend one to meet other bear artists. As a graduate student, I rarely see the world outside my lab at this point, but I think it'd be fun socialize and just meet people with similar interest. Is there location where these fairs would all be listed with times and locations?

Thanks!

desertmountainbear Oct 3, 2012

I just signed up to join in to the Doll and Teddy Bear Convention in Philadelphia in May.  Like I said in the previous post here, I can not get enough bears together for a table.  I will be going to this one for the fun of hanging out with the doll and bear people.

  Because I am an artist I was still able to get the artist price, and I am still able to participate in the competition, which I will.   This is the perfect situation for me, because the bears in the competition are for sale.  So I can go and just bring one nice bear for people to see, and then hopefully sell it to pay for the trip.

peterbear Oct 3, 2012

From the perspective of someone of who doesn't stand behind the tables, but before them :

This year I have visited three teddy bear shows: TeddyBär Total in Münster in April, Hugglets in London in September and just the weekend after that AGDM in Paris.  For many collectors they are really something to look forward to.  I have even started to plan my holidays around these shows. (I know what you're thinking: "get a life, Peter"  )
Being able to see all those wonderful creations (and some that I don't find so wonderful  ) is of course the main purpose, but another very important aspect is that you get to chat with all the artists, people from bear shops, antique bear dealers, restorers and fellow collectors.  These shows are a unique opportunity for collectors to spend their day doing what they like most: talking teddy bear (without having to feel ashamed about it  :rolleyes:).

I have lots of friends from the teddy bear community that I communicate with through mail or on FB or here and other forums, but having the chance to meet them in person is always special.   
That is why I am glad that teddy bear fairs are still going strong (at least in several European countries) and keep attracting many visitors. 
And so far, at every show I have discovered some new artists whose work I was unfamiliar with and whose bears tugged at my heart strings.

I understand that for some artists it can be a big investment, taking into account accomodation, travel costs, etc..., and the financial return at the end of the day may not be very big, but for the collector's sake I would urge you to keep on participating in shows. 

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jenny Oct 3, 2012

Joanne that would be a perfect solution for me too. I love to go but I detest the pressure...and yes the investment is huge. I also like to take a friend along for company...usually Steve my husband...he will also drive which is helpful as while I don't mind driving its nice not to have to...but all that adds to the investment. If I could  go along with say 3 bears and a slide show of previous works I would think I would attend more often ...but I always feel I have to have a stand full of bears.
Maybe I need to rethink.
Peter I hear exactly what you are saying and had I not attended those initial shows I doubt I would have the following I now have...so I am eternally grateful for the custom of those people who saw my potential in those early days. So Paeoniadrop...sorry don't know our name..I would not be too afraid to book a stand .. I think that new artists are essential.
Thanks to everyone who joined in this thread!

rkr4cds Oct 3, 2012

Well, I've been exhibiting at teddy shows since 1990, and really don't find the premier shows/fairs any more expensive now than they were then. They were priced between $400 or 500 to $1000 (and more!) back then, depending on which shows you picked and if you had one table or more. What has gone up is the cost of everything else: travel!
Airfare, food, hotel costs, table set-ups and decor, even the price of the quality garment or two which most exhibitors tended to purchase as their 'show' clothing and keep for several years because it packs well, wears well, is comfortable in most climates etc.

In the beginning, many promoters allowed sharing of tables, most tables are either 6' or 8' long. None that I've dealt with recently do that now. And as shows have closed down and the sales rooms become less visited, there is a tendency to hold more of a Showcasing or Boutique show. Fewer artists, more space for each (not crammed in as we used to be!) but have also trimmed down on all of the convention pkgs that the collectors used to like: extras like night-before artist room sneak peeks (sales), dessert receptions, auctions (most artists donated a bear), workshops.....

OMGosh Joanne:
"The problem here at least is that the tables that are at the venue are huge."
We miniaturists NEVER thought we'd hear that from someone who makes standard-sized bears!!
I think it's a case of 'The grass is always greener..."
We envied you all, because your bears covered so much more of the 6 - 8' table, along with a few carefully placed accessories.
And you thought that we just popped our work into a shoebox and quickly toddled off, forgetting that at the show, we had to bring loads of stuff to fill up all of that empty space...

But since the internet, the mind-set has changed everything.
There are always two sides of every coin:
All artists always prepared a table-full of inventory, and if you were one of those lucky enough (or unlucky) to sell out, you had to prepare another full amount of stock before your next show. You pretty much knew how well your work was selling so you also had a pretty good idea of how many pieces you would have left at the end of most shows (on average.) And you would learn to schedule your shows a certain distance apart in time depending on how long or how quickly you could accomplish restocking your table for the next show.

The eBay®/internet sites have produced an opposite feeling in many (most?) artists' minds: that they will create a piece (or two, if similar) of work and list that one while they begin another. An added benefit is that the sales/income are a little more regular that way.
But it's basically a "make one, sell it, make another to replace it" difference over the old way of preparing 12 - 24 pieces for a date 10 weeks to several months in the future, and expecting no income until that time.

Does that explain it clearly? There is no good or bad, right or wrong way, "It is what it is!" Some are able to straddle the fence and work both systems: build up inventory slowly for a few select fairs every year while continuing to offer something on their website/blog/auction sites/Bear Pile/Etsey/whatever/ regularly so that they are keeping a presence in both markets. It's really hard but I know some are doing it!

But it's definitely frowned upon (and reported by artists present to the promoter, if noticed!) to bring a few bears for sale, whether in your arms, they're tucked in your bag or peeking out of a pocket. Others have paid dearly for exhibitor space and an outside sale like that would be diverting collector monies from them. I know you were kidding but I didn't want that it give anyone else any ideas!

Off my soapbox now!

Natascha Oct 3, 2012

About the three bears for a show: My neighbour at the last Hugglets show had exactly four (!) very tiny miniature bears with her, last year she had six bears, but she sold them all.

When I saw that I couldn't help but thinking: Lucky girl, she can travel with hand lugguage only, which is really comfortable, when you have to travel by plane and take the tube to get to the show.

So, I decided that I could do the show with less bears, too and my motto since that has been "hand luggage only".
So, naturally, I can't take more than 15 to 20 of my miniatures, which means that my table looks rather empty, but funnily my sales have increased since that.

At the same time, I could minimize my expenses: I fly with Ryan Air, and as I travel with hand luggage only, I don't have to pay any additional fee and I can stay at one of the Easy Hotels. In these hotels, there is no elevator and the rooms are really tiny, with a large bed, but the rest of the room has the size of the back seat of a VW Golf, so definitley not recommended for people who travel with a lot of luggage. Bur for me, with hand luggage only, it's perfect.

So, if you want to take only three bears with you, why not?

desertmountainbear Oct 4, 2012

Actually Bobbie I was not kidding, well maybe just a little.  This convention has one price for artist and one for collector.  The price of a table is included whether you choose to sell or not. It is not mandatory.  So it will cost me no more or less to go than someone with a table full of bears.  I would never actively solicit sales, but I would prearrange a bear sale and bring the bear with me, rather than ship it.

rkr4cds Oct 4, 2012

Oh, that's very different, Joanne! Delivering a ted already sold - I misunderstood! Mea culpa...

So it will cost me no more or less to go than someone with a table full of bears. The price of a table is included whether you choose to sell or not.

Would you be signing then as an artist or as a collector?
I'm not quite certain I understand why anyone would want to sign up as an artist without taking a table too ... New Days, New Ways, me thinks!
Show agents are having as hard a time as the artists are. So many have gone-out-of-business...

My neighbour at the last Hugglets show had exactly four (!) very tiny miniature bears with her, last year she had six bears, but she sold them all.

I too have been next to or near fellow artists who brought only a handful of teds, arranging them highlighted on a few risers in the center of the table. However, the person's bears each sold for several hundred $$. When 5 or 6 bears can bring in $1500 to $2500+ income in one day, you can afford to bring a 'handful of bears' and not suitcases full of other table-filling props and ephemera.

And there are some who don't need or want that much in sales to be satisfied for the day. If their goal is selling all of their inventory, no matter what the bottom-line is in profit, then they're happy with an empty table, too. We all have different goals.
I was only pointing out the differences in the change in 'sales/inventory mentality' (if that's not too harsh a term!) in the times before the internet and after. Hopefully no toes stepped on here! 

Natascha Oct 4, 2012

Bobby, no need to worry, no toes stepped on 
I just wanted to point out that it is absolutely okay to bring only a few bears and tell about my own experience with empty tables.

By the way, my only "decoration" at Hugglets are two or three boxes, nomally used to transport my bears and maybe the book I'm reading at the moment, covered with a table cloth.
So far, people didn't mind, apparently, they understand that exhibitors coming from overeseas can't bring tons of decoration with them.

Thanks to Ryan Air and Easy Hotel, my expenses for Hugglets are not that high, so no problem to cover them with a handfull of bears.

And this brings me to antoher idea:
Maybe we could start exchanging our experiences with cheap airlines, hotels and train tickets here on TT?

rkr4cds Oct 4, 2012

Maybe we could start exchanging our experiences with cheap airlines, hotels and train tickets here on TT?

We often get emailed alerts for last-minute air fare deals: the price cuts are phenomenal! The airlines are looking to put bodies in those empty seats.
Unfortunately, they're not always to the same places that you need to travel to, or if they are the same, you just cannot count on waiting until the final week to book your flights!

Ahh, to have all the time in the world and no obligations one needs to consider. ... to just be able to pick up & Go! What a Life that must be. I'd just like to have the time that some of my friends have, who are always calling about going out-to-lunch, or "Come shopping with me!"  "No, thanks!"  (I shop alone - no time to spend while others browse and I don't want/need anyone else's opinion but my own. [Can you tell I've just spent 2 veeeery long weeks with my dear only sister who does love and need both of those things in her life on a regular basis?] evil grin...sshhhh! don't tell! and spoil her Fun)