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Craft Fair Vendor Checklist

Medium 25 items · 3 hours
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testuser Published 6 days ago
Lifestyle

Shoppers walk past a table in a few seconds, so most of the work on this list happens at home in the week before the fair. It is written for a maker with a table or booth at a holiday craft fair, school bazaar or church sale, first show or tenth.

Read the vendor agreement twice. It tells you the size of your space, the setup and teardown times, whether tables, chairs and power come with it, and for an outdoor show, whether every canopy leg needs a weight.

Set the whole display up once at home, on a table the same size as your space, and take a photo. On the day you rebuild it from the photo instead of from memory, and you find out before you leave whether everything fits in the car.

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  1. Read the vendor agreement and note the setup time, space size and what is provided
  2. Find out whether you need a seller's permit or have to collect sales tax — Rules differ by state. Ask the organizer, or check with your state's tax department.
  3. Get liability insurance if the show asks for proof of it — Some shows want a certificate before you can set up.
  4. Count your stock and decide how many of each item to bring
  5. Price every item with a tag or a clear sign — A shopper who has to ask the price often walks on instead.
  6. Set up a card reader and run a test sale at home — Turn on its offline mode if it has one. Phone signal inside school gyms and church halls can be weak.
  7. Get a cash float in small bills and coins
  8. Make a sign with your shop name that reads from across the aisle
  9. Do a full practice setup at home and photograph it
  10. Use risers or small shelves to lift items toward eye level
  11. Cover the table with a cloth that reaches the floor — Spare stock and your bag go underneath, out of sight.
  12. Pack a supply kit
  13. Tape, scissors, zip ties, clips and safety pins
  14. Pens, a notebook for recording sales and a calculator
  15. An extension cord and a clip-on light, if your space has power
  16. Bags, tissue or boxes for wrapping purchases
  17. Put a business card or a card with your shop link in every bag
  18. Pack the canopy, weights and side walls for an outdoor show — A gust can lift an unweighted canopy and carry it into the next booth.
  19. Pack food, water and a warm layer — Tables near the doors of a hall get a cold draft every time the doors open.
  20. Line up a friend to watch your table during breaks
  21. Load the car the night before
  22. Arrive at the start of your setup window
  23. Keep your cash and your phone on you, not on the table — Things go missing in the busiest moments, when your eyes are on a customer.
  24. Note each sale as it happens — The tally tells you what to make more of before the next show.
  25. Count leftover stock and total the day's sales before you unpack at home
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