Adventures in the Jewelry Trade

A few years ago my wife Barbara, a notorious non-crafter, took a couple of jewelry-making classes and got hooked. It wasn’t long before she realized she couldn’t possible wear all of the jewelry she’d made, so now we lug tables and a tent to central Illinois art fairs and sell her creations.

For the most part I enjoy the experience – I like the fresh air and most of the people who attend art shows. And selling to consumers is a constant, intriguing mystery. Some memories:

Our Favorite Customer

While we were setting up for the art fair in Macomb, IL, a young man ran up to us and almost shouted, “WHERE ARE YOUR EARRINGS?!?”

Startled, we pointed to a side table. He grabbed the first pair he saw and said, “HOW MUCH?!?”

I looked at the price tag and said, “$15.” He fumbled in his wallet, tossed $15 on the table, grabbed the earrings, and ran off. Total time of the sale from beginning to end, about 15 seconds.

We figure he was in big trouble with his girlfriend.

Our Least Favorite Customer

At the Pekin, IL Marigold Festival, a woman came in the booth and spent about 20 minutes looking carefully at all of the jewelry. While she looked, she went on and on about how much she loved Jesus.

Finally she choose a couple of items, wrote check for $60, took her purchases, and left.

The check bounced. We called her twice and each time when she realized why we were calling, she abruptly hung up.

Apparently if you love Jesus, you don’t have to balance your checkbook.

Our Favorite Compliments

1. We sent a bracelet to a friend for Christmas. When she opened the package, her teen-age daughter said in shocked surprise, “Mom! That’s not ugly!”

2. Another friend was walking down a Manhattan street wearing one of Barbara’s necklaces when a homeless man said, “Hey lady! Nice necklace!”

Our Worst Show

Early spring, Decatur, IL, in a field. The temperature was about 40 degrees, and the wind was about 40 mph. When we’d try to put the jewelry on the tables, the wind would blow the precious baubles into the mud. But the last straw: the show had one of those huge inflatable houses/rooms that little kids could jump around in. The wind ripped it off its moorings and when we saw this huge room bounding down the Illinois prairie, we packed up and came home.

What We Bring to An Outdoor Show

Learned the hard way: Bug spray, suntan lotion, rain jackets, and hats, because you never know. Clamps to hold down the tablecloths, in case of wind. Water bottles that were filled the night before and put in the freezer. Two thermoses of coffee. A water bowl for all of the thirsty doggies whose owners are looking at the jewelry.

(The most unusual dog we’ve seen: At first glance the dog was a Golden Retriever. But a second glance revealed very short legs. I asked the owner who told me the dog was half Golden and half… are you ready for this? … Dachshund. Staggers the imagination, doesn’t it?)

What Continually Mystifies Us

1. Every show there’s a certain piece of jewelry that, by far, attracts the most attention. Sometimes it’s sold, but often it isn’t. And every show the big attention-getter is different, even though the shows may be only 30 miles from each other and attract the same kind of people.

2. Every show we change the display in some way because we haven’t found the perfect solution. We have settled on a few things, such as women buy by color, so all the red items are grouped together, all the black together, etc.

3. Timing. At one show we’ll sell a couple of hundred dollars worth in the first hour and think it’s going to be a great show, then hardly sell anything else the rest of the day. The next show might be dead until the last hour when we have numerous sales. Go figure.

Charming the Customer

Here’s a comment I often make: “My wife made all this; I’m just hear to lug the tables and put up the tent. You know, husband-type stuff.”

Women love that line – I suspect married women like it better than single women. My favorite response from a customer: “Oh, so THAT’s what husbands are for.”

Shows We Don’t Like

Some shows have turned into glorified flea markets. We’re given up on shows that are not “juried,” in which you have to send photos of your work before you’re allowed to exhibit.

What’s Different This Year

Overall sales this past summer have been about the same as last summer, before the economy tanked. The big difference is credit cards: Pre-recession, lots of customers paid with a credit card. Today, they pay cash or they don’t buy anything.

xxx