Booth Questions

[DIMBW]

Heya heya,

So I'm pretty new to the whole glass scene and have mainly been selling on the internet and through a few local shops. I'm gearing up for my first vendor booth at a county fair and was hoping for some tips for setting up shop. My main concerns are of course broken/stolen glass and the only idea I got for that are display cases where people can see but not touch. I'm sure there is all kinds of stuff I haven't thought of for setting up a booth so I figured some of you fine people may help me out.

Thanks!

[art vandelay]

does the venue offer case rentals?

[DIMBW]

does the venue offer case rentals?

Haha nahhh, this is a more informal venue

[art vandelay]

i see display cases for sale on cl in my area all the time. but they arnt cheap and they arnt easy to move. if i was you i would just get crafty and make one case to store the stuff that may get stolen (pipes).



plexi glass is relatively cheap http://www.homedepot.com/p/OPTIX-36-...C-09/202038045 put it on the top of an old chest or something.

glass items that arnt related to pipe culture prob have less chance of being stolen, so just throw those out on a foldable table with a black sheet on it. most people in society wont steal at all when they can see the owner of the shop face to face.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lifetime-...-202380420-_-N

[Jimi The Don]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...d=181536383206

I tried to post this earlier but didn't have a security token?

Anywho, build something like this,only deeper and a few of them. Use more affordable wood and stain it. Don't use plexiglass cuz that shight gets scuzzy quickly when vending and is hard to keep from fogging up. Use glass, you can even treat it so it won't fog (this is an issue) plus it won't sag and it looks more professional. Make the box with a double bottom so you have two floors with a gap around a half inch to three quarters, line the inside of the gap (snicker) with felt or some such and you have a slot to put the glass in during transport and can put stuff inside like cords and bungees (sp) and such. Obviously make the glass removable so after the show you can take it out and slip it in the felty gap (giggle) line the bottom with black felt and make some triangle side shields (for the sides) so no one can give you a reach around (mild audible sound of amusement) hope that makes sense, been vending for a long ass thyme, haven't had a theft I a long ass thyme.
Also, make them to the table, so if your table if eight feet then make two cases at four feet so they fill up the table.

[DIMBW]

Thanks Jimmi for the helpful and entertaining post. That table top display is exactly the kind of thing I have been thinking about

[Jimi The Don]

I'd post a picture of mine but they're already packed away in storage.

[PyroChixRock]

But Jimmi! They sound so cool! I want to see.


(also, no security token = need to refresh the page)

[art vandelay]

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item...d=181536383206 Don't use plexiglass cuz that shight gets scuzzy quickly

if you dont use plexi glass you should special order precut sections of tempered glass. you dont want someone leaning over your case with there hand on the glass to check out an item and getting gashed when that glass breaks.

[DIMBW]

if you dont use plexi glass you should special order precut sections of tempered glass. you dont want someone leaning over your case with there hand on the glass to check out an item and getting gashed when that glass breaks.

How do you know I dont want that?

[art vandelay]

How do you know I dont want that?

bahaha i guess i was making assumptions.

[menty666]

You could make a sheet of sugar glass instead then try to explain why it's sticky

[Emmett's Glass]

I think it's a better idea to make cages from 1x1's & chicken wire. The cages can easily be electrified for security.
E

[DIMBW]

I think it's a better idea to make cages from 1x1's & chicken wire. The cages can easily be electrified for security.
E

With razor blades

[menty666]

With razor blades

And a damp rug for them to stand on.

I found my best strategy for deterring theft is a two pronged approach of setting up in such a way that I can see the majority of the sales space at all times and making sure to engage as many potential customers as I can. The one and only time I've ever had a piece walk was in a church with no power or heat following an ice storm and I had left my table to talk to a neighbor. One of the handful of people that ventured out and came to the craft fair lifted a pendant.

I really hope they did it because they couldn't afford a Christmas gift for someone, at least then it went to brighten someone else's day because it sure p**sed me off.

[Jimi The Don]

I'll eventually post pics of my cases, gonna be a bit cuz I just put everything away and that shight ain't moving til spring-ish

[Firekist]

just have so much inventory, and so many sales that you don't even think about theft... then have everything out on your tables. =) anything that slows down a thief, slows down a customer.

this is only somewhat tongue in cheek advice... this was my theory, and it worked great. i caught one thief, lost a couple pieces that i knew of, and didn't give a shit about any others. your mileage may vary.
gluck!

[art vandelay]

anything that slows down a thief, slows down a customer.

soooo true. when things are behind glass , some of the psychological aspect of the sale is lost. when people touch things they are more likely to buy them.

plus it would take a LOT of theft to make up for what you spend on a secure case (or multiple for that matter).

all stores factor in a shrink/tare amount. glass blowers shouldnt be any diffrent. expect to gt a piece stolen if you leave your booth unattended. but it would take some brass balls to lift an item with the shop owner loking at you.

is loosing a pendant or two worth lugging around cases?

[harpentuan]

Yep yep. When I had a lil shop I used shadow boxes and fishtanks. My prices were right, but I didn't even have enough traffic to tell. I was at the back of the venue,and I thought the live music in the back would help, but it didn't. So my advice is if you don't have any traffic, don't worry about security. It seems a no-brainer now, but back then I just wanted to make my rental space expenses. Now I have a legitimate salesman that will cover my sales while I do product. My next venture won't turn out so bad, and I trust on it.

[Dan Kooper]

I generally only put stuff 500$ and above behind glass. I put the 200-500$ close to me where I can watch it, an the 100-200$ stuff closest to the customer and edge of the table. So if they jack something, it's not the 1000$ piece. I have yet to have something stolen from my booth yet though. Knock on wood.