Want to try selling in person!

[totallypersonal]

I have been selling online for a while now, but other than a few car boot sales, I haven't really tried selling in person.

What are my options?

I would like to offer personalised mugs, iphone cases etc. while people wait, so I would need to use a small heat press at the event. Is this possible at places such as indoor car boot sales?

Also, what are pitch fees like at indoor car boots, and craft fairs?

I would like to offer a service where people can either send photos to our computer via their mobile phone, or they can access their facebook page etc. on our computers to locate photos. I would then print these photos onto a gift of their choice.

How successful would this be, as I would love to give it a go!

It's also worth noting that I am only 16, 17 in March. So, would this also affect me in terms of getting a pitch at one of these events?

Any input will be great to hear!

Thanks

Rob

[smitch6]

i used to do indoor boots a few yrs ago in wolves and they were rubbish
the big outside ones cost more but there is a lot more foot traffic

we done boots for quite a while and tried all dif types and the only one's that made any money were the big one's
the others we were lucky if we broke even
and i used to sell second hand mobile phones and do un-locking and all that sort of stuff

[totallypersonal]

i used to do indoor boots a few yrs ago in wolves and they were rubbish
the big outside ones cost more but there is a lot more foot traffic

we done boots for quite a while and tried all dif types and the only one's that made any money were the big one's
the others we were lucky if we broke even
and i used to sell second hand mobile phones and do un-locking and all that sort of stuff

Yeah I have done a few outdoor ones before, just selling old junk really, it's very hit and miss.

Have you ever done Dye Sub printing at these events?

[Lee]

did your pre-designs sell better than the on the spot personalised ones or vice-versa?

[smitch6]

no when i was doing the boots i never even knew about sub as i said it was quite a few yrs ago now
i got a market stall in an indoor market after the boots and it was broken into specially for the phones i had, it was an inside job but the police couldn't prove it
i then had a phone stolen in front of my eyes and that was the last straw so i packed it up
this was even before smart phone's existed lol

[totallypersonal]

Oh wow, sounded like great fun then...not! haha

[Lee]

eeek. goes to show that you cant trust anyone these days!

[smitch6]

i have never felt such a plonker when the phone got pinched in front of me
he was a regular customer over the months i'd been there
he asked to see the latest samsung which i managed to buy and said 'yes it's great i'll check with the wife and come back later'
and gave it back to me and i put it back in the cabinet, it wasn't until later in the day another customer came in and wanted to look at it
i took it out and went to turn it on and realised he'd given me a dummy phone
them dummy's are so realistic in weight feel etc.
i couldn't believe how stupid i'd been

the police as usual didn't want to know and while they were talking to me he walked past and saw the police and ran
the police's response was 'oh we don't run after anyone anymore, we'll get them later'

and they wonder why ppl take the law into their own hands
i really wanted to bat the 2 thieves but knew if i did i'd get in more trouble

nothing was ever followed up from either theft and left me de-flated and i shut the shop a few weeks later
sold everything at below trade prices lost loads of money and never want to go back doing something like that again

[John G]

they can access their facebook page etc. on our computers to locate photos. I would then print these photos onto a gift of their choice.

It sounds like a good idea but facebook pictures are pretty well compressed and when you come to print them they are well and truly pixelated. The other thing to remember is, everyone's a David bailey these days, but some of the photo's I get given aren't printable without sorting a few things out in Photoshop first.

Your going to have to tidy most of the photo's up first, show a proof, size it to fit, print it, press it - and the customer will want it 20 minutes ago. You also have the problems of running a geny for your power and trying to keep your heat presses away from people who just want to touch it to see how hot it is.:biggrin:

Good idea though

Oh forgot - you'll need insurance too

[totallypersonal]

@smitch: Anyone would feel the same in your shoes mate, it's enough to put anyone off of doing business for a lifetime! lol