Retailing with little overhead...How?
By Robert Cyr
Are you looking to start a retail business on a limited budget? There are several ways to retail merchandise, but opening a traditional store can be very expensive. Another option other than a “Brick and Mortar” storefront is selling at festivals, fairs and parade events. You can set up as a vendor at these attractions for as little as $50 to $100 for a 10 X 10 booth. One and two day events attract thousands of people who are willing to spend money on just about anything.
I have found that just about any type of merchandise will sell at fairs and festivals, but to be honest the big dollars can be made by selling to one category of fair attendees....children. Kids love to buy toys or novelties. I, myself can attend a festival or fair and not spend a dime, but when I have my children with me they are “hounding” me to buy souvenirs or toys relentlessly.
You can sell just about anything at festivals and fairs providing you follow vendor guidelines which will be apart of each event you participate in. Some festivals will only allow a certain number of related vendors in each event so it is imperative that you sign up to become a vendor well in advance.
I have set up as a vendor at probably 30-40 different events and some have been more profitable than others. There is a learning curve involved and much of the success you will have will come with trial and error. In my circumstance selling toys and novelties I know that for every 10,000 in attendance I average about $1,500 in retail sales. Larger cities will hold annual festivals and fairs where it is not uncommon to have 50,000 to 75,000 people attending daily!
As a vendor it can become overwhelming at the volume of people viewing your merchandise and trying to hand you money. For larger events you must have help selling and watching your merchandise to prevent theft.
You will need to purchase a couple of large items to make selling easier:
10 X 10 sun canopy to provide shade for your selling area; also provides protection in the event of rain. Canopies can range in price from $79 for a lower end unit up to $350 for a sturdy commercial grade canopy designed to be setup over and over. Look for a canopy that provides ease of setup, often in minutes with two to three people assisting.
Folding tables are a must and can be purchased just about anywhere. Folding tables come in various lengths, but the standard are six to eight feet long. 3-4 tables will provide an excellent way to merchandise your inventory.
In addition to the above I recommend bringing:
Are you looking to start a retail business on a limited budget? There are several ways to retail merchandise, but opening a traditional store can be very expensive. Another option other than a “Brick and Mortar” storefront is selling at festivals, fairs and parade events. You can set up as a vendor at these attractions for as little as $50 to $100 for a 10 X 10 booth. One and two day events attract thousands of people who are willing to spend money on just about anything.
I have found that just about any type of merchandise will sell at fairs and festivals, but to be honest the big dollars can be made by selling to one category of fair attendees....children. Kids love to buy toys or novelties. I, myself can attend a festival or fair and not spend a dime, but when I have my children with me they are “hounding” me to buy souvenirs or toys relentlessly.
You can sell just about anything at festivals and fairs providing you follow vendor guidelines which will be apart of each event you participate in. Some festivals will only allow a certain number of related vendors in each event so it is imperative that you sign up to become a vendor well in advance.
I have set up as a vendor at probably 30-40 different events and some have been more profitable than others. There is a learning curve involved and much of the success you will have will come with trial and error. In my circumstance selling toys and novelties I know that for every 10,000 in attendance I average about $1,500 in retail sales. Larger cities will hold annual festivals and fairs where it is not uncommon to have 50,000 to 75,000 people attending daily!
As a vendor it can become overwhelming at the volume of people viewing your merchandise and trying to hand you money. For larger events you must have help selling and watching your merchandise to prevent theft.
You will need to purchase a couple of large items to make selling easier:
10 X 10 sun canopy to provide shade for your selling area; also provides protection in the event of rain. Canopies can range in price from $79 for a lower end unit up to $350 for a sturdy commercial grade canopy designed to be setup over and over. Look for a canopy that provides ease of setup, often in minutes with two to three people assisting.
Folding tables are a must and can be purchased just about anywhere. Folding tables come in various lengths, but the standard are six to eight feet long. 3-4 tables will provide an excellent way to merchandise your inventory.
In addition to the above I recommend bringing:
- Electrical extension cords at least 50-100 feet in length
- Bungee cords to secure your canopy for windy days
- Lights for night events
- Secure cash box
- Rolling hand truck to pack your equipment/merchandise from the parking area to your selling location
How do I find out about upcoming events in my area?
Contact the Chamber of Commerce in your geographical region. Ask for a schedule of community events which allow retail vendors to sell.
Get friendly with other vendors at the events you set up at as they can offer additional information about upcoming places to sell-
This post brought to you by:
The Closeout Industry - A wealth of information centered around wholesale closeout merchandise. Author and consultant, Robert Cyr has educated thousands of entrepreneurs offering advice relating to sourcing name brand merchandise far below wholesale pricing.
Labels: Carnival retailing, Event Sales, Festival Sales
posted by Robert Cyr at
10:29 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home