Selling one-off pieces?

[Gill]

It's not unknown for scrollers to sell their segmentation/intarsia products by arranging for (say) a vet to display their portraits of animals at a surgery. That way, the vet gets some free decoration and a small cut of any sales. Moreover, it gets the scroller's name more widely known. I'm thinking of taking some of my dance projects to some dance schools and seeing if they'd operate a similar display/sales arrangement. There's no reason why a local sports culb couldn't be approached in this way too.

Of course, this technique won't be appropriate for most furniture woodworkers because furniture takes up so much floor space. However, a bit of lateral thinking might allow you to adapt it. For instance, why not get the local vet to display photographs of fish tank plinths, aviaries, rabbit hutches, kennels etc which are in use by your pets? If you like making small boxes, perhaps you could find an undertaker who could put some trade your way. Just don't go drumming up trade for the undertaker first !

Gill

 

[devonwoody]

Gill , my wife has already thought of what to do with my boxes, she is going to put my .......... in one.

Village hall events could be an outlet even if it is only for display and to generate enquiries for a commission.

 

[woodbloke]

If I set something like this up, would sellers be happy to haul their behinds to various shows/events to share the costs of setting up a stall/tent?

If it's limited to furniture, No, but if you were looking to show other items such as jewellry boxes, mirrors, ornaments and turnings then there would be more interest, it has certainly got me interested but then I work stupid shifts that take up most of my weekends.

Byron - lots of very interesting ideas to kick around here. Provided that stuff wasn't just limited to furniture, in other words, a whole range of quality objects, then this could take off. I wouldn't mind participating in a show or event provided that distances travelled were not too great, but I have no idea what the costings are, would also be a chance to meet others from the forum....but I aslo am a shift worker - Rob

 

[Matt_S]

Just dropped my wife off at a craft fair in a village hall. It was a fair sized fair and she is next to someone selling mainly turned items, but he hadn't finished unpacking when I left. Will have to see how much he has sold by the end!

Oh I saw someone else had those little turned Christmas trees seen in another thread on here.

 

[bjm]

Sorry I'm a bit late to this thread. If you are thinking along the lines of forming a collective you may want to look at these sites for ideas;


Designer Makers

The Craft & Design Experience


Brian