Craft Show Etiquette – What other Vendors Expect

When you’re a vendor at a craft show, there are a few people you want to consider; the organizer, the shopper, and your fellow vendors. Chances are, you’ll bump into the same vendors if you sell at several craft shows. This article outlines a few unspoken rules vendors will expect you to follow. 

1) Don’t hog the entrance

Everyone wants to get their stuff loaded in so they have plenty of time to set up before shoppers show up. Be sure you don’t park your vehicle at the entry and leave it there.

Quickly unload your items and move your car so other vendors can do the same. If it’s a parking lot or area where there aren’t many people walking by (and perhaps an organizer is present), you can even unload your stuff just outside the door, move your vehicle, then come back to load your stuff to your booth. 

If there’s a lot of foot traffic and you’d rather take your items straight from the car to your table, try your best to do it quickly or to park in a spot that won’t be a hassle for other vendors to walk around or park next to you while they unload.

2) Don’t spill out of your booth/table

Everyone has paid their fees for a designated spot and each vendor needs to stay within their space. If your display starts spilling out into the aisle, it’s unfair that you get more space than others. You also don’t want to create a situation that makes it hard for shoppers to get to your neighbor’s table. 

3) Don’t take up too much of the organizer’s time

Plan ahead of time to ask the organizer the questions you’re curious about so you’re not monopolizing their time the morning of the event. Find them once to find out where you should set up. Every vendor needs a little of the organizer’s time so they can quickly get set up and ready for the day so be respectful of that. 

4) Don’t be an island

Community is what the handmade world is about. Say hi to your neighbors, walk around and see what other vendors are selling, and if you can, offer to help your booth neighbor if needed. If you don’t have a helper, you may need someone to watch your table for bathroom breaks; offer to cover for your neighbor and see if they’ll do the same for you. Work together to make the most of the event and make sure it’s a success for everyone.

5) Don’t compete

There are bound to be other vendors selling similar items to you at a craft fair but don’t look at it as competition. Use it as an opportunity to point out what’s different about your products that shoppers may appreciate.

There are (usually) enough shoppers to go around and everyone has something unique to offer.

Personality plays a big role at craft shows so this is the time to let yours shine. Shoppers aren’t just buying a product, they’re also getting a story and experience when they shop handmade. So don’t worry about what other vendors are doing and focus on improving your game.

6) Don’t copy

Be inspired, sure! But don’t outright copy what another vendor is doing for your next event. Handmade is all about individuality so you need to tap into yours to succeed. If you see someone doing something you’d like to do, whether it’s through the products they sell, the way they interact with shoppers, or the displays they create; draw inspiration from them, but don’t copy. Determine what it is you love about what they’re doing and brainstorm how you can put your spin on it.

7) Don’t gossip

If there’s a vendor or event organizer you’re not particularly fond of, or a shopper who has said something to offend you, it’s best to keep it to yourself. Not only does gossiping make you look bad, it’s a bad vibe for the show. Shoppers find it unprofessional and other vendors will wonder what you say about them behind their backs.

8) Don’t lower your prices for sales

If the craft show is slow or you’re just eager to make more sales; don’t resort to lowering your prices. There are several reasons not to lower your prices, but for the sake of this article; it won’t make other vendors happy. They’ve worked hard to make their products and to get their customers to understand and value their prices.

If you slash your prices or undervalue your work, you’re making other vendors’ work seem overpriced, which can harm their sales.

If you’re running a promotion for the event or your products are lower priced due to different materials or techniques, that’s perfectly fine. But don’t underpay yourself in an attempt to drive sales.

>> Be sure you’re pricing your products properly by following this guide: The Right Way to Price a Handmade Product (Step-by-Step Formula)

9) Don’t be a Chatty Cathy

Get to know your neighbors but be sure to pick up on cues when they don’t feel like talking or want to focus on customers. Always cut your conversation short if a shopper walks up and shift your attention to them. Not only will fellow vendors appreciate that, shoppers will too.

10) Don’t pack up early

This applies to etiquette event organizers want you to follow as well. Packing up early affects other vendors because it creates a distraction and may make shoppers feel rushed. Stay until the very end and enjoy your time.

11) Do be mindful of your lunch

No one is trying to tell you what to eat but keep in mind that many vendors sell fabric items that absorb smells and they do their best to keep their work environment free of things like smoke, pets, strong scents, and other irritants. Their work environment includes craft shows so it’s important to be mindful of that. Not to mention, you don’t want the smell of your lunch to compete with your neighbor’s scented goods like candles or bath and body products; they want their customers to smell their products, not your lunch.

12) Do spread the love

Before the show, you may want to find a few other vendors you’re swooning over and share them on your Facebook page. This could be something you do to promote the event or you may want to strike up a deal with your fellow vendors. Offer to post their work if they do the same for yours. Fans of your social media page may not be in the market for more of your products this upcoming weekend, but they may be looking for some new jewelry, or soap, or art.

By sharing another vendor’s work, you may just encourage someone new to come…and you never know, once they’re there, they may purchase from you after all.

You can carry this cross-promotion over to the day of the show too; offer to keep another vendor’s business cards on your table and suggest shoppers check them out in exchange for them doing the same for you.

13) Do smile

Even if you can’t get out from behind your table to walk around and meet the other vendors, be sure you make eye contact and smile. Although you may just be scanning the room to see what the other vendors are selling, doing it from behind your table, inquisitively, can come across the wrong way. A smile makes everyone feel more comfortable, including yourself 🙂

14) Do stay focused

You’re a part of a team and everyone needs to put their best foot forward. If a couple of vendors are grumpy, distracted, or bored, it can leave a bad impression on shoppers…and we all know how people are more likely to remember and talk about the bad, rather than the good (here are some of the top complaints shoppers make when reviewing a craft show: The Top 7 Complaints from Craft Show Shoppers).

Wear a smile, don’t hide behind the table, stay off your phone, and engage with the shoppers. Everyone around you will appreciate it.

Here are the other etiquette articles:

• Craft Show Etiquette – A Guide for Vendors
• Shopper Etiquette at a Craft Show
• Craft Show Etiquette – What Organizers Expect
• 4 Craft Show Organizers Share their Do’s & Don’ts
• Farmers’ Market Etiquette for Shoppers
• Farmers’ Market Etiquette for Vendors

Have any other points you’d like to add? Please leave a comment!

Finally understand why your hard work isn't resulting in more sales

Join over 18,000 others and sign up for the
Made Urban newsletter

Success! Please check your email to confirm your subscription.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

Email Address

Subscribe Powered by ConvertKit

Erin (Creator of Made Urban)

Hey, I’m Erin 🙂 I write about small business and craft show techniques I’ve learned from being a small business owner for almost 2 decades, selling at dozens of craft shows, and earning a diploma in Visual Communication Design. I hope you find my advice helpful!