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Preparations For Your First Gift Tradeshow
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Tips on Selling: Retailer's Perspective
By Marilyn MacAbee, owner of Adirondack Craft Center, Lake Placid, NY since 1998. Editing and additions by Nadia Korths, craft programs coordinator/ANCA, Saranac Lake, NY since 1997.
Communication is key.
Value your smaller gift shops who provide top-notch service to you. They can become your main customers.
Always be consistent with your product quality. Never send seconds.
Stand behind your product, ie., let your buyer know that if a customer needs to have your product repaired, you will do so. Charging a small fee or the expense of shipping is reasonable. It is always nice for the buyer to tell her customers that the artisan backs her/his items.
Typically terms such as the above are listed on the order form and/or discussed verbally between buyer and artisan in the region. Listing terms minimizes misunderstandings and outlines expected procedure.
If you raise your wholesale prices, let your buyers know right away. Do not let them find out with their next order. Buyers usually order based on the wholesale prices from a budgeted amount allocated towards inventory purchases. Not knowing the new prices may make the buyer's order more than what they want to spend. You are but one vendor that that buyer order from. Call up your buyers and talk over the price change and reasons why. Typically craftspeople will raise their prices when necessary at the beginning of the year and notify their account with their first direct mail piece or email of the year..
Do not charge an outrageous shipping rate. Buyers generally have to pass that cost onto their customers. If this makes your retail price too high, the buyer may choose not to reorder.
As shipping costs increase, buyers are attempting to minimize this cost by ordering product that they can pick up at cash and carry trade shows and/or can be delivered by the producer. Craftspeople who do scheduled delivery runs typically charge a reasonable rate to each account on the route.
Confirm orders received from a buyer by faxing back a reply, or with a phone call or email on the same day. You can ask questions and/or make adjustments, ie., you no longer make an item but can recommend a similar item as replacement.
Call your buyers if they have not ordered when they usually do. They can provide you feedback; price too high, have not sold product, frustrated with display, etc.
Some producers, as one of their terms, will offer to exchange unsold product after a certain time period (6 months seems to be average).
If you cannot fulfill an order or if you are running behind in your production, let your buyer know immediately. Let them know when it can be shipped. The buyer's money has been dedicated to that purchase. As soon as the buyer is forewarned, she can reallocate that money to another order while planning ahead for your revised shipment date.
Producers who offer buyers their own well designed displays eliminate the need for the buyer to have to provide the display. Often producers will include the display (for free or minimal cost) when the buyer orders a required amount, ie., minimum order, case, crate or box full or with a certain mix of product.
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