How do you start your own market?

[MelissaG]

The city I live in has Farmers Market but it's only for farmers and I've been "kindly" informed that they don't accept crafters. The only crafters market in the area says they don't accept other soapers (they sell soap and other soap related things) "because they only have 20 spots" (uh huh).

To go to a market, anyone in my city has to drive elsewhere. And nearly every market I've seen in and around my state is nearly always outside (getting sick of that. It's either dying from heat and humidity with a spot of massive rain, or freezing cold).

It's not like I want to make money or something, I just want to give us a good venue in the area to go to with only handmade vendors and NOT exposed to the elements. I'd have my own spot in the market.

But I know little about marketing. And I'm not even sure what steps I should take.

 

[paradisi]

Your state extension service probably has information too.

https://www.hobbyfarms.com/how-to-start-a-farmers-market/

 

[MelissaG]

Your state extension service probably has information too.

https://www.hobbyfarms.com/how-to-start-a-farmers-market/

Thanks muchly. I appreciate it.

 

[TheGecko]

It's funny...the gal that runs our craft fair is a soap maker...she has goats and makes GMS. I offered as a courtesy not to bring any GMS with me, she said not worries as it is good for people to have choices.

 

[MelissaG]

It's funny...the gal that runs our craft fair is a soap maker...she has goats and makes GMS. I offered as a courtesy not to bring any GMS with me, she said not worries as it is good for people to have choices.I

I think it's a good thing to have competition. It gives people choices. And everyone should be able to work to better themselves. The customer will choose what they think is best.

 

[AliOop]

The person who just took over the majority markets in my area is very friendly and helpful. Since we are so far from you, and thus not directly competing with her, she might be willing to have a conversation with you about the topic. Here is her website. She might take awhile to respond; she recently sent out a notice that since the last markets of the year are over, she's on break till after the New Year.

 

[TheGecko]

I think it's a good thing to have competition. It gives people choices. And everyone should be able to work to better themselves. The customer will choose what they think is best.

I think folks forget that competition drives business. Folks think that if they are the only game in town then they will get all the business, but in reality you can end up with less business because folks will find a way to do with less or without.

 

[MelissaG]

I think folks forget that competition drives business. Folks think that if they are the only game in town then they will get all the business, but in reality you can end up with less business because folks will find a way to do with less or without.

I wish someone would explain that to some of the businesses I know. It's such simple logic.

 

[lucycat]

Competition is fine to a point. In a small market of 20 I wouldn't want the market to have more than 2 soap makers. If there is too much of anything then the market starts being identified with those items and that can change the customer base. I want a market with lots of variety of different products that will catch my attention as I walk through. Too much jewelry, bath, woodworking, etc hurts that experience.

 

[Michelle0803]

Competition is good. It gives customers choices. In a market of 20 - 30 you can successfully have about 2 of the same type of vendor without hurting any one vendor's profit.

We did a farmers market last season that had about 25 - 30 vendor's every week. The market manager wanted more vendor's and decided that 4 or 5 duplicate type vendor's was the way to get more vendors there. As a result the long time vendors were not happy and everyone suffered a loss. Income was down for all vendor's across the board. At more than one market with about 25 vendors 5 were soap vendors.

We eventually pulled out of the market because it was not profitable for us. But, the market was happy because they were making the vendor fees that they wanted.

If you start your own market just remember to take care of your vendors because without good vendors and their following you will have a market that is hit or miss.