This is the fourth post in a blog series documenting my journey attending market stalls in Canberra, and talks about what to do when a market day goes totally wrong.

My hot tip: Go shopping! 😉

Luckily for me, I documented all this on my personal blog, and will be re-posting those entries here. When I read over my old posts, I saw that I was quite open and honest about all the things I sucked at, what failed, and my plans to improve. I’m hoping this will help people who may be just starting out selling their wares at markets, to show what most new-market goers go through, and to give you the confidence to really smash it at your next one! =)

So what happens when a Market sucks? When you sell pretty much nothing, make no money, and feel like a bit of a failure?

This was the first of a few market days that did NOT go well for me, money-wise. But the lessons I learned and what I took away from the experience was really valuable… So my advice would always be to chalk it up to experience, and look at what you can change and do better next time, to make the next market more successful for you.

PS I look at these photos and I still LOVE my products I was making, I think they are so cute! Maybe I’ll have to make some more and just give them away as gifts 😉

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Aug 09, 2010

Mathilda’s Markets in Lane Cove

This weekend past I trekked up to Sydney to hold a stall at the Mathilda’s Markets in Lane Cove. It was such a lovely day outside!

We were set up in the gym at St Ignacious College, which was a great location and had big crowds of people come through.

Successful day for me?

Well, no.

Actually it was a total bust.

I came out with a loss, after the stall application fee and the drive up there/time etc etc… BUT. I refuse to get discouraged! I know it was because my products were for the wrong age group for the people coming through. 50% of the women there were pregnant, and the other 50% had prams with babies or toddlers. The products I took up were magnets and badges… sharp pins + babies = no. Every parent who came up with a a kid 3+ years, bought something. These kids loved my stuff! But I now know I need to target the parents, not the kids.

So I will use this as a learning experience and make sure I have more parent-style-friendly stuff for the Canberra market, including larger canvas paintings in soft neutral colours (I had already started some of these but didn’t take them with me) and some customisable wall art also.

Luckily the weekend wasn’t a total loss, as after the markets finished at 1pm I went to Ikea =)

I love Ikea.

I had to steady myself a few times in the crowds though, remind myself I didn’t need to get out GET OUT of a swarm of people, I could just go with the flow (I’m not good in crowds). I bought some curtain panels, fabric, a mirror, door knobs and some hanging storage for my Home Office Makeover (which will hopefully happen next weekend). I also bought a small tub chair to go in the living room (which looks tiny next to the big lounge chair) and a lovely soft sheepskin to eventually go in the spare room, but for now it’s on the new chair.

Bella likes it very much.

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Have you had any crappy market days that have left you disheartened? What did you do to get back on the horse?

Check out the rest of the series here!