Using your Folksy stock at a craft fair

Was just thinking about the practicalities of doing a craft Fair using the stock advertised on my Folksy page. Is it ok to do this? Would it be advisable to mark the relevant date as a holiday so can’t sell an item twice by mistake? As at the moment my stock level is low I wouldn’t have enough to make a show at a fair without borrowing my Folksy stuff! How do you manage this? I’m sure it must be a common problem! Thanks for any advice.

I put my shop into Holiday mode, then make sure I update my Folksy stock before I reopen, to remove the items I’ve sold. Everything is one of a kind with me, so I have to do this.

So I would say if your items are one-offs and not easily reproduced, you would be wise to do the same.

If you can make it again easy enough, you could sell it twice no problems. Could you still make the “despatch date” if you sell it twice and have to make another one? Only you can be the judge of that.

I have pretty regular sales but have never had any problem leaving my shop open when I do an ‘event’.
Only had one coincidental sale of something sold at the fair as well as on Folksy while I was out and when I checked the Folksy order later I realised that the caravan they wanted (which I’d just sold) - they actually wanted in a different colour from the one they had ordered.

Unless you expect a mad rush on your shop while you’re doing your fair I would just leave it as it is.

There is, unfortunately, no good way at all on Folksy to put up a notice, which will be noticed, to say you are only shut for a few hours or a day.
How irritating if someone visited your shop, found it closed and assumed you were closed for a week and didn’t come back.

What is actually needed is a Noticeboard area which appears on every page of your shop, not just on the shop front but also on all the listing pages (as that’s where your customers are if they are buying something) where you could post useful things like
"I’m closed today until 5pm but will be fully open later"
or “I will be on hollday from the 1st of next month for a week. Please order now if you want something”

I am adding this comment here and tagging @folksycontent in the hope that they agree and add this functionality sometime soon (and before my next holiday :slight_smile: )

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I have in the past hidden items I take to craft fairs but found this takes time, last time I put my shop on holiday.
I only have one craft fair before Christmas so will try to hide things if I have time as I don’t want to close my shop near christmas

Oh how I have longed for this feature @JOYSofGLASS

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Thanks everyone for your replies - that’s very helpful, and reassuring! I agree @JOYSofGLASS. Although I’ve obviously not needed it yet it sounds a very useful idea (@folksycontent).

I can make a general style of necklace/wooden plaque that’s the same @Beesandblossoms but wouldn’t be able to get the exact same pendant beads or wood shape so feel would need to offer as a unique item. I’d not looked at it that way though so is a really good thing to consider!

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I’ve set up a suggestion

I’ve added my votes and my two-penn’orth :slight_smile:

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@JOYSofGLASS voted! :slight_smile:

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@JOYSofGLASS Voted :smile:

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As @jenniesgems says, you can hide specific items from sale if they are one-offs or not easily repeatable or put your whole shop in holiday mode while you are at a craft fair - just don’t forget to return everything to normal once you’re back @MillieMoth!

Thanks for the suggestion @JOYSofGLASS - it’s been noted. It would be a great feature. We’ve got quite a few other new features coming up soon, but I’ll add that to our feature request lists too!

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@folksycontent Camilla thanks for that. It does seem to have been instantly approved by quite a few people :slight_smile: