Stand displays

**caroleallen** · 23-09-2009, 05:45 PM

What would you find eyecatching and what would make you turn away?
Do you like work to be on a table at the front or do you prefer to walk into a stand?

**Di Sandland** · 23-09-2009, 05:46 PM

A confused jumble would make me turn away BUT having a few select pieces laid out would intimidate me. Not sure about walking into a stand - I might feel a bit intimidated. Also having to ask for prices rather than being able to see them fairly easily puts me off.

**Emerald** · 23-09-2009, 06:01 PM

A friend of mine used to use the Ikea glass cabinets, he used to turn up at shows with this jumble of stuff packed into the smallest car and you would think 'what on earth' but his stand always looked immaculate and very well presented.

**Jayne** · 23-09-2009, 06:08 PM

I agree about the price tags - it's nice to know how much things are from the outset instead of having to ask.
I also think that it's easier to approach a stall if there's lots of stuff on it - there's a good excuse to linger without appearing to have lingered so long that you have to buy something

J x

**bustagasket** · 23-09-2009, 06:24 PM

While i was at the bike rally i took a great not of the set ups on the jewellery stands there, and the only one that drew me in was my fav anyway.

But the stand llooks classy from a distance, its clean looking and laid out in a decorative way lots of different levels and nice spaces between items so that you can focus on each piece.

The "toot" stands were over crowded and just looked like they had just had the stuff laid in a hurry.

I would go to the classy stand each time.

one of the tooty stands had it arranged un a "u" shape but i think that that make vieewing difficult as you are blocking each others view and it is harder to move to view the other side if its busy. So a stright on stand to me is visually and practically more appealing

**Boo** · 23-09-2009, 06:24 PM

My stalls have always been done on a real budget, but I have tried to keep the display materials unobtrusive - I've currently settled on everything being either cream or black - but with lots of interest in the pieces - I have a lot of stock and I put a lot out. If I had less, I'd perhaps put more effort into the displays being a feature. I price everything individually (I do that as I make pieces and put them in storage).

People do seem to spend a while looking and I try to engage them in a non-sales manner - making a comment about some feature of the event or if they show interest in something, tell them a little about it. I don't mind if people want a good nosey and don't spend - I've done it enough myself - you can be dead keen on something and would love to buy it, but if you're hard up, that's the end of it. I do try and ensure that they take a card or leaflet though.

For me one of the biggest selling points is making pieces at my stall - I have sold many pieces just because someone saw me make it, or adapting something that's there, or completely new pieces - "I like this, but like these beads". So I always ensure I take a good stock of chain, headpins, earwires etc. etc. About half of my sales can be from stuff I worked on there and it very often turns a potential sale into a firm one if they know you can get what they want.

**bustagasket** · 23-09-2009, 06:35 PM

Originally Posted by Boo

For me one of the biggest selling points is making pieces at my stall - I have sold many pieces just because someone saw me make it, or adapting something that's there, or completely new pieces - "I like this, but like these beads". So I always ensure I take a good stock of chain, headpins, earwires etc. etc. About half of my sales can be from stuff I worked on there and it very often turns a potential sale into a firm one if they know you can get what they want.

I have heard that said before and i think seeing someone woring on something is a great puller-in-er

If i had made enough to allow afor a stand and found an appropriate place to have one, i think an on site working show would be a great asset, long as its on stuff you can pick up and put down without holding people up and potentially losing a sale

**Lisa Quinn** · 23-09-2009, 06:40 PM

Oh crikey I wish I knew the answer to this one, I spend sleepless nights thinking about how to create interest in my stand and how not to look like a shabby amateur, I really think that no matter how wonderful your jewellery is if the stand looks cheap you immediately devalue your work ( in price and perception of quality) .

However my personal opinion would be not to enter a stand unless I was serious about purchasing.

Lisa x

**bustagasket** · 23-09-2009, 06:45 PM

one stand i went past had a purple crushed velvet cloth thrown acorss their table, it kinda said everything and it wasnt good

(that sounded really snobby sorry

but it was just slung across and the lady on the stand looked like she had been pulled through a hedge backwards. Smart casual is surely much better?)

**Petal** · 23-09-2009, 08:36 PM

Colour co-ordination & having prices shown works, I've just re-done my display with black upright displays and a cream textured table covering. That way all the things that look good on black get displayed there, everything that goes with cream gets displayed there. I watched people at an event where someone's display was all jumbled up colour wise and people just couldn't decide what to buy as it was all over the place. So I keep my similar colours together.

Think about when you are shopping. If you are in M&S and you want a green top, if its jumbled with other colours and you don't have much time, you'll walk off.

Hope that helps.

Jules x