Craft Market Essentials

My second craft market - Hobnob Holiday Market back in 2015.

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The new year is upon us and many makers are beginning to plan out their market season (many makers are applying to holiday 2024 markets…crazy, I know!) I have participated in a variety of indoor and outdoor craft markets over the last decade and have learned a lot with each market. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned maker, I wanted to share with you some essential products for a successful market.

Tent

If you participate in outdoor craft markets you will need a good 10’ x 10’ tent with a white canopy and, if possible, tent sides. I have this tent from Quik Shade. It’s sturdy and ease to use. My love the rolling storage bag as well. This tent only has 1 side wall included and I’ve actually never needed to use it (in central Illinois too! I’ve done at least 8 outdoor markets and have been lucky enough to have good weather. I know many friends, though, that have needed 3 tent sides to make it through a pop-up storm. Depending on your type of product, you can decide how essential tent sides are and purchase additional ones. )

 

And don’t forget tent weights. Most markets will require these, but it’s also just best practice for everyone’s safety. This past fall at an outdoor market the wind came through so suddenly and it was even lifting tents that had weights. The weights at least slow things down enough for folks to hopefully grab on so no one gets hurt or product is damaged. I use these sandbag weights and I haven’t had any problems. I bought a bag of sand from a home store like Home Depot or Lowes and filled them up once!

Product Display

Once you decide to participate in a craft market to sell your one of a kind items, you have to figure out how to display them. For me this is can be just as much a part of the creative process and fun as making products. Think about colors and styles - are you neutral and minimal? Are you colorful and bold? You can bring in these details with your tablecloth, your display stands, your sign, etc. Is it a summer market? Put a vase of fresh flowers on your table. Is it a holiday market? Decorate your booth with holiday decor (my personal favorite!)

Tables

Your product display will probably vary depending on what you sell, however it’s very likely you’ll need a portable folding table or two. Easy to fold up, folds in half, and a handle for carrying are helpful features to consider. I have one like this table and it has served me very well. Depending on you vehicle size, fold in half may be an important feature. I also have this table, which has various heights to choose from but it’s not as wide and long as my other table. I have seen some vendors use these tables and set up at the higher height for easy viewing of their products.

Clothing Rack

One thing that I have used for displaying quilts and blankets is this lightweight clothing rack. I usually place it near the entrance of my tent and attendees can browse through the quilts on hangers, similarly to browsing clothing on a rack in a store. I have seen other makers hang quilts or other items around the tent and I love how that option gives good visibility of the whole product. However, if you plan to use your tent for display purposes, you will need a different option if you choose to participate in indoor markets. With this rack I love that people can see my quilts close up and feel them. I usually just encourage someone looking at my quilts to feel free to take the quilt off the hanger for a better look and I will help them put it back on the hanger if needed.

Another great thing about this clothing rack is that it is really lightweight and while it doesn’t fold up it doesn’t take up too much space either because I can pack things within it in my trunk. At home, I can use it for additional storage as well.

Quilts and blankets displayed on clothing rack.

Pegboard Wall

My booth at Mistletoe Market in Urbana - December 2022.

 

I have tried many different options to take advantage of vertical space in my booth over the years. Depending on your product you may not need to utilize the vertical space as much as your table, however, any way you can add interest and height will make your booth more appealing to customers. A quick search of booth designs on Google or Pinterest will show you lots of options…stacking crates, jewelry stands, Ikea shelves, custom peg boards, etc!

Over the course of my business I have needed more “wall” space to display my felt banners. My husband made me a heavy duty pegboard wall with 2x4s, which works well for me, but is unfortunately very heavy to move. But first my “wall” was just a small piece of white pegboard from Home Depot and a savaged wood screen door with L-brackets screwed to the bottom to help it stand up (see pic below). It was definitely unique but worked for me because I appreciate resourcefulness and upcycling things, so consider your specific design aesthetic. There are lots of small business owners on Etsy with modern pegboard kits you can purchase or tutorials on Youtube for making your own if you have woodworking tools.

My original upcycled door pegboard "wall"

I also have a small tabletop pegboard stand for a small amount of vertical height on top of my table. I also have used a repurposed picture frame with twine to hang items such as earrings with mini clothespins (you can spot it on my table in the picture above).

If you decide to use some sort of pegboard for your market booth, pegboard hooks are a must! Depending on your product, something like this kit with shelves and baskets could be helpful too.

Chairs

I have almost forgotten to pack my chair countless times and definitely forgotten an extra chair for my daughter when she helps me! One thing I like about a market chair is sitting higher up, so I use a director’s chair that I reupholstered a few years back. I feel more present sitting at this level and it’s easier to jump right up and talk with people. I found my chair at my local Habitat for Humanity Restore and just quilted right over the base fabric with my design. For the back piece I quickly sewed up a new one in coordinating fabric (see picture below). This foldable camping chair looks like a nice alternative, even with cupholders! And of course, any type of chair or stool will work fine for your market, but I think the higher the better!

My upcycled and quilted directors chair.

 

Handtruck/dolly/wagon

Not too much to say here except that I used a dolly for the first time this past December (almost 10 years into this biz) and it was a GAME CHANGER! I see many makers use wagons, however you should consider the size of the items you need to lug to and from your car, especially if you have one of those collapsible fabric wagons. If you have large plastic storage bins that won’t fit inside, you might be better off carrying them, or using a dolly. At my most recent market I used a dolly similar to this one and it not only saved my back because I had to walk a decent distance from the parking lot to my booth location, but it also sped up my set up and clean up time. TIP: If you’re just starting out and are capable of carrying heavy things, skip this and save your $. Or ask your friends and see if you can borrow a dolly from anyone!

Payment Processing

I have only ever used Square (or cash) as a way of processing payment at markets. Square has been easy to use and you can get your first Square reader for swiping credit cards for free when you request it here. Or you can purchase the hardware for a chip processing square reader. The cost is $49-$59. If you’re completely new to Square, you can sign up using my referral link and get a reward!

Well, if you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading! I tried to stick to some basic items for getting started with a successful craft market. I love participating in markets and talking with other makers as well as attendees. I love seeing the creativity that makers bring not only to their products but their booth set up, branding and design, so finally, my last piece of advice is to be unique and be true to your style and business! I hope your market goes well!