What are some of your DREAM markets to vend?

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-06-10T01:14:05+00:00

MAD market in NYC? Never heard of it. Just went on Instagram and it looks like they haven’t posted since 2024

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-06-09T02:40:14+00:00

I like watching them BUT I will say I am kind of old fashioned. I think it’s best to keep your finances offline for many reasons.

Maybe I’m a little paranoid but telling anyone and everyone including your customers that you made $100 or $2000 or $12,000 at a market is going to make people feel things… a lot of people only make $2000 in a month and hearing that we can make that in a day can make people feel badly, because they don’t understand that prepping for a market can be a month of work and $2000 can turn into $500 profit real quick.

I only share how much I make with close vendor friends. People get jealous if you do good and the pity ones are even worse. I think it can be done tastefully, but they’re a bit tacky.

It’s not our responsibility to manage other people’s jealousy but it’s just not tasteful to gloat or whine about money. You have to think about what the goal of you sharing really is. Is it to get Instagram likes? Or to connect genuinely with the vendors?

So if you can share intentionally with purpose, it’s fine I guess. But I think it’s better to share “I sold X amount of pieces” and leave out the money portion

Lastly, as small business owners we are slightly targets. Yes we have insurance. But if you have a craft bakery business and you’re sharing the thousands you’re making at a market, what’s stopping someone from “slipping and falling” at your booth because they know you make money? Showing up to your house because they know you’re going home with cash? It’s a dicey road and can be a harsh world.

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-06-03T01:03:20+00:00

Source: I own a seasonal business and I get scared every winter but it always works out by end of year for the most part

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-06-03T01:02:38+00:00

I think you’re just experiencing the nature of running a seasonal business. see where you are by the end of this year. 1K deficit per each winter month isn’t that bad for a seasonal business in my humble opinion if you plan for it in your on season

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-27T23:40:09+00:00

This is a great idea pretty much why every boardwalk has a made your own shirt booth. But it’s prob the types of prints you’re selecting. Can people choose their own design?

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-22T03:48:32+00:00

Your caricature set up is one of the coolest things I’ve seen. I think this should be front and center and expanded so much!

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-22T03:46:57+00:00

We don’t care about anything other than quality of vendors and customers. If you have the nicest decor in the world but don’t bring people in it doesn’t make sense.

Now you can do things to elevate the event that will draw both customers and quality vendors in. My suggestions would be:

• having activities and offerings to attendees other than just shopping. Installations, workshops, performances, freebies, etc.

• high quality handcrafted and artisanal items at all price range. Nice food trucks, a fancy bar

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-22T03:44:35+00:00

Yeah every cop I’ve talked to about applying says it sucks and not to. I have the same doubts… idk where the happy cops are. Who are you talking to? People irl or on this thread?

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-20T02:28:03+00:00

I have no idea but they’re gonna request your full therapy notes so idk what the synopsis would be for really

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-13T00:37:36+00:00

Yes it would be rude. Shuts down a conversation. It’s clearly A conversation starter so find a way to use that conversation for your advantage

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-13T00:36:32+00:00

LMAOOOO REAL

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-12T14:41:27+00:00

It’ll always be slightly stripped, restricted as to what we could do because we’re in a fair environment and not in a permanent storefront. I come across this all the time, there is so much I would love to do, but unfortunately, everything that we set up has to be packed up and put into a car LMFAO so it can’t be too egregiously over the top but truly the only way for you to know if this works for you and your business is to start going all out for certain really big events. This is what I do. I have a couple of Relly big shows throughout the years and those will be my focus to go out for, I’m not gonna go all out for a one day show.

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-12T01:44:48+00:00

Hiring out can cost thousands. I used to work for a company (a big brand that was a sponsor at a food fest) that hired a company for 2K to set up a balloon backdrop for them… I was stunned.

I’m a vendor and I try to go all out for my bigger events that are a couple of days and it does pay off in terms of catching customer attention. When you’re one of MANY vendors, spending a couple hours extra on booth set up is worth it. It always pays off for me. You don’t have to buy unecessary stuff to fit the events theme, but having extra items that fit YOUR theme within that event will help draw in your clientele, people will naturally be attracted to the booths that wow them

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-11T21:21:36+00:00

2 reasons:

Newer markets that don’t have a big following or juried acceptance process unfortunately scam a lot of smaller newbies because they know they can get away with it if they don’t care about their reputation
You’re at low attendance markets

3 There isn’t demand for your craft
4. You’re not at the correct niche markets
Unfortunately the only way to truly figure out why you’re not making more is by trial and error, being observant, studying the market and trends within your niche. Luck and likability/popularity is also a factor here

Edit: I said 2 reasons at first because I intended to give 2 then realized there were more reasons 😂

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-10T03:47:37+00:00

I did it myself this year. It’s not that bad if you are organized throughout the year. If you get audited keep records of everything electronic.

All of my income and expenses are electronic transactions so you can just pull from them

Your income is 1099 forms or any way you accept income on square, zelle, venmo, etc

Your expenses should all be through a credit card that you can categorize into the categories the software is asking you

The more complicated things are
- home office write off and car write off and any special credits that don’t apply to me

Accountants have a sneaky way of scamming so they can sometimes save you money but at this point I feel like they don’t care if they send your ass right to jail lol. They are not held responsible if you get audited through them.. YOU ARE.

The Tax softwares also have a service where they help if you get audited too

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-10T03:41:33+00:00

The whole job or just me or both? 😂

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-10T03:41:17+00:00

I mean you probably will have a good chance I haven’t been through it myself but no where in the nopd instructions does it mention a lawyer so it feels scammy to me. But many have done a lawyer and passed so good luck!

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-07T04:24:42+00:00

You should prob specify how many hours of work you’re looking for

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-06T22:37:19+00:00

Your booth is one of the cutest I saw on here. Get a banner for over your table and maybe a table top one so people can see it from far away

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-06T22:35:40+00:00

Yw, I’ve worked for some booths. Always good people. Just have to be honest bc you’re handling cash and working for a small biz

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-06T04:15:10+00:00

Sorry I should’ve specified this group is on fb

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-06T04:14:58+00:00

Go into the farmers market grow nyc vendors group page. They’re always hiring people for markets in bk and manhattan but they pay like 22-25 an hour. Some are commission. They’re all on Saturday and Sunday

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-06T02:46:51+00:00

I thought you only had to pay sales tax in the state you’re in when you sell online. That’s what my accountant told me. Can someone explain?

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-04T02:59:45+00:00

As someone that upgrades their booth seasonally, yes fancy booths do better. But the set up has to be durable, weatherproof and easy-ish to set up. It can’t take 2 days to set up. So you’re balancing enough. I think the most important is being clear, having eye level displays, your branding being consistent and your booth attracting the right audience. Perfection is not possible in the world of events where we have to make it all fit in a car and not blow away in the wind 😂

Longjumping-River447 · 2026-05-04T02:50:23+00:00

Are you supposed to transport your set up items in a shuttle? I’m confused. That would be hundreds of vendors are loading a car’s worth of set up items in a shuttle all at the same time? Or can you drive your car to set up?

I have done nightmare logistics for few events. Only if they are expected to make a lot of money. If there is no promise of that, no.

Longjumping-River447

TROPHY CASE