Teach Soap

I scheduled 5 events for the spring, and I really underestimated how much soap I would sell. There were a couple fragrances that sold out at the very first show, I had only made one loaf of each. I estimate that I've sold between 80 and 100 bars at 3 of the 4 shows I've done, and about half that at the small event this past weekend.

I am looking at fairs for the fall, and there is one that boasts 21,000 shoppers, I'm guessing per day. It is a very large and widely publicized holiday event that goes on for 4 days. I don't know how much I would even have to bring to an event like that, and I'm not sure that being so small and new I could even handle it. Part of me says don't even attempt it, but part of me loves a challenge! I would need to sell way more than my usual number of sales to make back the booth fee, but over 4 days I am thinking I stand a good chance. The other festivals I believe had 10-15,000 attendees.

For those of you who have done an event like that how many soap bars/loaves would you plan on bringing to keep in stock for the 4 days?

This is always a guessing game.
I did a show that sounds exactly like what you describe last November. It was 3 day weekend, three consecutive weekends. Average attendance over the last few years is 55,000.

I brought approx 4000 bars of soap. Some sold out right away, some didn't move at all. But it turned out to be way to much soap. There are well over 200 vendors at this thing, along with fire pits, sled dogs, ice sculptors, carolers, live bands, petting zoos, tons of ready to eat food - the fresh doughnuts, hotdogs, donairs, popcorn - anything you can even think of.

And here is what I came up with - after spending a good bit of time walking around and talking with other vendors, as well as my own observations and those of my helpers in my booth.

This is more of a destination event - not a shopping experience. People don't really come here to shop. They come for the events, the atmosphere, the food, the millions of christmas lights, but not to spend money on gifts. Every single vendor - every single one - that I talked to was hugely disappointed in sales. Tons of people - but they were lookers, not shoppers.

The organizers charge over $2000 for a booth, and with attendance of 55,000 is seems worth it. Yes, I made a profit, but not nearly enough to justify the hassle. It was no more profit than I made doing smaller shows the year before.

So....maybe your big show will be different. I sincerely hope so. My best advice it to try to contact some of the vendors from previous years and get their take on it.

good luck!

Sorry your event didn't pan out too well, I can't even imagine the work you put in to make 4000 bars, that seems so daunting! Did you eventually sell it all in other venues? I am really wanting to try this out, but keep running numbers in my head and trying to figure out the "what if's", like if it's a total bust, will I be ok with taking the loss, or can I still sell hundreds of seasonal soaps before the season is over. Also, I'm wondering if I can even make that much soap before the fall, it will be difficult.

I've been talking to other vendors but haven't come across anyone who has been there as a seller. A few have been there as customers, and they say it is indeed very big and they don't do it because a lot of stock/merchandise is needed. Maybe I can look on some facebook groups and see if I find anyone who has sold at it before.

I had been to this show at least three times as a customer, and from that experience, I would have told you what a great show it was and that I was dying to get in! When you are an outsider, at least at this show, which is VERY cliquey, the other vendors won't really tell you the truth, but from the inside it was very different.

Don't get me wrong - I made a profit - I averaged about $1000 a day profit over the 9 days...it's just that it was way less than i would have expected from that venue. I can make that much at my tiny neighborhood show in the xmas season, so..... I had big dollar signs in my eyes for this one.

I hope you can find some good, reliable intel for the show, and if it looks good after that - there is only one way to know for sure - go for it!