Im getting ready for a market, and I have never done one before, so im curious, whats your best selling items at markets? What does well?
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I’ll watch this topic as I’m doing my first one in June. I know it depends on where you are, I’m going to be in rural IL so I have no clue what to offer in my shop.
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Haha! Im in Tennessee, but im in a small retirement community, I know the majority of customers wont be my ideal ones…I too am somewhat rural…We’re in the same boat!
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I’ve never sold at a craft market, but knowing your audience will help, so knowing who’s most like going to be there or the area you’re selling at helps, even your environment will be important for example if it’s often cold or will end up getting cold soon beanies, scarves, gloves, etc might sell more.
I think things that are usable/useful could do good like coasters, scrubbies, scrunchies etc along with cute amigurumi, I think amigurumi sells good in general like bee’s, octopus’s reversible octopus’s, etc in fact I think a comment in a topic I linked mentioned that chenille types of amigurumi sold well. (Of course if you do use chenille it’s probably important to mention that it does shed and that’s normal)
Also any holidays that are coming up would go good too depending on when this craft fair will take place, I know mother’s day is coming up and it is currently may/spring so perhaps things like roses or flowers will probably be good, seasonal things will go good too if it’ll be during the summer perhaps a cute amigurumi of a sun with sunglasses will be good lol
Honestly anything cute would probably sell well or things that are popular, I read a comment in another topic that mentioned selling something different from the booths near them helped sell like hotcakes (other booths sold blankets, etc and they were selling amigurumi)
Here’s some links about craft markets/fairs, not necessarily about what sells but some good advice that could get more sells, good customer service, safety/health, etc
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Thank you for posting those links!!!
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No problem! Hopefully it provides some insight/help/tips that can help you better 
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@BumbleNBunny hey fellow TN!
So the rural markets still depend on whose around. If it’s a farmers market you might want to attend a couple weeks before setting up to see or ask around about demographics. Like around Alcoa there’s a lot of kids you never see out in the farms that show up to certain markets but out by Telico it’s mostly older crowd. (I live east TN I dunno what goes on in west TN.)
If kids show up, anything goes. Many show up with their own allowances and they’ll pick up gloves, hats, toys, whatever so long as it’s the colors of or has that thing they’re into on it. If the money’s not their own and the parents are paying, it’s either functional (usually a hat) or ‘worth it’ (I’ve come to translate this as how skilled they think you are/the price). When parents get involved, it’s usually the smallest thing you’ve got that’s getting picked up. If it’s the older crowd, scarfs and hats do well and cute plush they can buy for the grands. But grandma doesn’t tend to know much about fandom unless it’s star wars or pokemon (Pikachu or Charizard they don’t know all 1000 of them) so instead they tend to pick up things like cutesy cows and chickens (Chickens are crazy popular with the older crowd in my area) so either go for more subtle and functional items or cutesy real life animal plush for them.
Most important, just be friendly! I say hi to everyone that walks by and it makes them look at you when if you don’t get them to turn their head most just walk without looking around. And ignore people who are rude it generally means you’re out of their budget so they will make up an excuse rather then admit it. It doesn’t usually mean they think you’re bad at what you do, and some people are just group in general.
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