So I do a craft show this weekend – I had high hopes. A woman sets up next to me selling jewelry too – but very different from mine – she is spread out all over the place – I have hardly any room to even get behind my display.
The day starts and she is like a spider – she pounces on anyone that comes into her display – with her spiel – I am giving a 10% discount just for the morning, this is my signature piece, you won’t see any other jewelry like this at the show, etc. If someone looks at something she jumps up and puts the piece on them, offers a mirror and proceeds to tell them how stunning it looks on them and how it is her “favorite piece”. She is the pushiest person I have EVER seen.
In the afternoon her spiel has changed to giving a 10% discount as her stimulus package. People are not even stopping to look at my stuff because they think it is an extension of her display and they are trying to get away from her. Anyone that was in her space and looked at a piece of jewelry and didn’t buy, she chases them over to my display telling them they will kick themselves if they leave without the necklace/bracelet – this is in my space now.
The best part of this story (there is really not a best part) is she did not even make this jewelry – it is imported junk that she is selling and people are buying it like crazy. She is saying it is one of a kind and when people leave with a piece she pops another just like it in its place. It is cheap and she is relentless. By the afternoon all the other vendors in our area were disgusted with her and they were not selling jewelry, so it was not just me. At the end of the day she comes over to me and says “well it could have been a better day”. I know she made a LOT of sales while I was selling nothing I watched her ringing up the sales. I could have killed her.
I was so upset after the show I wanted to throw my jewelry into the lake and never think about making anything again. I am trying to analyze this situation. Am I jealous she sold and I didn’t – I did sell a few pieces but did so much better there last year? Is it me – I tend to stand back, let people look and ask questions if they want to – I figure if someone wants to buy they do – I will admit I am not a good sales person. I hate it when I am pressured – I just don’t know and am very confused at this point – what could I have done differently?? I know it was not the price because a lot that she sold was priced way higher than my beadwoven handmade pieces.
The best news this morning was that I had won the "Water" Enchanted Adornments Giveaway from Cynthia Thornton of Green Girl Studios. Above is a photo - I am so excited.
