A Day In a Life of a Dealer – Birmingham Arms Fair
While I have a busy web-shop it is nice to sell at events, to meet existing customers and acquire some new ones! But these days can be quite busy and very long.
The “day” in fact started many weeks ago as the application for a space needed to be in a fair time in advance. That is when one of the important decisions is made, “How much space, how many table do I need?” The more space the more cost and that must be weighed against the amount of profit the event may produce. I would like to have 4 or 5 tables worth of space and to fill the Landy with stock but that would have a cost of about £500 and may not be appropriate for the event. So, for Birmingham I go for a modest single table and a car full of stock! Total cost for table and fuel about £130.
The next stage is the day before the “Day”. I need to decide what stock to take, what display stands are needed and to get the car packed. Then it is just a matter of making up a packed lunch and setting an early alarm for the next day!
The early alarm goes off at 3.30am, so I can be on the road for 4.30am. This gets me to the venue at about 6.30 so I can have a coffee before the fun starts at 7. This is when the doors open for traders to set up before the first of the public comes in at 8.30, (at a higher entry fee). I have 90 mins to get set up and have a quick look at what the other traders may have of interest. Once it all is correct on my stand and the doors are opened, it is a case of hurry up and wait. Wait for that first sale!
There is no rule of thumb as to when you sell your first item at an event, it may be to another dealer within 5 mins of being there, that is always nice. But it may be a couple of hours into an event, you just have to sit back and be patient. This is not so hard, as people are coming and going all the time. I try to chat to customers as they take a look at my stock, find out what they are interested in, maybe suggest other items that they might like. Not only does it help pass the time, but it is nice to build a friendship with customers, we as traders need them and they need us. It is always nice when an old customer comes along for a chat.
People often have a look around all the traders at least once before they part with their money, so often the same person may come back a couple of times to look at an item before buying. Sods law says that one item will get the attention of at least two buyers and 30 seconds after it has sold the second buyer will come back for it. If you know you want it, buy it there and then! By 10am I am often thinking about lunch, well, I did get up at 3.30 am! But that is when the main public come in, a bit of a rush and hopefully a few more sales.
The event closes at 3pm, but often by 1.30pm things are getting a bit quieter and lunch is well overdue, I have been up for 10 hours and some people longer so all of us traders are looking forward to home time. But it is never worth being in a rush to pack up, often you get a lot of sales at the end of an event. Customers are having a last look around, still with money in their pockets. Traders who have done well may be looking for new stock. It is also the time when I may have another quick look round if I am after new stock.
We are allowed to start packing up at 2.30 and if it is very quiet, I will start clearing away. My table is near the door and If I am organised I can be packed up and loaded in about 60mins so can be on my way by 3.30-4pm. With a couple of hours drive I am home at 6.30, 14 hours after I left home. My “day” has not yet finished and the following day I have a couple of hours unloading the car and resorting stock plus a little admin and banking to do -I hope! So, my event day with the prep and recovery time is about 18 hours. How much did I earn? After paying costs I was on an hourly rate not much more than minimum wage this time! But one never knows what website sales will result from it and it is a lot more fun than flipping burgers at McDonalds!
The International Antique and Vintage Arms Fair in Birmingham UK (birminghamarmsfair.com)