Selling IRL

I’m looking for offline venues for selling my cards. Here’s what I’ve found so far. If you’re aware of other low-barrier-to-entry options, please let me know.

These options are listed in order of how attractive they are to me.

Second Saturday in Campbell

This is an afternoon event. It lasts from 2 pm to 6 pm. I like the time. They bill themselves as a “monthly artwalk / craft mart / maker exhibition event spiced up with live music.” I wonder what effect that has on the audience. Unlike the flea markets, the Second Saturday requires you to have made all the things you sell yourself and they only accept visual art. Specifically they exclude cosmetics and body products. I’m going to check it out next Saturday.

It’s free to vendors. OTOH you have to have a California seller’s permit right from the first time. That’s no problem for me, because I got one when I first started Valley Oak Paper. Spots are roughly 10’ by 10’ and most have overhead protection, so no shade structures are needed. Loading time starts at 1 pm.

Registration is online. They want photos and web site links, presumably to confirm that you’re not trying to sneak in used CDs or Tupperware. 😂

If I like what I see, I may sign up for the July event. That’s July 8. I like that the barrier to entry is so low. Even lower than the flea markets. This may be a good option to start out with.

De Anza Flea Market

The De Anza Flea Market is held on the first Saturday of the month at De Anza College in Cupertino from 8 am to 2 pm. It’s run by the student government of the college as a way to raise funds for their own activities. I’ve never been there, so I’m going to check it out this Saturday. Unlike San Jose, entry for shoppers is free. During the summer parking is also free. Similarly to the San Jose Flea Market, there are very few restrictions on what you can sell.

Spaces cost $50 each. For that you get two parking spaces (14’ by 14’) in the parking lot of the college. Set up hours are 5.30 am to 7.30 am. Not super fond of those hours.

It looks like a lot of vendors have tents. If I want to do outdoor markets, I’ll have to invest in one myself. At the very least I’m going to want an umbrella for shade. Although on the map, it looks like some spaces have solar panels over them. That’s something I’ll have to check when I go there. Maybe those spaces are all taken by regular vendors. 🤔

Some vendors use one of the spaces for their car. But if you do, you can’t move the car again until the flea market is over. In fact there’s a penalty for leaving or shutting down early. Parking for vendors costs $5, cash only.

You have to reserve a space in advance. The office is open on Tuesdays 12.30 to 2.30 and Thursdays 10.30 to 12.30, but they have an online process for applications. For the July 1st market, applications open on June 7 and close on the Monday before the market date. Being able to apply almost a month ahead is great, because I can plan ahead. But you can actually apply for the next month at the market. That’s even better.

If I like what I see on Saturday, I may sign up for the July 1st market. There isn’t going to be a huge demand for cards in July, but it may be a great way of getting my feet wet.

Sunnyvale Senior Center Unique Boutique

This is a permanent store inside the Sunnyvale Senior Center. It’s open to people who are 50 years or older. Unusually, it’s juried. I wonder what that means for both the audience and the quality. They also have a holiday craft fair. Last year it was in early November. That’s a good time for a holiday craft fair because people are still looking for holiday cards.

The senior center requires a membership at $35/year for residents. I’m pretty sure I can recoup that money if I sell my cards there. I need to find out if they charge a commission or other fees. They may already have lots of people who sell cards, so it could be hard to get in. It’s not easy to figure out these details on the City of Sunnyvale web site. I’ll probably just go there and talk to the front office. Maybe next week.

San Jose Flea Market

I’ve been to this flea market, so I checked them out pretty early in my process. When I went a few years ago, some booths catered mostly to Latinx people, so it may be worth bringing cards with Spanish sentiments.

The San Jose Flea Market is free for vendors on the first Saturday of each month on a first come, first served basis. The gates open at 5 am on weekends 😱 and you have to be there before 8 am. That’s awfully early, particularly if you have to queue up before 5 to get a space. 🥱

OTOH the cost for a regular Saturday or Sunday is just $30-$35. So this might be worth trying as it gets closer to the holidays. You have to sign up in advance at the Info Booth on a Saturday or Sunday between 8 am and 3 pm. I might try that in October or November. You can reserve a space up to a week in advance.

Here’s their list of vendor rules. Notably have to give them a list of all the things you are bringing, including merchandise.

It doesn’t say anything about equipment such as tables, chairs and tents, so I guess that’s all left to vendors. The spaces are 17’ by 20’. That’s pretty big. I wonder if I could share a space with a friend. 🤔

Fremont High Holiday Craft Fair

This is run by the cheer team at the local high school. Last year the fee was $120. It’s a one-day event this year. I’m on the fence about it because of the cost.

They’re currently targeting December 9, which is pretty late for holiday cards. Of course I can branch out to other crafts, but is it worth it for a one-off one-day event? 🤔 The jury’s out on this one. I’m on their email list, so I can keep an eye on it.

Farmers’ Markets and Street Fairs

My first idea was to check out some Farmers’ Markets. Unfortunately they‘re way too expensive for me currently. They all charge at least $100 dollars in fees. I’d also need to buy insurance and a lot of equipment. The cost before I’d even sold a single card would easily run up to $500 or more. That may be an option once I’ve started to make significant amounts but right now it’s out.

A typical example is the Sunnyvale Farmers’ Market. They charge an annual fee of $75 once you’ve been juried in. There’s a booth fee of $55/market day. On top of that I’d need a fire rated pop-up tent. Those cost in the region of $100-$200. I’d also need general liability insurance with minimum coverage of one million bucks. The list goes on and on.

Street fairs and festivals are out for similar reasons. In fact those are typically even more expensive, with three-digit booth fees.

Sunnyvale Maker Nexus

This looks very cool, but membership starts at $75/month. While their holiday craft fair is free for members, there’s no way I can justify spending $75/month on anything right now. Just like farmers’ markets, this might be an option once I start making money, particularly if I want to branch out to other crafts.