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©1997-2007 Betty Chypre, All Rights Reserved
~ What Happened to Our Shows? ~
An Examination of the Marketplace
copyright
1998-2007 Betty Chypre
Here, in New York' s Hudson Valley, craftsmen have been complaining about the show scene, and to a certain extent they're justified. Part of the reason that shows have been off is the economy. Despite reports that the economy is booming, the boom is limited to certain industries, in certain sections of our area.
Electronics and telephone system installations for small companies (100 employees or less) is on the upswing in this area, -among other industries, and there is an upswing in the real estate market, south of Rte. 55. This area is experiencing an influx of minorities and low-income people from New York city as they bring their familes to the area to enjoy better standards of living.
Six years ago IBM closed its plant in Kingston and buildings in Fishkill and East Fishkill emptied as they transferred personnel out of state, and laid off thousands. The economy has never truly regained confidence as those who are still working for IBM await the sword.
Local businesses depending on IBM corporate business have folded, e.g. the little rent-a-car outpost on the outskirts of Kingston was one of the first to bite the dust. It was heavily-dependent on traveling executives, and they could no longer justify staying open. The economy also affected many restaurants and retail stores.
In the midst of this climate comes the big retail super discount stores, edging out the little Mom-and-Pop appliance stores, office equipment. building supplies, gift shops, - and others.
Dutchess County is over-retailed. The Poughkeepsie Galleria made a splash as the first major mall in the area about 12 years ago; we watched small stores migrate to the malls or go under. It is going to start construction to double its size, a demographicly unjustified move in my opinion.
Our local economy is only one of hundreds, nationwide, undergoing changes as major corporations downsize, -including General Electric, Kodak, Douglas, Cocoa-Cola, etc.
NAFTA and preferred-nation status also have their finger in the pie; the fallout is evident in the proliferation of cute little import stores. 'Buy American' is no longer a battle-cry. Who can 'buy American' when car parts are Japanese-made and assembled in Canada, wear American brand names, and appear to be American-made? Well, "-not exactly" as the commercial says.
Consider the 'graying of America.' As Charley Dooley (Craftproducers) so accurately described in a letter to his craftsmen a year or two ago, the market has changed. People who have supported the craft market in the past are older, their kids are grown and living on their own; they've downsized their homes, and they don't have room for more "stuff."
Their children work, but they're not going to buy the same . stuff. they grew up with. They want new, innovative, unique products to live with, - and they are willing to pay for them.
The market for high-end items is wide open. People are willing to buy at high-end shows. Price is no object if they want it.
Inexpensive items sell well, they always have. (Consider the $5 thingee-on-a-stick fad.)
It's the skilled craftsman who produces medium-priced work whose sales are down across the board. Some craftsmen buy imported Teddy Bears or cloth frogs, slap a vest or a hat on them, and sell them as hand-crafted. They have no idea how they are sabotaging their own markets. Customers recognize these items, and are turned-off. Why go to a craft show to buy imports? They can buy them at the mall.
Add to these circumstances a proliferation of craftshows unmatched in memory, and you. ll see why customers who have been enthusiastic are becoming jaded.
SHOWS: Survival of the Fittest
As I collect data for Art
& Craft Show Yellow Pages™, I come across many shows
that have been cancelled. Sometimes the show was more trouble than it
was worth as a fund-raiser. The community didn't support it, the
craftsmen complained, and it became more difficult to raise money for
their project, so they cancelled the show. It's a shake-out of the
marketplace, and good for the industry as a whole.
Some shows are in
the right demographic area, run by knowlegeable and concerned people.
There are successful shows in other than the best demographic areas; it
depends on the show organizer, the type of show, the amount of
advertising he does for the show, what else is going on in the area
that may conflict with the show, (major league football games,
appliance/clothing sales, good weather, bad weather, job layoffs,
etc.) Some of these things are out of your control, but there
are factors you can use to put the odds in your favor.
Established
professionals usually, (but not always) have an edge over volunteers
who have a personnel turnover every few years. Network with
other craftsmen in your price-range to find good shows.
If possible,
before you sign up for a show that is significantly more expensive than
your usual show, go as a customer. Will your work fit in here? Is the
quality, range of prices, etc. comparable? Is your display as
professional as these? This type of evaluation can save you
disappointment, and inspire you to grow and try new venues.
To
Maintain Sales
Schedule a few new shows every year. The old favorites you schedule every year will eventually change, or you'll saturate the area with your product, and you may need to replace them.
Within Your
Control
Create higher-end work while
you continue to produce your regular line, and watch your customers'
reactions; listen to what they tell you when they handle the piece.
Eventually your work will evolve as you learn to assess the market.
Be willing to
travel a bit fartheror in new directions . Sometimes a show in a nearby
state is closer than one at the other end of your own state. Get a tax
certificate so you can sell your work there, and test the waters.
Keep your product
pure, within reason. Don' t use manufactured or imported work as the
main part of your product. A small component part of a piece may be
manufactured or imported, and it won. t detract from the piece, such as
a catch on a necklace, but consider how much better it would look with
a hand-crafted finding. If it's an expensive piece, the extra effort is
more than worth it, because a manufactured finding lessens the value of
your work.
Upgrade your
skills by taking classes. Add new dimensions to your work with by
experimenting with new techniques and materials.
Unfortunately,
none of these solutions will work for everyone. There are no simple
answers. The shows have changed; these are simply circumstances that
feed the change.
Nothing is
static. Everything changes, evolves and grows. The survival
of The American Craftsman depends on his willingness to adapt, to be
assertive in his choices, to evolve and grow in technique and
creativity to meet these changes. It's up to you.
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