Dec 2, 2012

My First Boutique

You all know that I have been selling Tupperware for a while now. My manager always tells me that she does most of her selling at events or boutique-type places but I have always shied away from such things. Then our city decided to do a Christmas vendor fair with a place for kids to greet Santa and hear stories from Mrs. Claus. It sounded good to have something so close to home. And they didn't charge their vendors for a booth, so that was the clincher.

I spent the last month preparing by first ordering in extra products and then making treats and buying cello bags and using lots of curly ribbon to make everything look appealing. My sweetie bought me a little lighted Christmas tree to help with my display! I was excited but nervous. I knew I would have to sell quite a bit of product to just break even.

Teach was in this little adventure with me. She is actually a Tupperware lady too, but she mostly buys Tupperware, rather than sells it. We got there around 8:00 yesterday morning. They directed us to a booth and we immediately started to set up. Teach knocked over a table first thing and everyone in the room jumped. That was a great way to make friends quickly.

After about 20 minutes, another lady came around to check on us and I asked her how to get power for my tree. Even though we had been told that was possible, my booth was in the center, so there was no way we were going to be able to light it up unless we wanted to move to a new location. I looked at Teach and she shook her head. We continued to set up right where we were. The tree would just have to be dark.

At 9:00 the show opened, but you wouldn't have known it. Mostly there were still the same people just wandering around. That first hour we finally sold $40 worth of stuff. Things were not looking good. We just didn't have the crowds I would have loved to see considering all of our hard work and preparation.

Bossy came over about noon with all the kids. They ate most of our Tootsie rolls and then visited with Santa. It was fun to see them. It was definitely the biggest crowd we had seen all day!

By 2:00 it was time to clean up. We had sold about $400 worth which is OK and probably worth my time, but I don't think I'll be signing up for another booth any time soon. I have tons of prepared gift-type stuff and no one to sell it to.


Maybe it's time for a Christmas give-away!

4 comments:

Marci said...

I love giveaways if you decide to do one :) sorry it was sort of a bust!

Sara Lucinda Bell said...

Too bad it wasn't busier... but at least you did get something out of it! My mom sold Tupperware when I was little. I remember tagging along for a few parties and being bored out of my mind!

Anonymous said...

They had 2 tupperware booths at our county fair, it hit 102 and no one was at those booths, the lady got ill too hot, the air conditioning just failed, the products looked nice but the prices for one bowl were let's say a tad bit high for the product! She had to leave, her daughter took over the booth, the air conditioning came on, we went to the Dairy Wives booth and got out lunches out and our ice creams, we sat and chatted right next to the tupperware booth and the windows, insulation, no one bought anything from either but the vendor from the windows etc. was so nice he bought the bowl I had actually wanted and the lady took his card for the windows, patio stuff..I was so impressed by their stamina I asked how much for a much smaller bowl that was beautiful the lady was kind, loving and smart, she sold it to me for her cost only, my hubby went out and got her the last marrionberry pie and real ice cream from the dairy wives, she cried because she wanted to get one but no one to man the booth with expensive items there, she was the daughter of the lady who had the booth that was the fairest in all the fair when she became ill...I love Tuppperware, but I am poor so I got that wonderful bowl, and still use the many pieces I got from two wedding showers in early 1974 they still are great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!If you would have been at our county fair I would have gotten something from you, cause it is a lot of work and the products last for over 38 years, not much on the market is as sturdy and wonderful for everyday living. Happiest of the holidays to you and yours, love your blog, you do so much and never complain and are sweet and loving to your hubbs and sweet children!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Messy Musings said...

darn... wish I had known about it!! I would have been there, and bought something too :o)

I'll have to look online to see what they have - and maybe email you (but not this week)!!