Ot - Had a Recent Experience With a "Booth"

[wadesgirl]

I know we recently had a thread about leaving a booth early or not. I'm not here to beat a dead horse but I wanted to share something that recently happened to me that made me think about what everyone was saying.

There is a Monday night farmer's market in the parking lot of the mall 1/4 mile from where I live. Normally if I need something, I go there on my way home after I work out and grab what I need. Well this Monday I had to go to a later work out than normal but figured I would still make it before the 7 p.m. closing time. I go there around 6:45 (6:50 at the latest) and was highly dissappointed. More than half of the vendors were already gone and the others that were there were already packing up! In my opinion if it says from 4-7 p.m., I should be able to arrive before 7 p.m. and still be able to shop. It's a small farmer's market so it wouldn't take that long to go through and I only needed tomatoes and basil.

I decided when I got home to look up information for coordinator and emailed here. Here's the response I got from her:

First, thank you for letting us know about your disappointment. Often times people don’t let us know so that we can fix the problem. I am handing out a survey to the vendors next week in preparation for the 2011 Farmers Market Season. I’ll attach a note letting them know to stay open until 7PM and share your story. I won’t share your name.

Just wanted to share this with everyone because this was an issue not with myself as a vendor but myself as a customer.

 

[AJPratt]

That is an excellent point. I, too, have had the same experience with another business. I got there 15 minutes before closing and it was locked up tight, lights off. I rarely leave before the advertised time of an event's ending, just because I am afraid to miss out or disappoint someone who arrives late.

 

[ShellBeach]

I tried to goto a craft fair 2 weekends ago and this same thing happened. It was advertised as being from 9-5 on a Saturday. I got there are 4:15 and only one vendor was left, packing up.
Sure, it was cool and rainy, but some September weekends can be that way!

Good idea on tracking down the coordinator.

 

[sherri lynn]

I find this frustrating as well. I live in a very small town (1500) and we had a festival with vendors uptown. I take my 11 yr. old son up there at 2:00 and there were only 3 vendors left! I was really disappointed, had taken money and everything, and then there was nothing to buy. I applaud those of you who stay until the end and don't act like it's an inconvience to wait on someone 30 minutes before the event ends.

 

[Candice]

I actually did a booth this weekend and it was from 10-4. I got there around 8am to start setting up and whatnot (I was the only one there at this point). At 9:45am there was 3 other people setting up. At 10am it started filling out, but when the early birds got there, nobody was ready. At 3pm, I was one of the last people there. My neighbor asked me if I was leaving and I said, I am not packing up until the bell rings 4pm. She looked at me like I had 3 heads. At 3:50pm, I got a booking from one lady and another lady said she wanted to place an order! I won't leave a booth early, hell, I paid good money to sit there and I am going to be there from open until close!

 

[etteluap70PC]

Excellent topic! I run into this alot and it drives me NUTS! If it is super slow I will begin to slowly tidy up my booth 15 mins early but typically many other around me are totally dismantled. Super disappointing!

 

[Theresa]

I have worked in the pharm industry forever, a rule of thumb is not to be the first to leave. Often times we think, "its dead" but sometimes you being the last person there shows your dedication and if there is that one person who comes late, they are all yours. I know it can be disappointing, but be true to yourself. Always give that 110%

 

[NooraK]

I actually felt bad packing up at the two Fall Fests I did the last two Saturdays. There were still people lingering around as the time came around that the Fall Fest was over. I packed up, because I have a baby at home, but if I didn't, I would definitely have stayed longer in case someone came by.

 

[wadesgirl]

I actually felt bad packing up at the two Fall Fests I did the last two Saturdays. There were still people lingering around as the time came around that the Fall Fest was over. I packed up, because I have a baby at home, but if I didn't, I would definitely have stayed longer in case someone came by.

Don't feel quilty for leaving on time! This was about people leaving early.

 

[NooraK]

Don't feel quilty for leaving on time! This was about people leaving early.

I didn't feel guilty. I felt bad that I might miss someone who hadn't had a chance to come by. For example, my neighbor helped out at the cake walk for the last shift. She didn't get to the Fall Fest until it was her time to volunteer, and wasn't done until the Fest was over. I talk to her all the time, but there might have been other people in similar situations.

 

[BethCooks4U]

I never leave early or start packing up until the time stated for the event. I am in a monthly fair right now and they JUST changed the end time. It was 1 and effective in Nov it will be 3. Well I already have shows booked right after the fair both in Nov and Dec. I hate that I might have to pack up early but am hoping that I've given myself enough time between the events to stay - or maybe one of my consultants can cover that last hour or two for me...

Even though they changed the times on us, I will do what I can to have the booth open the full time. I feel it's that important!

 

[dme.grant]

I did a festival yesterday and I stayed to the end. The people two tables over left about an hour before the end of the event, and the coordinator told me they won't be invited to participate next year. About 30 minutes before the end she also booked a show for the beginning of Nov (yay for SAT), and had three of her co-workers place outside orders for her show about 10 minutes before the festival closed. It's definitely always worth staying for the whole time!

 

[yankfan24]

So, I too get very annoyed with people leaving early. I coordinate a local vendor fair twice a year in our town. Should I put in my vendor's emails that the time is 10-3 and we expect everyone to be there for the full time? I do already give them a time to be set up by so they aren't still in the process when guests show up. I know that the other girls on my committee feel the same way about early packers.

 

[wadesgirl]

So, I too get very annoyed with people leaving early. I coordinate a local vendor fair twice a year in our town. Should I put in my vendor's emails that the time is 10-3 and we expect everyone to be there for the full time? I do already give them a time to be set up by so they aren't still in the process when guests show up. I know that the other girls on my committee feel the same way about early packers.

Most of the ones that I do require you to stay until the end and it states that in the contract.

 

[Chef Kearns]

So, I too get very annoyed with people leaving early. I coordinate a local vendor fair twice a year in our town. Should I put in my vendor's emails that the time is 10-3 and we expect everyone to be there for the full time? I do already give them a time to be set up by so they aren't still in the process when guests show up. I know that the other girls on my committee feel the same way about early packers.

You should definitely send out an email to the vendors. And if it is your policy, remind them that if they leave early they will not be asked back. I did the San Antonio H & G show a few weeks ago and people were packing up 2-3 hours early. I couldn't believe that!! There are so many people that try to walk through in the last 30 min to 1 hour, not to mention the other vendors. Their waste, but also a distraction to us while we are trying to conduct business.

On another note. I worked at a school fall festival on Saturday. We had a jewelry vendor set up 30 minutes before the doors were to open and of course spent another 30 minutes or so finishing their set up. She had all of her children with her. The oldest little boy was only about 4 years old. He was in charge of his little brother who was probably 2 y.o and she had the baby roughly 8 mos old. The baby was discontent most of the day. We were supposed to stay til 5pm, but she was gone by 3pm.