Craft market checklist: everything to prepare before the day

To prepare for a craft market, check your items, prices, quantities, payment methods and a plan B the day before. During the day, record each sale as it happens, then review the market afterwards to decide whether to go back.

A successful market often starts before the day itself. The clearer your preparation, the more available you are for customers once you're there. The aim isn't to plan everything perfectly. It's to avoid the small snags that drain your energy: a missing price, a flat battery, forgotten stock, an item still on display when it's sold out.

What to check the day before

• the list of items to take, with quantities for each;
• prices visible on every display;
• wrapping, bags and labels;
• change for cash payments;
• the card reader charged, with its cable;
• a power bank for your phone;
• the QR code or business cards;
• the set-up time and your allocated pitch;
• information about your next markets.

If you use a tracking app, sync your items and prices before you leave. That way the data stays available at the stall, even with no signal.

The stall itself

Think of the stall as a shop window that has to be readable in a few seconds:

• prices that can be read from a distance, on labels that are firmly attached;
• a stand for fragile pieces, so they don't touch each other;
• a clear area for wrapping and bags;
• a spot where the QR code for your stall page can be seen without searching;
• enough lighting if the market runs into the evening or takes place in winter.

A clear stall saves every customer time, and so saves you time too.

The plan B that avoids nasty surprises

A good plan B fits into a few items:

• a back-up payment method, in case the card reader doesn't respond;
• a notebook and pen, in case your phone dies;
• some extra wrapping;
• a list of items that are almost sold out, to plan for running out.

At a market, it's often the simple details that save the day. To understand what an app should do when the signal disappears, read the offline test for craft market apps.

During the market: note things quickly, stay available

Keep a simple rhythm:

1. record each sale straight away, before the next customer;
2. note the payment method used;
3. spot the items that are close to selling out;
4. keep the customer comments that matter, such as a colour asked for or a missing size;
5. note unexpected expenses, such as parking or a meal.

The aim isn't to spend the day in an app. It's to have the right information without losing the human contact. For the recording itself, the article on tracking your sales at a market explains the method.

The review after the market

This review doesn't take long, but it stops you going into the next event blind. Use the template below.

Market:
Date:
Takings:
Number of sales:
Average basket (takings ÷ sales):
Best-selling items:
Stock left and items to make again:
Market costs:
What you kept:
Customer comments:
Decision: do it again, try once more, or stop

A made-up example: €640 in takings from 32 sales gives an average basket of €20. If the market costs are €77 and the cost of items sold is €210, you keep €353 (640 − 210 − 77). That amount is the starting point for your decision. To redo this sum for another event, the market profitability calculator is all you need.

Frequently asked questions

Should I prepare everything the day before or in the morning?

The day before for the items, prices, wrapping and equipment. In the morning, check that your devices are charged, your change and your last stock.

What should I do if the card reader doesn't respond?

Switch to your back-up payment method, then note the sale with its amount and payment method. Enter it in your tracking as soon as you have signal again.

Do I need an app to prepare for a market?

No. A notebook is enough to get started. An app is only worth it if it saves you time at the stall: recording a sale in a few seconds, even with no signal, and giving you your end-of-day review.

To prepare your stall and keep your figures without signal, Comptartisan brings together your items, your sales and what you kept after each market.