I have very mixed feelings about this market.

dawn_mo

dawn_mo

Well-known member
I am a very competitive person. But I am in this very small Farmer's Market. I know that I will take business away from some of the other vendors. Since it is such a small market, I know it will hurt their business.

How do you deal with this?

I need to make money for my family, this is not a frivolous venture. It is a business for me. I just don't have the jugular that it takes to kick butt in business. My other markets were large with a lot of traffic, so it wasn't an issue. This market however isn't like that. Any advice?

 
I wouldn't worry about it. Competition make everyone up their game. Besides, you could end up being

a good draw for the market and increase traffic, which is good for everyone. More people spreading more cash around. Win-win.

 
First, and obvious, can you find a bigger market? If the answer is no then.......

realize that you are in business to make money, this is not a hobby for IRS purposes and go for it. Have the best things, work very hard, be honest and fair and if it hurts other vendors that is not your problem as long as you are fair, pleasant and honest in your dealings with them and your customers. I owned my own business for 21 years and was the sole support of my family. My children graduated from college with no student loans and then paid for their own graduate schools. I worked VERY hard and then had an opportunity to sell and jumped on it. You have to be competitive to make a living but you don't have to "go for the jugular". Good luck.

 
This is exactly what I was going to say. People will start talking about

how the market is expanding and increase business for everyone. Try to help the other vendors see how this would be good for everyone. They'll buy something from you and something else from them. So many years ago when I was very young our next door neighbor had an auto parts store. One day he mentioned that a competing parts store was moving in next door. I said he must be worried and he said not at all. When the other store didn't have what they needed, they would come to him. I think you're right to not make the same thing as another vendor at this point. Find something different and in turn, hoping to draw more new customers to the market. What would go nicely with that breakfast burrito from the enchilada lady....

 
How about a juice bar? Fresh donuts where you make them right there? A big "draw" at our local

farmer's market is the hot, toasted bagels with fresh cream cheese or jelly (hey, you could even sell you jars of jelly there! flavored butters, relishes?).

Or smoothies, maybe?

People smell them frying, go to your stand, and buy other people's things along the way - as Traca said, it's a win-win situation for everyone. The key is selling something that's not duplicating what others sell, I think.

 
If you're not worried about the "small town" factor, I say do your best...

...and be fair (don't duplicate goods, if possible) and let the kettle-fried chips fall where they may.

I think Traca is right. Make everyone around you better. And if they don't see it that way, there's not a whole lot you can (or should) do about it.

Things get better in a free market when everyone is "encouraged" to bring their best.

Michael

 
Do something no one else there is doing. Your salsas and preserves might be a good start

That way you're expanding the market's base instead of cutting into it.

Introduce yourself to everyone and show an interest in their products. Purchase some or offer to trade. You'll be one of them in no time.

 
Brainstorming here - how about being the Soup Nazi of Missouri? Serve with homemade rolls.

I began thinking of things that would be relatively easy to make, transport, and serve - that people would want to buy instead of going home and making themself. Soup and a small, fresh roll would be a great take-with lunch.

Add coffee and/or tea to the bagel bar - easy, cheap, and the smell would drive 'em nuts!

I was watching a show the other day and the guy was making stir-fry (to order) out on the street. Unusual, but that might wok - heheh - might work. Rice is easy and inexpensive, something that they might not normally think of for a quick lunch. Add vegetables, a little meat, and there ya go.

Maybe this post should be under your first question - but I do agree, sell something unique and it will add to, not take away from, the other booths.

Is it a once-weekly market? Do you travel to other ones, if it is? Do you have access to freezers in between times? Have fun, and good luck!

 
Lots of good advice here.

Businesses need other businesses to survive. As was pointed out, more traffic helps everyone. Also, it might help to think about your fellow vendors as your business community rather than your competition. This could be a really good place to make good contacts which could lead to other opportunities.

 
Fruit Kabobs! People wouldn't have to buy all the different fruits, assemble them, etc. and

it's a very refreshing, healthy, and portable snack. An inexpensive, novel treat for them, good business for you. I'd buy them in a minute, and I'm sure all the kids would love them. High profit margin, too.

http://www.ediblearrangements.com/Default.aspx

 
I will be doing soups when the weather cools off a little.

I did them at Hillcrest and sold out every week. I also so them prepackaged and those sold out every week. The market is on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Wed. market is really slow, so I don't always do it, but the Saturday market is actually pretty good. There is a flower vendor across the way from me who sends all of her customers over to taste my food. She is one of the reasons I like this market so much.
It's funny, my best sellers were Tomato Basil, Moyn's Jewish Penicillin, Split Pea with Ham, Dilled Chicken Barley, Thai Pumpkin Bisque. I was always surprised that the more traditional soups sold so well. Soup seems to be comfort food for people.
I might try some prepackaged soups this week. Am I the only one who likes to eat soup for breakfast? I just made a batch of great beef barley soup that we ate for dinner, and I have been eating for breakfast for the last few days. It only gets better.

 
"FREE TASTE" business cards

You can print your own or search around the internet for free photo business cards (often only cost is shipping) and then hand them out everywhere you go to drive more people to visit the farmers' market. Bring (very) small snack-sized bites to give out when someone hands you a card - something different each week (I'm thinking Texas brownies - one easy to make batch would yield tons of tastes.) Include these "tastes" (and FREE TASTE cards) with each item purchased OR group the "tastes" and sell a bag(s) of them at the end of the day - if you have any left!

Are you labeling what you sell?
Website? Web address and phone on labels? Colleen

 
Individual slices of pie? $2 a slice is almost half what a restaurant would charge and

a price that would yield about $12 per pie. Everyone wins! Mmmm, warm, fresh pie for lunch dessert.

 
There is a baker there who makes pies. She sells them whole, I think

but I haven't seen any bars or cookies, now that I think of it.

 
I like your enthusiasm Colleen!

Great ideas. I have business cards with my email, phone number and blog address. I hand those out constantly to customers and "tasters". I like the idea of redeeming tastes with a card. There is a coffee house near the market that allows you to leave your business cards there. That might just work for this idea. Thanks!

 
The customers will decided who has the best product.

That is not your fault.

And as Traca pointed out, competition raises the bar. I've bought a couple baked things at some small markets, mostly out of sympathy for the grandmotherly types that are usually selling it. And then, when I bit into the "grandma's homemade chocolate chip cookies" on which every shortcut in the book had been taken to increase profit, I threw them away. (A chocolate chip cookie made with veg shortening, fake chocolate chips, etc. they were AWFUL. Ick. ick. ICK.)

So if you're selling a better product and people buy from you, the other people will have to get their act together and make a better product. Which means not taking their customers for granted and trying to pass off something subpar as "homemade goodness."

So actually, you can look at it as doing a good deed for far more people.

 
There's a middle of this road... I think if you focus on providing...

what isn't available from other vendors, or yours is unique in some manner, then...you don't worry. Traca is right. Everyone brings someone and some thing to the market...everyone provides a service and a product. I love the Juice Bar idea, but loads of labor intensive draw-backs there. Can you draft someone to check all the other vendors to photo what's really being done so you can see? I live in a small town and I know exactly what the tiny farmer's market looks like. Regardless of what I need, I'll find a way to make sure I always buy from my favorite Asian lady...if nothing else, I'll buy my flowers from her, even though everyone has flowers, and some are a little cheaper. I've noticed many of our vendors sell exactly the same products...it's just a question of who you want to buy from.
The next town over has a BIG farmer's market...they have vendors with breads, olive oil, honey, almonds, tamales, barbecue, massage, fresh veggies, fruits, and even meats. It's all there. There's so much of everything that you can find duplicates and triplicates...sometimes you just buy where you can get in to make a purchase!
Follow your heart...do what feels fair, and you'll do a wonderful thing out there! You won't be directly competing. You might coax another couple dollars out of someone who just found another needful thing!

 
Yes, there is a bigger market in KC, but I am not ready for it yet.

My plan is to use this market to figure out what I want to sell. Then next year move to the KC market and have a friend or family member do the St. Joe market for me. Great advice Janet. Thanks!

 
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