Selling Chocolates at Shows and Farmers Markets

[BeeZee]

What I've seen done in my area (NJ) is a display tray with a clear cover (bug protection) which is set over some kind of cool packs to keep the items from melting away. Works well enough for 2 hours or so. Selections are stored in coolers so when someone picks the item(s) they want, you reach into the cooler with gloved hands and retrieve them.

[blue_dolphin]

Like @ElsieD, I'm a buyer not a seller.  If you can keep your display samples looking as nice and un-melty as possible, I think it would help your sales. 

 

Yesterday, after reading this query, I made a point to stop by the one chocolate booth at my local farmers market. It was 95°F. They do toffee, all chocolate covered, and sell pre-boxed combos of different sizes and flavor combinations, all in cello-wrapped boxes stored in big coolers under the table and out of view.  Their display consists of pieces on glass-domed cake stands with flavor descriptions below and cello-wrapped boxes with lids removed so you could see the contents.  They had cool-packs under the boxes, hidden beneath the table drape but when I went by at 3 PM (market is noon - 5 PM), they were looking melty and the pieces inside the glass domes were worse.  I wouldn't even want a sample and I know I'd be sold pristine stock but those pieces were like a preview of how they'd probably look by the time I got home.  

 

It just wasn't a chocolate day 😢

[SweetandSnappyJen]

Thanks for that investigation, @blue_dolphin! That does not sound very attractive, indeed!  My set up worked really well, and that piece of open air advice was invaluable. I displayed an inside view of the 6 piece and 12 piece box we sell, and displayed the individual pieces under a glass tray, with an icebox strategically placed in a box underneath. It worked well, but 5 degrees warmer, I'm not sure. I had boxes stored in a cooler for purchase. I've attached the set up, in case it's helpful to anyone!

- Jen

[ElsieD]

@SweetandSnappyJen  Beautiful chocolates!  Those I would have purchased.

[BeeZee]

Looks great, like an edible jewelry display!

[Siobhan]

On 10/12/2009 at 10:15 PM, lebowits said:

So here are the promised pics of my farmers market setup.

A view to a tent, me in my chair...

An array of goodies...

License, prices, boxes, and stock...

Inside the stock container...

Hand washing station...

How did u keep the chocolate from Melting?

 

[GRiker]

While this is an old topic, I still used the advice here on my first outdoor event this last Saturday in Central Texas.  It was really nice to read everyone's experiences and advice.  Thanks to all who have shared!

 

The list of items to bring was helpful.  This is mine:

• utility knife
• duct tape
• scissors
• bandaids
• pens/sharpie
• pad of paper
• clipboard
• change (count before and after)
• water to drink
• chairs 
• gloves
• garbage can (just used a 5 gallon bucket under the table.  
• extension cord
• battery
• tablecloth
• lights
• tables
• microfiber cloths
• business cards
• zipties
• price/product list
• weights for canopy (hadn't thought of this ahead of time.  Ran home to get something. Just used 5 gallon buckets with water and rope)
• hand sanitizer

Things I'll bring for next time

• Signage for pricing each type of item.  I had everything listed on a product sheet but it was overwhelming for people to look at.
• Some kind of visual for showing the bon bons.  Also only listed on product sheet and verbally by me.  

This event was a replacement for our Fourth of July Fireworks that was cancelled due to weather.  Better for me since I can't do chocolate outside in July in Central Texas.  

 

Some notes:

• Twenty percent by dollars was purchased with cash.  I was glad to have brought some change.  I brought about $150 in small bills.  Way more than was needed but I felt prepared.  I priced with even dollar amounts to include sales tax for each of transaction.  Definitely the right choice.  Most transactions were tap to pay with Chase POS on my phone.  Only had one person's card have to be entered manually.   Yes people used cards for small purchases, just buying one of the least expensive item but I felt happy they bought something.  I forgot that I could have used Zelle. I had printed and laminated my Zelle QR code but forgot to use it.  Would have saved me the cc processing fees if used.  
• Having some premade boxes of bon bons is a great idea.   I had six different bon bons in milk and dark chocolate.  While I have 6, 12, and 24 piece options, Only the 6 piece boxes sold and probably half were of one each of milk or dark.  
• I showed filled boxes covered with plastic wrap and taped in the back so the wrap stayed tight.  They held up well.  
• Event went from 6- 10pm.  Who knew we had to arrive so early (1pm) but it worked out okay!  My husband came back at 5:30 once the sun was down with the chocolates.  DIdn't have any issue with melting etc at about 80F but no sun.  
• I ordered a custom tablecloth (plug here for mustny.com who was great) and some lights for the booth.  Tablecloth has an open back so we stuck all the bins and things we didn't want seen in that space.
• We decided to use cool white lights instead of warm white so the colors of the bon bons would look nice.  We had one person stop by and say we had the nicest looking booth which felt good.  
• Front table had the display, side table stock.  I created a pick sheet to know where each flavor was located but next time I'm going to tape a sheet to each top lid.  It was cumbersome to look back and forth to the sheet and color coded trays.
• I second the suggestion to have directors chairs instead of regular outdoor chairs.  I didn't sit down but for a few minutes during the entire event and I could tell later!  I felt much more engaged when standing and connecting with the passersby.  Even a simple wooden barstool would have been nice.  
•  

I did not generally hand out samples.  I had some of the least expensive salted caramel bars that were seconds that I did share occasionally, but the least expensive ones sold themselves for someone who wanted to buy chocolate.

 

The most expensive items, bon bons, would have likely sold more if I had given out samples.  At the same time there were people who walked by rushing to somewhere else who wondered if I had samples.  They clearly weren't planning to purchase but would have taken a sample.  I didn't have any bon bon seconds so samples would have come out of my sales stock.  While I would have sold more, what would that advertising have cost?  I'm still torn.  For my last event of the season the shop owner would like me to offer samples.  She's not charging a booth fee and it's my last event, so I'll probably do it there and maybe understand a little better the customer sentiment.

 

Last year at the Dallas Chocolate Festival the organizers put significant limits on how the attendees could get samples from the vendors.  They dissallowed any kind of storage container. People were wanting to come in with large containers then they'd just go around and collect samples to take home.  These were small businesses and I think the sample mentality was out of hand by attendees and costly for the vendors.    

 

I'd love to hear your opinion on offering samples.   

 

I had a lot of stock leftover which I froze for another event in a couple weeks.  As I had never done an event of this scale before I had no idea what to expect and decided I could freeze leftovers.  Will help with prep work for the next event. Hope this report is helpful for someone else!

 

 

 

Edited 48 minutes ago by GRiker
grammar (log)