I had my very first craft show today and I was all excited for it. I was selling my wood crafts and cookies...made 300 cookies too. My arm and hand hurt so bad from making all these cookies all month I was ready to cry over the pain.

We get to the show and set up and there wasn't anyone selling cookies, but someone was selling chocolate lollipops and pretzel rods for $.50 they looked horrible too. But because they were cheap were selling like crazy. I only sold 18 cookies. And that was after I brought all my prices down to $2 for each cookie. Which I was already upset about.

Anyway, I signed up for another one on Saturday to give it a second try. But am thinking of making a few cupcakes, oreos, lollipops, and pretzel rods, and breaking a few cookies for people to sample before they buy.

Do you think a $1 per inch is too much for the cookies? The sizes range from 2 in. - 5 in., and if it has an extra sugar decor I add $.25 to that. Do you think I should leave the prices?

I don't think you're asking too much, but I do think that people are looking for bargains at craft fairs and don't understand all the work and time you put into your cookies. Good luck with the next one, though. Having samples is a great idea, so that people will be able to see and taste how good your cookies are!

Well that stinks.

So are you doing this other craft fair to "get rid of" the rest of the cookies you made? If so I wouldn't price them over $2. I think at a craft fair, people are looking for cheap deals. If you REALLY want to sell them all...maybe think about selling them for $1.

Good luck.

Maybe you could make "mini" cookies that would sell for less.

I think for a craft show, $1 per inch is too much...especially when you have some 5in cookies. I think people are looking for a deal. Maybe take some smaller, plainly decorated cookies for cheap, and take a book of pics of more complicated cookies you've done.

It's hard to say what your prices should be, it seems to vary from area to area so much.

As for me, this is one of the reasons I don't sell cookies. I just can't get the prices I need to make a decent profit. There's no way I could charge $5 for a single cookie, I'd be lucky to get that for a dozen! People would look at me like I'm nuts if I tried to price by the inch.

They're just too much work for too little money for me.

Here is a link that might help in pricing cookies.
http://www.dianescakesandmore.com/

Her prices are for a quantity of 25, but you can divide the price by the quantity to get the cost of each. I had made copies of some of her cookies and prices to take with me to a show one time.

I'm so sorry this happened to you. If it is the cookies in your photos, then they are so lovely. It is a shame you put so much work into them and they didn't sell.

That said, I think everyone is right about the fairs. People are looking for deals and would rather buy a snack for under a dollar than pay over two dollars for a fancy decorated cookie that their child will gobble right away. You might try simplier more inexpensive things if you do this again.

For this time, just remember, although you put your heart and soul and arm into all those cookies, you don't want to be stuck with them either. You may have to take a deep breath, lower your prices and count it toward a lesson learned. You can recoup some of your money that way.

All the best to you.

I don't do cookies, but I guess I am thinking at a craft fair, they are probably buying the cookie or whatever to eat "right now." I probably wouldnt buy anything fancy if I were going to eat it right away either. BUT could you package them so that they would be something people would want to bring home? Like a cookie bouquet or something? Something they might want to give as a gift? I guess I dont know how long cookies last.