Um, table costs here are about $250 for the first table. electricity is ~ $50.
Sacramento is the largest show in northern california, and the biggest gecko show in CA. There is a limit on how many of each type of vendor will be accepted and previous vendors get first choice. It is usually a 2 day event with a set up on friday.
There will be a san jose show, put on someone new, but its a 1 day show, and about the same price, and I know alot of vendors, including ourselves, are not vending that show. There is a small one in pateluma, but for the most part, the shows are in socal [which then you have to factor in the costs of gas and hotel fare [~ 100$/night ]
Um... each vendor is different. If they are even willing to share a table, or work consignment. I charge 20% consignment, and I will only sell species I know, and am willing to sell [snake morphs I wont sell, because I dont support it, etc] If its a big show, and I know I am going to need help staff-wise, I will offer a discounted consignment rate, if you actually WORK the show for me. Um, to share a table, I would personally expect 1/2 of the expenses. If not a consignment charge on top of that.
So, really you are looking at:
gas up to the show [and possibly car rental]
food while you are up there
hotel fare for the weekend
booth cost [~$250 for one spot and one table, ~ $500 for a double spot, and 3 tables]
additional table and chair cost [I usually get 1-2 extra tables, and 2 extra chairs for friends, but I also have huge displays and bring ALOT of animals]
electricity cost
display cost [if you go with an actual display, as opposed to a net over deli cups,] **ALOT ALOT ALOT of stuff gets stolen at shows. kids are annoying, they tend to mess your stuff up, scratch things, ruin stuff.
Deli cups, bags, reciepts, pens, money box.
table cloth [and skirt if the show so requires]
banner, business cards, other advertizement stuff. care sheets, etc.
Supplies, if any that you plan to sell, or give away with the animal [I sell gecko diet, as well as occasionally rodents, if I am currently breeding]
After set up, you then have to look at what the other vendors have and price your stuff accordingly. Alot of people undercut one another, which is generally discouraged, but it happens. I also admit to being an expensive snob
You expect that customers are like you, and that they know what they want, go to the show, and have a budget of lets say $250 to find what they want, and spend it. Well, thats not how it works. In fact, the vast majority of people are first-time pet owners, and want a ball python, or gecko or something. Um, the first day you panic because no one buys anything, and then you drop your prices to "get rid" of the amazing amount of stock that you have, and finally sell a few things the next day, but its still not what you expect.
Do expect talking someone through the care and requirements and the perks of an animal, just to have someone spend 100$ less at a vendor across the way [bitter? a little]
Really, expect to go there, to talk to your customers, get your name out there, and show that you know your stuff. The vast majority of my sales came post-show from people who stopped in to talk to me, and picked up my business card.
Everyone knows dirty stinky stuff has fantastic animals, pictures, and excellent sexing skills [that souds so naughty when i say it] too bad I am changing our name! haha.
I wouldnt be opposed to sharing a table with someone, but I wouldnt suggest trying to share with direct competition [someone who sells the same item that you do]
Expect to spend $600 on a show [not including investment type items like cash box, displays, etc, that you would use at other shows] and use that as a rule of thumb of how much money you need to make to cut even. Usually I can make that in the sale of 2 geckos, so that is enough for me, and anything else is just extra and nice.
I might go all out and purchase new displays for this coming sac show, and if thats the case, ill have 4 large, rad deli cup holding wood and acrylic display cages FS/T
As for being a business, its usually expected, the only REQUIREMENT tho is to get a sellers permit [through your county, even tho I am contra costa and I use alameda - oakland] you can get temporary ones just for the show, but you might as well just get one for the year for the same price. You do need a "business name" tho you dont need a business license. I know that the permit is required for the shows we attend, but I am not 100% sure if it is required by the state. If you get a permit, you need to track your sales and pay sales tax on all of them. you also have to claim that income on your income tax returns [providing it is a sole proprietorship] The other required things is a care sheet for every species you sell, and reciepts with your name on them..
One of the benefits of sharing a table with someone, is that you dont have to have all that junk if its in their name
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