Does anyone have stalls at Festivals / events?

Does anyone have stalls at Festivals / events?

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VEIGHT

Original Poster:

2,362 posts

227 months

Wednesday 10th August 2016
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I want to start selling mobile phone power packs at festivals / public events.

Before I just start calling the 'trade sales' lines at various events, does anyone know of any good events that are easy to get into for me to trial this idea?

951TSE

600 posts

156 months

Thursday 11th August 2016
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I think you might be surprised at all hoops you have to go through and the lead time that you're looking at for major events. A few years ago I enquired about a catering stand at the Isle of wight festival. The even was in September (I think) and you have to apply the previous January. They also wanted a fair wedge for the stand £5K approx (which is why burgers at these events are so pricey) and use their onsite suppliers.

As a modern example take the winter fair at the Royal Welsh Showground in Mid Wales this year. The event is two days at the end of November, your application has to be in by 1st October, there are 15 pages of rules and regs you must follow and you may have to set up a few days before hand and be on site for all of the show. With a time to take down your stand at the end.

http://www.rwas.wales/uploads/Winter_Fair_2016/201...

And you're looking at a couple of hundred quid for the basic stand. You'd then have to dress that area to the organisers satisfaction.

A better bet may be to talk to organisers of Sunday Markets and boot fairs. They may let you have a stall selling new stuff and you're much more likely to get in at short notice. Don't just go to a boot fair and setup though as new items are usually either not allowed or there's a higher charge to sell them as you're 'trade' not a casual.

Rangeroverover

1,522 posts

110 months

Thursday 11th August 2016
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I'm guessing that your main market will be events with overnight camping etc, Micheal Eavis has an office in Glastonbury High st for his festival 01458 834596

Give them a call now if you want in for next year and they will give you a price for a pitch or put you on a waiting list.

uber

855 posts

169 months

Thursday 11th August 2016
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Make sure you check none of the big networks are offering free charging stations before getting a pitch.

951TSE

600 posts

156 months

Thursday 11th August 2016
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A quick follow up you might find this website useful.

http://www.nmtf.co.uk/

VEIGHT

Original Poster:

2,362 posts

227 months

Wednesday 17th August 2016
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Ok, going to do a trial with the general public tomorrow night.

Heading to a gig and going to try and sell on the street at the end of the event.

I know you get lots of people selling fake t-shirts and the Police don't really seem to care - will it end up with us getting a telling off?

Aim will be to see if there is a market for this and also to get some promo pictures / video for marketing moving forward!

Wish me luck!

Chrisgr31

13,440 posts

254 months

Saturday 20th August 2016
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VEIGHT said:
Ok, going to do a trial with the general public tomorrow night.

Heading to a gig and going to try and sell on the street at the end of the event.

I know you get lots of people selling fake t-shirts and the Police don't really seem to care - will it end up with us getting a telling off?

Aim will be to see if there is a market for this and also to get some promo pictures / video for marketing moving forward!

Wish me luck!
As you havent posted since do I assume you have been hung drawn and quartered? :-D

Thankyou4calling

10,595 posts

172 months

Sunday 21st August 2016
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You'll be lucky to sell one I think.

VEIGHT

Original Poster:

2,362 posts

227 months

Monday 22nd August 2016
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It was pretty bad! Sold 6 at £10 and about 10 at a £5 - was there for 20 minutes after the gig.

Would have sold more at the start of the gig I think!

Taking out fuel, people with me, Nandos for everyone and beers it was a disaster hehe

Back to the drawing board!

21TonyK

11,494 posts

208 months

Monday 22nd August 2016
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You were trying to sell mobile phone charger packs AFTER a gig, at night?

I'm amazed you sold any. Surely your market is going to be where people are separated from the ability to charge their phone for a significant amount of time.

http://chargecandy.com/

It's an idea that obviously works, maybe you need to trial again.

VEIGHT

Original Poster:

2,362 posts

227 months

Monday 22nd August 2016
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That's not even the half of it!

The thought process was people getting in touch with people AFTER they had been filming etc the gig.

In reality everyone was off their face and just making a run for the last train however we did have a number of people who were meeting people for lifts etc that had no battery and we were 'lifesavers'.

I think we might get a better result with day 'mini' festivals and a better price point!


Hoofy

76,253 posts

281 months

Monday 22nd August 2016
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Set up a poke stop. Sell battery packs at poke stops. I understand it's £5 per 30 minutes. I might have the terms wrong but investigate if you want to sell battery packs.

http://heavy.com/games/2016/07/pokemon-go-poke-sto...

malks222

1,851 posts

138 months

Monday 22nd August 2016
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nah def looking at the wrong time/ market. after a gig most people are heading home, ok some people might need the phone on the way home (but you got sales form this crowd and it wasn't worth it!) but the vast majority will just think- meh, phones dead, no facebook on the way home, charge when get home/ go to bed.

you need to target customers when they are going to be away from the ability to charge a phone for +5hrs but still want/ need to use phones. I'm thinking- stadium gigs (especially ones with younger crowds- 1 direction, taylor swift, bieber....), football matches, festivals, town centre late at night. but I'm not sure you'd generate enough trade at any of these (barring a weekend long music festival) to make it worth your while

VEIGHT

Original Poster:

2,362 posts

227 months

Monday 22nd August 2016
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Thanks for the comments. I'll bare it in mind!

eliot

11,364 posts

253 months

Monday 22nd August 2016
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Make a vending machine that dishes them out..Hmm...Could be a millionaire idea....googles...dam someone has beaten me to it.

https://m.alibaba.com/product/60182678321/Very-con...

Edited by eliot on Monday 22 August 22:48

sidekickdmr

5,065 posts

205 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
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VEIGHT said:
That's not even the half of it!

The thought process was people getting in touch with people AFTER they had been filming etc the gig.

In reality everyone was off their face and just making a run for the last train however we did have a number of people who were meeting people for lifts etc that had no battery and we were 'lifesavers'.

I think we might get a better result with day 'mini' festivals and a better price point!
I too am not too surprised at the lack of interest after a evening only gig.

And if I’m honest, I’m not sure a "mini" day festival is going to be the best place either, as although phone batteries are pretty poor, most people won’t be on their phone for that long at a festival and a charge should last a whole day.

I’d be aiming for the weekend long camping festivals, I know firsthand that charging your phones is a complete nightmare at these, I’ve seen queues for phone charging points, and seen plenty of people making money selling the portable chargers.

I would say your best bet is to have a stall/stand in the main arena, near the stages for the panic buyers (I’ve lost my mates and got no battery), and then have someone with a sandwich board, or overhead banner strolling the campsites in the morning/day selling them as this will get the people that want to charge before they go out!

This also opens up another revenue stream, I've purchased these phone chargers at festivals before, and to be honest I was ripped off, it was sold as fully charged and ready to go and it charged my Iphone about 12% before dying, and its then no more use than a paperweight.

I would rather spend double the money on a good one, say at least 2500mAh (this will give about a full charge on a Iphone 6 at 1900mAh), and you could then offer to recharge it as many times as they want over the festival, either at a nominal charge, or even free, if you sell them for enough ££ and they are powerful enough you might only see 30% coming back for a top-up, and you wouldn’t be paying anything for the electric, that’s supplied by the festival.

Just my 2P, I'd been to enough festivals to know the struggles.

Royce44

394 posts

112 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
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you sold 16 units in 20 minutes? I wouldnt call that a failure at all. I reacon its worth another shot at the beginning of the show.

utgjon

713 posts

172 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
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sidekickdmr said:
I would rather spend double the money on a good one, say at least 2500mAh (this will give about a full charge on a Iphone 6 at 1900mAh), and you could then offer to recharge it as many times as they want over the festival, either at a nominal charge, or even free, if you sell them for enough ££ and they are powerful enough you might only see 30% coming back for a top-up, and you wouldn’t be paying anything for the electric, that’s supplied by the festival.

Just my 2P, I'd been to enough festivals to know the struggles.
That's a great idea... you could even do it on an exchange basis, with a deposit.

i.e. £10 deposit for the charger, and £x for an immediate charged replacement. Returns at the end of the festival get their £10 back. Most people probably wouldn't bother with returning it!

Don't forget accessories too - cables for the major manufacturers etc could also be hired out.


sidekickdmr

5,065 posts

205 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
utgjon said:
sidekickdmr said:
I would rather spend double the money on a good one, say at least 2500mAh (this will give about a full charge on a Iphone 6 at 1900mAh), and you could then offer to recharge it as many times as they want over the festival, either at a nominal charge, or even free, if you sell them for enough ££ and they are powerful enough you might only see 30% coming back for a top-up, and you wouldn’t be paying anything for the electric, that’s supplied by the festival.

Just my 2P, I'd been to enough festivals to know the struggles.
That's a great idea... you could even do it on an exchange basis, with a deposit.

i.e. £10 deposit for the charger, and £x for an immediate charged replacement. Returns at the end of the festival get their £10 back. Most people probably wouldn't bother with returning it!

Don't forget accessories too - cables for the major manufacturers etc could also be hired out.
thumbup

russy01

4,693 posts

180 months

Tuesday 23rd August 2016
quotequote all
Royce44 said:
you sold 16 units in 20 minutes? I wouldnt call that a failure at all. I reacon its worth another shot at the beginning of the show.
If a car salesman sold 16 cars in 20minutes it would be fantastic. But if this chap stood there with a couple members of staff & a fancy stand to generate only £100 its obviously not fantastic.

How did you sell the product, like a market man selling his bananas? Or did you have 4 people in branded polo's stood under a fancy gazebo?

Id see it at slightly promising, at least you are aware that people actually want to give you cash for your product. You just simply didn't have enough of the right people in front of you..

I see this being profitable as a one man band. i.e you go along to the correct events and sell 100pcs a night for £500-1000. Do that several times per month and you'll be sorted.