Tips on Choosing A Mall

Since posting my article, Promoting a Mall on Facebook,  I have had all sorts of comments and messages asking for more tips on choosing a  mall for your booth.  That's obviously a very important decision.  A fabulous booth in a so-so mall probably won't do that well.

Malls are popping up all over.  When someone is looking for a spot to set up a booth, it's very likely they'll have several choices.

1. Your Personal Favorites.  You should certainly visit each of the shops a number of times to browse. Think like a customer for a bit.  Which malls do you enjoy visiting?  If you were looking for a chest of drawers, where would you want to go first?   Whichever one comes to mind is probably a good contender for where your booth would fit for a number of reasons.

A person's booth usually reflects their style.  Your favorite shop likely appeals to your style.  The items you sell would probably fit well there.  It's likely this mall has other things going for it as well since you like going there.

2. Size.  The size of the mall is a consideration.  Customers don't always want to go all over looking for something.  Many like to see a good variety of choices in one place.   Not so big that it's overwhelming, but enough to make it worth stopping.  As a customer, my favorite local malls have somewhere around 50 booths, give or take.  I wish they were slightly larger. :-D   There are a number of smaller malls in the area, but I don't usually go to those unless I happen to be right there on some errand.  I'm lazy.  It seems a lot of trouble to drive to those places when I'll be able to be in and out in such a short time.  Smaller malls have less to offer obviously.  I have less chance of finding something I want, so why bother.

3. Location.  An out of the way mall where no one will stop by because they happen to be in the area, will usually have less traffic.  There are exceptions.  Some places are so fantastic that people make a point of going there often.  Another consideration for location is how convenient it is for you.    Time you spend traveling is not productive.  On the other hand, some malls are so good that it's worth traveling a little bit further.

4. Traffic.  Does the mall stay busy?  Visit any mall you are considering on a weekend.  Visit them during the week.  There are slow times at any mall, but if you see too many slow times, that could be a bit of a red flag.  However, some malls are very very slow during the week, but they make up for it on the weekend.

5. Online Promotion.  Do they have a great online presence?  I talked about that more in this post, where I said I probably wouldn't consider being in a mall that didn't have a good online presence.   This is the post I referenced at the beginning of this article.

Note: You should browse all the malls online sites before you talk to the owner.  First, you'll get a better feel for the store.  Also, it's possible that they have a page on their website for potential vendors - that could answer lots of questions.  Here's the vendor page for one of the stores I promote.

6. Turnover.   A store needs to impress first time customers AND repeat customers!  Before I became a dealer, I shopped in a certain mall in the area that always seemed to look the same.  I used to stop by there every few months.  After a few stops, I realized that I was seeing the exact same furniture and arrangements as I saw on my last visit.  They were stale.  I wasn't going to see anything different so why bother coming back?  I made a decision right then to not go there anymore.  Once I became a dealer, I thought about that quite a bit.  A mall needs to give the impression that things are in a constant state of change.  Things sell and are replaced with something new.  Customers learn that it's best to go often to see what new treasures have been brought in.

7. Price Point.  This one is a little tricky.  There are malls where most things are priced low.  Things sell fast, but the vendors make less per sale.  There are malls that are pricey.  They generally have amazing things, but they take a little longer to sell.  When they do, the vendor will make more off the sale.   You need to know your comfort zone, your personality, and you need to think smart about the financial aspects of how you plan to price.

I know vendors who panic if a big item doesn't sell in a month and they start slashing prices.  They work their fannies off finding things to sell, painting it as fast as possible, and watching it sell quickly at a bargain price.  I know vendors at the other end of the spectrum who are a bit more thoughtful with their purchases, don't mind spending a little longer on a makeover when necessary.  They decorate the item very well in their booth so it looks amazing. They don't mind putting in more time creating a vignette because they know it may be in their booth for several months. They are willing to wait a little longer for the item to sell at a higher price.

When I first had a booth, I was all about selling fast, but I definitely changed my thoughts on that.  I don't have a booth right now, but it's entirely possible that once my husband retires, we may open a booth together.  When we do, we will be more about selling fewer items at prices that are more in line with our time - slowly selling great items at prices that make it worth our while, yet still a decent deal for a customer.

My personality is suited to slow and thoughtful.  I have good friends who are happiest when they are going at a fast pace.  Think about your personality as you consider price points.  Then, look at the financial aspects.

You should probably read my scary article, too.  

8. Duplication.   Make sure what you plan to offer in your booth is not too much like things already in the store.  If your specialty is barn wood farm tables and there are already barn wood farm table similar to yours in the store, maybe you need to look elsewhere.

9. The Owner   Most owners have things they do well and things that are a challenge.  Some owners are nutcases.  Seriously.   Unfortunately, you may not figure that out until you are in the door.  :-P  If you know other vendors in your area, talk to them about what they like and don't like about their mall.  No mall is perfect, but you'll likely fit with some malls better than others.  When you browse in a mall, if you see a vendors working in their booths, stop and chat with them.  It's not likely that they'll tell you much, but you may get a feel for their opinions.  Keep in mind that not every dealer in a mall is good.  If you chat with a lousy dealer, you'll likely get a lousy feeling from them.

Talk to the owner.  Do this on a day when you are in a good mood and feeling sharp and looking stylish.   Don't show photos on this first visit.  Just find out some basic info and get your impressions of the owner.  Keep in mind the owner will be getting first impressions about you, too.  If your first impression is not good, you could get put on a waiting list permanently!

10. Money Arrangements.   This is usually the first thing dealers ask. It's an obvious point.  How much is the rent?  Do you have to work at the mall as part of the arrangement?  If so, consider that as part of your rent.  What is the commission rate?  What other deductions are made?  Most malls are fairly competitive.  If the mall rent is too cheap, it may not be a bargain.  If the mall is begging for dealers, that might be a red flag.

Once you decide on a mall... 

Prepare to sell yourself.  Just because you want the mall, it doesn't necessarily follow that the mall will want YOU.  This needs to be a mutually beneficial relationship. You'll need to convince the owner to accept you.  Have photos of what you'd like to sell.  A picture is worth a thousand words.  Don't show a piece of furniture in a garage with a nasty floor and debris all around it.  You may need to take the photo in the garage, but you can still make it look nice.  Shove the debris out of sight. Put down a rug. Move the furniture against a nice wall or background.  Create a great vignette - just in the area that will show in the photo.  Is the wall ugly?  Paint it or prop vintage doors artfully to create a great background.  Show what you can do!  If you're going to be a vendor, you've got to learn how to make your stuff look appealing.  If you can't do that in the photo you show the owner, then why would they want you in their store? 

Prepare for a Waiting List.   Often, the best malls are full.   Don't choose your mall based on what's available immediately.  If you have to wait a few months to get a space, that just gives you more time to build an inventory and plan.  On the other hand, if you present yourself well enough and there is a space available, some owners will put you at the top of the waiting list.  Owners usually don't choose dealers based only on who has been waiting the longest.  They are more likely looking at who will be the best for the store.

Prepare to not have a booth in a great spot.  You are the new dealer.  You'll need to prove yourself before you are given a great spot (unless you have an established reputation from other malls.   If the mall you chose is great, be happy to get your foot in the door and know that a really great dealer can thrive most anywhere in the store.

Remember... you are NOT stuck.   You generally need to sign a 6 month contract.  That's plenty of time to see how you fit in.  If you realize you don't fit well after just a few months, DO NOT STOP TRYING!  Make your booth fabulous as a selling point for the next mall you hope to move into.

One more idea ... instead of renting one big space in one mall, consider renting two smaller space in different malls. You'll see which place you like best by the time the contracts are up.  You may even decide you like being in more than one location.  There are MANY benenfits to being in more than one store.  That's a post for another day!   :-D

Help! My Hutch Won't Sell!

As I browsed my Facebook newsfeed, I came across this hutch on Today is My Someday.  The hutch owner is frustrated because it won't sell.  She asked for advice on what to do.She doesn't want to repaint the whole thing or do anything that require more time than it would be worth.  She got a number of suggestions.  Many said to get rid of the stripes.  I agree. I kept thinking about it.  I got so caught up in all the possibilities that I was inspired to do a quick post (even though I should be going to bed!)

Help!
My Hutch Won't Sell!

Go mostly solid. All red or all black. Since the hutch is mostly red, that would be the fastest fix.  Use a lighter color on the hutch back (all of the back - no stripes).   If going with all red, you could add another layer of brown wax to give a bit more richness to the color. That takes very little time and not much wax. It could look something like this -

Source

Since removing the stripes seems likely, go with a different color altogether for the back.  It won't be that much more trouble.  A light neutral would be best, but this hutch sure looks nice and that background looks something like a robin's egg blue.   These are tricky colors to sell, since it would go with fewer decors, but it might have enough wow factor to woo somebody over!

Source

When you add the decor, be very, very deliberate.  Don't just put things on it that you'd like to sell.  Add things that will sell the hutch.  You don't want to give this away.  This is your big ticket item.

As seen on Pinterest (with no link to original source)

Try all white or all cream dishes.   Or a striking floral or fruit or transferware.   If you don't have great things to use, BORROW them.   Sometimes, you can find another vendor who has the perfect item in their booth.  It will make your piece look fab and it will help sell their item as well.

Source

How you decorate your furniture makes a HUGE, HUGE difference.   When you are out picking, always watch for smalls that will make furniture look great and will also be good to sell.  A great dish collection is wonderful for helping to sell hutches or tables.

Source

Finally, when you take the hutch back in, take off your sale sign.  INCREASE the price.  You now have a fabulous piece that will sell.  You have invested time and money.  Don't sell yourself short.  Hutches are seldom super fast sellers, but when they do sell, it should be worth your while.  Sometimes things with a higher price get a little MORE respect and notice as long as they are decorated in a way that shows how great it can look.  Seriously.

Sell as a Set or Price Separately

I see it often.  A dealer will paint a set (bedroom set, table and chairs, desk and chair...) and put one price on it all.  Since it was a matched set or has been painted to match, the dealer thinks it must all be sold together or that it would be a shame to split the set.  In my humble opinion, that's a mistake.

I just posted this pretty set on The BoneYard's Facebook page.   This vendor did it perfectly.   She made three price tags and she tied them all together for different pricing options.

I love that all three tags were together rather than only on the different pieces, but occasionally it may be preferable to split them up.

Make the price of the set less than the total if buying separately.  Note the savings when buying this set.  When someone buys it all, there should be a savings.  If purchased separately, the cost adds up to $948.  That's $150 less than the price if purchased separately.  The savings doesn't have to be that much.  This is just one example.

Why offer to sell separately?  Not everyone shopping needs a complete set. In the case of the dining set above, someone may come in and want just the table because they already have perfectly good chairs.  If this table were only available as a set, that shopper will likely pass this set by.  Another shopper may have a nice table, but just need chairs.  Don't pass up sales opportunities by insisting on selling everything as a set.

If this dealer sells these items separately, she'll make more money in the end.  :-D

What if it all doesn't all sell together?  When I have suggested separate pricing to some dealers, they worry about what to do with a partial set, such as a table without chairs or chairs without a table.  TRUST ME.  That's no problem.  These things sell just fine alone.  I promote at two different stores and I see what sells.  There's no question at all - things sell separately just fine!!!  Also, it's easy to find another set of chairs or another table.  You can paint them to match or put chairs that aren't an exact match with it.  You don't have to have everything match.

Look at Current Magazines - 

They hardly ever show a matching set 

in any room.

I happen to be a person who prefers NOT to have a matching set.  I like chairs that are different from the table (not made to match).   There are many many people out there like me.  Just check out my DINING ROOMS Pinterest Board. Very few of the tables and chairs are sets or made to match and most of those were pinned for other reasons.  Here's one example from that board -

Source

This dining room is from Marian (of the famous Miss Mustard Seed blog).  She has 4 easy to find maple chairs that match. She has two completely different end chairs.  She painted the base of the table in the same color as the end chairs.  Marian swaps things out in her home often.  She has switched tables 4 or 5 times in the last few years.  She changes chairs about as often. She finds things that work together, but they are definitely not a matched set.  You can click the link above to see a tour of her home.  

Do You Need a Facebook Page for Your Booth??

Should you have a Facebook Page for Your Booth?  The short answer - It depends.

If your mall has a good Facebook page AND you don't plan on expanding your business, then you can skip doing a separate page for your booth.

Truthfully, a page devoted to a booth is seldom all that successful without a lot of hard work.  Most mall customers would prefer to visit one Facebook page showing items in ALL the booths instead of following pages for different booths.

If your mall has no Facebook page, then OMG - you MUST have a page!  Network with other booth dealers to promote each other's pages.  SHARE, COMMENT and LIKE on a regular basis and help each other build a following.  If you are good enough on Facebook and enjoy doing it, offer to do one for the store in exchange for rent or some other compensation. Be prepared.  A lot more work goes into a good mall page than you might anticipate.

A vintage mall without a good Facebook page is missing out on a golden opportunity.  In fact, I'd go so far to say that I would be very reluctant to have a booth at a store without a decent Facebook page.  I'm sure there are exceptions out there where business is so crazy good that a Facebook page isn't needed.  I just haven't seen such a place for myself.  :-D

If your store has a Facebook page that doesn't promote things in everyone's booths often enough, then having your own page could be helpful.  I have seen many business Facebook pages that fill up with cute quotes and personal tidbits about the owner, but neglect to show what's in the store.  That's pretty much the equivalent of no page at all.

FACEBOOK PAGE  vs PERSONAL PAGE
I have a hard time explaining this to someone not familiar with Facebook pages.  A Facebook fan page is not the same as your personal Facebook page. Your personal page usually cannot be seen by anyone but your friends.  Customers usually don't want to be your Facebook friend.  They just want to see your stuff.  Showing things from your booth on your personal page is NOT the same as having a Facebook PAGE.  You can create extra pages within your Facebook account that can be open to anyone.   The settings on a PAGE will be open so that anyone can LIKE your page - they don't have to be your Facebook friend.  They don't have to find out anything about YOU, unless you post it on the page.  You can find out more about pages by Googling "Facebook create a page".  There are lots of good tutorials out there and they can explain it all much better.

 I have several extra pages for different things I do - Vintage Show Off is my page that goes with this blog.   I have a page where I post all sorts of home related things - First a Dream.   I have pages for the stores I promote - Rockin B and The BoneYard.  I spend so much time on those now that I seem to have less and less time for the other pages.  I'm continually working to find a balance.

I don't recommend spreading yourself thin with lots of pages.

PAGE FOCUS
If you create a page, it's a good idea to make the focus a bit broader than just your one booth.  You may end up with booths in more than one place.  You may sell from fairs or shows.  You may sell from Etsy one day.  You may have a yard sale you want to advertise.  It would be good to build a fan base on one page to reach all the people who may be interested in the different things you do.

CONTENT
In order to get people to want to visit your page, you'll need to post info that they consider worth their time.  In addition to showing new things from your booth, you may post a few how-to's, inspiration photos and information that readers will find useful.

Posts without photos are a waste of time.  Seriously.

NAMING YOUR PAGE
It's a good idea to match the name of your page with the name of your booth, your Etsy store, and any other selling ventures you pursue.  One name for all.  One name to promote.

Have you named your booth?  If not, come up with a name.  Choose wisely.  On Facebook, you are allowed to change your page name just once, but it would be best to pick a good name and stick with it.

 The page should reflect your business ---your booth.   The trick to choosing a name is to come up with something short and catchy, that isn't already taken on Facebook.  One site that I found extremely helpful in checking names is NameChk.  You type in a username at the top and click CHK, then results will come in showing what sites are available with that name and what sites are taken.  You don't have to have every site on the list available, but there are some that would be helpful.  Of course you have to find one that has Facebook available.  Will you ever want to sell on Etsy to supplement your booth income?  If so, make sure the name is available there, too.  If you'd like a blog to go along with your business, make sure Blogger or Wordpress has the name available.  You may also want Pinterest and Flickr and Twitter.  Ideally, all your sites and your booth will end up with the same name.  You are creating a name for yourself.

Make the name easy to spell, easy to remember, and not too long.  Funny spellings of common words are not as easy to remember as some think.

Interesting - I know of very few people who don't become bored with their name after a while.  If you get bored, try to get over it.  Remarketing a new name is a hassle and annoying to those who are your fans.  Change your page cover if you get bored.  :-D

Resources for choosing a good name -
* Note - these articles are geared towards choosing a domain  or blog name, but most of the tips apply for your booth and Facebook name as well.
5 Blog Naming Basics
Choosing the Perfect Blog Name: Two WordPressers Share Their Secrets
Brainstorming a Name for your Blog


If you have the perfect name but it's taken, you might try adding a little something to your perfect name.
What if My Domain Name is Taken?