BMAC: Post-show report

The Buyers Market of American Craft is an amazing show to visit if you haven’t already. From extraordinary jewelry lines to fine hand blown glass, you’ll see it all. Pretty impressive stuff, as well as a pretty impressive venue (the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia).

The mood on the show floor was positive, and reminiscent of what I recall from NSS in May. Not surprisingly, because they’re both niche shows, vendors and buyers are pretty passionate about the wares, often enjoying long term relationships they’ve known for years. Several lines that I sold during my past life in retail were there, including Patricia Locke jewelry and Robert Held Art Glass.

It’s that kind of passion that sets these shows apart…and raises the stakes for everyone. Unlike the gift and home furnishings industries that include thousands of lines and options, paper and handmade run in comparatively limited numbers. Many of the artists I visited with have been doing this for years…decades…and recall several ups and downs in the economy.

What caught my attention most, however, was the upbeat attitude from both buyers and exhibitors about their thoughts on the upcoming holiday season. While many galleries and boutiques continue to struggle with the economy, a surprising number reported upward trending sales, and in some cases, downright prosperous years thus far. It appears that those who are doing well are doing well.

There’s a pattern here, and it lines up with that of its cousin, the paper industry. Stores who report upward sales trends have continued to pull out all the stops to get there. Viewing the business as a business, turning a blind eye to the emotional attachment formed over the years. Holding more in-store events, sometimes on a nearly non-stop basis. Cutting costs everywhere possible, including the owner’s salary (assuming the owner is getting paid at all). Spending twice as much time marketing, including social media options. And being smart about how they handle money, right down to asking vendors to remove the credit card numbers kept on file in lieu of invoice-by-invoice approval to better track their finances (see my August column in Gifts and Dec for more along those lines).

In short, it’s taken a heck of a lot of hard core, stripped-to-the-bone work to get the numbers turned around. Might not be fun or feel good, but the numbers are beginning to make it clear that’s what’s necessary to survive all this.

While the gorgeous offerings on the show floor were enough to get the juices flowing, it was the healthy, upbeat business attitudes that filled my heart. We’re not out of the woods yet, and won’t be for a while, but rest assured-—there’s a way to get there…and a few folks already have.