advice for herp show attendees?

[sschind]

Evan has a pretty good thread going regarding what people want in a show but I thought it might be nice for a few helpful hints for people attending shows, be it as a buyer or a vendor. I know there are a lot of you here that are vendors and can speak from experience what to do and not do, what to bring etc. This might help everyone, and it may be the difference in a successful show and a nightmare for some people.

I'll start with a few things right off the top of my head.

--As a vendor, bring plenty of change. Lots of singles, fives and 10s. the show location your product etc. will determine how much to bring but I would say at least $200.00 worth. Even if you are selling $10.00 corn snakes, I can almost guarantee that the first customer will want 1 snake and only have a $100.00 bill.

--As a buyer, don't bring $100.00 bills. Unless what you are looking for is expensive and will require a few of them, bring small bills.

I did a sports card show once and the first customer came up and bought a $1.00 card and said all he had was a $100.00. I had been warned about this guy in advance, other vendors said it was his way of initiating new dealers, and I was ready for him. I gave him the card and smiled as I counted out 99 singles and handed them over to him.


--As a vendor have enough appropriate containers to send your product home in. A paper bag is generally not appropriate.

-- as a buyer, while you may resonably expect a vendor to have a deli cup to send a snake home in, it may not be reasonable to expect him to have a box for you to carry 10 deli cups home in. If you are planning large purchases, bring a box, preferably an insulated one, or even a cooler.

-- as a buyer, if you need a box or container (other than what you should reasonably expect) from a vendor (espescially one you did not buy from) offer to purchase it. Many times if you make the offer they will give you one and tell you not to worry, but if you just ask if you can have one they may say no, and rightfully so.

--as a buyer, if you are spending the majority of the time yapping with your buddies, get the heck out of the way. Get out of the flow of traffic, and for petes sake move on from in front of a vendors table. Tables cost money, and frontage is a premium and if you are blocking half the table you should not be offended if someone asks you to move. This is common courtesy but I see it happen all the time.

-- a suggestion for vendors. If you are planning on making shows a regular part of your business, make up a "show box" that contains all the miscellaneous things you might need. Tape, markers, paper towels, pencils, pens, notebook, calculator, etc. restock it after every show and don't take anything from it between them.

these are just a few things I could think of. I am not including many of the common courtesy things, as I think that these are things that some people just won't get no matter how many times you tell them, and those that do get them will already know.

Steve Schindler

 

[Odd Ball Exotics]

As a buyer, keep your hands to yourself. Ask before touching. You dont know how nervous you make the vendors when you start moving your hands twords merchandise, even just to point at something.

As a buyer, carry hand sanitizer with you, use it between animals. As a vendor, provide hand sanitizer. It may not kill everything but it helps.

I'm sure I could think of more but I'm pretty tired, sorry for the typos also, like I said, I'm tired lol.

 

[Cheryl Marchek AKA JM]

I have one

As a buyer, CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN or do not bring them!

I've never been a vendor at a herp show, but plenty of Ren Faires. I used to lean over and whisper to little children that they had better go find their mother/father NOW!

Really, you don't know how annoying it is, or how much business it drives away when a vendor suddenly finds himslef/herself as the ONLY adult in a 12 foot radius who has any idea where this child is, and the vendor has no idea where it's people are. Most of us are parents ourselves and we can't just chase a 3 year old away from our tables when we don't see an adult to take care of him/her, but the child is NOT our responsibility.

Don't bring them if you won't take care of them and control them while your there. We are NOT your babysitters.

 

[Neil Gubitz]

Cheryl.... Just for the record.... not ALL kids are bad.... IF you know how to COOK 'em??.... lol

As a buyer.... LEAVE YOUR CHECK BOOK AT HOME!.... MOST of us vendors WON'T take checks.... If you want the best deal for your money.... BRING CASH!

With that in mind.... If you're browsing a table and come across something you want, but, you think the price is a little too high??.... The WORST thing you could do, is ask the vendor, "What's the lowest you'd take for it?".... or, "What can you do or me?".... That is NOT the way to get a lower price.... if you REALLY want the animal, you TELL THE VENDOR.... "I will give you "X" amount for that animal RIGHT NOW, IN CASH!".... USUALLY (if the amount you offered isn't totally out of line), most vendors will take it!.... The vendor's that won't take your FAIR offer, are NUTS!!.... But, BE PREPARED to purchase that animal RIGHT THEN AND THERE WITH CASH!....
I can't tell you how many times people have come over and asked me, what's the best I'd take, and I'd usually lower the price a little, then, the customer gives me the, "Well, let me go talk it over with my wife and I'll let you know".... If he DOES come back.... I WILL NOT SELL IT TO HIM FOR THAT PRICE!!.... But, that's just me.... that has got to be one of the rudest things you (as a buyer) can do!.... If you need someone else's opinion before you can pull the trigger??.... Keep your mouth SHUT until you get that note from your mother!

Another thing.... to get a lower price from ANYBODY.... the vendor has to like you to some degree.... when you walk up to a table for the first time.... don't IMMEDIATELY start looking at the animals with your head down.... first, take a second and say HELLO to the vendor??.... It's called common courtesy, and everybody will get along much better with a smile on each of your faces!

Vendors.... DON'T "HARD SELL"!!.... If you really want to drive the folks away from your table, try "talking them into buying something".... LEAVE THEM ALONE!.... After you've both said, "Good morning", or something along those lines.... you could ask the buyer if there is anything in particular they are looking for?.... if the buyer says no.... the vendor should only speak again, to that person, when asked a question from him/her.... let them look and browse at their own pace.... If you see them staring at a particular animal for an extended period of time, you might want to tell them that you'd be happy to take it out of the enclosure for them, so they can get a better look??.... But, that's ALL you say!.... You're just looking to help, not force something down their throats....

....Neil

 

[ChaosCat]

Re: I have one

As a buyer, CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN or do not bring them!

I've never been a vendor at a herp show, but plenty of Ren Faires. I used to lean over and whisper to little children that they had better go find their mother/father NOW!

Really, you don't know how annoying it is, or how much business it drives away when a vendor suddenly finds himslef/herself as the ONLY adult in a 12 foot radius who has any idea where this child is, and the vendor has no idea where it's people are. Most of us are parents ourselves and we can't just chase a 3 year old away from our tables when we don't see an adult to take care of him/her, but the child is NOT our responsibility.

Don't bring them if you won't take care of them and control them while your there. We are NOT your babysitters.

Oh yeah I know this one. I went to a few ren faires and a rock show last year where at all 3 someone's kid broke display cases or items to be sold. I shudder to think that could happen at a reptile show That would be really, really sad.

 

[NEWReptiles]

get the heck out of the way. Get out of the flow of traffic, and for petes sake move on from in front of a vendors table.

This is one that really gets me. I only go to shows to buy, and when I go I always come home with something. I get so irritated when I have to wait for window shoppers to finish blabbing about what they have or what they want so I can make a transaction.

If your going to LOOK, get the hell out of the way if there is somebody behind you. Dont crowd the displays.

And also, If your not planning on buying, DONT ASK TO HOLD ANYTHING. I have yet to go to a show or even a store and hold something that im havent bought. I just bugs the hell out of me seeing the same person hold 5 different snakes from 4-5 different venders, and then ask to "see" another. When I know damn well they are not going to drop any money.

 

[WebSlave]

Hah!

How about having two families with baby strollers parked in front of YOUR tables with mom and dad making goo-goo eyes at the babies? Has anyone in the history of the universe actually had ANYONE pushing a baby carriage BUY something from them?

And a clue to buyers: A QUANTITY DISCOUNT doesn't mean buying a pair of animals.

When someone comes up to me and looks at a $25 animal and asks if I can do any better on the price, I tell them, "Yes, I will take $35 for it. That is MUCH better for me."

Oh and another clue. Standing in front of my tables saying "Darn, I wish I had brought some money with me" will NOT make me wilt in sympathy and give you animals. Matter of fact, the thought going through my mind is more like "Well what the hell are you doing HERE?"

Please do NOT ask me to take a check from you in payment. It embarrasses me to have to tell you that I don't trust you.

Oh here's another one I like. The show starts and some guy will come rushing over to the table, pick out about a half dozen deli cups and then ask me if I can hold them for him while he looks around the rest of the show. When I ask him to pay for them first, he looks at me like I have lost my marbles and says "Man, I haven't even seen the rest of the stuff here yet. There might be something else I want more than these!"

And buyers, when you find an animal at a competitor's table for a dollar cheaper than my price, please don't come back to me expecting me to be thrilled by your diligence at seeking out a cheaper price.

One last tip for the buyers: Under NO circumstances call a vendor up to say something like this: "Say, I bought some animals from the guy next to you at the show but didn't catch his name. I'm having some problems with them, and remembered you were there, so could you give me some advice?"

 

[Cheryl Marchek AKA JM]

Oh, I've got another one for the vendors. This happened to me at the last herp show I went to:

If a customer asks you if your animals are Captive bred or Farm hatched, the likelihood is we asked because we CARED about the answer. If you answer "I don't know," then chase me down to tell me you were just informed they are Captive bred, and when I get back to your table I hear another employee tell another customer they are Farm Hatched......all that does is REALLY piss off the customer.

Now, this could work if you actually own TWO tables under TWO different names at the show, because I then went to the VERY next booth and bought 3 overpriced snakes I didn't really want just so that idiot had to watch me NOT spend my cash with him.


Who me, cut off my nose to spite my own face?

 

[Fred Albury]

THE SHOW MUST GO ON!!(Show rants for the masses!)

Now THIs is an interesting subject!


REPTILE SHOWS


* * *Organizers/Promoters- ADVERTISE the show well, vendors shouldnt have to plunk down hard earned cash just to talk to 200 people that come through the door dureing a two day event..spend the money...advertise effectively. Also....severly limit or prohibit the amount of wild caughts animals at the show and the vendors who just slam fresh imports onto the table next to a established breeders c/b offspring.


* * Vendors- Have hand santizer on HAND at all times, and, if you do let people touch your snakes, make sure that they sanitize their hands thoroughly BEFORE they touch your snakes or reptiles. Look at your fellow vendors snakes, do they have ticks and mites?If so, report them to the show promoter IMMEDIATELY and demand that they leave!


* * * Vendors- Provide sufficent lighting so that customers can actually see your snakes. ANSWER questions, every person that talks to you is apotential customer, includeing those baby stroller toteing couples. I personally have no problem talking with everyone that comes across that table, as I am a people person and like the business and banter. Others may not and its understandable.

* * * BUYERS***- -
First off realize that most vendors dont take personell checks, money orders or credit cards. period. Bring cash or stay home.
Secondly, realize that allthough the person selling you a snake on the other side of the booth is trying to make money, the reality of it is that they probably have a FULL TIME JOB in addition to breeding and selling reptiles, which means that they have to put up with crap all day by their bosses, which means that allthough your purchase Is important to them, giving them GRIEF about anything is totally unnecessary, and since it is a hobby they dont have to tolerate it, and probably wont......

Things that buyers do that really suck:

a) Say "Ill be right back with the cash,Im going to the ATM machine around the corner".Then have you put the snake aside, and after 1 hr, you realize they aint comeing back. I personally would rather have someone tell me that they need time to think about it, then tell me that theyll be right back and put the snake aside for them.

b) Try to get the lowest price-Asking a vendor to shave some off the price is fine and totally understandable, unless the snake is rare. Example:I was selling Eastern Indigo Snakes at a local show. I was the ONLY vendor at that show to have any easterns for sale, and I was the only well known breeder of them. My article had just come out in Reptile & Amphibian magazine ON Eastern Indigo Snakes. I had a person come up......ask me about 200 questions on Eastern Indigos, which I was glad to answer, then they kind of meandered about it, because I do not sell them cheap. They found a vendor there...who had one lone male...had gotten it from somebody else(Brokering it no doubt) and this broker came over to my table...saw my price...and dropped his by $100.00 lower than mine.

They bought the snake.......
then had the audacity to come over to me and ask me questions about it, what sex it was etc etc.
I told them to go talk to who they bought it from.

Update: The snake died 2 months later.


C) Buyers-DO NOT WAIT until the second day of a two day show to buy something you want, thinking that it will still be there, or that somehow the vendor will go down on the price. Usually , the second day of a show mens that the vendor wants to walk around himself and see whats left to buy...or perhaps socialize, and if you come over to his booth 6 times in 2 days..but expect him to pay attention to you the last 40 minutes of a show the last day...your probably going to be dissapointed.

d) Buyers-If you need to confer with your spouse to see if you can buy something....hey thats your life and I wouldnt want it but theres no law against it, just DONT bring him or her by the booth to have them shoot the sale down. Its insulting, esp if the vendor has been giving you their undivided attention, only to have someone they never talked too say"No...it looksjust like a Mexican black king..and I saw them for $40. BAD FORM


and FINALLY.....


Guys...dont bring your totally hot girlfirneds over when youwant to buy a snake, they distract us single male vendors and make us
give things away!!lol


sincerely,

Fred Albury
AZTEC REPTILES

 

[Stardust]

I have to agree with Cheryl on this one. If you are going to sell animals then you should know what you are talking about. When I ask a question it is not just for curiousity, I am actually thinking of getting an animal, but if the seller doesn't know the answer than I will take my money to someone who does. And I DO bring cash!!

 

[Steph Scranton]

What I hate most is when I am looking at an animal and I am pretty darn sure that it is wild caught but I ask anyway and I get told captive bred. Don't lie, I hate that. Just because I am a woman doesn't make me stupid.

 

[Fred Albury]

Women herpers and misperceptions and......LUNCH!!

Dear Steph,

I dont broker snakes.............

I dont sell wild caught..........

So I guess I'd never be in a position to lie to you about
the snake being wild caught or captive.

I would however ask you out to lunch.

And no, just because you are a woman I wouldn't
assume that you didn't know much about herps,
T've met some VERY knowledgeable woman herpers.


But,I'd still ask you out to lunch....: )



Sincerely,

Fred
Aztec Reptiles

 

[dwedeking]

I just gotta ask

Organizers/Promoters- ADVERTISE the show well

Would this entail using shiny brochures, flyers and other marketing tools??!!??

 

[Fred Albury]

Shiny brochures? Yup...line my bird cages with em'!

Dear DWEBE KING,

You have you wires crossed. Any GOOD reptile show would have flyers distributed, but would also need advertisement in
industry magazines(Which fullfills the "shiny literature portion of your lovely post") and perhaps, T.V. commercials, and lastly online advertising by posting banners. Good advertisement of good breeders is a necessary thing for shows to work.

I believe what you are alluding to is the shiny brochures and lovely colorfull pricelists of those that are brokers but masqurade as breeders. This is reprehensible, and not at all the same thing as a organizer trying to advertise his upcomeing show, unless he KNOWS that the breders therein are allselling sick, imported animals.

But thank you for your comments.





:::::HUGS::::



Fred

 

[Dianne Johnson]

A lot of good ideas already made, here's my input. I've only been a vendor at two reptile shows so far, but for three years now I've been a vendor at local craft shows selling my handmade jewelry - many of the same rules still apply with a few additions for live animal sales.

Kids: keep them under control, period. I am not a babysitter nor am I particularly fond of children. Do not leave your kids unattended to bug me to hold my animals or squish my wire wrapped jewelry. If I have to fend off children grabbing items on my table, I cannot properly tend to my actual customers.

Sight-seers & Spectators: I have no problem with those coming around just to talk to different vendors, window shopping, or even just casual conversation. However, please don't block the table or interupt me when I'm actually speaking to someone who is purchasing an animal (or jewelry for that matter). Please allow the vendor to complete the transaction - that way their customer has their undivided attention as you will when it is your turn. If the vendor is just gabbing in general, say 'excuse me' before interupting, it's just polite.

Cash Sales: Most vendors, unless they are large breeding institutions or dealers, don't take credit cards and rarely take checks. My rule for checks, you have to be local (so I can hunt you down ) and preferably I know you. I do not do ANY large amounts in check. Large purchases MUST be cash unless I know you personally. It's nothing personal, but I've already been burned in the craft show circuit and am not likely to trust you if I don't know you.

Holds: Please don't ask me to hold a particular animal while you finish looking around the show, need to find your other half/mother/father/etc., or any other excuse. Ninety percent of those who ask us to hold something, never show up again. Unfortunately for those few customers with the intent to actually come back, I have put a 'first come first serve' policy in place. If you don't buy it when you see it, it may be gone when you get back.

Honesty: This applies more to vendors than customers, but it really goes both ways. Vendors - be honest about your merchandise - if it's wild caught or farmed, just say so. While I personally prefer captive bred, I do own a couple of wild caught animals. Customers - if you need information on the animal you want to purchase, ask it. A good way to remember the things you find important is to make a check list for basic information you'd want on an animal you purchase before you ever get to the show. That way you don't forget to ask. Some vendors have enough stock that they may not remember exactly which animal you purchased - especially true for dealers/brokers - and can't answer questions days/weeks after the show.

Handling animals: Last August, my friend and I allowed people to handle the animals to a degree. This go around it was limited to customers or potential customers with very few exceptions. In the future, that will be the practice.

Read the labels: Please read the labels on deli cups/signs before asking what type of animal is in the cup/display - especially if the vendor is speaking with another customer.

Vendor to vendor sales: The two shows I've done have had the vendors shopping/trading just as much as those who pay to get in (I know I do ). As vendors, you know the price of the animals - please don't ask to pay $100 or less for an $500+ animal. Just because you didn't produce it yourself doesn't make it any less valuable.

I know, I'm wordy. Thanks for reading.

Dianne

 

[Fred Albury]

Art interest

Dianne,
Please send me alink to a site where I can see your hand made jewlery. Unknown to most here,I am an artist and work with water color, oil, pastel and clay and at times glas. Thanks for your time and effort.

Fred Albury
Aztec Reptiles
email:[email protected]

 

[Dianne Johnson]

Fred,

As of yet, there's no website. I'll see if I have a picture or two scanned in or taken with a digital camera to send you. I've tinkered with having a website, but just don't have enough stock (or enough spare time to make enough stock) to justify one.

Dianne

 

[Glenn Bartley]

I have been on both sides of the table. A lot of what you guys have been picking on buyers for are legitimate gripes, but you have to realize they are there to shop. Shopping does not necessarily mean buy, especially if they do not find what they like. I am a hard sell, so if you do not want to answer questions, show me snakes (and yes I will ask to hold a few of them), and satisfy me that your stock is healthy - well, how could you expect me to buy. I always hold at least a few snakes from a table where I am considering buying. I would rather not buy from someone who does not want to let me hold and examine them, sort of makes me think they are afraid of what I may discover.

As a dealer, I am happy to allow people to hold my snakes. I make them wash up with alcohol before touching my snakes, and suggest they do so after holding them. I always bring at least one helper (my son) to look after things when I am tired of the way things are going. I offer good competitive prices. I no longer accept $100 bills except from known buyers (isn't that just too bad), but I do have plenty of change. I try to sell a variety of items and animals. I light my table with my own lights - boy does that ever make my animals look nice. I STAY AT MY TABLE or have my son or another responsible person there to make a sale at all times. I often see people at tables wanting to make a purchase and the guy at the next table says "he will be back in a minute...'; the minute goes on and on and the potential buyer leaves. If you leave your table, have the courtesy to keep someone there to make a sale. Walking around looking at animals when no one is there who can sell your herps is downright rude and bad business. In fact I think that is about the worst thing I regularly see at herp shows.

I will not hold an animal more than about 1/2 an hour. I used to wait longer but lost too many sales that way. Why you would get pissed off if someone asks you to hold a snake is beyond me. I hold it and if they come back 35 minutes later and it is sold, tough noogies. If they come back with the wife, and she does not like it, too bad for me. But if they indicate they are going to check with the wife, I tell them 15 minute hold time, that is it.

I try to make customers or potential customers happy; especially since I am often a customer at such shows. There are lots of things that people do that are impolite or rude either as buyers or sellers. You cannot make a buyer or seller act with more respect, unless that buyer or seller is yourself.

Best regards,
Glenn

 

[Dianne Johnson]

I am a hard sell, so if you do not want to answer questions, show me snakes (and yes I will ask to hold a few of them), and satisfy me that your stock is healthy - well, how could you expect me to buy. I always hold at least a few snakes from a table where I am considering buying. I would rather not buy from someone who does not want to let me hold and examine them, sort of makes me think they are afraid of what I may discover.

For myself, I don't have a problem with potential customers handling my animals - provided they are willing use the hand sanitizer I provide first. My problem comes with those people who come up and just want to hold a snake. Not a particular snake, not something they want to buy or are thinking of buying, but any snake just for the sake of holding one. I'm just not into the petting zoo mentality and don't want to risk my animals being handled by every Tom, Dick & Harry.

As for holds, most of what I've come across on the two shows I've helped my best friend with are young people wanting to put an animal on hold while they find their parents to ask permission. If it's a matter of a potential sale, I might reconsider or put a time limit on it (30 minutes, as you suggested Glenn, sounds reasonable). For myself, my policies are still forming based on my experiences. I've only done two shows - both of which were selling my friend's boas. I should hopefully produce a litter this year, still waiting to see if she's really gravid or just faking me out. If my boa doesn't produce, we're pretty sure my friend's boa is gravid. Either way, I'll have a table up at the local show.

As for making sure every table is covered, I more than agree. That's part of why my friend and I both share a table. She covers it while I go around and look, and I cover while she goes around to look. We keep the same type of boas, so the information is the same coming from either of us. It is a pet peeve when I find an animal I want to purchase and can't find the vendor to purchase it from. It's also a problem when someone who is at the table can't tell you anything about the animals you want. We saw that at the table next to ours last Saturday. The girl running the booth brought her other half. She frequently left the table to look around while the poor guy was left to cover the table. He knew little about the snakes she was selling and could only take money, not answer any questions. That lost her a number of sales that she might have otherwise had if she'd only been there.

Mostly it's common sense and courtesy. We can't make everyone act in a certain way, but discussions like this bring more ideas to light - both for vendors and potential customers.

Dianne

 

[Glenn Bartley]

I have to admit it, while I know it is unpopular, I sometimes I go along with the petting zoo mentality. After obtaining a parental ok - I usually let kids handle or touch my snakes, under close supervision, even when I am pretty certain they are not buying. I use special snakes for this. The ones I allow to be handled are: usually not ever nervous, have good all around dispositions, are fairly well grown (no little babies but more like yearlings or older), are too my knowledge immaculately healthy, are kept at my table for the express purpose of being held. In fact I try to have two to three snakes for this purpose and they take turns at being held. If they ever seem at all stressed out, away they go, but I find that alternating them keeps them pretty stress free.

Yes this can become a pain in the butt, but if that becomes the case, you have to know when to tell people sorry but the snakes need a break - try again in a half hour or so - or sorry they need to rest for the remainder of the show. One thing I have found about doing this is that it seems to increase my sales. When those snakes are being held, lots of others stop or slow down to take a look. People seem more likely to buy babies I have for sale when they see what they can grow up to become - so for instance last time I sold baby ball pythons I also had yearling BPs on display. I explain that I allow the babies to be handled only by someone seriously considering a sale, but have the others available if they just want to hold a snake. This invariably has resulted in at least a couple to a few of sales at each show where I have been a vendor.

I know that not many people would have the time to do this if they have a huge amount of animals for sale. I usually sell only enough to make a small recoup of money I spend on the hobby. Yet, even a well manned larger operation could quite feasibly afford to take the time to do this. You may want to give it a try, you may be surprised to see your sales go up some. If you do try it, set limits as I do - know when to say sorry but not right now. Also try to avoid allowing anyone to handle a snake that could potentially give a really nasty bite. My BPs are now so big I would hesitate to allow someone to hold one at a show without me holding the head - so that kind of knocks them out of it this year.

I always have people use sanitizer before people touch my snakes and strongly suggest they use it afterward also. I also have a first aid kit handy in case of a bite or any other type of accident. And of course a bite could mean an insurance liability, so now that I think of that maybe I ought to stop doing this!

Best regards,
Glenn