Vendor Show ~ Didn't Go as Well as Hoped....

[thehaleykitchen]

Back story here a bit. My recruiter knows a gal who was setting up a Ladies Night Out and contacted her. She already had plans so she sent it out to her cluster. I answered and said I would take it, since I am new and need to work on getting out of my neighborhood.

Next, I get an email from my recruiter saying that she has someone to do it with me ~ a 'sister' director friend of hers. Okay, we split the fee and arrange who is going to bring what.

She arrives late and I couldn't set up because she said she would bring a tablecloth with her. Then we start to set up and all she wants to put out is the July Host and Guest specials! That's it ~ on an 8 foot table. She's been doing this for 10 years so I took her word that it would be enough.

It starts raining and we start packing it up. She wants to cut her losses and leave and I said that was fine with me if she wanted to leave but I was going to stick around (they needed help with the canopies to keep them from blowing away). She comes back just in time (with no gear or paperwork) and gets an order! We each got one and I kinda feel that she took a catalog show out from under me by being a little more aggressive. We both were talking to another vendor and she almost got to the point that she stepped in front of me to talk to this other vendor!

Now if she wouldn't have come back when she did, I would have had enough to put in a catalog show and be done. But now I am sitting at $78 in sales and not sure what to do with it.

I did pull my stuff out again (after the rain cleared and it was sunny again) and got a few more people to stop by the table ~ keeping in mind that I set out about 20 different things this time.

I just feel that (1) it was supposed to be from our cluster and I didn't ask for a partner for the show but was assigned one anyways - the other gal was talking to my recruiter saying how she needed something once they got back from conference and my recruiter offered up this (2) since she got the booking, and she was supposed to be gone anyways, that I should have gotten the other order. The lady started to talk to me and my partner walked up to say one last thing to me and looked at me and said "I'll take this one so we will be even"!

Am I wrong for feeling this way? I guess I just needed to rant/vent about it. Thanks for listening!

Karen

 

[raebates]

You're not wrong at all. You expected to have the booth to yourself. Your director should have asked if you minded sharing. And, the other director should not have Bogarted the booking. Best thing to do now is bless and release.

 

[scottcooks]

You've got to let it go. There is plenty of business to go around - yes, you could've had more sales if she weren't there, but bless her and release it. I had a very similar thing occur where a PC friend covered for me for a couple hours at a vendor fair, so I could spend time with my dad -- and the next vendor booth gal signed up to be a consultant - with her!! I let it go, and 2 years later, her husband signed up (they worked as a team) with me.Now go get your sales - goals you meet turn away defeat!

 

[thehaleykitchen]

Thanks guys ~ your right, I need to let it go and enjoy what I did get out of it! Now to collect some individual orders to make it a show!

 

[JackieB999]

Ahhh, live n learn. I bet you won't be agreeing to any more shared shows! If my director offers me any partnership shows... I'll respectfully say no... that it's really a solo event! Thanks for sharing your experience

 

[chefa]

And, I'd find out who the contact person is for this event and talk to them myself to arrange my own spot next year and avoid anyone "horning" in. I'm such a witch.