Are corner spaces worth the extra fee?

It's show application time and I'm getting ready to request corner booth spaces at the shows. But I have to ask myself, is it always worth it?

The extra fee for corners ranges from a 10 percent to a 50 percent surcharge. I make jewelry and sometimes the booth fee amounts to the sale of one pair of earrings, which I can justify at busy shows where I could easily lose a sale in a cramped, overcrowded booth.

On the other hand, sometimes a packed, always-filled non-corner booth looks more intriguing and could actually generate more sales. It's like a tiny, busy restaurant that looks more inviting than a vast, empty one.

Then there are the outdoor shows and the weather considerations. If it's a very hot show, I love a corner for the breeze. But if it's a windy show, corners can mean extra work to keep table coverings, signage and mirrors tied down. If shows are prone to rain, corners are harder to protect in a sudden downpour.

At a very big show, corners make you easier to find. They are also more difficult to "police" when the crowds gather.

Why do you choose corners? Why do you avoid them? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Happy New Year to all. Wendy

Replies

Tom Suter Tom's Foolery February 5, 2011 at 7:35am

I am a Jeweler and I usually get a corner if possbile if its only $25 - $50 more. I am very crowded in my booth infact I usally extended 2 - 4 feet in back enclosed in as if my tent is 10 x 14. I use the corner space mainly as a place for me to manuver around and not for customers to come in and out via the sides.

Crowded may look nice but my customers usually spend 10-20 min to decide and so I perfer not to have a packed booth but a slow and steady

Tom
Alison Thomas February 5, 2011 at 7:23am

I always ask for a corner if it is not too expensive because I can then put work on the outside wall. Of course, if it rains I have just wasted the money and if it is sunny I have to fight the sun more because my photographs under glass can't be in direct sunlight.
Jay Brill February 5, 2011 at 1:40am

I like corners as they create a "open, inviting" area for folks to come in from 2 directions. I also like that they give me extra space to move about the booth and talk to people as they come in, because I use a wheelchair the standard 10x10 booth is really difficult to move in without running into a potential buyer or a display. That extra open wall makes a huge difference..... but there is a part of me that sees paying a corner fee (or larger booth fee) for the ability to move freely as a "disability fee".
Rick Blalock January 6, 2011 at 9:06am

Maybe not for a jeweler. Definitely for anybody with larger work.

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