Work Out the Real Cost Before You Write a Price

It is tempting to price a mug by what the clay cost and what similar mugs sell for online. That number will almost always be too low. Sit down with a notebook and add up everything: clay, glaze, firing electricity, sandpaper, oil, beeswax, packaging, your pitch fee, and the fuel to get there. Then add your time — throwing, trimming, bisque firing, glazing, packing up, standing at the stall all day.

A useful starting point for market work is to multiply your materials cost by three, then check that the result comfortably covers your hours. If it does not, the piece is either underpriced or too slow to make for a market stall. Keep a simple spreadsheet of what each range costs you to produce and update it when clay or glaze prices change.

Finally, price everything. A stall with no visible prices makes people walk on rather than ask, and the awkward "how much is this?" moment breaks the mood you have worked hard to create.

Set Prices That Hold Up in Conversation

Round numbers work better at a market than odd pennies. Bands of £10, £18, £25 and £45 are easy to read and easy to add up in a queue. Build a deliberate spread: plenty of items under £15 for gift buyers and impulse purchases, a solid middle range for people treating themselves, and one or two larger pieces to anchor the whole stall. A £60 bowl makes a £25 mug look reasonable.

• Bundles sell well: a mug and a small dish, or a chopping board with a matching spoon.
• Seconds deserve their own clearly labelled box. Never quietly discount a perfect piece because someone hesitated — it teaches customers to wait.
• Card and cash both matter. Take a float of around £50 in £5 and £10 notes and a good supply of coins, and test your card reader for signal before you leave home.

Build a Stall People Want to Step Into

A standard pitch is usually around six feet, so plan for that and photograph your layout at home before the day. A cloth that reaches the floor hides boxes and looks intentional. Stick to two or three muted colours so the work stands out rather than the tablecloth.

Height is everything. Use crates, boxes and small risers to create three levels, and avoid lining everything up in a neat row like a shop shelf. Groups of three or five pieces look considered; even numbers look manufactured. Leave visible gaps between items so people feel they can pick things up without knocking anything over.

• A simple sign with your name, what you make and where you make it.
• Battery lamps if you are under cover — glazes and oiled wood come alive under warm light.
• Gazebo weights or sandbags, and a waterproof sheet. British weather does not negotiate.
• Stand to the side of your table rather than behind it, at eye level with passers-by. Sitting down and reading closes a stall faster than anything.

Packaging That Travels and Gets Remembered

Good packaging protects the piece and carries your name home with the customer. Kraft paper, tissue, recycled card boxes and wood wool all suit handmade work and cost very little in bulk. For pottery, wrap properly — a bubble-lined box or a snug paper wrap with the base cushioned. For wooden boards and spoons, a strip of tissue and a paper band is usually enough.

Pick one signature touch and repeat it on everything: a stamped kraft tag, a length of twine, a wax seal, or a small card with your mark. It does not need to be expensive, just consistent.

Wrap purchases in front of the customer where you can. It slows the moment down, gives you a natural opening to talk about the glaze or the timber, and makes the sale feel like a gift. Offer to hold bags behind the stall while people finish browsing, and always hand over a care card — dishwasher and oven guidance for pots, oiling instructions for boards.

Talking to Customers Without Selling at Them

Forget the hard sell. A warm "morning, have a look at whatever takes your fancy" beats a pitch every time. When someone picks something up, that is your cue. Ask what caught their eye rather than launching into a speech.

Then tell the honest story: which clay body, how the glaze was made, why that wood was chosen, how long it spent in the kiln. People buy the maker as much as the object. Be straight about limits too — if a glaze is decorative only, say so. If a board needs oiling monthly, say so. Trust sells repeat business.

Keep a notebook for commissions and questions you cannot answer on the spot, take a deposit for anything bespoke, and be realistic about timescales. A waiting list is a good problem; a broken promise is not.

Learn From Every Market Day

At the end of the day, note the weather, the footfall, what sold and what did not, and any comments you heard more than once. Patterns appear after three or four markets and they are worth more than any advice. Check your insurance cover and any electrical testing requirements before the season starts, restock the lines that moved, and fix the chips and cracks before the next one. Then turn up again — the same pitch, the same face, the same work. That is how a market stall becomes a regular stop.