I take this as something of a compliment, the inference seems to be that I am selling myself short and that my merchandise is good enough for the 'big leagues'.
I don't always tell these kind souls that, as a matter of fact, I HAVE taken part in both the Spring and Xmas OOAK shows in Toronto. And, frankly, wild horses couldn't drag me back there!
The reason I was prompted to write about OOAK is that I received an invitation from them, a few weeks ago, to exhibit in the current Spring Show, which began today (March 25, 2015). For what it is worth - and for anyone who stumbles across this blog and might be thinking they should sign up - here are some of the reasons I would never go back.
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| OOAK 2009 - my first - and last! - Xmas show |
But, breathing stale air for 10 hours a day, not being able to have a decent sit-down meal at least once (unless I left my booth unattended, which would have been against the rules), eating deli food and other transportable items for 5 or 6 days in a row, getting home so late - usually after dark, it was something of a hobbit-like existence - up early and having no time to exercise, well... I don't care how much money I may or may not make, I just found this an ugly experience.
And, I may not be alone; at one OOAK show, a woman had a heart attack or similar event not far from my booth. Not sure what her health history was but, walking all those "miles of aisles" and then breathing stale air may have been a factor. Oh, did I mention EMS didn't know how to get to the Direct Energy Centre? It took ages for the paramedics to get to her! (I hope by now this isn't an issue.)
Second, as one former vendor put it, "It used to be a show and sale, now it's just a show." I last exhibited with OOAK in 2009 and rumors I hear suggest this aspect hasn't changed. Some people, of course, do very well, those offering jams and skincare product, for example, and jewelers too but, for the vast majority, sales are a let-down after the hype and the high cost of taking part is factored in. Booths plus the fixings are easily $2000 or more, depending on the size of booth and its location. You have to sell a lot of trinkets to get to break-even.
Third, not sure what the contracts now say, but at that time, OOAK put a lot of restrictions on its vendors. We were forbidden - under pain of being kicked out of OOAK for evermore - if we took part in any shows within a 50 mile radius in the 30 days prior and 30 days after the show, unless such shows were for charities and had fewer than - I think it was 40 or so vendors. (And even that is tricky to deal with; you can sign up for a charity show, thinking there will only be 35 vendors and then, day-of, you find the organizers have expanded the show to 55.)
This isn't an academic issue: OOAK staff have been known to go and check up on their vendors who they suspect are taking part in other shows which contravene their contract. Or, they just go to shows anyway and check. Sort of like a police state. Imposing this restriction on a group of people who are largely self-employed craftspeople I thought was a bit over the top. Perhaps even unconstitutional. Especially as...
Fourth, half the stuff at OOAK these days is not handmade in Canada and isn't even handmade in whatever country it comes from!
Copyright Deborah C. Sawyer
