I (26f) was vending at a local craft fair last weekend. I make little crochet dolls and accessories and they’ve been pretty popular with my friends/acquaintances so I thought I’d try selling them for once and see if I liked it. I price everything pretty cheap all things considered, and I mostly just wanted to make enough to cover my table fee and maybe get a nice lunch after. I usually just give my stuff away so my friends had to kind of push me to price things appropriately at all lol. I had a pretty straightforward display with all the prices on signs in front of the items.
Around halfway through the day, a dad and his kid (around 8 maybe?) were lingering around my area of the craft fair and looking over. I’d seen them walk past my table and look a few times, but I didn’t want to be a pushy salesperson so I just smiled and kept busy crocheting in my lap. After a while when the kid finally came up and asked for one of the dolls on display. I told her the price and she handed me a few bills that were maybe 1/3 of the price and said that was all she had.
I was tempted to just let her have it, but there was a lot of time left at the fair to sell things to people at full price. And I thought it was kind of weird that her dad had seemingly told her to haggle with me that low when my prices are low already. So I just told her that sorry, it’s the price on the sign, and she got upset and said that she really wanted it. I told her the doll costs more than what she has and handed her the money back. She whined a bit and ran back to her dad.
He came up and asked me if I was really not going to let a little girl have a doll and that my prices were ridiculous. I didn’t really know what to say, so I just kind of stared awkwardly for a moment before repeating that the prices are on the signs and apologizing again. He kind of grumbled that I was ridiculous again and him and his kid walked off. They kept passing by for like an hour after and glaring at me, and before the left the dad came up again and asked me if I ever made any sales with this kind of business practice. I didn’t want to argue with him anymore so I just kind of ignored him and smiled at someone else walking by. He stood there glaring at me for a really long minute and then just stomped off.
I feel like an asshole because under normal circumstances I do just give away my stuff. And if it had been closer to the end of the day i mightve been more open to haggling just to have less stuff to take home. But I didn’t like that the kid seemed to kind of expect I’d just give her my hard work for less without a reason, and, like… her dad could’ve forked over the rest of the money if he really wanted her to have the doll. At the same time though I kind of priced things with the hope that anybody who really wanted something could probably afford it, and I wasn’t exactly out with the goal of making a ton of money, so I felt like i was being kind of inconsistent with telling her no on principle.
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I (26f) was vending at a local craft fair last weekend. I make little crochet dolls and accessories and they’ve been pretty popular with my friends/acquaintances so I thought I’d try selling them for once and see if I liked it. I price everything pretty cheap all things considered, and I mostly just wanted to make enough to cover my table fee and maybe get a nice lunch after. I usually just give my stuff away so my friends had to kind of push me to price things appropriately at all lol. I had a pretty straightforward display with all the prices on signs in front of the items.
Around halfway through the day, a dad and his kid (around 8 maybe?) were lingering around my area of the craft fair and looking over. I’d seen them walk past my table and look a few times, but I didn’t want to be a pushy salesperson so I just smiled and kept busy crocheting in my lap. After a while when the kid finally came up and asked for one of the dolls on display. I told her the price and she handed me a few bills that were maybe 1/3 of the price and said that was all she had.
I was tempted to just let her have it, but there was a lot of time left at the fair to sell things to people at full price. And I thought it was kind of weird that her dad had seemingly told her to haggle with me that low when my prices are low already. So I just told her that sorry, it’s the price on the sign, and she got upset and said that she really wanted it. I told her the doll costs more than what she has and handed her the money back. She whined a bit and ran back to her dad.
He came up and asked me if I was really not going to let a little girl have a doll and that my prices were ridiculous. I didn’t really know what to say, so I just kind of stared awkwardly for a moment before repeating that the prices are on the signs and apologizing again. He kind of grumbled that I was ridiculous again and him and his kid walked off. They kept passing by for like an hour after and glaring at me, and before the left the dad came up again and asked me if I ever made any sales with this kind of business practice. I didn’t want to argue with him anymore so I just kind of ignored him and smiled at someone else walking by. He stood there glaring at me for a really long minute and then just stomped off.
I feel like an asshole because under normal circumstances I do just give away my stuff. And if it had been closer to the end of the day i mightve been more open to haggling just to have less stuff to take home. But I didn’t like that the kid seemed to kind of expect I’d just give her my hard work for less without a reason, and, like… her dad could’ve forked over the rest of the money if he really wanted her to have the doll. At the same time though I kind of priced things with the hope that anybody who really wanted something could probably afford it, and I wasn’t exactly out with the goal of making a ton of money, so I felt like i was being kind of inconsistent with telling her no on principle.
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> I think I’m the asshole because I wouldn’t let a kid buy a doll at a big discount even though I didn’t really need the money.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA, assuming you’re in the USA haggling over prices is not very common. The dad was being ta for sending his kid in alone without enough money. Sucks mildly for the kid but you don’t get everything you want in life.
NTA
But you really need to learn to trust yourself so much more than this. A single glowering dude shouldn’t trigger this level of an existential crisis.
You make stuff. That costs you time and material. Selling it has other overhead. If you are not covering your costs and time, you’re doing it wrong.
NTA
Why didn’t dad open his wallet to pay the difference? Your price is your price.
NTA
Go to Walmart and try to pay 1/3 of what something costs and see what happens… kid’s dad is TA for using the kid to try and manipulate you into a lower price.
Sell your stuff for what you think is fair. People can buy it, or not.
NTA. He was using his kid’s emotions as a weapon to get an item for WAY less than its actual value. He probably pulled that same crap with multiple vendors at the same show you were at. Your labor has value, and you already know her dad sent her over with way less than the list price. Don’t feel bad; he’s a scammer that thinks he’s “haggling”. I bet he doesn’t think his own personal labor should be worth a third just because someone else wants it to be.
NTA – crocheting is expensive, but there’s a good chance the dad didn’t realise both the material costs and time involved. If you had a similar situation again I’d be tempted to explain that it costs x in materials and takes y amount of time, so to sell it for a third of the cost listed you would be making a loss on what it cost you to make – but you really don’t have to do that if you’re not comfortable, you are there to sell, not to educate! And him sending the kid without enough money is just a cheap move.
NTA, Next time say tell these cost $x in yarn and are Handmade…. that me getting $.50 an hour/ why do think thats too much. not that you have to justify your prices.
NTA – This is a good lesson for the girl. Sometimes things are more expensive than we can afford. Even more egregious that an adult would try to push you to accept the lower price. I could see that if your things didn’t have prices- she ask, realize she didn’t have it and quietly go on her way- that you might choose to be nice and accept what she had- but entitled expectations take all the fun out of it. What if you did give in and then others asked for the same price? Or you gave in and suddenly they wanted many dolls for that lower price? This could end up costing you a lot of money. Basically- you’re a business- not a charity and you deserve to set your prices and stick to them.
NTA If it’s so easy and your prices are so unfair, Mr Man can teach himself to crochet and make a doll for his daughter. Don’t undervalue your skill, your time and the cost materials. Your prices reflect all of those things. The fair circuit isn’t for the faint of heart, my sister made leather handbags and you’re going to meet all walks of life that will try to beg, borrow and steal to get a “deal”. She only bartered with other exhibitors not the public. Don’t let one unpleasant person rattle you.
NTA Your items were already pricedd low to avoid the “haggling.” Father and daughter apprear to be rude and entitled. Good for you for standing your ground. No need to reward bad behavior by rude and entitled persons by giving in to their demands.
NTA- they were insulting you and insinuating you aren’t worth your time and energy. YOU decide who you give your dolls away to. YOU spend money on yarn to make these. then you spend your energy and creativity making them. You get to set the price. It is valid to say no to anyone, even someone you love. A small child does not get to demand something for less than the price you have set. A strange man does not get to demand something you give his child your hard work because they want it. Demand his coat, “because you want it.” It’s a craft fair, people are there -to make money.-
I go to these all the time to buy gifts for friends and family. If i don’t have enough money for something i want, i may offer slightly less (maybe 10%) or I’ll compliment the creator and move on.
JFC, the entitlement of those two is making me so angry. Your creativity and work is worthy.
NTA. Your price is your price. The dad should have ponied up the additional money or just told his kid they didn’t have enough money to buy that item. Or if they were just a few dollars short and if they asked nicely if you are willing to accept $X instead of the asking price of $Y, then maybe I would accept less money.
NTA – he could buy his daughter the doll but he wants you to feel like you are the asshole.
NTA
I once had a table at a flea market and was selling a bunch of skirt suits that no longer fit me. I had them priced reasonably. A couple came up dressed very well-to-do and with a bit of an attitude and wanted several suits for half the stated price. I declined. Much later a young woman came up and wanted to buy two of my suits. She was so excited to find them and was just starting out, so I happily discounted them more so that she could afford to buy 5 suits. Having the discretion to lower the price doesn’t mean doing so is AT YOUR DISCRETION, not at someone else’s insistence.
The dad may or may not have had the discretionary money to purchase your doll at the listed price. But his angry entitlement made him an AH. His persistence in projecting his anger and entitlement at you, makes him a 100% certified AH. I do believe he sent the kid to tug at your heart. She is just a kid and not to be blamed for what her dad taught her to do/expect. But his manipulation and his attitude do not need to be rewarded.
NTA. I’ve run into those dads who pull that scam before. I’m only surprised he didn’t demand a free one. He has the money; he just thinks you look like a good target for bullying.
NTA
My main hobby is crochet. I make amigurumi and it takes time and money in materials to make them. I love to give them to my friends as gifts, and have given so many to my niece and nephew over the years because they love them.
People have told me to sell what I make and I refuse. If I tried to charge what these things were worth, not even counting the hours spent, people would balk at the price. You were charging what you thought was reasonable. That dad was being entitled and devaluing your work. And he was teaching his daughter to devalue crafters. Good on you for holding firm on the price. You put time and money into your craft and if you want to sell it, you set the price that you feel is fair. End of story.
NTA. And you may want to give the event organizer a heads-up about something like this the next time. Being shitty to a single vendor is one thing, but if dude is being shitty to everyone, the organizers may want to do something about it.
NTA
> He came up and asked me if I was really not going to let a little girl have a doll and that my prices were ridiculous.
That was the real deal right there. Dad figured his cute kid could get a discount, because entitlement. You handled it properly. I’d wager he pulls that crap all the time.
NTA … One crafter to another, don’t ever short change yourself. A lot of hard work goes into those items – hours of work at the least. Most importantly, don’t let anyone talk down to you like that.
Next time tell the parent (politely) “You buy the materials needed, I’ll teach you how to do the craft, then you tell me if my prices are too high.”
Also, if they try to low-ball you, if your price is $25 (just an example) and they say “I’ll give you $5 for it.” Come back with, “Because you made that offer I’ll let you have it now for no less than $45.”
NTA eff that guy for being a turd. I hate that people always wanna discount on hand made stuff. This is why I find it hard to vend my art. I price it way below what it is worth to me because I want to sell it, then people wanna haggle about it? It would be different if it was a garage sale and you were selling some old junk you just wanted gone.
NTA. They asked – you said no – end of story. The price is the price.
I mean you could have haggled. So I dunno ESH..
NTA. Good for you for standing your ground. I knit and crochet and know the price of yarn and needles and how long it takes to make something, and then you have the fee you had to pay, so i’m sure that your items were priced way lower than what they were worth, considering all of that. What kind of father sends his little kid with less money than the item costs, deliberately putting them in an uncomfortable situation, and then proceeds to keep that up the entire day? Not a good one, that’s for sure.
NTA. The dad set his poor kid up. He could have given her more as an attempt to let her negotiate with you but should have been prepared to pay full price. What an AH.
NTA. It’s not like you price gouging a starving child over a piece of fruit. It was a craft fair. Everything for sale there is a luxury item. You can charge what you want according to the value you place on your items. Customers can pay or not pay according to the value they place on those items.
NTA… dad uses her to get deals. It is a scam he uses. It is ok to say no. Their ability to pay doesn’t effect the cost of items. I do craft fairs all the time, while maybe giving a little discount is ok, 2/3 off is a ridiculous ask. Let him get mad. You do not have to explain your prices to him. He either wants to buy it at that price or he can keep walking.
Don’t worry, you’re NTA. I ran a farmers market stand during Covid selling handmade face coverings. I had to price them on the higher end because I bought all the fabric, added a filter pocket for the inside, cut the fabric and sewed them, added in medical grade nose wires, and adjustable ear straps. Similar to you I wasn’t really doing it to get rich, just to help the community, cover my costs and get some extra pocket change.
For repeat customers that I knew, they’d often get a discount. Hell, if someone came up and just was really nice to me and supportive of my business, I’d usually throw them a discount. But I had a few people come up and tell me my prices were ridiculous and told me I needed to sell them for way less and I couldn’t be making any money off them. They’d sometimes throw a couple dollars my way and go “that’s all I have” and wait for me to cave. My response was always a smile and something along the lines of “Well you aren’t required to buy one!”
Some people are just like this. It doesn’t even matter how cheap your prices are, some asshole will demand you give them a discount because getting a deal is like an addiction to some people.
NTA. I would be open to bargaining if I were a vendor at a craft sale, but the child was too young for that, really. If the father had started bargaining, I might have done it, or else say that I’d be open to discounts later in the day. You could also tell people who are arguing your items are overpriced, how much the materials cost and how long it takes you to make a doll.
This is not a favor for a friend that does you favors in return in a relationship. This is a random stranger using a kid to try to take advantage of you. I highly doubt he offers his boss a discount on his salary. NTA but if you do decide to continue you will run into a few of these and you cannot let it ruin your day.
Nta
Not even a little
NTA. I don’t blame you at all. Dad was way out of order but was probably using a method that had worked many times previously