As a customer I think it very important. I was at Konstanz Christmas market Tuesday night and they had some great stalls sell customised wooden products, brushes (yes really), handmade paper, horn products, sheepskin rugs, handmade toys and just enough catering to make it enjoyable. No manufactured-packaged-tat at all, and every stall seemed to embue the event with festive cheer and taken a great deal of trouble to use every cm of space on the stall. They even had the obligatory drunken worzel with a guitar who really believed he could sing. And that wasn't even me.
Customers on a market a very short dwell time,
who may be browsing for entertainment to pass the time like items of interest to peruse, an exchange of banter with the cheeky chappy stallholder (which you are very good at, i've noticed) and colourful and bright stalls to attract the eye (and that of their children). I've spent a lot of time on markets and seen people buying things simply as a "reward" for a brief conversation.
In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king, and I suspect the effort you go to in decorating your stall and entertaining the punters will be rewarded.
BigD
Quote:
Originally Posted by JollyGrapefruit I do actually see where they're coming from though. Last year there were many stalls that had no or little decoration, just the chipboard hut and a few holly leaves and they looked pretty dismal which is bad for all stall holders. I think they should have a competition - the most attractive stall gets in next year for free! |