Discuss the process of getting your t-shirt line into brick and mortar stores and selling offline. Topics include industry tradeshows, events, line sheets, sales reps and other retailing tips and advice.
Hi everyone! I am going to do a 3 day festival on an Army post. I have prepared myself well I think since this is going to be a monster. This is my first festival so I am not sure on the generator part. I have:
About 900 blanks in all sizes and colors (Most is White 80%)
I have about 400 different transfers (1 dozen each)
1 tent, several tables
I have 4 people helping on this event
but...there will be no electricity provided. I paid $50 for all 3 days and nights, and I think it's smarter to press some before but press on demand. I need a generator for my HIX 16x20. It requires 14.5 amps and 120 VAC. Whats quiet and affordable that you might use? I don't want to be the loud guy in my spot for this. Any help is appreciated!
Honda EU Inventer Generator. Super quiet.
Might be more then you want to spend but after 3 days you and people next you will be very happy. Champion generators are not to bad. Find them online and at auto parts stores for about $350.
You will have to talk loud to be heard over it if next to you.
Might check with the event to see if it will allowed for you to run a generator.
Could be against fire code cause of the fuel.
You need at least 3700 watts of power and a short cord length. Park your vehicle behind the booth and put the gen. behind it with the exhaust facing away from you. Do not take all 900 shirts with you everyday, you probably wont sell a third of that number. Have examples of everything you offer on display and dont forget lighting at night. Press only your display gear...you can do everything else on-site as customers order.
Thanks guys! I only live 10 minutes from the festival so I am only bringing what fits in the truck each day. I can always run home for more. I am going to call to double check in the morning on the generator. I don't want to buy anything I have to talk over. This is important but I really don't know how loud those things get.
oh and that Honda might be a little out of my league for this week...maybe not next week. Is there anything else I might be able to get away with on somewhat the same playing field?
Actually something really cool came up today. I asked about a generator and they said they would rather not have one there and moved me to a commercial outlet instead with no extra charge. This is going to be awesome...there's going to be so many people at this Cinco De Mayo festival! Hoping for about 50,000 people.
Actually something really cool came up today. I asked about a generator and they said they would rather not have one there and moved me to a commercial outlet instead with no extra charge. This is going to be awesome...there's going to be so many people at this Cinco De Mayo festival! Hoping for about 50,000 people.
Well the event is over and I hope you did great. Care to offer any details.
Day One: We setup by 10:30am per the contract. They didn't start anything till 4pm (ya I was a bit upset over this). Once everything did start not many people attended because of weather, lack of advertising, or whatever else was going on. I made about $40.
Day Two: We setup again by 10:30am per contract and this time there were people there. We were steady and made about $400 but had to deal with shady electricity issues. We found the event organizers to be new and unexperienced in filling a festival. Over day 2 was ok, we made $400.
Day three: We showed up at 10am to setup by 10:30am per contract only to find the other vendors standing around in shock. No one was on the field except us...not even security. So I drove to the flea market to try to recoup some of the day and make some sales. I also took all the vendors with me. I made $100.
Overall it being my first festival I was overly disappointed in my investment, time spent, and overall atmosphere. I don't discourage easily so I will find more festivals to be a part of and hope it gets better.
I did a new event in a nearby town last year. This was the first year for this event. I sold 2 tees. Didn't even make booth space much less gas there and back.....
Going this weekend to the same town, different event. Hope to do better as I've paid at least 3 times more for this 2 day event. Should be lots of people there tough as this has been a popular event for local farmers for many years.
The moral to this story is, don't give up. The next time you do an event you might just sell every t-shirt you have and have orders left to fill!!!!
Hi,
I am a newbie to the forum and thought I "hijack" this thread
I have just started a small heat transfer and dye sublimation business in Australia and would like to make custom made T-shirts at craft markets. I have looked into generators and really like the Hondas though they are expensive. Has anybody had experince with the 10i - 100W? I want to run a small heating press which draws 750W, a printer which draws 25W and the computer draws 90W. So I would kind of get to the limit of the generator. Also though this is a quiet one, it is still a bit loud. Anybody have experience if craft markets generally allow generator.
I am also thankfur for any other tips for craft markets also what sells well.
As Yamaha and Honda are exremely expensive I have settled for the cheaper Korean brand Kipor, also as I ahve found out that I need a 2KW generator.
We have used it once at an event yesterday and it started okay but when we stopped and refilled it after several hours it would not start up again until about 2 hours later. We may have flooded it but unfortunately the manual does not give much info. Will have to get in contact with the service people and ask what we have done wrong and their tips.
Need Advice on Generators for a Festival 
