Market Etiquette 101

With Pike Place Market’s ten million visitors a year, the vendors on its crafts line have jobs that are simultaneously some of the most rewarding and difficult out there.  I recognize that the market is not a traditional retail environment and some of our shoppers may not be familiar with a few simple points of etiquette that can help make everybody’s day more enjoyable.  It all boils down to one golden rule: respect handmade items and their creators.  Here are a few things to keep in mind when visiting the day stalls at the market:

• Come early in the day.  Arriving late may mean you’ve missed that special one-of-a-kind item.  On that note, please understand that items cannot be held for you without payment.  Our stock is limited.
• Please bring your children to the market.  It is a fantastic opportunity to teach them about handcrafted items and art.  It is also a fantastic opportunity for them to practice “looking with their eyes and not with their hands” and good market etiquette.
• Be aware of what is on your hands when touching – food, lotions, and natural oils can damage items.  By the same token, ask before you set your drink, handbag, shopping bags, etc. on my table while you browse.
• Please ask permission before taking pictures of vendors or their works.  It is courteous to tip buskers who you photograph (at least a dollar or two).
• Acknowledge that our display space is extremely limited, so do your best not to block my booth while standing in the aisle or shopping at a neighboring stall.
• Don’t be alarmed when vendors try to engage you in friendly conversation. That’s the beauty of shopping at a craft market – you have the opportunity to meet the artist.  Also, don’t be surprised when the conversation turns to the item you are looking at.  We are very proud of our work and want each piece to go home with someone!
• Ask questions if you are genuinely curious, but please do not interrogate the maker or dissect the item.  Some of our methods are trade secrets!  ;-)
• Please understand that we are VERY small businesses, and may not have the capacity (or desire) to do all the things that seem like good ideas, like expanding our line, sending our product to Oprah, or even building a website in some cases.  Chances are we have already considered it.
• If you aren’t buying, be honest.  “I’m just browsing today” or “It’s not in my budget” are acceptable. Three of the most dreaded words on the craft line are “I’ll be back.”  (Even if you mean it, folks often get distracted, lost, or change their minds later and never return, letting us down.)  The same goes for “Do you have a website?” as an exit strategy.
• While we appreciate honesty, diplomacy is also nice.  Realize that you may hurt someone’s feelings by telling them their product is “ugly” or “overpriced.”  If you don’t have anything nice to say…
• A simple “Thank you” after looking at items is appropriate.
• Please accept that I may not be able to offer a better price than quoted or pay your sales tax on a purchase.  Handcrafted items are labor intensive to make, our supplies are expensive, and we are required to pay tax on our income just as you are.
• Most of all, have fun!  Enjoy looking at all of the unique items and meeting their creators.  Hopefully you will find just the right thing to buy as a reminder of your visit.

Next week I'll give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into life as a crafter at Pike Place.

If you enjoyed reading these suggestions and would like to hear about my own struggle not to use a dreaded phrase, visit my personal blog, Spork Out Loud.