My First Market: Notes, Lessons & A Very Popular Bunny

On Sunday 23 November, I attended the Beckenham Arts Association Christmas Market at St George’s Church Hall. It was my very first in-person market as Josephine’s Creative Journal. I went in with equal parts curiosity and mild panic, armed with far too many products, far too few bags, and absolutely no idea what to expect.

Turns out, it was a surprisingly fascinating marketing experiment… and a very wholesome day.

Who Came By (and Who Bought What)

Based on the footfall and the very scientific method of “glancing up while crocheting behind a mountain of plushies,” the breakdown of my visitors looked roughly like this:

• 60% women 50+ : lovely, warm, and extremely complimentary

• 30% families : children are my biggest hype-people

• 10% younger fashion-conscious adults : the “I love your palette/texture” crowd

And honestly, meeting everyone was half the joy, the other half was watching reactions to my creations.

Women made up the vast, vast majority of people who stopped by. And every child within a 30-metre radius developed sudden magnetic attraction to the plushies. One little girl, in particular, held my piglet for so long I almost assumed shared custody. She was adorable!

I made a decent amount of sales and covered my stall fee and more so to me this is a success. I did it hoping I could get a sense of who my crowd is and what works. It definitely gave me some much needed insight.

I sold the below:

• the boucle grey bear

• the bunny

• fingerless granny gloves

• a green shoulder bag

• the classic bear

• a mustard mini bear (first to go and so fast I was NOT ready)

• a green beanie

• one ornament

• a mini bear

• a soap cube (the lemongrass one got a LOT of sniffs)

Not bad for a first outing.

The little bear, first to go. I'm getting emotional.

What Worked (Unexpectedly Well)

Business cards

People actively asked for them. Several mentioned commissions, and some had clearly done a loop of the market just to come back and collect my details. I did not expect that at all and I am curious to see if any of this turns into commissions.

Also, 6 to 10yo kids are oddly interested in them.

Packaging

My dark green kraft bags with oversized monogram stickers were perfect and very visible when people walked around with them.

The Giant Bunny

The star. The celebrity. The Beyoncé of the stall, dare I say the market?
More people petted this bunny than the actual dogs in the room.

I should have charged for bunny petting sessions.

Bears & Bunnies

The plushies were the show-stoppers. The classic textures and colours drew the most interaction, and the boucle bear (my personal nostalgic love letter to vintage toys) also sold, though more as a niche delight than a universal bestseller.

Adults LOVED the bags

Women picked them up constantly (signature bags and backpacks alike), admired the weight and quality, and commented on the craftsmanship. I suspect my prices were maybe perceived as too high, especially at the end of the month during Christmas prep season. I am a little disappointed that none sold but they are a high value item, it makes sense.

What Didn’t Work (And Why That’s Okay)

Too. Many. Things.

In my defence, I wanted to test what resonated. But displaying everything meant some customers weren’t sure I had actually made it all. For the next market: curated, not chaotic. It also reminded me I need to work on telling my story clearly: who I am, how I make things, and why every stitch has its place.

Ornaments

Sold one. The one I thought would be the hardest to sell. Nobody even looked at the rest.
They’ll now live a happy life on my own tree.

Soaps

They smelled wonderful. They confused everyone. A small rebrand and packaging rethink might revive them (“Little Soaps for Little People”?), but for now they’re staying in the “friends & family” zone.

Loaf and Donut Bags

Zero looks. Zero pickups. Zero hope.
Adorable, but not aligned with the crowd and likely hard to picture wearing day to day.

Where Do I Stand?

I accidentally designed a stall where I either had to look like a customer browsing my own table or pop up from behind the plushies like a yarn witch, chirping out a startling 'hi!'.

Next time: proper checkout space.

The view from my seat, prime hide and seek spot…

Pricing: A Mild Identity Crisis

Using a realistic handmade pricing model (materials + labour + margin), my actual prices should have looked something like this:

• Classic teddy Bear: £151

• Signature Bag: £160

• Backpack: £150

• Giant Bunny: £237

Instead I sold them for £25–£150 because I realise that pricing isn’t just math it’s psychology, positioning, and standing your ground.

So yes, I will be refining my pricing strategy before my next event. (But also… Jellycat lists similar-sized plushies at £250, so I think I was reasonable at £150.)

Key Takeaways

If I had to summarise the day in lessons, it goes something like this.

1. Focus my product mix:
   Plushies, shoulder bags, some kids’ items, pet sweaters (I really want to test little striped ones!), hats.
   Not everything I can make, only what works and makes sense together.

2. Curate the display:
   Less digging, more showcasing. I can refill so I need to stop acting like free space is bad. Key items need to breathe.

3. Find markets that match my audience:
   Now that I know who responds to my makes, I need to find them! (I realise this sounds a bit creepy but you get the idea)

4. Build a proper checkout space
   (so I don’t look like a yarn witch emerging from my fiber swamp).

5. Revisit pricing
   Maybe consider offers, bundles for items that naturally go together.

6. Keep business cards very visible
   People wanted them so let's keep them available. I also need to make 'commissions' a clear option, maybe through a sign.

What’s Coming Next

I want everything I offer to feel like it belongs in the same cosy, textural little universe.

Little Ones

Plushies, daisy bags, mini bears, nursery prints, and a few unique baby/toddler pieces like bonnets, rompers and cardigans. And hopefully, if it all goes well, I’ll debut my first illustrated storybook very soon.

Grown-Up Treats

Classic shoulder bags, cosy fisherman hats, signature bags, gloves.

For the Good Boys & Girls

Dog sweaters, collars maybe even leads!

Gratitude

Every “aww,” every compliment, every returning glance from across the room, and every person who stopped just to smile at my giant bunny… thank you!
Your kindness made this first market not just a test but a true joy.
Lastly, to every friend and of course my amazing partner who showed up to support, fed me, lifted heavy boxes: you are the best and I am so lucky to have you in my life!

I left tired, grateful, and already excited to try again!