Disappointing Church Bazaar

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
This morning, I was at a church fall bazaar that I've attended for many years and was very disappointed. They used to have a book stall and a "Grandma's Attic" table. All gone. Now it's run like a raffle - you have to buy chances to be eligible to win any items(s) you want. I asked one the the ladies there why the change and she said it was because they just weren't selling things running it as a straight sale. It seems that's the way things are trending no matter if it's a b&m antique store, garage sale or a church fair.
 

I noticed that also Deb. I also found that if you take a chance on an item and it is from a local business and you fill out the card with your name, address and phone number, they often call to say they were sorry you weren't a winner and then proceed to try and sell you something else. I think that's the reason they donated an item to be raffled off in the first place.
 

Interesting. I haven't seen that trend here but I've only really had experience of our own church market day.

We sell a lot of donated second hand goods, including books, but we make most of the money on food - cake stall, home made jams and pickles, BBQ and church café.

There must be a reason for this trend and I suspect that it might be to cut down the work load, to maximise the total amount raised, or both.
 
Butterfly said:
I believe that people are simply not collecting things like they used to. Those of us who are older are trying to get rid of stuff rather than acquiring more stuff, and the younger generation has no interest whatsoever in collecting things.
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This is exactly what I'm experiencing.
 
I find it interesting that people will buy a CHANCE on something they will have a 1 in how many other chances were sold of winning rather than buy it outright and get it right away. Is it human nature to gamble?
 
A raffle is, perhaps, more profitable for the church. If they get 10 people to buy chances on one item, it's like selling one thing 10 times. Selling a thing outright, they just sell it once. This year the woman in charge said they may no longer have the fall bazaar any longer - just not enough interest for the work involved.
 
debodun said:
A raffle is, perhaps, more profitable for the church. If they get 10 people to buy chances on one item, it's like selling one thing 10 times. Selling a thing outright, they just sell it once. This year the woman in charge said they may no longer have the fall bazaar any longer - just not enough interest for the work involved.
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I think that's the answer, people are just tired and find it easier to toss an extra twenty in the collection plate.
 
I don't go to bazaars, yard sales, thrift stores, etc. I've got more stuff than I need and have no need to buy more.

If it's for a charity I support, I give a $25 donation and call it a day. They're happy and I don't add to my clutter.

Back in the 1960s my mother and the other women in our church realized that the bake sales were mostly a matter of each of them baking something and then buying each other's goods. So came up with the concept of a "cakeless bake sale" - they each threw the church a couple of bucks (remember, it was the 60s) and nobody had to bake anything, nor did they pay twice (once for the ingredients and again to purchase).

An ingenious idea.
 
+ trending Minimalism style
+ downsizing seniors
+ addictive online consumerism w/overnight delivery
+ Christmas Sales
+ lack of new exciting innovative ideas for handmade items that have never been done before.
Unfortunately many people think bazaars only sell potholders, knitted shawls, and kitchen towels
+ lack of help from the younger generation to work on a church bazaar
= not enough profit

Instead of a Church Bazaar try these ideas and invite the whole community:
- Farmers Market using vendors...with fresh flowers, various food truck vendors who pay a specified donation amount to set up)....don't forget Sweet Tea! lol
- Strawberry Festival...ice-cream, shortcake, Art contest (get a sponsor for a prize), smoothies, and games for the kids
- Peach Festival...same as above...don't forget Sweet Tea!
- Spring Fling...BBQ, coleslaw, and watermelon...did I mention Sweet Tea?!
- Healthy Fun Fest. All things healthy. No sugar in the sweet tea 🤷‍♀️ Add a Silent Auction for, say, groceries at the health store
- High Tea...easy! Finger sandwiches like cucumber/cream cheese, hot tea, and some sweet little things. Ask our Brit ladies

For all events, ask the local High School String Band or Jazz Band or Bluegrass etc to play for free. They would love performing and their families would all come to see them!
 
Leann said:
This is exactly what I'm experiencing.
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This includes antique stores. At one time, there were 4 antique shops in the small town I grew up in. Today, there are none. Collecting is a thing of the past, except for those that have expensive tastes, like car collectors, wine collectors, etc. I remember being a collector. I collected matchbooks from the different restaurants, bars, hotels, etc., that I visited. Before I stopped collecting, I had over 1500 different matchbooks.
 
911 said:
This includes antique stores. At one time, there were 4 antique shops in the small town I grew up in. Today, there are none.
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Same here. There used to be a collectible or antique shop on each main street in the next town. I think there's only one left and it never seems to be open. I wonder how the owner pays the rent on it.
 

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