I agree, it is tough. From what I can tell this dude did everything right (friendly, answered questions, and showed the process) and still only sold 2 in 4 hours :( Really cool of him to release the designs also
I think sales in general is tough. You can put a very great salesman behind that desk and he would have sold them all. I agree though a farmers market in Manhattan Beach Metlox, these would sell like hot cakes. I hate plants but these are actually kind of cool. I'd buy one if it was $10-12. $15 may put me past my limit.
@@ryanholcombe8785yea he might have done the things you listed right, but he didn’t do everything right. Everything he did was basic, most important though his pot designs were basic. He could’ve been more organized he could’ve had the plants stacked up on like a stair way thing if that makes sense (like a row on the bottom and then the row behind it stands above that and so on), or shelves, and he could’ve had some unique showcase ones in front. If he chose more unique and creative designs I think he would’ve sold a lot more, and if he had a ton more variety not just 3 types.
he's friendly and looks non-threatening / approachable. those are the pluses. the negatives is that his sales skills are very poor. from the copy on the signs to leading customers into buying, he doesn't do that well at all. just improving those variables could get 5-10x the result. when you're talking with a potential client you're talking with purpose, and leading them into the final goal (sale).
When picking a locale to sell plants, you have to consider, is your foot traffic prepared to handle the problem of "how do I get this home without destroying it". Farmer's market would be a better fit. Great vid.
2 pieces of advice for shows. 1) Have clear pricing on everything. It is human nature to just keep moving when the offer is not clear. 2) Stand as much as you can. People engage more when the seller is standing and doing something.
WRONG: Prices are binding and easy to pick up for the competitors. Make a "Get a Quote" bell instead. AND NEVER STAND! It is intimidating for potential customers.
@@swedishpsychopath8795 Okay both of you have good reasoning, please provide study articles that prove which one of you is the way to go. Thank you :)
Just put a sign saying starting at $15, so they get a base price but still got to ask. Me as a not very social person not going to see any price and move on because I've been taught if you have to ask, then it cost to much.
@@swedishpsychopath8795 As if your competitor will never figure out your price because you don't list them? I doubt it. Definitely he should make his prices clear and open here imo. No price comes across like a pressure sales trap.
Not displaying the price for pots was a bummer, people saw 3D printer and all that fancy tech. They might've thought it'll be super expensive, that's why many people just walked off by looking.
As a plant lover I wouldn't necessarily spend $15 on a plant just because it has a nice pot. The pot would need to be something that I really want. I have seen 3D printing create some pretty functional stuff. And having the 3D printer there makes it for a great conversation piece. Since you're there at a social event you could try selling things like 3D printed toys. My kids love those things and don't cost much to make. Kids always ask "can you buy me that"
Best advice I can give: LABEL THE PRICES! It's so infuriating when a seller doesn't label the prices. It makes me think you are giving different prices and I'm more likely to keep walking than asking.
It's touched on at the end, but venue is equally as important - not a lot of people probably go to the boardwalk wanting to buy plants, and then carry them around until they get home. If it's a farmers market or something geared towards gardening, people might have been more interested. Pricing your goods is equally important, but if you aren't where your customers are, you won't sell anything regardless. I've thought about getting a printer and selling things online/locally, and the when & how of selling is something I've thought about a lot.
I tried to become a street vendor for about a week. I offered bags that my father made and T-shirts with my designs on them. It was tough considering that I am an introvert. Most people just ignored what I was selling, and every time someone asked about my products, it truly boosted my hope even though they didn't buy anything. I only sold one shirt, but I'm so glad that at least one person noticed me. I have so much respect for all the street vendors.
as a flea market & art show vendor, I have found you set up one with the packaging...plants are hard to carry, so If they "see" you thought about that, they will get one. And similarly, you set one up to look like a perfect quick gift with a cute bag and blank gift card. Also buy 2 and get a discount kind of thing.
I'd also give them a way to easily carry the pot around since they likely will be walking an hour or more with it. Small box and a bag or a drink holder. Might help.
@MorleyKert As a mechanical engineer with a heap of CAD experience across basically all 3D CAD packages used in industry, here's a friendly tip for doing the 3D CAD pot design much faster: Create a bunch of planes 15-20mm apart, create a polygon shape (icon looks like a hexagon but you can specify the number of sides), exit sketch, go to next plane and repeat but start rotating the polygon shape 5 degrees per plane. Once you've done this on the first plane and then on all the offset ones, use the Loft tool to loft between all the sketches on the planes. Once the loft creates a solid body, use the shell tool to hollow out the body of the pot. In the shell tool, you can define a face override - this is great for selecting the bottom face on the outside of the model and setting its thickness to twice that of the side walls. There's the pot in 1/3 to 1/4 the time. To adjust the twist, simply edit the sketches and adjust the rotation of the sketches, then click "Generate to Last" (or whatever your software calls it (sometimes "regenerate")) and its updated.
Exactly! Next tip is to make the rotation, number of sides and distance between planes into variables that you can tweak. Then you can change the variables and test many variation of your planters in seconds!
Hi Matthew you probably dont have time for this but, if you could please make a video on how to do this please, Im more of a visualize learner, with words I cannot understand. Thank you
@@zero00tolerance Hi, I've put together a basic video doing everything slowly so its easy to follow (hence its approx 10 minutes long). Please disregard how bad the plant pot in this video is, I wasn't aiming for appearance or quality, I was aiming to demonstrate the process I described making point of how the loft tool can handle bulges smoothly as well as rotation. Once you're confident with the process it should take a few minutes only from start to finish. Lastly, I apologise for the video only being 720p - I put this video together whilst my computer was using the bulk of its CPU and GPU for a multiphysics job. The video is unlisted so you'll need the following link: ua-cam.com/video/txTYTc4k65c/v-deo.html Enjoy!
I'm a vendor here in L.A.... (Hollywood) simple... you need more tables. A longer set up will allow more people to browse and shop. Also, keep in mind... the weather is a factor to a good day and a slow day. The time of year matters, too. Some months are just slow anyways. Lastly, price point with large signage is important, too. If you lowered prices... had 3 tables with one price group on each table ... it will be simple to see & understand for the casual passersby.
Also, at least in Germany: At the beginning of the month the salary is paid out and people have more "money in the pocket" than towards month end (Nothing left to spend). So setting up towards the beginning of the month, more likely more people are willing to spend money.
I think it's great that you have the succulents planted already, but sometimes what draws people to buying is the experience. You did have education with the printer being there with it actively working, but if you had a "Build a Plant" with steps and options for people to purchase, I think you would have a better chance of getting people to buy. It's all about the experience for a customer. And yes, street vending, farmers' market, art/crafts shows...they all are long, tedious and arduous! I do agree with some that a farmers market venue would work better for you. People already know what to expect and are prepared for it. Great video! Keep it up!!!
@@jackgamble6120 I think it depends on where you shop and the expectations for it. For example, McDonalds, you go there and expect them to make food for you. However, if you go to a place where you cook your own food like Korean bbq or a hot pot restaurant, then you wouldn't be that disappointed since you expected it.
Hi Morley, I was never a street vendor, what I did was a booth at craft shows where we sold items we made to raise money for "care packages" for deployed military working dogs. We, my friend and partner, did better when we were standing rather than sitting behind our tables. I think people are more likely to stop if they think you are busy (I'm not sure why that is). I hope you are enjoying your travels. Oh, and yes it is hard work to set up and be there all day, and then tear it all down. We had pop-up covers too. Lots of work for sure.
As an introvert, at least ONE reason why I'd stop by when someone is busy is so I can poke and browse without immediately getting hooked into a conversation. The best thing a vendor can do is make themselves known to be available, but leave me alone until I approach them in conversation, even if I'm right there. It's an odd little unspoken song and dance that both parties need to get right to make a successful conversion.
@@infered5365Thanks for the reply. I am an introvert as well so the booth was difficult at first. When my friend became ill, I had to take it on myself. But mainly I want to say how I admire your woodworking skills. Turning pallets into furniture is magical.
Tip for beginner 3D printing enthusiast. ALWAYS remember the print time, because after people say ohh and ahh that will be their first question. "How long did that take?"
I agree with the printer at the table. It draws in a lot of people. I did the same thing when I sold at the Town festival. I also made cheap Marvel keychains that only take a few minutes to print, and handed them out as free gifts for the kids. I did make sales but had a blast demonstrating how the 3D printer works
I also think part of the issue could be that many haven’t seen 3d printing in real life, and they mistakenly thought the dirt and the plant were ALSO 3D printed (the man who wanted to touch it also touched the plant and the dirt) and were probably subconsciously disappointed by it just being the pot. Which is of course the opposite feeling we want to give any patron. Great videos! Keep it up!
Having a professional stand with branding and clear pricing is major key. Ive been selling handmade products at markets for a while. I see much future success in this!!
These are my absolute favorite videos to watch, thank you for making them! I think its such an interesting study on the economics of 3d printing, and I would love to see more of this type of content. Love from Arizona
Thank you so much for your generosity, I'm 79 just bought a Bambu X1 Carbon, and learning Fusion 360, don't think I will ever get to your level, Thanks Again!
Just a tip. Most people struggle to water succulents successfully. Redesign your pot with sort of a watering ring around the inside with tiny holes where the water drip through. That way,no more rotting roots or dying succulents because they do not get all round equal water, and a little education on this and why your succulent pot is different will be the selling point. Now got o the farmers market and you will sell out in no time.
OMG bro. Bambu has had (for more than 6mo since you published this video) a "vase mode". It does all this for you. You just pick the single curve you want, and it'll do it in 360 degrees for the model, and then the printing "spiral vase mode" prints it forever in a spiral, which makes the vase much more cohesive, and much more likely to hold water (you can guess how I know).
hey morley, loved the video, but i think you priced your stuff too high, if you got your plants cheaper and sold them for under 10 bucks, i think you would've sold a lot more, because at least for me, 10 bucks is a magic limit for spontaneus purchases
I actually disagree - very few people ended up actually ended up asking the price (since I didn't have it posted visually), and of those who did, a relatively high proportion ended up buying plants. It was priced as a luxury good in a tourist spot.
@MorleyKert Completely Agree!!! ...and the point that you're competing for people's attention is valid!!! Another interesting thought is that if you would be serious about the succulent business, you could pinch off/trim pieces during transplanting to re-start in the pots you took them out of!!! Almost a self-perpetuating business model!!!
@@MorleyKertthat’s interesting, I actually wonder if posting the price would change the outcome. Personally I think just asking how much something is creates a barrier, for me at least.
I’m the same. The moment I ask a price, I feel like I’ve locked myself into either buying or doing the ‘I’m actually too poor’ walk of shame. It also feels like I’m insulting the seller when I walk away from their price. All my own internal states mind you haha, but no doubt these are the internal states of a lot of people.
Man I was so hooked on your woodworking videos because of your creativity. I'm still a beginner in woodworking so I'm focusing on that but I still rewatch your old videos because I learn a lot on what I should and don't do. More power to you and your wife. Keep grinding and good luck on your journey!
I think the eye popping way to do a business like this would be printing on site or even on demand (huge library of fun planter designs) with a tiny bonkers fast printer. Small succulent pots could be 5-10 min prints no problem, and watching it would be part of the attraction.
Any pot of a decent size would be impossible to print in 5 minutes on a small printer. You would need a very large printer to print something that fast.
@@Techno4more Up to 2g/min is doable with very basic hotend and CHT. The hard part is not flow but motion system capable of utilizing that. An upgraded V0, the 100, upgraded mini bedslinger, or mini delta or quantum delta would be candidates.
@@daliasprints9798 the flow is always the limiting factor. The motion system doesn't have to be fast at all.. I guess it depends on what nozzle size you want. For a larger planter you could do .4 layer height .7 layer width on a .6 nozzle. The limiting factor would be plastic extrusion
@@Techno4more If you want it to look good and have any kind of detailed pattern or texture, you need extreme acceleration get through these quick. A 5 minute benchy, which is comparable plastic mass to what you'd need for a smallest-size succulent pot you see in stores, takes nearly 100k mm/s² acceleration to pull off, but under 40 mm³/s of flow. Flow is only dominant for large and/or super simple prints.
Interesting, because we are super used to 3d printers, but the general public still don't know much about it. I worked as a Street Vendor for a time, when I was younger, it has good things but there's a lot of annoying ones, for example, when start to rain, or crazy people that lives in the streets comes and starts to annoy you, you have to keep an eye in everything you placed in the street because of thieves, etc...
I like your pots. Would I buy one? No. And here is why I simply would not buy one AT THIS LOCATION, because I do not want to stroll around at the beach front with a plant in hand. It is different for T-shirts or even books. They can easily be stowed in a back bag or a plastic bag. But I do not want to do this to a plant. So in a nutshell: At least for me, this is the wrong product at the wrong location.
Here is an idea. Seems like there is something about the design/color and how people want a different combination of plant and maybe a different design/color than what you currently have the plant in. Maybe make a twisty fidget type design where there is an inner core which will hold the plant and soil, the designs could be modular where the plant and holder snugly fits in any design/color you have. This allows you to customize the plant/pot right on the spot. I would color the interior black or brown so that it matches the soil. You could simply drop it into the desired pot and it could spin down into it like the twisty fidget toys.
You can imprint, Put the location on the planter purchase., Venice beach 2024, etc.... Souvenirs need to have where you got them from.. Plants grow on the side of the road in southern cal. And local plants
This was soo cool and interesting to watch. I personally have taken part in multiple craft shows selling different hand made items and can totally relate to your experience! I love it so much when you upload. I am hoping to start a UA-cam channel soon and have taken a lot of inspiration from you!
This was interesting, thank you. I want to do craft shows (seem less hectic than street vendors) but even then still scared to, the only advice I can give is from others I know who do, and that is to not sit lower (or at all if possible). Higher-up chairs bring you to the eye line and are more engaging. So I am told. But I always love when you bring the machine out in public. I can't use F360 but watching I still learned. I tried it in Blender, and while only pseudo-parametric, I was able to create something similar in about 4 minutes.
Whenever I get potted plants, I leave them in the little plastic pots, and put the whole thing in the decorative pots. Then the water drains from the inside pot (which usually has little "feet") so I don't have to worry about drainage, and I also don't need a plate or similar under the pot. Long story short, I avoid decorative pots with drainage holes. Do with this information what you will. Also, love the video, all the videos, both of you, and your lovely pets.
U should put a flat like sign part with the Santa Monica writed and maybe something cute to be sold like a souvenir for tourist, maybe it would sell more for people just visiting and wanting a cute gift or souvenir, only the plant 🪴 is one thing but a cute plant in a cute 3D printed vase and with Santa Monica writed is another level, keep it coming 🤛🏻
THANKS MORLEY ,I ALWAYS HAVE FUN WATCHING YOUR VIDEOS. AND I AM LOOKING EVERY DAY ON YOUR YT ACCOUNT FOR NEW VIDEOS (BUT I HAVE SEEN THEM ALL 😢)YOU MAKE MY DAY BY UPLOADING !!
Brilliant 🙂 True entrepreneur. Source your plants for less and pass the savings on to the buyer. Also, provide a little shopping bag - costs you nothing. (A branded one would be even better). Great video!
Was an interesting upbeat quick and concise video. New to 3D printing and exploring equipment and software As an Architectural Engineer was impressed with your attention to detail and design time management Might I suggest a Design progression video. From the first base cylinder then print the break is down and show each step of the design evolution and 3D print these then display as part of your sales display. Would be like watching a sculptor working the clay on a pottery wheel but in this case the 3D print. Maybe narrow it down to 4 images and print all 4 at one time similar to your live printing for this sidewalk sale. Good video and appreciate your efforts and sharing !!!
Spraying them with some like metal spray paint would look cool. Like that spray paint that’s used for mailboxes or patio furniture. The stuff that looks metal but also has texture.
I think the main reason why you did not sell a lot is because most of those people are going places and doing things and don't want to carry a plant around all over the place. Why I would not buy one.
I’ve seen several people on here suggest different places however, I would add a flea market aspect, because typically all you find is stuff there. The people are just trying to get rid of along with that you never find anybody who is actually making the product while they’re there. Another thing to keep in mind at a flea market people want to barter they want to figure out what this is worth and that’s worth what they can get you down to and it’ll also kind of help you to narrow in your pricing for your products
Hey Morley, awesome video - fair play for posting the results. As a long time watcher it would be great to see more of the woodwork projects back on the channel! I think these videos were also your most watched
Lol right the only way to get a decent looking piece of custom clothes pots ECT and just pain them and sell on the spot and paint in front of customers is what I do and as I'm painting a really extravagant pot withpre then 3 colors I will get a crowd of 30-45 ppl at once when I first started spray paint art
Hey, Morley. That is great content. You have the germ of a good idea here. I work for a major national retailer and have a few suggested changes that might increase sales for your consideration. First, you should post all the prices, but then go ahead and strike through the price and have a lower price next to each one. E.g. for the small plants, write "$15", but strike through it and write "Sale $10". The size of the price text can be relatively small; small is good because curious customers need to come close to your table to read them. Next, get one of those inexpensive little Square credit card readers that attach to your iPhone, and also write "Cash and Visa/MC Accepted" in big letters somewhere on your sign. Not everyone carries cash in LA. Lastly, the plant pots are great, but you may have overdone them. If you're selling your 3D stuff on the street, I suggest limiting your table to 5 plants of various sizes. Then, I would also have a bunch of other 3D-printed knickknacks in multiple colors that sell well on Etsy, all arranged randomly, so the customers need to scan all your excellent goods visually. Keep the pricing structure simple, for example, flat prices for each knickknack based on its size -- you can use colored stickers on each to indicate the price and have a "key" on your sign, like "Green $5, Yellow $10", etc. If you change the formula slightly, I would love a follow-up video!
you talked about how people sell niche products on etsy that wouldn’t normally be mass produced, but then you go and sell super generic designs? no disrespect to your cad skills but you should be selling pots that are like the ones on etsy, unique. only achieved through 3d printing.
Thanks for the free downloads! Im totaly gonne check it out as research to make my own type. I love plants and often have ofshoots that I like to give away. I was not a fan of your draining hole tough. I get the why, but I would HATE water stains on my things.
You hit on (why you only sold $30 for 7 hours work), at around 15:30 or so... You were doing UN-targeted marketing, the 3D printer was the draw, the product didn't sell because they were NOT the draw. This was kind of like a tiktok experience in the real world. All flash, no cash. Good on you for trying, it was entertaining. PS: You made a ton more money from filming and sharing the experience on YT, so you won regardless :)
best way to sell is to call people out. most people will buy you just have to bring them in and explain why this is something they would love. no matter the product. i see alot of vendors everywhere i sell complain that they arent making money but 90 percent of the day they just sit on their phones instead of trying to initiate a conversation and move it into a sell. its def possible to make more sells just with a small greeting
I thought it was kind of skeevy he gave away the rest to randoms when he made two people pay. It's one thing if they went to friends and family, but he was basically punishing those two customers for being early, lol.
I was really rooting for you to sell all or at least most of them. I am not much of an indoor plant guy (okay, I have none), but I did like the design of the vases.
I run a handmade candle company and have done many markets (slightly different). Our struggle has always been drawing people into the stall, once there we have a fairly high conversion rate. The truth is that selling products like this is extremely difficult, and most companies don’t make much doing it. For us it’s a way to get our products in front of new customers and potentially picking up new wholesalers. Otherwise markets are rarely worth attending, and yes sometimes you don’t even cover your costs.
Thank you 🙏. Just printed the bulbous.stl on my CREALITY K1 Max. No supports were needed. Beautiful, solid, and heavy with zero imperfections. Awesome!!!!
I think this would likely have done a bit better with a liiitle bit more setup- i.e. have a few small paint dip bins and let people pick their dip colour. Since the plant also matters, it would be worth having the plants potted in 3d-printed mesh in a big rectangular soil container, that way people can pick the plant, pick the pot and put them together. Packaging is another consideration as well, since people walking around in an area like that might like it but it's difficult to rationalize carrying a plant around for potentially several hours, so total addressable market seems smaller than it could be. If there was a way to protect/bag it, that would help. The questions I'd have seeing a stand like this would be: - What if I drop it? - Will the soil fall out? - How will I carry it? - Can I keep the plant alive? - Is it heavy? How long will I be here? Super cool idea overall! With a few printers and a few designs to choose from this could scale fairly well if someone wanted a custom pot chosen from a few (tested) templates
I actually think a huge factor is people don’t want to carry something like that around with them all day after purchasing, especially something that you couldn’t tip over like a plant! Just a thought! Super fun video! Love watching what you come up with!
Good job and you're spot on about where to sell; I've had the same issues/problems, bein gin a location that's not "Art minded." Potential buyers have to be in your space with the thought of going there to see/buy art-not vegetables, surfboards or food-they need to be looking for art-or else, they're brain sometimes doesn't even see you/your art. Street vending art is a tough gig...I'm still trying to figure it out....
16:00 I have given classes in using/building and maintaining 3D printers and the energy i got back from that was just mind blowing. I think you forget just how few people are out there that can oversee every aspect of 3D printing and do design to printing to product. My products are focused on industrial solutions and I didn't realize i was doing something special until i was offered 5K for a retrofit of a few defunct servo's.
After years of streets and flea markets, people respond to an offer. Having something interesting going on like the printer will attract people interested in finding out more. Putting up prices will bring in buyers. Put up prices and you'll have customers coming up with cash in hand already having decided what they want to buy. If you want to entertain then make your stand entertaining, if you want to sell then put out an offer with big, clear prices.
Sales 101: Ask for the Sale. Simply ask, “Which one do you like?” When they select, ask, “Would you like to buy it now?” Remain SILENT until they answer. It’s not aggressive; You’re just helping them make a choice (and preventing them regretting NOT buying). Your product is good. I believe your sales technique just needs a tweak. All the best.
Does that actually work? For me that line of questioning is off-putting. I don't want to be put on the spot to make a decision. And both questions require me to make a decision on the spot.
@@Jehty_, it works if the potential buyer has offered 1 or more objections to buying (that you have answered with truth - to their satisfaction) in the form of doubtful questions. If they have had their concerns met with good (honest) product knowledge by the product specialist, that sales person should ask for the sale. It is uncomfortable for the Sales Person AND for the buyer, but the discomfort when prompted to make a decision is brief; The relief at making a choice and having an end to the potential endless options is actually appreciated by most customers. They are usually very happy at having made a firm decision and they feel better to have that seeking ‘the right option’ off their ‘to do list’.
That was a great tip from the magician: Try to be the most interesting person on the block. Also, selling a product that is immediately useful to their day would help (Sunglasses boxes, wallets, etc) Fusion Tip: When working with forms, you can select a face, then double-click the next face and the entire row of faces will be selected (much faster).
the idea is not sel the right stuff in the right environment. no one really go to the beach to buy plants and most of that other stuff is just garbage or outdated. if you sold it at a flea market or place that sell plants could help you a lot.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I like your super positive mindset. Many people in your place would have been very disappointed and sad after such a day. I'm impressed by the quality of the 3D printer you used. it seems there's really no need to spend 1000+ dollars for a decent 3D printer. Imho you should ask a small fee (say 2 USD) for all 3D printing plans together.
I think you may benefit by selling the pots as stand alone and market them with examples for multipurpose use. Instead of Pre filling with succulents that are already in overabundance in California, you may sell better letting the buyer imagine what theyd use it for. Also possibly finding a cost efficient box to sell them in.
First off thank you for making this video. My wife and I did a Martimus Fare at the church here in Scotland and I was told I couldn't sell tins of fresh air. "Nobody saw the joke" but we made over £300 for the church because people were wondering what fresh air smell like.... Go figure......... They stopped long enough to buy 3d printed bits and bobs from us, anything that was left we gave to a local charity to sell. They did really well..... Keep making the videos. Bill M8-)
I have the Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro and it's a great printer. Possibly my favorite part is they didn't rip off Klipper to make their own proprietary version. Open source Klipper is awesome. I use FreeCAD and it's probably not good for pottery CAD, or at least I'm not good with those features because I use CAD for structural parts. I've used OpenSCAD to make complex geometrical arty parts with swirled polygons lofted into 3D. It probably seems weird to most people to write code to generate 3D objects but the process is interesting and fun. Do one step at the time and watch it develop in the 3D space. Draw a polygon. Do it in a loop to stack polygons. Add a rotation each time for a lofted twist. Add other modifiers on each loop to modify the diameter. Adding a sine function can add some complex visual detail with very little effort. It's amazing how quickly the design becomes visually complex.
I think 3d printing is better if you use it to make parts that cant be found such as a missing lid for something or a broken mechanical piece like a gear or a switch or a lever that broke from something you cant replace, thats where the demand and money is high.
Other people have been giving awesome thought on why it did not work out. One other thought: although the printer draws a crowd, it also says: this is how it is made, super easy. It would diminish my feeling of it being worth the 15 bucks because you are fabricating it where I stand. Many people prefer products with terms such as 'hand-made' because it translates to worth in their mind.
Pricing perfect. I sell jewelry and have an Etsy shop and you said exactly what price I’d start out off the top of my head! Btw I’m a newby 3D printer!
I recommend setting up your booth/ kiosk and selling at a specific retail location. I had over 45 locations for over 10 years. Locations ranged from Walgreens, Home Depot and Golf Smith. During the holidays we'd make a killing. You need a location were people are purchase things. Subconsciously they're prepared to spend money on something and we all have the impulsive habit to buy things we don't really need. Guaranteed if you had these items at a golf store during Valentines Day week you'd sell all of you plants an pots in in an hour. The golfers need to give their wives something before they tell them they're going golfing. haha
I wasn't a street vendor, but I would table at art markets. I can't imagine how much harder it is to do it out on a street. You had a wow and engagement factor with the 3D printer, that's good. It draws people in, which can be hard to do with just the products you have. You had a great attitude and interacted with the customers really well! I struggle with that 😅 I think maybe the booth itself could have been nicer, but you did it all in a short amount of time. It looked as good as it it could have. I think you did a pretty good job! Better than i ever did at the markets 😂 it really is hard to be a vendor. There are so many factors that could make or break the day(s)!
Keep in mind that most people that walked by probably didn't want to have to carry them around all day. Many probably were on vacation from out of town too. Probably wouldn't want to have to worry about getting them on the plane, etc. I have researched Venice before, and selling anything over 10 and that can't fit in a pocket is a very difficult combo to sell there. I think if you were at a craft fair and could have your DIY van in your stall, and you promote that you both built out the van, you could pull the right kind of people in to sell anything you made yourself while travelling. Maker Fair and Open Sauce would be 2 for you to consider where you would have the right kinds of people there. I've sold custom 3D printed housewares and jewelry and Maker Fair SF. Still not the easiest thing to succeed at, but a much more receptive and paying crowd.
I think a factor could be most people will be walking around all day and don’t want to carry it. Maybe the vacationer demo is not ideal for sales. Or maybe set up closer to a large souvenirs shop to catch the people looking for things to take home.
Fun video idea, try a new product maybe... I don't think I would want to carry around a plant while walking around at the beach. But I really love that 2 tone sign idea. Could have used that a few days ago
Great video, exactly something I was wondering about as an owner of a 3D-printer myself. Have printed a few pots for home use and they have had a big respons on my own social media. Was wondering about expanding it into something like what you did. Nice to see it in action :-)
I really enjoyed watching that. I have a feeling that more unusual pot shapes would sell better. Instead of buying a plant in a recognizable pot, I'd be more interested in an animal shape or vehicle or anything uncommon.
Your ending talk was interesting. Because I find myself sorely disappointed (occasionally) that I'm not longer fascinated by my 3D Printers -- they're just "tools" now. Awesome tools, yeah, but just tools. I'm sure that most makers can relate to me in that first few days or weeks of 3D printing, being totally fascinated by the whole thing, and checking every 10 minutes to see what this "magic machine" was doing (and also thinking "man, this is slow... worst faster!!!") Now, I check every couple hours to make sure nothing is going disastrously wrong, but a lot of the magic is gone. I miss the early days of fascination, because it really is insanely cool technology.
Street vending is tough. People have their guard up. I bet you would absolutely CRUSH a farmers market setting. Great video, label me inspired.
I agree, it is tough. From what I can tell this dude did everything right (friendly, answered questions, and showed the process) and still only sold 2 in 4 hours :(
Really cool of him to release the designs also
I think sales in general is tough. You can put a very great salesman behind that desk and he would have sold them all. I agree though a farmers market in Manhattan Beach Metlox, these would sell like hot cakes. I hate plants but these are actually kind of cool. I'd buy one if it was $10-12. $15 may put me past my limit.
@@ryanholcombe8785yea he might have done the things you listed right, but he didn’t do everything right. Everything he did was basic, most important though his pot designs were basic. He could’ve been more organized he could’ve had the plants stacked up on like a stair way thing if that makes sense (like a row on the bottom and then the row behind it stands above that and so on), or shelves, and he could’ve had some unique showcase ones in front. If he chose more unique and creative designs I think he would’ve sold a lot more, and if he had a ton more variety not just 3 types.
he's friendly and looks non-threatening / approachable. those are the pluses. the negatives is that his sales skills are very poor. from the copy on the signs to leading customers into buying, he doesn't do that well at all. just improving those variables could get 5-10x the result. when you're talking with a potential client you're talking with purpose, and leading them into the final goal (sale).
My thoughts exactly. I'm getting my printers ready as we speak!
When picking a locale to sell plants, you have to consider, is your foot traffic prepared to handle the problem of "how do I get this home without destroying it". Farmer's market would be a better fit. Great vid.
It a small succulent, how could you consider destroying it by accident? Carry it and dont load anything over it, simple.
@@irate74you underestimate my reckless clumsiness
He also didn't prepare packaging material or prepackaged kits, big mistake
@@irate74 Don't even start. I've killed cacti before. I'm less nurturing than a desert.
@@irate74 thats's the point, "accidents happen",
2 pieces of advice for shows. 1) Have clear pricing on everything. It is human nature to just keep moving when the offer is not clear. 2) Stand as much as you can. People engage more when the seller is standing and doing something.
WRONG: Prices are binding and easy to pick up for the competitors. Make a "Get a Quote" bell instead. AND NEVER STAND! It is intimidating for potential customers.
@@swedishpsychopath8795 everytime im on a website and i see a "get a quote" i click off, seems scummy that theyre obviously hiding the price
@@swedishpsychopath8795 Okay both of you have good reasoning, please provide study articles that prove which one of you is the way to go. Thank you :)
Just put a sign saying starting at $15, so they get a base price but still got to ask. Me as a not very social person not going to see any price and move on because I've been taught if you have to ask, then it cost to much.
@@swedishpsychopath8795 As if your competitor will never figure out your price because you don't list them? I doubt it. Definitely he should make his prices clear and open here imo. No price comes across like a pressure sales trap.
Not displaying the price for pots was a bummer, people saw 3D printer and all that fancy tech.
They might've thought it'll be super expensive, that's why many people just walked off by looking.
It was expensive tho lol
As a plant lover I wouldn't necessarily spend $15 on a plant just because it has a nice pot. The pot would need to be something that I really want. I have seen 3D printing create some pretty functional stuff. And having the 3D printer there makes it for a great conversation piece. Since you're there at a social event you could try selling things like 3D printed toys. My kids love those things and don't cost much to make. Kids always ask "can you buy me that"
Best advice I can give: LABEL THE PRICES! It's so infuriating when a seller doesn't label the prices. It makes me think you are giving different prices and I'm more likely to keep walking than asking.
yep. the table should be sectioned off with a label up front to discern what that area costs per zone.
THIS 100% THIS. Also the entirely arbitrary discount always helps "10% off Opening Sale!" Etc etc
No Prices usually implies, HIGH Prices. AND, nobody wants to ask what the prices are.. if it isn't obviously a good deal, people will just walk by.
It's touched on at the end, but venue is equally as important - not a lot of people probably go to the boardwalk wanting to buy plants, and then carry them around until they get home. If it's a farmers market or something geared towards gardening, people might have been more interested.
Pricing your goods is equally important, but if you aren't where your customers are, you won't sell anything regardless.
I've thought about getting a printer and selling things online/locally, and the when & how of selling is something I've thought about a lot.
@@SwitchUpYtthis is quite literally immoral and illegal
I tried to become a street vendor for about a week. I offered bags that my father made and T-shirts with my designs on them. It was tough considering that I am an introvert. Most people just ignored what I was selling, and every time someone asked about my products, it truly boosted my hope even though they didn't buy anything. I only sold one shirt, but I'm so glad that at least one person noticed me. I have so much respect for all the street vendors.
as a flea market & art show vendor, I have found you set up one with the packaging...plants are hard to carry, so If they "see" you thought about that, they will get one. And similarly, you set one up to look like a perfect quick gift with a cute bag and blank gift card. Also buy 2 and get a discount kind of thing.
I'd also give them a way to easily carry the pot around since they likely will be walking an hour or more with it. Small box and a bag or a drink holder. Might help.
That would be an added expense.
@MorleyKert As a mechanical engineer with a heap of CAD experience across basically all 3D CAD packages used in industry, here's a friendly tip for doing the 3D CAD pot design much faster:
Create a bunch of planes 15-20mm apart, create a polygon shape (icon looks like a hexagon but you can specify the number of sides), exit sketch, go to next plane and repeat but start rotating the polygon shape 5 degrees per plane.
Once you've done this on the first plane and then on all the offset ones, use the Loft tool to loft between all the sketches on the planes. Once the loft creates a solid body, use the shell tool to hollow out the body of the pot. In the shell tool, you can define a face override - this is great for selecting the bottom face on the outside of the model and setting its thickness to twice that of the side walls.
There's the pot in 1/3 to 1/4 the time.
To adjust the twist, simply edit the sketches and adjust the rotation of the sketches, then click "Generate to Last" (or whatever your software calls it (sometimes "regenerate")) and its updated.
Exactly!
Next tip is to make the rotation, number of sides and distance between planes into variables that you can tweak. Then you can change the variables and test many variation of your planters in seconds!
ONE OF THE BESY MESSAGES I HAVE EVER READ - WELL DONE
Hi Matthew you probably dont have time for this but, if you could please make a video on how to do this please, Im more of a visualize learner, with words I cannot understand. Thank you
@@zero00tolerance Hi, I've put together a basic video doing everything slowly so its easy to follow (hence its approx 10 minutes long).
Please disregard how bad the plant pot in this video is, I wasn't aiming for appearance or quality, I was aiming to demonstrate the process I described making point of how the loft tool can handle bulges smoothly as well as rotation.
Once you're confident with the process it should take a few minutes only from start to finish.
Lastly, I apologise for the video only being 720p - I put this video together whilst my computer was using the bulk of its CPU and GPU for a multiphysics job.
The video is unlisted so you'll need the following link:
ua-cam.com/video/txTYTc4k65c/v-deo.html
Enjoy!
@@matthewnirenberg Wow thank you so much for this, I appreciate your time and effort for making this video. Amazing once again much love.
I’m so impressed with the wealth of vending advice in the comments! 🙌🏾👏🏾👍🏾😂
I'm a vendor here in L.A.... (Hollywood) simple... you need more tables. A longer set up will allow more people to browse and shop.
Also, keep in mind... the weather is a factor to a good day and a slow day. The time of year matters, too. Some months are just slow anyways.
Lastly, price point with large signage is important, too. If you lowered prices... had 3 tables with one price group on each table ... it will be simple to see & understand for the casual passersby.
Also, at least in Germany: At the beginning of the month the salary is paid out and people have more "money in the pocket" than towards month end (Nothing left to spend). So setting up towards the beginning of the month, more likely more people are willing to spend money.
Maybe you could design the pot with a water reservoir that would slowly self-water the plant? That'd be cool and useful 😊
I think it's great that you have the succulents planted already, but sometimes what draws people to buying is the experience. You did have education with the printer being there with it actively working, but if you had a "Build a Plant" with steps and options for people to purchase, I think you would have a better chance of getting people to buy. It's all about the experience for a customer. And yes, street vending, farmers' market, art/crafts shows...they all are long, tedious and arduous! I do agree with some that a farmers market venue would work better for you. People already know what to expect and are prepared for it. Great video! Keep it up!!!
I think that the printing time should be less than 15 minutes to be viable
Disagree. When I go to McDonald's, I do not want the experience of making a hamburger for myself and paying for it.
@@jackgamble6120 I think it depends on where you shop and the expectations for it. For example, McDonalds, you go there and expect them to make food for you. However, if you go to a place where you cook your own food like Korean bbq or a hot pot restaurant, then you wouldn't be that disappointed since you expected it.
@@natperXDyou could also have some already potted up for people that just want a plant
@@zellafae "Build A Plant" table next to "Premade" table: Why not both?
How have I not found this guy on UA-cam before?! As a 3D printer hobbyist, I love your content man!
Hi Morley, I was never a street vendor, what I did was a booth at craft shows where we sold items we made to raise money for "care packages" for deployed military working dogs. We, my friend and partner, did better when we were standing rather than sitting behind our tables. I think people are more likely to stop if they think you are busy (I'm not sure why that is). I hope you are enjoying your travels. Oh, and yes it is hard work to set up and be there all day, and then tear it all down. We had pop-up covers too. Lots of work for sure.
Fascinating!
As an introvert, at least ONE reason why I'd stop by when someone is busy is so I can poke and browse without immediately getting hooked into a conversation. The best thing a vendor can do is make themselves known to be available, but leave me alone until I approach them in conversation, even if I'm right there. It's an odd little unspoken song and dance that both parties need to get right to make a successful conversion.
@@infered5365Thanks for the reply. I am an introvert as well so the booth was difficult at first. When my friend became ill, I had to take it on myself. But mainly I want to say how I admire your woodworking skills. Turning pallets into furniture is magical.
@@infered5365 "leave me along until I engage in conversation" - this is called anti-social behavior not introversion lol.
@@chrishayes5755Being an introvert means being social costs energy. Therefore sometimes it just is not worth it.
Tip for beginner 3D printing enthusiast. ALWAYS remember the print time, because after people say ohh and ahh that will be their first question. "How long did that take?"
I agree with the printer at the table. It draws in a lot of people. I did the same thing when I sold at the Town festival. I also made cheap Marvel keychains that only take a few minutes to print, and handed them out as free gifts for the kids. I did make sales but had a blast demonstrating how the 3D printer works
I also think part of the issue could be that many haven’t seen 3d printing in real life, and they mistakenly thought the dirt and the plant were ALSO 3D printed (the man who wanted to touch it also touched the plant and the dirt) and were probably subconsciously disappointed by it just being the pot. Which is of course the opposite feeling we want to give any patron.
Great videos! Keep it up!
Haha yeah a lot of people did misinterpret the sign to mean "'3D printed plants"...
And succulents make it even more difficult to tell just by how they look. I would’ve been wondering how you made that look so realistic! :-)
Having a professional stand with branding and clear pricing is major key. Ive been selling handmade products at markets for a while. I see much future success in this!!
I'm surprised you didn't sell more. I would have bought one!
as a plant lover and someonewho loves succulents and have intrest on 3d printing
I can say this video is beautiful what a cool idea
Cool ideas doesn't always translate into money makers!
These are my absolute favorite videos to watch, thank you for making them! I think its such an interesting study on the economics of 3d printing, and I would love to see more of this type of content. Love from Arizona
Thank you so much for your generosity, I'm 79 just bought a Bambu X1 Carbon, and learning Fusion 360, don't think I will ever get to your level, Thanks Again!
Just a tip. Most people struggle to water succulents successfully. Redesign your pot with sort of a watering ring around the inside with tiny holes where the water drip through. That way,no more rotting roots or dying succulents because they do not get all round equal water, and a little education on this and why your succulent pot is different will be the selling point. Now got o the farmers market and you will sell out in no time.
OMG bro. Bambu has had (for more than 6mo since you published this video) a "vase mode". It does all this for you. You just pick the single curve you want, and it'll do it in 360 degrees for the model, and then the printing "spiral vase mode" prints it forever in a spiral, which makes the vase much more cohesive, and much more likely to hold water (you can guess how I know).
hey morley, loved the video, but i think you priced your stuff too high, if you got your plants cheaper and sold them for under 10 bucks, i think you would've sold a lot more, because at least for me, 10 bucks is a magic limit for spontaneus purchases
I actually disagree - very few people ended up actually ended up asking the price (since I didn't have it posted visually), and of those who did, a relatively high proportion ended up buying plants. It was priced as a luxury good in a tourist spot.
@MorleyKert Completely Agree!!! ...and the point that you're competing for people's attention is valid!!! Another interesting thought is that if you would be serious about the succulent business, you could pinch off/trim pieces during transplanting to re-start in the pots you took them out of!!! Almost a self-perpetuating business model!!!
@@MorleyKertthat’s interesting, I actually wonder if posting the price would change the outcome. Personally I think just asking how much something is creates a barrier, for me at least.
@@jeremyspecceI agree, it's just the act of asking a price of an item that would make me not buy it. I prefer to read the prices of the bat.
I’m the same. The moment I ask a price, I feel like I’ve locked myself into either buying or doing the ‘I’m actually too poor’ walk of shame. It also feels like I’m insulting the seller when I walk away from their price. All my own internal states mind you haha, but no doubt these are the internal states of a lot of people.
Man I was so hooked on your woodworking videos because of your creativity. I'm still a beginner in woodworking so I'm focusing on that but I still rewatch your old videos because I learn a lot on what I should and don't do. More power to you and your wife. Keep grinding and good luck on your journey!
Congrats on the Elegoo sponsorship man :)
This channel is so nuts for me. I watch van life and also 3D printing and the algorithm took years to feed me this awesome channel.
💯💯
I think the eye popping way to do a business like this would be printing on site or even on demand (huge library of fun planter designs) with a tiny bonkers fast printer. Small succulent pots could be 5-10 min prints no problem, and watching it would be part of the attraction.
Any pot of a decent size would be impossible to print in 5 minutes on a small printer. You would need a very large printer to print something that fast.
By large , the extruder , the cooling , hotend would have to be very high end
@@Techno4more Up to 2g/min is doable with very basic hotend and CHT. The hard part is not flow but motion system capable of utilizing that. An upgraded V0, the 100, upgraded mini bedslinger, or mini delta or quantum delta would be candidates.
@@daliasprints9798 the flow is always the limiting factor. The motion system doesn't have to be fast at all.. I guess it depends on what nozzle size you want. For a larger planter you could do .4 layer height .7 layer width on a .6 nozzle. The limiting factor would be plastic extrusion
@@Techno4more If you want it to look good and have any kind of detailed pattern or texture, you need extreme acceleration get through these quick. A 5 minute benchy, which is comparable plastic mass to what you'd need for a smallest-size succulent pot you see in stores, takes nearly 100k mm/s² acceleration to pull off, but under 40 mm³/s of flow. Flow is only dominant for large and/or super simple prints.
Interesting, because we are super used to 3d printers, but the general public still don't know much about it. I worked as a Street Vendor for a time, when I was younger, it has good things but there's a lot of annoying ones, for example, when start to rain, or crazy people that lives in the streets comes and starts to annoy you, you have to keep an eye in everything you placed in the street because of thieves, etc...
I like your pots.
Would I buy one?
No. And here is why
I simply would not buy one AT THIS LOCATION, because I do not want to stroll around at the beach front with a plant in hand.
It is different for T-shirts or even books. They can easily be stowed in a back bag or a plastic bag. But I do not want to do this to a plant.
So in a nutshell: At least for me, this is the wrong product at the wrong location.
You had a great idea. Especially taking along the working 3D printer. Thanks for the detailed tutorial. Totally enjoying your journey.
What an absolute legend, goes and does this as an experiment- then provides the files afterwards for others to try! New subscriber for you mate!
Need to be getting your plants wholesale.
Actually he should just be propagating the succulents. You can make hundreds of new plants from just a few plants.
Here is an idea. Seems like there is something about the design/color and how people want a different combination of plant and maybe a different design/color than what you currently have the plant in. Maybe make a twisty fidget type design where there is an inner core which will hold the plant and soil, the designs could be modular where the plant and holder snugly fits in any design/color you have. This allows you to customize the plant/pot right on the spot. I would color the interior black or brown so that it matches the soil. You could simply drop it into the desired pot and it could spin down into it like the twisty fidget toys.
13:08 thats the ballin dude, phycadelic! OML
Haha yeah, I recognized him as well! Good spot
@@rosserobertolli same on you!
fr i spotted him too and went down in the comments to see if anyone else did lol 🤣🤣
I commented before I saw this comment lol@@Sv3ks
@@Sv3ks same
You can imprint, Put the location on the planter purchase., Venice beach 2024, etc.... Souvenirs need to have where you got them from.. Plants grow on the side of the road in southern cal. And local plants
Awesome idea.
I gotta show this one to my business class as well….
:-)
Thank you for this. I really learned a lot about actual 3D printing. I was so skeptical before and didn't understand anything about 3D printing.
This was soo cool and interesting to watch. I personally have taken part in multiple craft shows selling different hand made items and can totally relate to your experience! I love it so much when you upload. I am hoping to start a UA-cam channel soon and have taken a lot of inspiration from you!
And people are after food, that's y food makes money .
But I love plants. You did a great Job! And your so positive!!
I have passed for that place in GTAV so many times, that I almost can tell where they sell pot. 😂😂😂
This was interesting, thank you. I want to do craft shows (seem less hectic than street vendors) but even then still scared to, the only advice I can give is from others I know who do, and that is to not sit lower (or at all if possible). Higher-up chairs bring you to the eye line and are more engaging. So I am told. But I always love when you bring the machine out in public.
I can't use F360 but watching I still learned. I tried it in Blender, and while only pseudo-parametric, I was able to create something similar in about 4 minutes.
Whenever I get potted plants, I leave them in the little plastic pots, and put the whole thing in the decorative pots. Then the water drains from the inside pot (which usually has little "feet") so I don't have to worry about drainage, and I also don't need a plate or similar under the pot. Long story short, I avoid decorative pots with drainage holes. Do with this information what you will.
Also, love the video, all the videos, both of you, and your lovely pets.
Conversely my wife is big into house plants and will only buy pots with bottom drain holes.
@@Natefirethemagnetsit's easier to add a hole than to remove one 😊
U should put a flat like sign part with the Santa Monica writed and maybe something cute to be sold like a souvenir for tourist, maybe it would sell more for people just visiting and wanting a cute gift or souvenir, only the plant 🪴 is one thing but a cute plant in a cute 3D printed vase and with Santa Monica writed is another level, keep it coming 🤛🏻
😮build working place before door to have natural light for video mind blowing 🤯
This type of video is best
Natural light is the best!
I did my very first 3D print last night! I'll be checking out tons more of your videos.
THANKS MORLEY ,I ALWAYS HAVE FUN WATCHING YOUR VIDEOS. AND I AM LOOKING EVERY DAY ON YOUR YT ACCOUNT FOR NEW VIDEOS (BUT I HAVE SEEN THEM ALL 😢)YOU MAKE MY DAY BY UPLOADING !!
That's awesome to hear! Thanks for watching
Brilliant 🙂 True entrepreneur. Source your plants for less and pass the savings on to the buyer. Also, provide a little shopping bag - costs you nothing. (A branded one would be even better). Great video!
Is it a 3d printing business, or is it a flower pot business ...
Was an interesting upbeat quick and concise video.
New to 3D printing and exploring equipment and software
As an Architectural Engineer was impressed with your attention to detail and design time management
Might I suggest a Design progression video. From the first base cylinder then print the break is down and show each step of the design evolution and 3D print these then display as part of your sales display. Would be like watching a sculptor working the clay on a pottery wheel but in this case the 3D print.
Maybe narrow it down to 4 images and print all 4 at one time similar to your live printing for this sidewalk sale.
Good video and appreciate your efforts and sharing !!!
From the title, I thought you were going to print things people asked you to on the street. That would have been more fun to watch.
You're right in a way but the reality is that to print even the small pot, take 3 hours. No one will stay there to se their print
Spraying them with some like metal spray paint would look cool. Like that spray paint that’s used for mailboxes or patio furniture. The stuff that looks metal but also has texture.
I think the main reason why you did not sell a lot is because most of those people are going places and doing things and don't want to carry a plant around all over the place. Why I would not buy one.
I’ve seen several people on here suggest different places however, I would add a flea market aspect, because typically all you find is stuff there. The people are just trying to get rid of along with that you never find anybody who is actually making the product while they’re there. Another thing to keep in mind at a flea market people want to barter they want to figure out what this is worth and that’s worth what they can get you down to and it’ll also kind of help you to narrow in your pricing for your products
thought he was 3d printing sidewalks
Me too
😂😂😂 I needed that
Me 3
Hey Morley, awesome video - fair play for posting the results.
As a long time watcher it would be great to see more of the woodwork projects back on the channel! I think these videos were also your most watched
Hard to do with Van life
0:05 lol i remember the roman empire trend
Same
Lol right the only way to get a decent looking piece of custom clothes pots ECT and just pain them and sell on the spot and paint in front of customers is what I do and as I'm painting a really extravagant pot withpre then 3 colors I will get a crowd of 30-45 ppl at once when I first started spray paint art
Love that magician for sharing a tip with you. That is kindness. Great video.
This is not the pot you are searching for.
Hey, Morley. That is great content. You have the germ of a good idea here. I work for a major national retailer and have a few suggested changes that might increase sales for your consideration. First, you should post all the prices, but then go ahead and strike through the price and have a lower price next to each one. E.g. for the small plants, write "$15", but strike through it and write "Sale $10". The size of the price text can be relatively small; small is good because curious customers need to come close to your table to read them.
Next, get one of those inexpensive little Square credit card readers that attach to your iPhone, and also write "Cash and Visa/MC Accepted" in big letters somewhere on your sign. Not everyone carries cash in LA.
Lastly, the plant pots are great, but you may have overdone them. If you're selling your 3D stuff on the street, I suggest limiting your table to 5 plants of various sizes. Then, I would also have a bunch of other 3D-printed knickknacks in multiple colors that sell well on Etsy, all arranged randomly, so the customers need to scan all your excellent goods visually. Keep the pricing structure simple, for example, flat prices for each knickknack based on its size -- you can use colored stickers on each to indicate the price and have a "key" on your sign, like "Green $5, Yellow $10", etc.
If you change the formula slightly, I would love a follow-up video!
you talked about how people sell niche products on etsy that wouldn’t normally be mass produced, but then you go and sell super generic designs? no disrespect to your cad skills but you should be selling pots that are like the ones on etsy, unique. only achieved through 3d printing.
Thanks for the free downloads! Im totaly gonne check it out as research to make my own type.
I love plants and often have ofshoots that I like to give away.
I was not a fan of your draining hole tough. I get the why, but I would HATE water stains on my things.
You hit on (why you only sold $30 for 7 hours work), at around 15:30 or so... You were doing UN-targeted marketing, the 3D printer was the draw, the product didn't sell because they were NOT the draw. This was kind of like a tiktok experience in the real world. All flash, no cash. Good on you for trying, it was entertaining. PS: You made a ton more money from filming and sharing the experience on YT, so you won regardless :)
That's the meta video: I made an interesting UA-cam video, how much cash did I make?
best way to sell is to call people out. most people will buy you just have to bring them in and explain why this is something they would love. no matter the product. i see alot of vendors everywhere i sell complain that they arent making money but 90 percent of the day they just sit on their phones instead of trying to initiate a conversation and move it into a sell. its def possible to make more sells just with a small greeting
Pricing ridiculous.
How it takes 3 hours for the smallest one? Plus it’s California everyone has much more money then others
I thought it was kind of skeevy he gave away the rest to randoms when he made two people pay. It's one thing if they went to friends and family, but he was basically punishing those two customers for being early, lol.
I was really rooting for you to sell all or at least most of them. I am not much of an indoor plant guy (okay, I have none), but I did like the design of the vases.
Better to just bring the pots and not bring the 3d printer
I run a handmade candle company and have done many markets (slightly different). Our struggle has always been drawing people into the stall, once there we have a fairly high conversion rate.
The truth is that selling products like this is extremely difficult, and most companies don’t make much doing it. For us it’s a way to get our products in front of new customers and potentially picking up new wholesalers. Otherwise markets are rarely worth attending, and yes sometimes you don’t even cover your costs.
Thank you 🙏. Just printed the bulbous.stl on my CREALITY K1 Max. No supports were needed. Beautiful, solid, and heavy with zero imperfections. Awesome!!!!
I think this would likely have done a bit better with a liiitle bit more setup- i.e. have a few small paint dip bins and let people pick their dip colour. Since the plant also matters, it would be worth having the plants potted in 3d-printed mesh in a big rectangular soil container, that way people can pick the plant, pick the pot and put them together. Packaging is another consideration as well, since people walking around in an area like that might like it but it's difficult to rationalize carrying a plant around for potentially several hours, so total addressable market seems smaller than it could be. If there was a way to protect/bag it, that would help.
The questions I'd have seeing a stand like this would be:
- What if I drop it?
- Will the soil fall out?
- How will I carry it?
- Can I keep the plant alive?
- Is it heavy? How long will I be here?
Super cool idea overall! With a few printers and a few designs to choose from this could scale fairly well if someone wanted a custom pot chosen from a few (tested) templates
Like the idea of pick your pot and pick your plant match up. Maybe a layer of coconut fibre over the soil to keep the soil in?..
I actually think a huge factor is people don’t want to carry something like that around with them all day after purchasing, especially something that you couldn’t tip over like a plant!
Just a thought! Super fun video! Love watching what you come up with!
good point! Thanks for watching
Good job and you're spot on about where to sell; I've had the same issues/problems, bein gin a location that's not "Art minded." Potential buyers have to be in your space with the thought of going there to see/buy art-not vegetables, surfboards or food-they need to be looking for art-or else, they're brain sometimes doesn't even see you/your art. Street vending art is a tough gig...I'm still trying to figure it out....
16:00 I have given classes in using/building and maintaining 3D printers and the energy i got back from that was just mind blowing. I think you forget just how few people are out there that can oversee every aspect of 3D printing and do design to printing to product. My products are focused on industrial solutions and I didn't realize i was doing something special until i was offered 5K for a retrofit of a few defunct servo's.
After years of streets and flea markets, people respond to an offer. Having something interesting going on like the printer will attract people interested in finding out more. Putting up prices will bring in buyers. Put up prices and you'll have customers coming up with cash in hand already having decided what they want to buy.
If you want to entertain then make your stand entertaining, if you want to sell then put out an offer with big, clear prices.
Sales 101: Ask for the Sale.
Simply ask, “Which one do you like?”
When they select, ask,
“Would you like to buy it now?”
Remain SILENT until they answer.
It’s not aggressive; You’re just helping them make a choice (and preventing them regretting NOT buying).
Your product is good. I believe your sales technique just needs a tweak.
All the best.
Interesting!
Does that actually work?
For me that line of questioning is off-putting.
I don't want to be put on the spot to make a decision. And both questions require me to make a decision on the spot.
@@Jehty_, it works if the potential buyer has offered 1 or more objections to buying (that you have answered with truth - to their satisfaction) in the form of doubtful questions. If they have had their concerns met with good (honest) product knowledge by the product specialist, that sales person should ask for the sale. It is uncomfortable for the Sales Person AND for the buyer, but the discomfort when prompted to make a decision is brief; The relief at making a choice and having an end to the potential endless options is actually appreciated by most customers. They are usually very happy at having made a firm decision and they feel better to have that seeking ‘the right option’ off their ‘to do list’.
Funny you mention the pier. I've only been to LA twice. The only time I bought something from a street vender was on a Santa Monica Pier.
That was a great tip from the magician: Try to be the most interesting person on the block. Also, selling a product that is immediately useful to their day would help (Sunglasses boxes, wallets, etc) Fusion Tip: When working with forms, you can select a face, then double-click the next face and the entire row of faces will be selected (much faster).
the idea is not sel the right stuff in the right environment. no one really go to the beach to buy plants and most of that other stuff is just garbage or outdated. if you sold it at a flea market or place that sell plants could help you a lot.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. I like your super positive mindset. Many people in your place would have been very disappointed and sad after such a day.
I'm impressed by the quality of the 3D printer you used. it seems there's really no need to spend 1000+ dollars for a decent 3D printer.
Imho you should ask a small fee (say 2 USD) for all 3D printing plans together.
LOL I get the SAME questions all the time at Train Shows when I bring my Voron. I make stuff for Model Railroading, buildings, rolling stock ect.
Focus!! If you were at a plant sale, you would have nailed it. Sadly, too many people looking for too many things in a street.
You could print some small gifts to hand out.
Or sell more diverse products. Like some miniatures or toys alongside the plants.
I think you may benefit by selling the pots as stand alone and market them with examples for multipurpose use. Instead of Pre filling with succulents that are already in overabundance in California, you may sell better letting the buyer imagine what theyd use it for. Also possibly finding a cost efficient box to sell them in.
First off thank you for making this video. My wife and I did a Martimus Fare at the church here in Scotland and I was told I couldn't sell tins of fresh air. "Nobody saw the joke" but we made over £300 for the church because people were wondering what fresh air smell like.... Go figure.........
They stopped long enough to buy 3d printed bits and bobs from us, anything that was left we gave to a local charity to sell. They did really well.....
Keep making the videos.
Bill M8-)
I have the Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro and it's a great printer. Possibly my favorite part is they didn't rip off Klipper to make their own proprietary version. Open source Klipper is awesome.
I use FreeCAD and it's probably not good for pottery CAD, or at least I'm not good with those features because I use CAD for structural parts. I've used OpenSCAD to make complex geometrical arty parts with swirled polygons lofted into 3D. It probably seems weird to most people to write code to generate 3D objects but the process is interesting and fun. Do one step at the time and watch it develop in the 3D space. Draw a polygon. Do it in a loop to stack polygons. Add a rotation each time for a lofted twist. Add other modifiers on each loop to modify the diameter. Adding a sine function can add some complex visual detail with very little effort. It's amazing how quickly the design becomes visually complex.
I think 3d printing is better if you use it to make parts that cant be found such as a missing lid for something or a broken mechanical piece like a gear or a switch or a lever that broke from something you cant replace, thats where the demand and money is high.
Other people have been giving awesome thought on why it did not work out. One other thought: although the printer draws a crowd, it also says: this is how it is made, super easy. It would diminish my feeling of it being worth the 15 bucks because you are fabricating it where I stand. Many people prefer products with terms such as 'hand-made' because it translates to worth in their mind.
Pricing perfect. I sell jewelry and have an Etsy shop and you said exactly what price I’d start out off the top of my head! Btw I’m a newby 3D printer!
I have the elegoo Neptune 3 pro and it’s amazing 100% recommend it
I recommend setting up your booth/ kiosk and selling at a specific retail location. I had over 45 locations for over 10 years. Locations ranged from Walgreens, Home Depot and Golf Smith. During the holidays we'd make a killing. You need a location were people are purchase things. Subconsciously they're prepared to spend money on something and we all have the impulsive habit to buy things we don't really need. Guaranteed if you had these items at a golf store during Valentines Day week you'd sell all of you plants an pots in in an hour. The golfers need to give their wives something before they tell them they're going golfing. haha
interesting!
I wasn't a street vendor, but I would table at art markets. I can't imagine how much harder it is to do it out on a street. You had a wow and engagement factor with the 3D printer, that's good. It draws people in, which can be hard to do with just the products you have. You had a great attitude and interacted with the customers really well! I struggle with that 😅 I think maybe the booth itself could have been nicer, but you did it all in a short amount of time. It looked as good as it it could have. I think you did a pretty good job! Better than i ever did at the markets 😂 it really is hard to be a vendor. There are so many factors that could make or break the day(s)!
Keep in mind that most people that walked by probably didn't want to have to carry them around all day. Many probably were on vacation from out of town too. Probably wouldn't want to have to worry about getting them on the plane, etc.
I have researched Venice before, and selling anything over 10 and that can't fit in a pocket is a very difficult combo to sell there. I think if you were at a craft fair and could have your DIY van in your stall, and you promote that you both built out the van, you could pull the right kind of people in to sell anything you made yourself while travelling.
Maker Fair and Open Sauce would be 2 for you to consider where you would have the right kinds of people there. I've sold custom 3D printed housewares and jewelry and Maker Fair SF. Still not the easiest thing to succeed at, but a much more receptive and paying crowd.
I think a factor could be most people will be walking around all day and don’t want to carry it. Maybe the vacationer demo is not ideal for sales. Or maybe set up closer to a large souvenirs shop to catch the people looking for things to take home.
Fun video idea, try a new product maybe... I don't think I would want to carry around a plant while walking around at the beach.
But I really love that 2 tone sign idea. Could have used that a few days ago
Great video, exactly something I was wondering about as an owner of a 3D-printer myself. Have printed a few pots for home use and they have had a big respons on my own social media. Was wondering about expanding it into something like what you did. Nice to see it in action :-)
I really enjoyed watching that. I have a feeling that more unusual pot shapes would sell better. Instead of buying a plant in a recognizable pot, I'd be more interested in an animal shape or vehicle or anything uncommon.
Your ending talk was interesting. Because I find myself sorely disappointed (occasionally) that I'm not longer fascinated by my 3D Printers -- they're just "tools" now. Awesome tools, yeah, but just tools.
I'm sure that most makers can relate to me in that first few days or weeks of 3D printing, being totally fascinated by the whole thing, and checking every 10 minutes to see what this "magic machine" was doing (and also thinking "man, this is slow... worst faster!!!")
Now, I check every couple hours to make sure nothing is going disastrously wrong, but a lot of the magic is gone. I miss the early days of fascination, because it really is insanely cool technology.