HANDMADE SHOW Verses ONLINE MARKETPLACE – PROs and CONs

The world around us presents so many opportunities. A new term has come up in the world of antiques - Urban Vintage. The combination of Urban and Vintage denotes a stylish yet retro feel from clothing to art and jewelry, furniture and whimsical pieces. Urban Vintage shows are often tied to another show in a similar vein called Handmade Markets. The first Handmade Market show was created in 2006 as a sponsored shopping event, and featured 40 independent designers from North Carolina and beyond.

Handmade Market in North Caroline with so many handcrafted genuine articles, only for two days

The show offered buyers goods such as framed art, jewelry, tea boxes, cutting boards, and other items of wooden loveliness. The creators of the Handmade Market said that “The Handmade Market provided the Triangle community (in North Carolina) with a unique opportunity to support and discover the flourishing local and regional independent art, craft, and design scene.” As with most handmade goods, the type of items you can find at these shows is limited only by the imagination of the craftsmen and women behind the scenes.

But, why travel all the way to North Carolina to visit the show when you can have the show brought to you! Why do people go to the shows when so much is now available online? What advantages do face-to-face interactions at shows bring to consumers, as opposed to the advantages of online shopping for similar products? Let’s compare and see for ourselves the Pros and Cons of either option.

Pros for attending shows

So, what gets people off the couch to fight the crowds and the weather at the various shows around the country? If you’re like me, some of the reasons to go to the shows include:

· Having the opportunity to browse through the variety of goods

· Being part of the show atmosphere and experience

· Flowing through the crowd and participating in conversations

· Talking directly to the various vendors

· Being able to pay in different ways including cash or checks

· Viewing the colors of the season that highlight the time of year the show is held

· Trying and tasting the various foods and drinks that are available for tired customers like me to enjoy when your energy after walking for few hours between kiosks starts to get you down

Cons for attending shows

Sure, there are lots of good times and memories to be had at various local shows, but what is the downside to seeing everything live and in person, and what advantage does shopping online for similar product have for buyers?

· Being able to pay in different ways including cash or checks

· As shows become more and more popular, the sizes of the crowds also increase. Some people like the crowds, others might not enjoy being surrounded by several thousand of their “closest friends”

· The shows are becoming so big that you need a map to find your way around, along with a good pair of comfortable shoes

· If you visit shows during the summer months, the heat, and in some cases, the lack of ventilation, will quickly turn you off from going much further

· You may have to fight the crowds to see the more popular items, and waiting in lines is never much fun

· It might take some time before the vendors even have a chance to notice you standing there. They also might not have the time to talk with you and answer your specific questions about the product.

· Getting to the shows can also be a hassle. Finding and paying for parking, along with the long walk to get to the show might make people reconsider going

· Sometimes just the cost of a ticket to the show is more than you are willing to pay

· If you don’t have cash you might be out of luck with some vendors

· Of course it would be great if all the shows you are interested in were local, but that’s rarely the case, and the cost to travel to a show you would like to see can be prohibitive

Benefits of shopping online

Even though a show might give you a chance to see great merchandise and talk with very unique local artisans, places like Lavky Marketplace can give you better variety, greater options and often times, better prices. The endless categories of handcrafted items from faraway places like the Ukraine, Russia and even Uzbekistan are available at your fingertips and you don’t need to buy a ticket to look on the possibilities.

Endless creative handmade goods at your fingertips anytime you want here at Lavky.com!

Lavky Marketplace, a unique online shopping experience

In a tech-obsessed world, consumers value things that are authentic and have a sense of handcrafted individuality to them. For example, there are these tactile, handmade, hand-embroidered, washed and reconstructed, decorative pillows that you could see on the picture above. Or how about the handcrafted wooden tea boxes that hold teas and chai fragrances for as long as you can enjoy them.

Brew and enjoy the fragrant 5pm tea time using these tea-holders and taking tea bags from the handcrafted wooden boxes!

There are also meticulously detailed wooden watches, inspired by history and modern trends including crochet tunics and dresses, scarfs, wraps and shawls. Let’s also not forget chairs, natural walnut wood ottomans, lamps, vases, mirrors, trays and other hard home décor accessories. In this fast paced world filled with man-made anxieties, it’s nice to find a few reminders of simpler times when people took pride not only in what they made, but also what they wore.

Use your golden key to open the endless possibilities here at Lavky.com

Now, if you looking for the latest trends from higher-end designers, without spending too much time either traveling or breaking your budget, come to Lavky marketplace and take a ride to an exclusive and amazing product selections.

Use your “golden key” to open a hidden door to the newly created Lavky Marketplace, where you could find anything from paintings, to jewelry, to graphic arts, and to vintage Russian and Ukrainian collectibles!