Are craft fairs more profitable than selling online?
The channel that feels busier is not always the one that keeps the most profit once every fee, hour, and fulfillment cost is counted.
The Narrative (Left Column)
The Empathy
One weekend you are exhausted from a packed craft fair and the cash box feels heavy. The next week, a handful of online orders land while you are sipping coffee at home. It is hard to compare the two because the fair has booth fees, travel, and setup time, while online sales bring listing fees, shipping supplies, and customer service. Both channels feel promising, but the numbers blur together, leaving you unsure where the real profit is hiding.
The Education
Compare the cost structure before judging the margin. Craft fairs carry upfront fixed costs (booth fees, fuel, lodging, display supplies) plus on-site labor, so you need enough sales volume to clear those costs. Online selling has lower event overhead, but each order chips away at margin with platform fees, payment processing, packaging, shipping labels, and the time spent listing and packing. A $200 fair day with $60 in fees and 8 hours of labor might net less than $150 in online orders that lose 12% to fees and shipping, or it might net more if in-person upsells lift average order value. The key is calculating net profit per hour by channel so you can see which one keeps more of every sale.
The Solution
Track the channels separately: log each fair's total sales, fees, travel costs, and hours worked, then log each online order's fees, shipping, packaging, and fulfillment time. When you summarize the month, compare net profit per hour and net profit per order across channels. With a simple system, you can decide whether to book more fairs, invest in online ads, or focus on the mix that delivers the strongest margin without burning you out.
Stop Guessing. Start Growing.
Stop waiting until the end of the month to see if you made money. Get instant clarity on every sale, even without Wi-Fi.
