Squirrel In The Headlights

I encountered another vending first this weekend doing a nearby local show selling the photography. There was a beautiful young girl in the booth who said she’d take a canvas off the wall. I told her to pick out her two free 12x16s that go with it and waited on someone else while she did. At checkout, I showed her the total on the iPad of $195 plus tax. She then said she thought the price marked had read $19.50!

I mark all the prices as the number with a dash following, such as 195-. Good grief, it seems hard to believe someone could miss that, or was she not quite awake? I never had anyone do that before in nearly twenty years of shows.

She then decided to go with only the two 12x16s, but even that was too much at $49 for the pair. Then we’re down to a single for $40. At that point, she changed the one she wanted entirely and balked at 40! I let her change to another image and have it for $30. Finally, I got the sale, which is the entire point of my being at the show; not a problem. And as for her, she was mostly after a good train picture for her dad for his birthday, and she came away with one at a price she could handle.

I didn’t get angry with her at all, I just let it unfold…it was okay. The situation was only people being people and I hope she’ll improve with age and nothing bad happens to her.

This encounter reminded me of a squirrel going back and forth unpredictably in front of an oncoming car. I’ve decided you could vend at shows for a hundred years and always see something new, all you have to do is wait!

Up Next: Photographing an Arabian Stallion