tabling at a fest

[Bri Zine]

sorry if this has already been a thread. tried searching, found nothing.

i've only tabled at one event before-- a smaller comic con here in cleveland. i only brought maybe 20 copies of my zine with me and didn't sell out. however, most spectators were not there for feminist perzines.

i'll be attending and (hopefully) tabling the chicago zine fest in march (chicagozinefest.org if you don't know about it!) and was wondering just how many copies of my zine i should be making for it? i figured some of you here probably have better experience with tabling than i, and thus could make a better estimate. i know there are only about 45 tables, but i have no idea how many people will attend. i don't want to end up with too many extras on my hands, but i also would hate to run out halfway through the day. any help is appreciated :)

[Emma Jane Falconer]

I always try to bring 20 copies of every issue, to have a good supply of stuff. I never sell all of them, but it's nice not to run out of stuff. The zine scene is significantly smaller in the UK than the US though, so I don't know if those numbers would work for a big event like the one in Chicago.

[Derek Neuland]

This is a good question as I will be tabling for the first time at this year's Portland Zine Symposium and would love to know how many copies people have sold/traded there on average

[Billy Da Bunny]

it's a tricky thing! every fest is different, and every zine is different. but i go by the rule that it is WAY better to have too many than not enough. if you run out, that sucks! if you have left overs you can take them to local zine shops, give them away in trades, or bring them back home for you. so i say make lots. you might only sell 10, but maybe you'll trade another 10, then take 5 to quimbys and 5 to chicago comics, ya know? if you only have one issue of one zine, i'd make at least 30. but that's just me, i'll give away 20 copies of a zine for free just to people i meet!

[Bri Zine]

yea i was figuring the more is better route would work best. i'll probably be bringing 3-4 issues of my zine, so i'll probably make around 20-30 of each. thank goodness for three cent copy day at the ups store!