My Best Selling Hand Built Pottery at Markets & Festivals
A question I often get from fellow potters, friends, and family is: which ceramic pieces sell the best at markets? I always say, “well, it’s a tough one. Usually I sell a little bit of everything each weekend.”
I find that it really depends on the specific market, the season, pricing, and your target “audience” of shoppers.
Here is a list of the typical hand built pieces I always have in stock at markets:
Ashtrays ($30-$80)
Espresso cups, medium sized mugs, and large mugs ($35-$60)
Planter pots ($25-$65)
Jewelry/trinket dishes ($20-$25)
Air plant holders including a live air plant ($20)
Worry stones ($5)
As of September 2025 (this month) I have a whole holiday section on my tables for early holiday shoppers which include jewelry dishes, ashtrays, planter pots, and ornaments ($5-$60). At least right now, I’m really only making ornament sales here and there. That’ll change closer to November, though.
Sales of one particular item fluctuate, but worry stones usually sell the fastest. They’re a quick grab, inexpensive, and people find them useful. Plus everyone loves digging through the container to find the perfect one that fits their thumb.
The next most popular are kind of a toss up between air plant holders and circle/oval dishes. If I can sell at least one ashtray per market I’m happy.
Over the past year+ of selling at markets I’ve learned to refine my pricing. If I make pieces with the same design in different sizes, it gives people options to buy what they want in the price range that they’re comfortable with.
For example: I sell a lot of pottery with pin up girl designs. I’ll use those designs on ashtrays, mugs, dishes, and planter pots. See above for the range of pricing for each item. That way, if someone says, “Ugh, I love pin up designs, but I don’t use ashtrays,” I can direct them towards a similarly priced mug instead. If they say, “I have too many mugs,” then I’ll direct them towards a less expensive jewelry dish.
If you’ve made it (or skipped) to the bottom, here’s the takeaway: for me, worry stones sell the “best” in terms of quantity. The most I’ve sold at one market is 18 of them. Just keep in mind they’re my least expensive item, so I’m not making a million bucks there.
I would love to know what other potters sell the most of, and if you’re a shopper, what do you like to buy?
Cheers, everyone!