Gonna try something at my event Saturday...

[Iguanadon]

This Saturday is my last event of the year and I came up with an idea I want to try, just for kicks to see if it stimulates traffic at my booth and subsequently additional sales...  It'll be fun for the kids and even the adults.  I likely won't have to give away many, if any puzzles.  I can put it together in about 3 minutes, but I'm familiar with it.  I'll test it on Mrs. Iggy to see how long it takes her.  LOL

I have the outline of one that will be sitting there so that people know what it is they're trying to assemble.

The Rubik's Cube is just for show, but if anyone challenges me, I'm able to solve a scrambled cube in under 3 minutes.  ;-)

What do you think?

[jbrowning]

I like the idea Scott. I had a Santa head out and a little girl took it apart and took her almost 5 minutes to put it back together.

[Rockytime]

I  think you are a genius putting the Rubik cube rightwise in three minues. The puzzle test is cute too.

[Iguanadon]

5 minutes ago, Rockytime said:

I  think you are a genius putting the Rubik cube rightwise in three minues. The puzzle test is cute too.

I memorized the solution to the Rubik's Cube when I was in junior high when it came out... and amazingly it has stuck in my head for over 35 years since.  ;-)

I'm working on teaching the 5 year old grand-Iglet now.  LOL

[OCtoolguy]

42 minutes ago, Iguanadon said:

I memorized the solution to the Rubik's Cube when I was in junior high when it came out... and amazingly it has stuck in my head for over 35 years since.  ;-)

I'm working on teaching the 5 year old grand-Iglet now.  LOL

So there's a secret? I'd sure love to know what it is.

Ray

 

[kmmcrafts]

I also memorized the rubiks cube.. My son come home from school one day and thought he was going to get one on me.. he borrowed his friends cube... made some smart bet about getting some computer time.. Think he was joking with me at first but when I told him the deal was on.. he got a big grin on his fave like he was going to get some computer gaming time.. he thought there was no way to solve the thing.. while I didn't get it in 3 min. as it had been 35 years or so.. and I did make a wrong turn on it a few times.. but within 10 min. I had it.. his mouth dropped.. he forgot all about the bet about being able to get online.. he was floored that I got it.. had to message his friend with a picture.. It was priceless.. 

 

I think the puzzle challenge is a great idea..

 

[kmmcrafts]

11 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

So there's a secret? I'd sure love to know what it is.

Ray

 

I couldn't tell it to anyone just because I remember the moves more than.. actually how to do it by telling someone.. But.. with that said.. my son was determined to learn my trick.. there are youtube videos that would teach you how..

[Iguanadon]

4 hours ago, octoolguy said:

So there's a secret? I'd sure love to know what it is.

Ray

 

Not so much a "secret", more of a methodology... step by step working on one side, then each row all the way around til you get to the bottom... each area requires certain combination of turns.  Here is the book I memorized back in the early 80's.  

That said, the world record is something like a few seconds... it's nuts how fast it can be done.  I never tried going for speed.  I'm happy at under 3 minutes.  LOL

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-simple-solution-to-rubiks-cube_james-g-nourse/312710/?mkwid=sRUPUpdnY|dc&pcrid=70112912712&pkw=&pmt=&plc=&gclid=CjwKCAiAx57RBRBkEiwA8yZdUJErJS0deEz_RmpIrGsezdgrPkHQpKQCNh2KRmcPB0J8e3ecfr2XPBoCL-kQAvD_BwE#isbn=0553140175&idiq=4249644

[Iguanadon]

Mrs. Iggy and I play trivia every Wednesday night at a local pub with another couple.  I took the dino puzzle with me and had the other couple try to solve it.  After 10 minutes they hadn't even gotten half of it assembled, so I feel good that I won't be giving any puzzles away.  LOL  Although I wouldn't mind having someone win one every now and again.

[orangeman]

Scott,

will be interesting to see what you discover.

I found that by having puzzles out for "play" attracts folks who spend time in the booth playing and then don't spend a dime.

I used to have my mini puzzles out and kids would play with them and then the parents would hustle them out of there without buying anything.

We don't do that anymore.

bb

[Iguanadon]

3 minutes ago, orangeman said:

Scott,

will be interesting to see what you discover.

I found that by having puzzles out for "play" attracts folks who spend time in the booth playing and then don't spend a dime.

I used to have my mini puzzles out and kids would play with them and then the parents would hustle them out of there without buying anything.

We don't do that anymore.

bb

I can certainly see that happening and I won't be surprised if my little experiment is a 1 time thing.  I'll have a separate table set up just for this and will let folks have fun with it.  I'll report back.  Assuming my event doesn't get rained out... Ugh, I hope not.

[SCROLLSAW703]

i like your idea, Scott. Ya never know, ya might find a whiz out there!

[Woodmaster1]

I hope the idea is successful and creates sales. You never know what works At one event  may not work at another event.

Good luck!

[OCtoolguy]

9 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I couldn't tell it to anyone just because I remember the moves more than.. actually how to do it by telling someone.. But.. with that said.. my son was determined to learn my trick.. there are youtube videos that would teach you how..

I guess I'm gonna have to go out and buy a Rubic's cube. Darn.

Ray

[Runa]

19 hours ago, Iguanadon said:

This Saturday is my last event of the year and I came up with an idea I want to try, just for kicks to see if it stimulates traffic at my booth and subsequently additional sales...  It'll be fun for the kids and even the adults.  I likely won't have to give away many, if any puzzles.  I can put it together in about 3 minutes, but I'm familiar with it.  I'll test it on Mrs. Iggy to see how long it takes her.  LOL

I have the outline of one that will be sitting there so that people know what it is they're trying to assemble.

The Rubik's Cube is just for show, but if anyone challenges me, I'm able to solve a scrambled cube in under 3 minutes.  ;-)

What do you think?

I did something  similar at my craft fair and worked great. I let them try any puzzle depending on the age of the kids. Kids LOVED. I had a kid solve a grownup puzzle so offered him that puzzle at no charge but he was so polite and dint take it because he had imagine that it was not easy to make :). His father dint want to just take it either and probably dint have money to spend. Here is the kid, they gave me permission to take the picture.

[Lucky2]

Scott, I like your idea, I agree, it could bring in more business. But there is a big downside that could take place also, and I hope you took it into consideration when thinking this up. I learned this lesson from experience. When I was selling my scroll work years ago, I was always trying to think of things that would boost sales also. I came up with an idea to finishing a puzzle that I had cut out,there was a prize offered for people who could complete the puzzle in a certain amount of time. There was ample interest, to much actually. Once word got out of the chance to win something, people flocked to my tables. Lots of people wanted to try, and they watched previous players to try to learn the solution. The problem with so many people being interested in trying, and not wanting to lose their spot in line. Was that there was no space left around my or my two neighbors tables, we were swamped. There was noway for an interested buyer to get close, it was my poorest day for sales ever. I felt bad that I had no sales, and I felt worse for my neighboring sales people. Not only did I mess up my sales, but I messed up their sales for the week. I only did it the one time, that's all it took for me to learn my lesson. My neighboring sales people were happy to see that it was only for one week,otherwise, they were going to ask to be moved to another position in the arena. Plus, if you do go through with this, you will need at least one if not two other people to help you out that day. You will not be able to handle the crowd, I expect you will be swamped.Good luck, I hope this goes better for you, then it did for me.

 

Len

[Iguanadon]

1 hour ago, Lucky2 said:

Scott, I like your idea, I agree, it could bring in more business. But there is a big downside that could take place also, and I hope you took it into consideration when thinking this up. I learned this lesson from experience. When I was selling my scroll work years ago, I was always trying to think of things that would boost sales also. I came up with an idea to finishing a puzzle that I had cut out,there was a prize offered for people who could complete the puzzle in a certain amount of time. There was ample interest, to much actually. Once word got out of the chance to win something, people flocked to my tables. Lots of people wanted to try, and they watched previous players to try to learn the solution. The problem with so many people being interested in trying, and not wanting to lose their spot in line. Was that there was no space left around my or my two neighbors tables, we were swamped. There was noway for an interested buyer to get close, it was my poorest day for sales ever. I felt bad that I had no sales, and I felt worse for my neighboring sales people. Not only did I mess up my sales, but I messed up their sales for the week. I only did it the one time, that's all it took for me to learn my lesson. My neighboring sales people were happy to see that it was only for one week,otherwise, they were going to ask to be moved to another position in the arena. Plus, if you do go through with this, you will need at least one if not two other people to help you out that day. You will not be able to handle the crowd, I expect you will be swamped.Good luck, I hope this goes better for you, then it did for me.

 

Len

Thanks for sharing that experience Len.  I'll definitely keep an eye on things and if it gets out of control I can easily shut it down.