Magnets are one of the most underrated products at any craft fair. They're cheap to make, easy to display, and shoppers grab them without thinking twice. A vendor with $40 in materials can walk away with $400 in sales by the end of a busy weekend show, and that's not unusual.
But not every magnet vendor makes money. The ones who do have figured out a few things the casual sellers haven't: which magnet styles actually sell, how to price for impulse buys, and how to set up a display that pulls people in from across the aisle.
This guide covers everything magnet makers need to know about selling at craft fairs in 2026, from picking profitable designs to running a booth that converts browsers into buyers.
What You'll Learn
- What Types of Magnets Sell Best at Craft Fairs?
- How to Price Magnets for Craft Fairs
- How to Display Magnets at a Craft Fair Booth
- How Many Magnets Should You Bring to a Craft Fair?
- Where to Source Magnet Supplies
- How to Package Magnets to Sell
- Marketing Magnets to Craft Fair Shoppers
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Types of Magnets Sell Best at Craft Fairs?
Not every magnet style sells equally well. The vendors who do best stock a mix of formats and lean into themes that match their shoppers and the season of the show.
Photo and Image Magnets ($3 to $8)
Image-based magnets are the easiest entry point and consistently among the top sellers.
- Glass cabochon magnets with printed paper images sealed under a domed glass lens. They look polished, photograph well, and feel like a premium product even at a $4 price point.
- Wood slice magnets with hand-painted or laser-engraved designs. The natural wood adds rustic character that fits the maker aesthetic shoppers come to fairs looking for.
- Bottle cap magnets with images set inside repurposed caps. These appeal to shoppers who want something unique and quirky, and they're among the cheapest magnets to produce.
Funny and Quote Magnets ($4 to $10)
Quote and saying magnets sell on humor and emotion. Shoppers grab them as gifts or to lift their own mood.
- Sarcastic and snarky quotes about coffee, wine, Mondays, or parenting. These move fast at adult-skewing fairs.
- Inspirational quotes with simple typography on a clean background. Pair these with neutral colors to fit modern home decor.
- Family and pet-themed sayings. "Dog mom," "girl mom," and "best grandma" magnets are dependable repeat buyers when grouped together.
Niche and Themed Magnets ($5 to $15)
Niche magnets command higher prices because they target specific buyers willing to pay for relevance.
- State and city pride magnets featuring local landmarks, outlines, or sports team colors. These move especially well at tourist-heavy events.
- Fandom and pop culture magnets referencing books, shows, or hobbies. Just check trademark and licensing rules carefully before producing anything.
- Holiday and seasonal magnets. Christmas, Halloween, fall, and Easter designs sell hard during their respective seasons. Stock up 6 to 8 weeks before each holiday.
- Hobby-specific magnets for crafters, gardeners, readers, knitters, and gamers. These let shoppers express identity, which is what most magnet purchases are really about.
Functional and Decorative Magnets ($8 to $25)
Higher-priced magnets serve a purpose beyond decoration, which justifies the bigger ticket.
- Magnetic bookmarks with foldover designs and decorative tops.
- Magnetic chip clips for kitchen use.
- Large statement magnets sized for refrigerators or filing cabinets, often 3 to 5 inches across with bold artwork.
- Magnet sets and bundles packaged together at a slight discount versus single-item pricing.
How to Price Magnets for Craft Fairs
Magnets are an impulse buy, which means your pricing has to clear the mental friction of "I don't really need this." Pricing too high kills conversion, but pricing too low leaves money on the table and devalues your work.
The Materials Plus Time Method
Track every input that goes into a single magnet: the magnet disc, glass cabochon, paper, glue, sealant, and packaging. For most photo or cabochon magnets, materials run $0.40 to $0.80 each at scale.
Then add labor. If you can produce 30 magnets in an hour and you value your time at $20 per hour, that's about $0.67 in labor per magnet. Total cost: roughly $1.10 to $1.50 per magnet for cabochon styles. At a $4 retail price, that's a healthy margin even after booth fees.
Use Pricing Tiers
The most effective magnet vendors use clear price tiers that make decisions easy for shoppers:
- $3 or $4 each. Your volume sellers. Bright signage near the front of the booth.
- 3 for $10 or 4 for $12. A bundle deal that doubles your average sale. Most shoppers will pick three when they were ready to buy one.
- $8 to $15 for premium or themed magnets. Larger sizes, hand-painted, or specialty pieces that justify the price jump.
Round Numbers Sell Faster
Use whole-dollar pricing whenever possible. "$4" converts better than "$3.99" at fairs because shoppers don't want to fumble with change for an impulse purchase. If you accept cards, your average ticket goes up because shoppers add a second or third magnet without thinking about it.
For more detail on building margins that hold up, see our guide to pricing products for craft fairs.
How to Display Magnets at a Craft Fair Booth
Magnets have a built-in display advantage: they stick to metal. A magnetic display is interactive, eye-catching, and lets shoppers handle the product without you worrying about damage.
Magnetic Display Boards
Your display is the single biggest factor in magnet sales. Here are the setups that work best:
- Galvanized steel sheets mounted to a wood frame or easel. Lightweight, affordable, and you can fit 40 to 60 magnets on a 24x36 inch board.
- Metal cookie sheets and oil drip pans. Cheap, portable, and the slight rim helps keep magnets in place during outdoor shows.
- Magnetic chalkboards and whiteboards. These let you write category labels directly on the board ("$4 each, 3 for $10") and refresh seasonally.
- Vertical metal grid displays designed for retail. Pricier, but they look professional and break down for transport.
Mount your display at chest height so shoppers can see and reach magnets without bending over. Multiple boards at different heights catch eyes from different angles.
Layout and Grouping
- Group magnets by theme so shoppers can quickly find what they care about. Pet magnets together, quote magnets together, holiday magnets together.
- Put your bestsellers at eye level. Cheaper or less popular items go higher or lower.
- Leave a "grab and go" basket at the checkout area with $3 magnets. Shoppers add these to their purchase as the transaction is finishing.
- Refill constantly. A half-empty board signals "picked over" and kills conversion. Even if you have 50 of a design, only put 8 to 10 on display at a time.
Signage That Drives Sales
A clear price sign is non-negotiable. Use bold lettering visible from 10 feet away. Add a "Mix and Match: 3 for $10" sign right next to the magnet board to reinforce the bundle deal. Your business name and logo should also be visible from the aisle so repeat shoppers can find you next time.
For more booth design ideas, check out our craft fair booth display guide.
How Many Magnets Should You Bring to a Craft Fair?
Magnet vendors often bring too few because they underestimate sell-through. A strong magnet booth at a busy show can sell 100 to 300 magnets in a single day. Plan for that.
Inventory Targets
- For a small one-day fair (under 2,000 attendees): Bring 200 to 300 magnets across 30 to 40 designs. Aim for 5 to 8 of each design.
- For a mid-sized weekend fair (5,000 attendees): Bring 500 to 700 magnets across 50 to 70 designs. Restock your display from inventory boxes throughout the day.
- For a major holiday market or festival (10,000+ attendees): Bring 1,000+ magnets across 70 or more designs. Pack inventory in clearly labeled bins so you can refill the display in seconds.
Restocking Strategy
Keep a labeled storage system behind your table or under it. Plastic photo storage cases (the kind with 16 small clear boxes inside) work well for organizing magnets by design. When something sells out on the display, you can refill it in under 10 seconds.
A booth that always looks full sells more than one that visibly empties as the day goes on. Shoppers in the afternoon read empty space as "the good stuff is gone" and walk past.
Where to Source Magnet Supplies
Profit margins on magnets depend entirely on what you pay for materials. Hobby store prices will eat your margin alive. Buying in bulk online is the only way magnets stay profitable as a craft fair product.
Bulk Suppliers
- Amazon. Reliable for magnetic discs, glass cabochons, and basic supplies in pack sizes of 100 to 500. Look for ceramic disc magnets in 1 inch and 1.25 inch sizes.
- AliExpress. Lower per-unit cost on cabochons, magnet sheets, and bottle caps if you can wait 2 to 4 weeks for shipping.
- Uline and ULINE-style packaging suppliers. Best source for cellophane bags, backer cards, and bulk packaging.
- Etsy supply shops. Useful for printable images, digital downloads, and small-batch specialty supplies.
- Local craft store sales. Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and JoAnn Fabrics regularly run 40% to 50% off coupons on magnetic sheets and basic supplies.
What to Stock Up On
For a typical magnet operation, your core supplies are:
- Ceramic disc magnets (1 inch, the workhorse size)
- Round glass cabochons (1 inch and 1.25 inch)
- Magnetic sheet (for flexible business card-style magnets)
- E6000 or similar industrial glue
- Backer cards and clear cello bags for packaging
- A laser printer or quality inkjet for design output
- Paper trimmer or 1 inch circle punch
A starter kit of supplies for 500 magnets typically runs $80 to $120. At a $4 average sale price, that pays for itself in your first afternoon.
How to Package Magnets to Sell
Loose magnets in a basket can work, but packaged magnets feel more like a finished product and command higher prices.
Packaging Options
- Backer cards in cello bags. A printed card with your logo, the design name, and your social media handles. Slip the magnet into a cello bag with the card behind it. Cost: about $0.15 per unit.
- Hangtag labels. A small string tag attached to the magnet with the price and your branding. Cheaper than backer cards and works for displays where shoppers can still touch the magnet.
- Gift sets and bundles. Group 3 to 5 magnets in a small kraft box or organza bag. Sets sell for $12 to $20 and dramatically increase your average ticket size.
- Bare magnets with a "loose magnet" sign. Simple, fast, and works for cheap magnets at $2 or $3. Just keep your inventory clearly priced.
Branding That Sticks
Every magnet that leaves your booth should have your business name on it somewhere, either on the back of the magnet, on a backer card, or stamped on packaging. Shoppers who love a magnet will want to find you again, and they need a way to do that.
Always include your website or social media handle. A magnet costs $4 but lives on someone's fridge for years, advertising you to every visitor in their kitchen. That's marketing you can't buy.
Marketing Magnets to Craft Fair Shoppers
Magnets sell themselves at the booth, but smart vendors don't stop there. The full revenue picture includes online sales, repeat customers, and collaborations.
At the Booth
- Demonstrate or display the design process. Have a few examples of in-progress magnets, raw materials, or a printout of how they're made. Shoppers love seeing the craft.
- Ask people what they collect. Many magnet shoppers are collectors. If you ask "are you collecting any specific themes?", they'll often tell you, and you can guide them to the right section of your display.
- Run a "free magnet with $20 purchase" promotion at slower events. This pulls shoppers in and increases your overall sale value.
Building Repeat Customers
- Capture emails at the booth. A simple sign-up sheet with "join the list and get a free magnet at your next visit" works well. See our guide to building an email list at craft fairs for setup details.
- Hand out a free magnet of your most generic design with every purchase over $15. It feels like a gift, and the recipient often comes back to buy more.
- Print "thank you" cards with a discount code for online orders. Even if 5% of shoppers redeem the code, that's pure incremental revenue.
Online Sales Channel
If you don't already have one, set up an Etsy shop or Shopify store before your next fair. Magnets ship cheaply (a single magnet fits in a regular envelope with a stamp), and shoppers who loved your booth design will reorder online when their fridge fills up.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do magnets sell for at craft fairs?
Most handmade magnets sell for $3 to $8 at craft fairs, with bundle deals like "3 for $10" being standard. Premium or specialty magnets, like large designs or magnetic bookmarks, can sell for $10 to $20. Pricing depends on size, materials, and the show's audience.
Are magnets profitable to sell at craft fairs?
Yes, magnets are one of the most profitable product categories at craft fairs because of their low material cost and impulse-buy appeal. Materials for a typical magnet cost under $1, and most sell for $4 or more. A vendor selling 100 magnets in a day at a $4 average can clear $300+ in profit after booth fees.
What's the best way to display magnets at a craft show?
Use magnetic display boards like galvanized steel sheets, cookie pans, or grid panels mounted at eye level. Group magnets by theme so shoppers can browse easily, and keep a "grab and go" basket near checkout for last-second adds. Always keep your display visibly full to avoid the "picked over" look.
Do I need a business license to sell magnets at craft fairs?
Most states and local jurisdictions require a basic business license or vendor permit to sell handmade goods at craft fairs. You'll likely also need to collect and remit sales tax. Check our craft fair vendor license and permits guide for state-specific requirements.
Can I use copyrighted images on magnets I sell?
No. Using images, characters, or logos you don't own the rights to is copyright or trademark infringement, even at a small scale. Stick to your own original artwork, public domain images, or properly licensed commercial-use designs from sites like Creative Market or licensed clipart shops.
Selling magnets at craft fairs is one of the most accessible ways to build a profitable handmade business. The materials are cheap, the production is fast, and the impulse-buy psychology means you'll close sales while other vendors are still explaining their products. Pick a few strong themes, build a display that grabs attention, and price for the bundle deal.
Ready to start booking shows? Browse upcoming craft fairs on TheCraftMap and find the right events for your magnet business in 2026.