Comments on: pricing your work: some thoughts http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/ handcraft in a hectic world Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:23:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Alice http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-10272 Alice Fri, 18 Aug 2006 15:56:51 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-10272 Great info here, thanks so much, about to be selling my work properly in the next few weeks, very nervous about pricing stuff up, but I hope that now I have a bit more confidence in both my ability and my prices!!!! Great info here, thanks so much, about to be selling my work properly in the next few weeks, very nervous about pricing stuff up, but I hope that now I have a bit more confidence in both my ability and my prices!!!!

]]> By: lesley mccormick http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-2845 lesley mccormick Thu, 04 May 2006 13:16:47 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-2845 I like to make things and I also like to sell them. I look around to find a shop which I think will like my things and then I may phone first to find out the buyers name and then basically I go in and ask to speak to them. I take a deep breath and then say that I make things which I think would go well in the shop and would they like to see them. I offer to let them have some things to try on SOR (sale or return) and I ask what their mark up is. Here in England the mark up tends to be 'double it and add VAT'. So when trying to price an item, I have to think of what I would be happy in paying, then take off the vat and divide by two. If it covers the materials and a little bit of time then that's OK. Sometimes someone would ask if it would be possible for me to make a quilt etc, but the price is generally too high if it is done through a shop, because by the time I cost out the materials and my time etc it is already at a price that I think people would be prepared to pay and they are certainly not prepared for the shop to be doubling the price and adding the vat on top. Sometimes when I make things, it takes too long to make them and although there may only be a handful of fabric involved (costing nothing much at all) there are hours of work in planning, placing and piecing etc and so I tend not to sell these but rather keep these as special presents for friends etc. But don't be put off. Sometimes shop buyers have just been to the trade shows and have just spent all of their budget, sometimes they will have just ordered whatever you are trying to sell them, sometimes they don't want to deal with individual people but would prefer to deal with wholesalers etc etc but you also must remember that if you are making lovely things, there are lots of shops with empty shelves waiting for you to come in and help fill them. There are gift shops in towns where they have all been to the same trade shows and are falling over themselves to have a craft person supplying them with something that the gift shop down the street doesn't have, so it is always worth a try, be nice and polite and do whatever you have to do to get your foot through the door, then before you know it they will be asking you to make specific things for them etc etc good luck Lesley http://countrygirlcorner.blogspot.com I like to make things and I also like to sell them. I look around to find a shop which I think will like my things and then I may phone first to find out the buyers name and then basically I go in and ask to speak to them. I take a deep breath and then say that I make things which I think would go well in the shop and would they like to see them. I offer to let them have some things to try on SOR (sale or return) and I ask what their mark up is. Here in England the mark up tends to be ‘double it and add VAT’.
So when trying to price an item, I have to think of what I would be happy in paying, then take off the vat and divide by two. If it covers the materials and a little bit of time then that’s OK. Sometimes someone would ask if it would be possible for me to make a quilt etc, but the price is generally too high if it is done through a shop, because by the time I cost out the materials and my time etc it is already at a price that I think people would be prepared to pay and they are certainly not prepared for the shop to be doubling the price and adding the vat on top.

Sometimes when I make things, it takes too long to make them and although there may only be a handful of fabric involved (costing nothing much at all) there are hours of work in planning, placing and piecing etc and so I tend not to sell these but rather keep these as special presents for friends etc.

But don’t be put off. Sometimes shop buyers have just been to the trade shows and have just spent all of their budget, sometimes they will have just ordered whatever you are trying to sell them, sometimes they don’t want to deal with individual people but would prefer to deal with wholesalers etc etc but you also must remember that if you are making lovely things, there are lots of shops with empty shelves waiting for you to come in and help fill them. There are gift shops in towns where they have all been to the same trade shows and are falling over themselves to have a craft person supplying them with something that the gift shop down the street doesn’t have, so it is always worth a try, be nice and polite and do whatever you have to do to get your foot through the door, then before you know it they will be asking you to make specific things for them etc etc

good luck
Lesley
http://countrygirlcorner.blogspot.com

]]> By: Emily Dimov-Gottshall http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1540 Emily Dimov-Gottshall Tue, 04 Apr 2006 02:02:54 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1540 Great bl-article! (blog+article) Very interesting esp. as I'm wondering how to price some crafts of my own at my mamasews.blogspot.com It's an interesting balance and I'm going to check out that book you recommended as well. Thank you! Great bl-article! (blog+article) Very interesting esp. as I’m wondering how to price some crafts of my own at my mamasews.blogspot.com It’s an interesting balance and I’m going to check out that book you recommended as well. Thank you!

]]> By: amanda http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1537 amanda Tue, 04 Apr 2006 00:04:50 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1537 this is so helpful, thanks Lisa! :) this is so helpful, thanks Lisa! :)

]]> By: jackie http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1532 jackie Mon, 03 Apr 2006 19:28:34 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1532 I have only sold items over the last few years. I started off almost giving them away; that was ok because it was a thrill that someone liked my work. Now I charge more but always know that I need to take into account the pleasure that I get from making something - often many hours that nobody is going to pay me for. I have only sold items over the last few years. I started off almost giving them away; that was ok because it was a thrill that someone liked my work. Now I charge more but always know that I need to take into account the pleasure that I get from making something - often many hours that nobody is going to pay me for.

]]> By: larissmix http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1529 larissmix Mon, 03 Apr 2006 18:08:53 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1529 Oh, demand. That is the darn sticking point for me as an artist and knitter. I've noticed that prices are generally lower on etsy than anywhere else I've seen. I don't know whether it's a function of it being a crafter-to-crafter market, as opposed to a crafter-to-general public market, or whether the average etsy seller is just pricing to have fun and replace their materials? But I have been struggling with this issue, too, as I've started a little bonnet making business. At some point, it's not worth making only a dollar per hour. But at a fair price, I'm not sure I'm going to sell any. I'm right in the middle of it, and have basically decided to just make things I like making, and offer for sale things I don't have a home for at a high-enough price, but don't expect to sell. I think with my collages - as oppsed to bonnets - this may not be as much of an issue. I haven't tried to sell those, yet, but I have done a few commissions where I made enough. People seem to think of those more as "art" and are more willing to go to the 3-digit level to get art than they are to go to $50 for a baby bonnet. Oh, demand. That is the darn sticking point for me as an artist and knitter.

I’ve noticed that prices are generally lower on etsy than anywhere else I’ve seen. I don’t know whether it’s a function of it being a crafter-to-crafter market, as opposed to a crafter-to-general public market, or whether the average etsy seller is just pricing to have fun and replace their materials? But I have been struggling with this issue, too, as I’ve started a little bonnet making business.

At some point, it’s not worth making only a dollar per hour. But at a fair price, I’m not sure I’m going to sell any. I’m right in the middle of it, and have basically decided to just make things I like making, and offer for sale things I don’t have a home for at a high-enough price, but don’t expect to sell.

I think with my collages - as oppsed to bonnets - this may not be as much of an issue. I haven’t tried to sell those, yet, but I have done a few commissions where I made enough. People seem to think of those more as “art” and are more willing to go to the 3-digit level to get art than they are to go to $50 for a baby bonnet.

]]> By: Lindsey http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1527 Lindsey Mon, 03 Apr 2006 16:11:26 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1527 Ugh, this is always the hardest part of buisness. I got into jewelry making b/c I saw pieces I loved the I felt the prices were insane, so I don't want to charge too much, but then the husband freaks out and is constantly telling me "your not charging enough!" It's such an inner battle w/ myself! Ugh, this is always the hardest part of buisness. I got into jewelry making b/c I saw pieces I loved the I felt the prices were insane, so I don’t want to charge too much, but then the husband freaks out and is constantly telling me “your not charging enough!” It’s such an inner battle w/ myself!

]]> By: herhimnbryn http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1526 herhimnbryn Mon, 03 Apr 2006 14:58:40 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1526 Oh, thankyou for all this info. I have wondering and pondering and then agonizing how much to charge. My first 3 items sold on ebay, but now am wondering about etsy. Anyone have any recommendations? Oh, thankyou for all this info. I have wondering and pondering and then agonizing how much to charge. My first 3 items sold on ebay, but now am wondering about etsy. Anyone have any recommendations?

]]> By: Persephone http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1523 Persephone Mon, 03 Apr 2006 13:47:47 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1523 Lisa! This was a great idea for a post... I wonder where you got it. ;) Thank you for this, and the link to the book. Lisa! This was a great idea for a post… I wonder where you got it. ;) Thank you for this, and the link to the book.

]]> By: Kristina http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1518 Kristina Mon, 03 Apr 2006 12:00:57 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/03/pricing-your-work-some-thoughts/#comment-1518 Thank you Lisa. Very helpfull as I'm starting out myself. I think it's VERY hard to price my items and I have to consider one more thing: Currency! The dollar is super low at the moment, which means that the price I'm asking in U.S. $, may be a bit steep, but not really in my own currency! I think I have to consider how much a dollar is worth in the U.S. and probably get paid a little less? Oh we also get charged with a 25% sales tax at every sale! Lovely :o( Thank you Lisa. Very helpfull as I’m starting out myself. I think it’s VERY hard to price my items and I have to consider one more thing: Currency! The dollar is super low at the moment, which means that the price I’m asking in U.S. $, may be a bit steep, but not really in my own currency! I think I have to consider how much a dollar is worth in the U.S. and probably get paid a little less? Oh we also get charged with a 25% sales tax at every sale! Lovely :o(

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