Comments on: About that 50% . . . http://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/ handcraft in a hectic world Wed, 23 May 2012 04:19:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Anastasiahttp://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1800 Anastasia Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:40:36 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1800 i too am saving these for when i have my little thing happening!!! Great posts Alicia! i too am saving these for when i have my little thing happening!!!
Great posts Alicia!

]]> By: vegasandvenicehttp://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1774 vegasandvenice Mon, 17 Apr 2006 22:18:00 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1774 I am so glad that you are writing the business articles (of course there are a LOT of subjects that you could be writing about). This is a fabulous entry!!I continue to have trouble deciding upon the worth of my product. I want to keep it all priced at its very lowest to the point where it is more about creating and well... losing money! I am worried about this and I would love to know more about your personal and emotional decisions when pricing! Do you think that you will get a chance to write a bit more about the emotional confidence in pricing and products? Would love to hear your thoughts!!Thank you so much! I look forward to your next post! I am so glad that you are writing the business articles (of course there are a LOT of subjects that you could be writing about). This is a fabulous entry!!

I continue to have trouble deciding upon the worth of my product. I want to keep it all priced at its very lowest to the point where it is more about creating and well… losing money! I am worried about this and I would love to know more about your personal and emotional decisions when pricing! Do you think that you will get a chance to write a bit more about the emotional confidence in pricing and products? Would love to hear your thoughts!!

Thank you so much! I look forward to your next post!

]]> By: larissmixhttp://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1751 larissmix Mon, 17 Apr 2006 00:04:34 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1751 These are great posts, thanks!The thing I'm finding the most difficult in starting a little craft business is that so many other crafters charge too little and make me look steep in comparison. Hand knit baby bonnets are going for $6 on etsy - an item that could easily take a few hours to make. Then mine comes along for $40 and is (I think) a lot better quality, but still the price difference looks so huge to a shopper. Yet, after supplies, etsy fees, postage, and time it takes to administer, I'm still making only about $3 an hour by charging 40 bucks.So how are those $6 hat knitters doing this. Or actually I should just wonder *why* they are doing it, not how. They must be making 2 cents an hour. I wish people would value their work and time more so that they don't bring the whole boat down... These are great posts, thanks!

The thing I’m finding the most difficult in starting a little craft business is that so many other crafters charge too little and make me look steep in comparison. Hand knit baby bonnets are going for $6 on etsy – an item that could easily take a few hours to make. Then mine comes along for $40 and is (I think) a lot better quality, but still the price difference looks so huge to a shopper. Yet, after supplies, etsy fees, postage, and time it takes to administer, I’m still making only about $3 an hour by charging 40 bucks.

So how are those $6 hat knitters doing this. Or actually I should just wonder *why* they are doing it, not how. They must be making 2 cents an hour. I wish people would value their work and time more so that they don’t bring the whole boat down…

]]> By: renahttp://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1745 rena Sun, 16 Apr 2006 17:39:03 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1745 loving these posts as always, Alicia! i think the middle ground (between selling from your website and wholesale/consigning to a shop) is satisfied a tiny bit by the artist's collective. you may have to work hours but get more profit back. alas it can be an organizational nightmare, stylistically the shop may not match, and of course you want to be in more shops than just one...but it's one solution.also - yeah the 50% sucks but now that i am designer-turned-shopkeeper too, i am amazed by the number of expenses involved. so the prices may seem high in a shop but you have a couple things going for you - there are people who really want to support handmade or local, and there is a customer for every price point. the corollary to that one is that sometimes people play Price is Right and try to guess the price as they shop, and feel that a certain item "should cost" X dollars. if it is too low they may not trust the product! sounds weird but occasionally it happens.looking forward to future posts! rena loving these posts as always, Alicia! i think the middle ground (between selling from your website and wholesale/consigning to a shop) is satisfied a tiny bit by the artist’s collective. you may have to work hours but get more profit back. alas it can be an organizational nightmare, stylistically the shop may not match, and of course you want to be in more shops than just one…but it’s one solution.

also – yeah the 50% sucks but now that i am designer-turned-shopkeeper too, i am amazed by the number of expenses involved. so the prices may seem high in a shop but you have a couple things going for you – there are people who really want to support handmade or local, and there is a customer for every price point. the corollary to that one is that sometimes people play Price is Right and try to guess the price as they shop, and feel that a certain item “should cost” X dollars. if it is too low they may not trust the product! sounds weird but occasionally it happens.

looking forward to future posts!
rena

]]> By: Krawugglhttp://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1740 Krawuggl Sun, 16 Apr 2006 06:04:49 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1740 For working many years in a shop I love to read your articels, business and economy is still very important for me. You are writing very frankly and behind-the-curtain and have a deep understanding for retailers, for which I want to thank you very much. Most people are not knowing the business of having a shop, the many costs and payings for having a shop - some are thinking that all the money in your till is going straight to your wallet to have a good life. So for having the most profit out of hand-made things would be to sell them by the hand-maker itself on the internet. No extra costs, like shop-rent or stand-rent, electricity, heat, employees. On the other side there is nothing more tempting for customers to be in a beautiful shop, surrounded by lovely things, to touch them, smell them, feel them, standing in front of a mirror and looking at you and those beautiful hand-made bag in your hand. The most important thing is how to figure out the best price. A price to satisfy everyone, the craftie, the retailer and the customer. This I think is the most difficulty thing within this business, not to underprice your work (and your time you have spent to made them) and at the same time to have a good price for customers. (At some craft-markets here I already saw for example cushion covers, made with beautiful fabric and pearl-of-mother-buttons for 12 Euros, and cushion covers out of simple plain white linen with wooden buttons for 80 Euros) This article I am really looking forward to. You are writing so interesting and well-thought, I love to read it always, thank you very very much. Greetings from Germany, Suzi For working many years in a shop I love to read your articels, business and economy is still very important for me. You are writing very frankly and behind-the-curtain and have a deep understanding for retailers, for which I want to thank you very much. Most people are not knowing the business of having a shop, the many costs and payings for having a shop – some are thinking that all the money in your till is going straight to your wallet to have a good life. So for having the most profit out of hand-made things would be to sell them by the hand-maker itself on the internet. No extra costs, like shop-rent or stand-rent, electricity, heat, employees. On the other side there is nothing more tempting for customers to be in a beautiful shop, surrounded by lovely things, to touch them, smell them, feel them, standing in front of a mirror and looking at you and those beautiful hand-made bag in your hand.
The most important thing is how to figure out the best price. A price to satisfy everyone, the craftie, the retailer and the customer. This I think is the most difficulty thing within this business, not to underprice your work (and your time you have spent to made them) and at the same time to have a good price for customers. (At some craft-markets here I already saw for example cushion covers, made with beautiful fabric and pearl-of-mother-buttons for 12 Euros, and cushion covers out of simple plain white linen with wooden buttons for 80 Euros) This article I am really looking forward to. You are writing so interesting and well-thought, I love to read it always, thank you very very much.
Greetings from Germany,
Suzi

]]> By: Zoehttp://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1730 Zoe Sat, 15 Apr 2006 18:41:18 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1730 Thanks Alicia! I'm finding all of these business posts so interesting, and I don't even have a business! yet... Thanks Alicia! I’m finding all of these business posts so interesting, and I don’t even have a business! yet…

]]> By: kathyhttp://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1728 kathy Sat, 15 Apr 2006 18:13:09 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1728 Very generous of you to share your insights and knowledge. I would love to hear more about your personal story of how you grew your business. Things you did well and other things you might have done differently. Thank you for these articles. Very generous of you to share your insights and knowledge. I would love to hear more about your personal story of how you grew your business. Things you did well and other things you might have done differently. Thank you for these articles.

]]> By: callyhttp://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1721 cally Sat, 15 Apr 2006 05:04:02 +0000 http://whipup.net/2006/04/15/about-that-50/#comment-1721 I am now saving your articles and making a little book out of them, thank you again. It's so great to have this stuff talked about and your have seen it from all sides which is really helpful... and hey, another cute photo :0) I am now saving your articles and making a little book out of them, thank you again. It’s so great to have this stuff talked about and your have seen it from all sides which is really helpful… and hey, another cute photo :0)

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