i dont know what to think!

[Emerald]

I priced my Tree Bead Pendants up at what i thought was a reasonable amount £46.00 if not a tad cheap but a friend came round today and gawped at the price.

Now alot of my friends know i used to be a jeweller in a previous life and made my own wedding and engagement rings but they still drop jaw when i show the new pieces i have made.

So do i drop the price (including a 1mm snake chain not the Jen Pind you see in the pic) or stick to what i thought was a good if not very reasonable price?

[Di Sandland]

Do NOT drop the price! I think that price is reasonable. Without knowing the costs, I would have priced them at the £50 mark each. You can easily pay that for some of the more intricate lampwork beads. Friends are not a good gauge, Jo, you know that sweetie (slap)

[geti-titanium]

Way too low! - double it at least.

[Emerald]

I no Di i am watching a glass tree bead as we speak! and the material cost and time would be far less than the Silver.

Oh yes Geti would love to double them but i also want to sell them if you think you can do better with them than me you are welcome

[agent_44]

I think that's a pretty common reaction given the environment/business model you use (based of what I know of you on here), I'm not sure if I am using the right terms to explain myself, but I think it's a general issue that a lot of people will fail to see jewellery for what it is worth unless it's under a counter in a swanky jeweller's shop.

But to me, looking at the piece I don't think your price is unreasonable, far from it in fact I would say it was a little cheap. The last thing you should do is drop your price, as you'll only reinforce and perpetuate her misguided opinion, which will lead to more our problems in the long run.

I say charge proper prices, have your reasons as to why your pieces are worth that ready for when challenged and stick to your guns! If someone can't perceive the time, craftmanship and effort in your work and finds your prices too much, they aren't your target market and you shouldn't worry about them.

[Di Sandland]

I no Di i am watching a glass tree bead as we speak! and the material cost and time would be far less than the Silver.

Oh yes Geti would love to double them but i also want to sell them if you think you can do better with them than me you are welcome

I'm watching that same tree bead! I won't be buying it cos I've spent my money elsewhere but I will have one of those one day.

[agent_44]

I no Di i am watching a glass tree bead as we speak! and the material cost and time would be far less than the Silver.

Oh yes Geti would love to double them but i also want to sell them if you think you can do better with them than me you are welcome

And I have to say, wouldn't it be better to sell half as many at double the cost? Think about it, makes perfect sense to me

[Emerald]

I'm watching that same tree bead! I won't be buying it cos I've spent my money elsewhere but I will have one of those one day.

well i bumped it up as high i was prepared to go but have been outbid goodluck to the bead and the lady in question her work just seems to fly oh i wishxx

[Di Sandland]

well i bumped it up as high i was prepared to go but have been outbid goodluck to the bead and the lady in question her work just seems to fly oh i wishxx

The sad thing is, she offered it as a Buy it Now day before yesterday at £35 and I went to have a bath and think about it. Within that time somebody had bid and so the auction had to continue. Ah well...

Anyway - back to the thread. Stick to your guns, especially if you see yourself doing these as a 'signature' piece. Whatever you do you don't want to devalue them. The lampwork-bead lady started off thinking her stuff was overpriced I suspect - now look at her

[mizgeorge]

If they're the lampwork tree beads I think they are, you might be surprised how long they can take to make - her work is stunning, but she's not well enough to produce as much as she'd like to, which is sad.

Jo, where are you planning to offer these for sale? I think they might go down extremely well on etsy - at higher prices than you're talking about. Especially if you push the pagan connection.

My only reservation would be the chain. Either sell them without a chain, or with something nicer than a thin snake (shudders), perhaps as an upgrade?