Pricing... Again.

[Patstone]

Well as a hobbyist I can put my point of view, I would love to sell say a ring for £120, but it wont happen, as I have said many times before, people now pick up a ring at say £45 and put it back saying too expensive. I know its only a local craft fair, but its regular, every month in Exmouth, (lovely seaside resort, huge beach, and lots of people around) and even in the summer it has been known for us to come home having sold nothing, but still have to pay £35 for the table. People come to Devon and Cornwall because its a lovely part of the country to visit and want to take a memento of their visit, not purchase half of the town. If we have a commission its a different story, because we have to take into consideration the hallmarking cost as the piece is generally over the weight, if we were to hallmark everything we made we would have to raise our prices by around £10 at least. I agree with Carole entirely but dont know what to do about the problem. I have to sell it, I need to buy more silver to make more and we now have a new website but you cant charge more for things on there if the same item is £10 cheaper on the table at a craft fair.

[ajda]

We would all love to be able to sell our jewellery for more profit if we could.

Not necessarily. See #43: my partner could easily raise her prices and probably sell just as many beads and so increase her profits, but she chooses not to. She enjoys her relationships with her customers and their appreciation of good value - better quality at a fraction of the price of the brands, better and cheaper than many of her competitors in the artisan market too. No doubt some of those would like her to charge more as it would make it easier for them to charge more, but why should she? Some people seem to be advocating price fixing by peer pressure...

I would never agree with hobbyists just charging for materials though as that just makes the work of people who are trying to make a living look too expensive.

Why not? And why does it make any difference whether you're a "hobbyist" or a "pro"? As Barry said at #37:

It is not the responsibility of anyone to preserve a price point "for the good of the market" - a market by definition is a competitive environment. If it suits me to sell my products at cost or even lower or at 10 times the cost then that is MY decision and mine alone - we all have different drivers and motivation.

Alan

[Petal]

I can see both sides of the argument. We would all love to be able to sell our jewellery for more profit if we could. Not everyone is lucky enough to live in an affluent area where people will pay top dollar, or have the cash to be able to do the best shows. We all have to find our level but aspire for more. I would never agree with hobbyists just charging for materials though as that just makes the work of people who are trying to make a living look too expensive.

I agree Carole. However, I'd far rather sell for a reasonable price and to customers who appreciate the work that goes into every piece I make and come back for more.

[Dennis]

We now have a new website but you cant charge more for things on there if the same item is £10 cheaper on the table at a craft fair.

This is where I have to put my oar in Pat. It is quite common for prices to be specially reduced at the fair only. This gives people an incentive to buy from your table. Dennis.

[Gemsetterchris]

This is where I have to put my oar in Pat. It is quite common for prices to be specially reduced at the fair only. This gives people an incentive to buy from your table. Dennis.

All true & good Dennis, but highly likely that the only person aware of the discount is the seller.

[Patstone]

Well so far only one person has bought from our website so dont get killed in the crush.

[enigma]

Websites are great but you do have to put the work in to get traffic visiting.

[caroleallen]

I always have things cheaper at craft fairs as I think it goes some way to account for the cost of postage and packing - my things online are free postage over £30. The only way to charge more at a craft fair is to choose your fair carefully - there are very few in the South West that I would even think about. I know the good shows are expensive but if you make proportionally more money, then it's worth it. At those shows, you have to have a professional looking display as well, so there's that cost to factor in.

As Sarah says, you do have to work at getting your website noticed, which is really hard, I know. Photography is probably the most important thing and that's something I'm constantly working at and mostly getting wrong! I do though get quite a lot of orders through my site, which I'm very grateful for. I think it goes back to offering things that are sufficiently different to everyone else's, at a price which is reasonable (not too high, not too low).

[CJ57]

Well so far only one person has bought from our website so dont get killed in the crush.

I'm glad you've now put it in as your signature Pat because in all the the years we've been on forums together I would never have known where to look as the name doesn't relate to you.

[Patstone]

I'm glad you've now put it in as your signature Pat because in all the the years we've been on forums together I would never have known where to look as the name doesn't relate to you.

Isca is the Roman name for Exeter. There used to be an Assay Office here, but unfortunately they closed.