Hallmarking costs...

[Oberon]

Hi,

Really struggling to work out the actual cost per piece of hallmarking... Got horrible stung sending a piece up at Christmas, almost £25 all told for one item which I couldn't pass onto the customer...

Trying to work out how many pieces I need to save up to make it the most cost effective and exactly how muc the final bill would per piece? I know I am being terrible thick but I seem to have s total blind spot working it out... Keep getting a different total and rarely do pieces that need a hallmark but just recently had a few enquiries...

Also does it have to be hallamarked if it isn't being sold when it is over the 7.78g of silver, i.e making it for myself or family?

Many thanks for any help and apologies for being rather stupid about it!

Sarah

[CJ57]

It depends on the office I'm afraid. I have checked mine which is Edinburgh and there is a minimum charge which is why the one piece cost so much, mine is £12.50 and then another couple of charges up to 25 pieces after that they are charged per piece. Looking at my last 2, I sent in 32 pieces and the bill was £30 -+ vat so 36 but I had laser marking, mixed metals, different charges. Also remember that a pair of earrings is counted as 2 items when trying to build a box to go. We get charged extra for wrapping things up so watch for that sort of thing although they sent my more precious ones back last time better wrapped than I'd sent them!

[Oberon]

Caroline thank you,

I am with goldsmiths, I thought I had worked it out at Christmas as being about £12.50 plus my postage but all he extraneous costs added up to nearly £25 plus my postage to get it there, was gutted and no way on some pieces I can pass that on to customers... ��

Sarah

[CJ57]

That does seem a lot but then I'm not adding postage to mine, we go and collect otherwise it's another £12 or so. Sending in the one piece is an expense to avoid. If you are taking a commission for 1 piece with a timeline you'll have to add that single item cost. Mine were working out at about £1 an item the last time. I'm wondering what extra costs there are for 1 item :/

[ps_bond]

From the pre-April 2016 price list:

1-2 articles in a packet: £12
Assuming you posted it in:
Handling: £3.25
Packet logistics: £5.00

Total £20.25 + VAT = £24.30

Postage back (assuming small parcel, 100-500g, £1k cover RMSD): £8.25

New price list is http://www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/media...ice%20list.pdf

[Oberon]

Hi Peter,

Thank you,

I did look at the price list honestly! Loads of times and still keep messing it up, have a total red mist mental block now every time I do...

How many pieces do I need to save up to make it the cheapest per piece? Sorry to ask you but I simply cannot work it out!

Many thank is advance and apologies for being so dense, I blame my artistic nature ��

[Oberon]

Which office are you with?

I rarely have anything that needs hallmarking so kind have to save up a few to go which is tricky with commissions as I don't like to add further delays... Mind you even when I have sent quite a few in I don't think it has ever been that cheap! Just trying to work out a minimum number to send to make it more cost effective. Even before the prices went up last year my bill was way bigger than £30 + vat... I don't know why I have such a mental block about it! Ridiculous isn't it?

Sarah

[1711]

Brilliant chart and answers a lot of confusing questions for me too! I was wondering what the optimum packet size was too.. If you don't make much stock in a month it's more likely you have to send items in low numbers.

To my mind the option is to mark everything and add £2 for the privilege or pay more per item and only mark key pieces but still add on £2 to your sale price of "everything"...

Im sure it depends who you sell to and where you sell as to whether it's cost effective or if it adds sufficient value and perception to your pieces..

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