Politely turning our backs to craft - crafthaus2024-03-28T13:55:33Zhttp://crafthaus.ning.com/forum/topics/politely-turning-our-backs-to?groupUrl=handthought&%3Bamp%3BcommentId=2104389%3AComment%3A223313&%3Bamp%3BgroupId=2104389%3AGroup%3A175409&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThis is not always my approac…tag:crafthaus.ning.com,2011-04-16:2104389:Comment:2233132011-04-16T21:48:31.553Zmarcus marguillierhttp://crafthaus.ning.com/xn/detail/u_02qyn9ec2opkb
<p>This is not always my approach, but not long ago this happened:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I got a mail from an Australian student who saw my work on the net. She loved one of my "Holograms" third series rings, one that is not a practical one to wear (to say the least). Never the less, that was the one she was interested in and asked me for a price.</p>
<p>After some consideration, I told her that she could buy it for any price she thought she could afford, on condition that she would carefully think…</p>
<p>This is not always my approach, but not long ago this happened:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I got a mail from an Australian student who saw my work on the net. She loved one of my "Holograms" third series rings, one that is not a practical one to wear (to say the least). Never the less, that was the one she was interested in and asked me for a price.</p>
<p>After some consideration, I told her that she could buy it for any price she thought she could afford, on condition that she would carefully think about what it was worth to her and that the price would at least cover all my costs.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She answered that she was overwhelmed. That, being a student, she could only afford to pay 100 € for it, but that she was so thrilled that she told her friend and that she also would love to buy one for 100 €.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So I sold two, for 200 € (about 288 $).</p>
<p>To give you an idea, the materials cost about 25 € for the two rings, and they represent about eight hours of work.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I did not make a fortune, but I was absolutely glad that two young girls were willing to pay for a piece I consider to be quiet avant-garde and not obviously wearable. And, if ever, a collector wants to pay a higher price, I will not be sad too.</p> Years ago, when I first start…tag:crafthaus.ning.com,2011-04-12:2104389:Comment:2213572011-04-12T17:45:40.398ZChuck Domitrovichhttp://crafthaus.ning.com/xn/detail/u_0jkwvaqln5xxy
Years ago, when I first started selling my work-- it was all production then-- I had no idea how to price it and so I priced it in the range of work that was already out there in the venues I was approaching to carry my work. As a result, I hugely undervalued my work and particularly my time, but it forced me to do something that I have benefited from ever since: it made me streamline my production techniques and hone my hand skills. As a result, to this day I work very fast and my goal is…
Years ago, when I first started selling my work-- it was all production then-- I had no idea how to price it and so I priced it in the range of work that was already out there in the venues I was approaching to carry my work. As a result, I hugely undervalued my work and particularly my time, but it forced me to do something that I have benefited from ever since: it made me streamline my production techniques and hone my hand skills. As a result, to this day I work very fast and my goal is always to trim time from my product whether it is one of a kind or one of a hundred. I have pieces that I have literally made hundreds of and yet am still finding ways of trimming my production time by a bit here and there.<br/>
<br/>
I also decided years ago not to let my retail stores determine my prices for me by not making everything available to them. If they want a piece badly enough I will let them have it, but I will explain to them that I never made the piece with the intention of selling it wholesale and so I cannot give it to them at half of my own retail price. They may or may not decide to sell that particular piece, but I have never had one of my stores decide to drop me for the practice. It's important to remember that you do have the power to say no and, while you might not make as much money as you would selling retail at the price you would have to in a store to support your wholesale price, you can definitely make a price that is fair to you and will allow you to move a lot of product. In the end, if you don't sell you don't make money, no matter where you set the price.<br/>
<br/>
I do get the occasional email from someone admonishing me that my prices are too low and that I am doing a disservice to my craft because of that. The last time this happened was on Etsy where I am approaching my 3,000th sale in five years. The person who had written me had 12 sales in her three years of having a shop there. When I looked at her work, some of it was very simple-- things that I, in my constant battle with time, could turn over very quickly if they were my pieces-- yet her prices seemed very high to me and her sales seemed to bear that out. I don't think that I was the reason that she was struggling. <br/>
<br/>
My approach to my production work has always been to make it an actual production line-- to mostly make pieces that are easy to reproduce and find the most efficient ways of doing that. If that means casting just part of the finished piece and assembling it after casting, I will do that. If I can cut corners without sacrificing quality, I will do that; there is no need to make bezels from scratch on earrings that are meant to be affordable if a bezel cup will do. I almost never hand finish or use a buffing wheel and I design my pieces accordingly. And so I am able to price my production work at a level that people who know very little about jewelry can afford, I have a lot of repeat customers, and I find that my lower-priced work ultimately helps sell my higher-priced work (and vice versa).<br/>
<br/>
One of the rings I sell in my Etsy shop-- but which is not available to stores at wholesale prices-- sells for $58. A lot of jewelers think this ring is under-priced. But one time, when I had let my orders pile up, I made 13 of these rings in an 8 hour period. The material cost of these rings is less than $5 each, so in 8 hours I made $689, that's $86/hr for my time, creativity, reputation, profit. That is a pretty good day. Do I really need to make a higher hourly wage than that on these rings? If not, these rings are not priced too low regardless of how that price might appear to others. If I get tired of making these rings, I can always stop or raise my prices. But for now they are a really good way of providing me with work and some steady income. This is the approach I have taken to all my production work and it has allowed me to do what I love full time while paying the bills, allowing me to save some money, and letting me grow my business. I couldn't do any of that if my prices were truly too low. Great post Timothy. I'm so h…tag:crafthaus.ning.com,2011-04-12:2104389:Comment:2211892011-04-12T16:05:12.454ZMichelle Pajak-Reynoldshttp://crafthaus.ning.com/xn/detail/u_3hhgyycmqnl8s
<p>Great post Timothy. I'm so happy to hear that Munich was a wonderful experience for you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>If I can sell a brooch that represents me for $50 and make a profit, why aren’t I, and if designing work that makes use of industrial processes and modern technology in lieu of skilled labor allows me to reach more people—by selling at a lower price—should I?</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I wrestled with these questions for many years and then one day I got over it. I realized that by…</p>
<p>Great post Timothy. I'm so happy to hear that Munich was a wonderful experience for you.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>If I can sell a brooch that represents me for $50 and make a profit, why aren’t I, and if designing work that makes use of industrial processes and modern technology in lieu of skilled labor allows me to reach more people—by selling at a lower price—should I?</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>I wrestled with these questions for many years and then one day I got over it. I realized that by limiting my work to only skilled labor (my own two hands) that I was also limiting my growth as an artist entrepreneur. By applying my creativity to figuring out how to make use of industrial processes in order make a small collection of work in the $50-150 price range while turning a nice profit, and staying in business, I've seen a dramatic increase in my collector base.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> My collectors are buying work for themselves and as gifts for others. The $50 range pieces sell very well and many of the gift recipients have purchased higher price work for themselves after being introduced to my collection through the gift giver. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Could the seeds planted by low-price (let’s say sub $100) creative design be cultivated to produce a new crop of collectors, collecting higher and higher priced work as their appreciation—and income—increase?</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Yes, absolutely. This is exactly what has been happening to my business over the past few years. By maintaining relationships with my customers, at all price levels, through various forms of marketing I've been able to watch their purchases of my work increase as their appreciation and knowledge of art jewelry-and income-increases.</p> I would suggest that the youn…tag:crafthaus.ning.com,2011-04-12:2104389:Comment:2210772011-04-12T15:47:11.894ZMicki Lippehttp://crafthaus.ning.com/xn/detail/u_0lhe3z66vo7i3
I would suggest that the younger buyers/collectors have a great deal more choice than in the past. At one time there was a clear line between "jewelry store jewelry", costume jewelry and "art" jewelry. Within art jewelry there was production and one of a kind. Folks can buy interesting, if not challenging jewelry at places like J.Crew, Anthropology, Free People, etc. Years ago Bob Ebendorf told me that when he had an exhibition, he tried to have a series of pieces which were more affordable. I…
I would suggest that the younger buyers/collectors have a great deal more choice than in the past. At one time there was a clear line between "jewelry store jewelry", costume jewelry and "art" jewelry. Within art jewelry there was production and one of a kind. Folks can buy interesting, if not challenging jewelry at places like J.Crew, Anthropology, Free People, etc. Years ago Bob Ebendorf told me that when he had an exhibition, he tried to have a series of pieces which were more affordable. I have followed that pattern in my own exhibitions. On the other hand, I do not think an artist should not make work that they feel is true to their own vision in order to sell. Perhaps our goal should be to educate younger buyers to the artistic value of what we are making. Then the question becomes how to define and delineate that artistic value. Micki Lippe you are so right! it is not o…tag:crafthaus.ning.com,2011-04-11:2104389:Comment:2206192011-04-11T14:27:35.804Z115n8icojlapghttp://crafthaus.ning.com/xn/detail/u_115n8icojlapg
<p>you are so right! it is not only hard to educate the buyer / collector, there is also the price problem and I also have the same problem : people how want to buy / wear my jewelry, usually do not afford it.</p>
<p>I think it would be ideal to use different materials and ways of producing as a part of creating process (like when you create any other type of art) and this should not be affected by the price of the final piece of jewel. Thinking about the price before creating may effect what…</p>
<p>you are so right! it is not only hard to educate the buyer / collector, there is also the price problem and I also have the same problem : people how want to buy / wear my jewelry, usually do not afford it.</p>
<p>I think it would be ideal to use different materials and ways of producing as a part of creating process (like when you create any other type of art) and this should not be affected by the price of the final piece of jewel. Thinking about the price before creating may effect what we do in a way that will transform us in a small "factory" and get "art" out of jewelry.</p>
<p>but hmmm ... selling and money is a must after all ...</p>
<p>your half of the solution is in my oppinion a good one and I am trying to use it for a few months. I think that if we can make the new generation love and appreciate us, they will grow up to be the collector that will buy the good stuff and they will also be the ones that will educate the next generation and so on.</p>
<p> </p>