KLeSueur@AOL.COM on fri 10 aug 01
In a message dated 8/10/01 4:02:51 PM, rikigil@CWNET.COM writes:
<< The best way I can think of is to go to shows, look at other
potters in your ability range, and see what they charge. If your pieces
don't sell at your initial prices, drop one or two prices in a group to see
if they sell. >>
How to piss off your customers royally. So you price your pots too high and
then lower the price. the people who bought at the higher price will think
they we ripped off. If you don't think they'll find out, you're naive.
I'd suggest going to an upscale store and see what things go for
commercially. Price competitively. If your work flies off of the shelves
raise your prices. If they still fly off of the shelves, raise them some
more. The people who bought at the lower price will be ecstatic at the deal
they got.
You can always raise your prices. But lowering them is going to get someone
angry.
Kathi LeSueur
Ann Arbor, Mi
hani and david on fri 10 aug 01
i am wondering about the ''going rates" for pieces. are there any general
guidelines? thanks, hani
Rikki Gill on fri 10 aug 01
Hi Hani, The best way I can think of is to go to shows, look at other
potters in your ability range, and see what they charge. If your pieces
don't sell at your initial prices, drop one or two prices in a group to see
if they sell. Not all the pieces per type have to be the same price.
Experiment a bit. If you can't get what you think is a fair price for an
item, consider droping it in favor of something else. Best of luck, Rikki
Gill rikigil@cwnet.com www.berkeleypotters.com We are in the process
of revamping our website.
-----Original Message-----
From: hani and david
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Friday, August 10, 2001 8:25 AM
Subject: suggested retail prices
>i am wondering about the ''going rates" for pieces. are there any general
>guidelines? thanks, hani
>
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Wood Jeanne on fri 10 aug 01
Greetings Hani,
I think there are differences in price depending upon
the region in which you live. If you can talk to other
potters in your region you will get a better idea of
the "going rate".
Another idea might be to look at as many potter's web
pages as you can and see some of the prices listed on
those.
Of course other people's prices doesn't mean you have
to match them. You ultimately charge what you feel you
must have for your work (does that make sense?)
Cheers,
Jeanne W.
In Northern, or maybe North Central, Idaho
--- hani and david wrote:
> i am wondering about the ''going rates" for pieces.
> are there any general
> guidelines? thanks, hani
>
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Patrick Logue on fri 10 aug 01
I would suggest visiting some craft fairs.In my area
competition is pretty tight.
So if you are at a show,you probably shouldnt expect
to get$12 for a mug if every other potter is selling
theirs for $8.
However if your pieces are real jaw droppers you dont
necessarily have to settle for $8 either.
Some good advice I got was- if you are just starting,
sell it for what you need to get out of it,if you sell
every one at the first show, you can probably raise
the price a bit.pretty soon you'll know whats going to
move at what price.
Hope this helps
Pat Logue
--- hani and david wrote:
> i am wondering about the ''going rates" for pieces.
> are there any general
> guidelines? thanks, hani
>
>
______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change
> your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be
> reached at melpots@pclink.com.
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Rowdy Dragon Pottery on fri 10 aug 01
I write as someone who will be doing my first fair next week. So I second
Pat Logue's suggestion to visit some fairs. But I take a different
approach as to where to begin when you actually begin to price. Where Pat
suggests starting lower and raising prices as you learn more, I believe--at
least for now--in a marketing plan that has my pieces cover a range from
mid-market to high-market at the same time. Whatever approach you take, a
small retail business still demands the same attention to a marketing plan
as a larger business does. In fact, a case might easily be made that
because of its limited capital and meagre cash flow the small business
might be damaged even more than a large one if it neglects its marketing.
So do considerable research, noting the high and low end of the scale as
well as the median price on each category of item. Remember that markets
are very local, and each community may be a different market. The tricky
part is to pay attention to what is selling, not just the price of
items. Knowing that the high end, median, and low end prices of an
attractive, well crafted larger bowl are $85, $60, and $40 may not help you
price your work if you don't know what is selling. If the high end pieces
are selling, and if your work is of similar quality and appeal, it would be
a shame to set your price by the average. (And drag the average down for
everyone else too.) Or if only the low end is selling and you price higher
because that is where most of the competition is, you may not
sell. Unfortunately, I have no magic formula to judge sales other than to
visit each day of the fairs you visit and try to gauge for yourself.
Booth design, it seems to me, is as important as--and determines-- price
structure. I am forgoing loss leaders as enticements and am counting on
some striking 17-20" platters and some unique handleless pitchers to draw
customers into the booth. These are my most expensive pieces, priced above
the market but not so much that they are no longer good value. Most of my
other ware, mostly serving bowls, pitchers, planters, and vases, have a
considerable range of prices in each category. But my average price for
each category is competitive. For instance, my large serving bowls (12-14"
diameter) range from 44.50 to 72.50, with a median price of 49.95 and an
average of 55.50.
Whether this works at all in practice I may know the Monday after
next. And if any Clayarters are at the Mukilteo Lighthouse Festival next
weekend, please stop by.
><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
Neil Berkowitz
The Rowdy Dragon Pottery
Seattle WA
http://members.home.net/rowdy-dragon-pottery/
Richard Jeffery on sat 11 aug 01
excellent advice. And the outlets will find out, and will rightly get
pissed off if you try one price in one place and something substantially
different somewhere else.
there is some research that suggests that for many items, a price increase
of less than 10% is barely perceptible to the buyer. I guess that means
they notice and accept, rather than they don't notice.
I wouldn't try it every week though, but twice a year you might just get
away with.
The only problem with comparing your work with what's out there is to get
the comparison as accurate as possible - that means the "quality" of the
outlet as well as the work.
Richard
Bournemouth UK
www.TheEleventhHour.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of KLeSueur@AOL.COM
Sent: 11 August 2001 04:16
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: suggested retail prices
In a message dated 8/10/01 4:02:51 PM, rikigil@CWNET.COM writes:
<< The best way I can think of is to go to shows, look at other
potters in your ability range, and see what they charge. If your pieces
don't sell at your initial prices, drop one or two prices in a group to see
if they sell. >>
How to piss off your customers royally. So you price your pots too high and
then lower the price. the people who bought at the higher price will think
they we ripped off. If you don't think they'll find out, you're naive.
I'd suggest going to an upscale store and see what things go for
commercially. Price competitively. If your work flies off of the shelves
raise your prices. If they still fly off of the shelves, raise them some
more. The people who bought at the lower price will be ecstatic at the deal
they got.
You can always raise your prices. But lowering them is going to get someone
angry.
Kathi LeSueur
Ann Arbor, Mi
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Janet Kaiser on sat 11 aug 01
Pricing is a major bug-bare for each and every one of
us, no matter where we sell or how great or small we
are. I am often asked for advice on pricing and it is
my biggest difficulty, because how do you "rate" work
so it is a fair price for the maker, whilst retaining
at least a modicum of market savvyness? No good having
such a high price the work will not sell, on the other
hand, makers have to earn enough from their labour to
make a profit and stay in business, without becoming
slaves to their work.
There are also great national differences, so it is not
much good comparing prices globally... The UK is
considered very expensive just now. Some Germans were
only saying yesterday, that they thought prices were
marked in pounds for what they would pay in
Deutschmarks. For example, a mug selling at a modest
£10 would be over DM 30,00 (real terms) and not 10 DM
But some of the points you have to consider when
pricing:
1. Basics. How much did the item cost to make and get
to the point of sale? Include all the materials, time,
energy, kiln, depreciation of tools, postage,
packaging, promotional material, phone, stationary,
rent, taxes, professional fees, further education,
travel, etc. etc. It is a very long list, which will
have to be averaged out over a week, month, year and
even up to 10 years (actual or projected).
2. Competition. How much would a comparable item cost
if made by your nearest successful makers and/or makers
in the geographical area you intend selling. As a
professional potter, it is no good looking at people
who have a second income here. Your location will also
make a huge difference. Potters from London laugh in
disbelief at local prices here... Town/country divide
is very real and yet so unfair. Living in the country
is often more expensive, but we earn a lot less!
3. Market place. You have to know the true market value
of similar work. You do not want people standing in
front of work laughing at the price or shaking their
heads in disgust. And just because Adam Potter has a
price tag of 100 digits, does not mean he sells enough
work to make it viable. He may have a lucrative day job
or a rich wife, so you must find out about it before
you compare your work and pricing structure to his.
4. Reputation. Is Adam Potter well-known locally,
regionally, nationally or internationally? Are you any
of these? There is a natural progression of prices as
potters become famous and more people want their work.
Very few are rich and famous and most started out small
and poor... A $10 mug as a student, progressing up to
$100 and beyond with the reputation and the years.
5. Taste. Depending on the whims of fashion and what
the public perceives as desirable. Not easy to judge,
but it adds or detracts from the price a piece will
fetch.
On the whole, successful pricing is comparative and
subjective, with the total production cost being the
basic minimum to work from.
Janet Kaiser
The Chapel of Art . Capel Celfyddyd
HOME OF THE INTERNATIONAL POTTERS' PATH
Criccieth LL52 0EA, GB-Wales Tel: (01766) 523570
E-mail: postbox@the-coa.org.uk
WEBSITE: http://www.the-coa.org.uk
Lee Love on sun 12 aug 01
Getting ready for the time when I graduate and start making my own pots again,
I've been carrying a little notebook with me and taking notes on the prices of
the various pots at the different shops and galleries here in Mashiko, paying
special attention to the work of other people who have studied with my teacher.
There is some variation from shop to shop, which makes me think that different
shops take a different percentage.
--
Lee Love
Mashiko JAPAN Ikiru@kami.com
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