Eddie Krieger on mon 18 mar 02
Hello. I'm not really too new because I'm older than most dirt and have been
throwing pots since I took my first course at McMurry in 1978. Have recently
just gotten back into pots seriously after selling my business of 31 years
and now just having to work a 32 hour shift.
Okay, that's my introduction.
I just recently joined your wonderful group and have already benefited from
some good information that applies to what I'm doing. The lid sticking thread
definitely applies to me and just this weekend I was fretting over lights for
my booth at an indoor show so was delighted to see some information coming by
pertaining to just that problem.
My question may be one that is forbidden or not talked about and it is: How
the hell do you go about pricing these pots? I don't want to be "cheap" and
I sure don't want to price them more than they are worth. I worry about
being cheaper than the market but I don't know what that is and living out in
West Texas I don't have a lot of opportunity to peruse the "market." I have
two "big" shows coming up and I'd like to be in the ballpark with my prices.
Any help or advise will be greatly appreciated.
I surely do enjoy reading your post. I look forward to getting to meet some
of you in person somewhere down the road.
Thanks,
Eddie Krieger
Dry Creek Pottery
Abilene, Texas
Lee Love on tue 19 mar 02
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eddie Krieger"
> My question may be one that is forbidden or not talked about and it is: How
> the hell do you go about pricing these pots?
Visit many potters in your neighborhood. See what the prices are like
for pots like yours. Here in Mashiko, I keep a little notebook. In the
front of the notebook, I note the maker, the form and the price. In the back
of the notebook I sketch: pots that interest and other objects that me & ideas
that come up.
Lee in Mashiko
"The lyfe so short, the craft so long to learne." - Chaucer -
._____________________________________________
| Lee Love ^/(o\| Practice before theory. |
| Ikiru@kami.com |\o)/v - Sotetsu Yanagi - |
`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'
"All weaves one fabric; all things give
Power unto all things to work and live." - Goethe -
Jennifer F Boyer on tue 19 mar 02
Hi Eddie,
If you're doing _kitchen pots_ here's my formula (for
reference only). This would have to be changed to reflect what
the market will bear in your area and your own circumstances:
I weigh the clay I start out with for throwing my pots. If it's
off the hump, I weigh that piece as it's cut off the hump. I use
a base rate of 10.00/pound for the retail price of small
pots(under 2 lbs), 11.00/lb for medium pots(2-4 lbs) and
12.00/lb for larger pots(4-6 lbs). I don't throw anything over 6
pounds. I have add-ons:
Thrown Handle: $10.00
Finger Spout: $2.00
Pulled Handle: $7.00
Teapot Spout: $13.00
Small Lid: $8.00
Medium Lid: $11.00
Large Lid: $13.00
MISC: custom additions for lamp parts, lamp labor, oil lamp
wicks, toothbrush holder holes, etc
I use this as a broad gauge. Not all my pots fit this scale
perfectly. But it gives a good starting point. I charge more for
some pieces that tend to come out as seconds more often. If I
want to do a price hike overall I just up the per lb rate. This
is all set up in a database, and my price sheets, delivery
forms, etc are generated from it as well. Price changes then are
reflected in all my forms....
Hope this helps.
Jennifer in the middle of tons of glaze testing: fun kiln
opening coming up!
Eddie Krieger wrote:
> My question may be one that is forbidden or not talked about and it is: How
> the hell do you go about pricing these pots?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jennifer Boyer mailto:jboyer@adelphia.net
Thistle Hill Pottery
95 Powder Horn Glen Rd
Montpelier, VT 05602 USA
802-223-8926
http://www.thistlehillpottery.com/
Never pass on an email warning without checking out this site
for web hoaxes and junk:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/
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Jonathan Kirkendall on tue 19 mar 02
Eddie,
After doing shows for several years, I have a ball park figure for what I
charge - but a lot depends on the show and the customers who are coming! I
used to sell at a wonderful Sunday farmer's market - there is no way in hell
I could get more than $12 - $15 for a mug. Not too far away from that
market, at a successful craft gallery, you couldn't find a mug for under
$20. When people come to a farmers market, they came expecting "deals." I
quit carrying mugs.
One important rule in pricing at shows: don't severely undercut other
potters who might be there.
And, don't be afraid to price once as you set up, then change the prices if
you discover discrepancies with what the market will bear. This means
lowering prices if necessary, but also, don't be afraid to raise a price -
I've done so many times and sold a piece as a result.
There are many posts in the archives about pricing (go to www.potters.org,
click on Clayart Archives, and under the Business section you will find a
section on pricing), and also good information in books (Crafting as a
Business, by Wendy Rosen).
Good luck!!!
Jonathan in DC
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On
Behalf Of Eddie Krieger
Sent: Monday, March 18, 2002 7:06 PM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Newbie treading lightly (Pricing Pots)
Hello. I'm not really too new because I'm older than most dirt and have
been
throwing pots since I took my first course at McMurry in 1978. Have
recently
just gotten back into pots seriously after selling my business of 31 years
and now just having to work a 32 hour shift.
Okay, that's my introduction.
I just recently joined your wonderful group and have already benefited from
some good information that applies to what I'm doing. The lid sticking
thread
definitely applies to me and just this weekend I was fretting over lights
for
my booth at an indoor show so was delighted to see some information coming
by
pertaining to just that problem.
My question may be one that is forbidden or not talked about and it is: How
the hell do you go about pricing these pots? I don't want to be "cheap" and
I sure don't want to price them more than they are worth. I worry about
being cheaper than the market but I don't know what that is and living out
in
West Texas I don't have a lot of opportunity to peruse the "market." I have
two "big" shows coming up and I'd like to be in the ballpark with my prices.
Any help or advise will be greatly appreciated.
I surely do enjoy reading your post. I look forward to getting to meet some
of you in person somewhere down the road.
Thanks,
Eddie Krieger
Dry Creek Pottery
Abilene, Texas
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