mel jacobson on tue 19 mar 02
on a very serious note:
i really believe in getting pots and paintings out of
my studio. it is not always the individual price that counts...
it is getting rid of the pots. total sales. as much as my
market will stand.
unsold treasures that sit for months...well, treasure to whom?
one person's treasure is another person's land fill.
each craftsman has to determine what his or her work is
worth, then see if you can get it.
mel
the trip to the fine store will make your head
go glink. what the hell am i doin? $165 for that piece of
#&^$$.
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
Nikki Simmons on tue 19 mar 02
Mel said,
it is not always the individual price that counts...
it is getting rid of the pots. total sales. as much as my
market will stand.
I haven't been a potter for very long but have been working in the antique
business with my mother since I was born. She spins circles (read this as
makes lots of $$$) around her shop partners and other dealers in our area.
People are always coming up to me, trying to weasel her secrets. Some are
even gutsy enough to ask her themselves. The answer is always the same.
Price it so you can
- make a little profit
- allow someone else to feel like they are getting a bargain
- so that they might buy something else
- so they will come back again
- move things quickly, always have something new for sale when your customer
returns
My mom's business started out as a hobby and now she pays the bills. When I
was still out in the corporate world, I used these same principles for
computer education. We were the hot company to got with. Now WHEN I
actually make pots and put them out for sale :-), I sell every single one of
them, with a nice margin, with people wanting more.
I hope this helps someone who is struggling with a slow inventory. We have
found that slow inventory is a result of not finding the right clientele and
having priced too high.
Sincerely,
Nikki Simmons
nsimmons@mid-mo.net
John Forstall on wed 20 mar 02
Nikki,
What a fine message. Certainly, we can all benefit from the pricing
philosophy you have shared. I agree 100% with keeping the pots moving.
However, I would like to add a few thoughts on the difference between
Wholesale, and Retail prices. Your mother's terrific success can only be
accomplished by buying Wholesale and selling Retail. Many potters who never
sell wholesale, and who have no need to calculate the real cost of producing
their pots will sell wholesale to the public at art fairs. The absolute
MINIMUM price a piece can be sold for is probably close to the WHOLESALE
price for that item. The RETAIL price should be about double that figure.
In other words a potter should be able to live with an offer by a dealer to
buy his whole stock for 50% of the marked prices. Any potter who finds this
shocking,or unacceptable may be selling WHOLESALE to the public. Just a
thought!
John Forstall in Pensacola Fl.
Nikki Simmons wrote:
>I haven't been a potter for very long but have been working in the antique
business with my mother since I was born. She spins circles (read this as
makes lots of $$$) around her shop partners and other dealers in our area.
People are always coming up to me, trying to weasel her secrets. Some are
even gutsy enough to ask her themselves. The answer is always the same.
Price it so you can
- make a little profit
- allow someone else to feel like they are getting a bargain
- so that they might buy something else
- so they will come back again
- move things quickly, always have something new for sale when your customer
returns
My mom's business started out as a hobby and now she pays the bills. When I
was still out in the corporate world, I used these same principles for
computer education. We were the hot company to got with. Now WHEN I
actually make pots and put them out for sale :-), I sell every single one of
them, with a nice margin, with people wanting more.
I hope this helps someone who is struggling with a slow inventory. We have
found that slow inventory is a result of not finding the right clientele and
having priced too high.
Sincerely,
Nikki Simmons
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