Tommy Humphries on wed 20 mar 02
Hey Chris,
I liked the article...read it just this morning in fact. It does give a
good basis to start your pricing from. I liked the fact that you stated
that the raw materials would be the least of your cost...so true.
But the bottom line is still going to be the labor costs...you give a good
starting point, but as the potter progresses and becomes more proficient in
production the labor costs will likely go way down.
This raises the question, of do you let the prices remain the same, and
pocket the extra cash as a reward for your efforts, or do you refigure the
costs to reflect your current status, and adjust the price per pot down.
OR, do you give yourself a big raise because of your hard work and increased
skill, and raise the bar even higher.
Each potter out there must make these choices for themselves... To suggest
getting together with other potters in the area to set price limits reeks of
collusion and price fixing to me, and is not fair to the customer. Each of
us should look out for each other and not make our wares so cheap that no
one else gets the business, but neither should anyone tell me that I should
price my wares higher just because they want to charge more than I do.
Pricing should be dependent on the locality...Me in rural E.Texas, could
never charge as big a price as Rush in Metro Dallas could, and I should not
take my LOCAL prices into a higher, or lower economic region, and expect to
compete on even footing with the locals there.
In the end though, the price you set on your wares is going to be entirely
up to you...no one else can, or should have a say in it. If the skill level
was right , and the materials were handy and cheap, then you could
conceivably make and sell mugs for $2 a piece and make a profit...won't make
much money that way, or many potter friends, but if that is not what you are
after then if you want to sell em for $2 then that is your choice.
I don't think there will ever be a simple answer to the pricing
question...As my art teacher in high school, Mrs. Mason said on pricing a
painting... just ask yourself which you would rather have, the painting or
Xamount of money. When you would rather have the money, then you have set
the minimum price for your work...the upper limit is up to the customer.
Tommy
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