Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Craft Show pricing

  1. #1
    John Szarek Guest

    Craft Show pricing

    Up to now, I have been selling pens, keychains, and stoppers at craft shows. Now I am expanding and starting to do bowls. When it comes to pricing, I get the "just pull a number from the air" type answers. That is great if you have been doing it for a while.

    In a receint post, I saw how someone mentioned that another person's bowls were priced quite inexpensively.

    What guidelines to you use to determine the price for bowls and vases?

    Thanks.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,675
    There is a lot that goes into pricing for bowls and vessels ranging from the quality of the work, reputation of the maker and the type of show you are at relative to the typical "shopper" browsing. Higher-end and juried shows will allow you to garner better prices and the more well known you become in the area will also help to boost your sticker. The more common local craft shows will draw more people looking for low-dollar crafts and you will have difficulty selling higher-priced pieces. So you should consider that into the "mix" of things you bring to sell at each show. You need to fully investigate what to likely expect before and after you sign up for an event.

    I have a good friend who prices her "medium sized" bowls at between $80 and $125 average and gets up to $300 for a large or unique piece. Additional treatment, such as carving or texturing raises the bar. But she has been in the business for a number of years and has both a reputation and a following...eg, regular customers at the shows she exhibits in. (I have no more than three items I've ever made that I could honestly and with a straight face put that kind of tag on...not because of quality but because nobody knows me from Adam as a turner/artist)

    There will always be times when someone "undersells" you because they value their work less than you do. And at other times, you'll be in the same position relative to others.

    My best general advise is to do a few shows with items in various price ranges...$10-20, $20-40 and a few over that if you have appropriate things in your inventory. See what sells the most and gradually adjust your mix to focus in that area, always keeping something in the other ranges. Over time you can also expand the ranges. The bottom line is that the price you can get is really up to the customers you attract and they generally are grouped based on the size and type of venue.

    One thing you do NOT want to do is to be easy with "discounting" to make the sale. Stick with your pricing, even if it makes someone walk away. Make your adjustments for the next show from what you learn over multiple customers. If someone wants to buy multiple items, give them a small piece as a bonus rather than a discount--but do it after the sale is complete. Have plenty of business cards available for folks who seem interested, but are not yet willing to buy. You may garner commissions that way. You should also keep a mailing list of folks who have purchased larger items or multiple smaller ones and let them know when you are going to be at a particular event. Marketing...
    Last edited by Jim Becker; 11-09-2004 at 3:56 PM.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Muskoka, Ontario
    Posts
    294
    John,

    Here's a quote from Richard Raffan on the topic. I'm sure it goes for many here, not just turners who make their living at this:

    "In selling your bowls, unless you desperately need the money, don't underprice them. This is a plea on behalf of professional turners everywhere who suffer from hobby turners aiming only to "cover costs." Work offered for sale at a price less than the value of the raw materials is common and a great disservice to craftspeople struggling to make a living. It leads consumers to expect a bargain all the time.

    The basic price for a bowl is worked out by charging an amount for the time taken to make it, plus the current value of the materials (wood, abrasives, finish), plus an amount for fixed costs (equipment, power, insurance, taxes). This is a wholesale cost: the cost at which work sells to a retailer who will add from 80 percent to 150 percent to your price. To this, most turners will add a bit more for dramatic grain or what they might feel is a superior piece of artwork. How much more you load a wholesale price is between you and your ego and what the market can stand. You'll be surprised at what the market can and cannot stand.

    My rule of thumb for calculating how long it should take to turn a bowl works surprisingly well for those above 6 in. in diameter turned from seasoned wood. Working in inches, multiply the diameter by the height to get the approximate time the bowl should take in minutes. For example: 10 in. x 3 in. = 30 minutes. For enclosed forms, I allow one-third time more. All my wholesale prices are based on these calculations rather than on how long I actually take.

    Always cost your wood at the higher end of the current replacement value, not the price you paid for it. If you acquired it for less, or for nothing, that's a bonus for you.

    You can also price your bowls by matching prices for similar bowls displyed in galleries and retail stores. But remember, if you see a bowl sitting on a shelf month after month, it's either too expensive or in the wrong outlet."

    It certainly is sobering to think he feels it's reasonable to complete a 10" bowl in 30 minutes. -Steve

  4. #4
    Do we really owe someone else a living? I've heard it before, and probably will again, but I just refuse to believe I'm any less deserving, so I price my way.

    I pay myself $25 an hour. Your area may pay higher, but that's a good wage up here. Cost of materials for we woodpile turners is about nil, so I just add five bucks out of perversity, figuring it covers fifty cents worth of sandpaper, replacement of my tools eventually, maybe (please) an upgraded lathe someday, and the jury and entry fees. I don't know if that's retail or wholesale, it's just my price. I sell to galleries for the same, and could care less what they charge their customers. What I won't do is pay a fee to them to sell my work, or consign.

    So much for my minimum charges. What I personally like sells for more. A piece or wood I'm likely to have to wait a while to see again, or a piece I do not desire to make again, even more. Strangely, these seem to sell first, regardless of whether it's an "Art" or "craft" show. Perhaps it's true what Susan says. I have good taste - I married her, after all.

  5. #5
    John Szarek Guest
    Thank you.

    I have been turning for about 6 mths now, and starting to hit the craft circuit. I am about to go to my first jurried show which is in another state. I have seen some of the work of another turner who will be there and it is astounding, and he is priced to match. I did not want to appear to undercut his work, but I know the difference in quality and experiance. The prices I have been comming up with are in line with what was suggested. I have had people almost drop the bowls, and others say I was a very good value and purchase more than one.

    Thanks for the insight.

  6. #6
    While I have only been turning a few months, I have been doing craft shows for years and do very well at it with exotic wood crafts and custom framing.

    Becker makes a number of very good points, especially sticking to your price and not undercutting fellow turners or woodworkers. IMO you should be making at least $20.00 an hour min, my son (13) does 90% of our turnings and averages $28.00 which I think is very good.

    My advise is to look around for work that is similar to yours at markets you attend and price your work accordingly. The market I attend year round, although a farmers market, is juried so the products being sold are top quality and the waiting list is something like two years.

    For the first time since I have been there a lady came selling turnings and some beautiful work, the quality or the work was great, the finish was the poorest I have come across and her prices were such that I doubt she was making $5.00 an hour. Due to the finish she didn't sell much and moved on but I was initally really concerned as it hurts everyone when low balling happens.

Similar Threads

  1. well did my first craft show
    By Chris Rolke in forum Turner's Forum
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 11-09-2004, 10:52 AM
  2. Craft Show and Ivan Report
    By Ken Salisbury in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 09-20-2004, 11:10 AM
  3. Craft show pics
    By Anthony Yakonick in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 9
    Last Post: 05-25-2004, 1:06 PM
  4. Craft Show Report **PICS**
    By Ken Salisbury in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 03-24-2004, 8:41 AM
  5. first craft show today
    By Chris Rolke in forum General Woodworking and Power Tools
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 02-22-2004, 8:21 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •