Advice on appropriate retail price for TM Alpha

[fingwe]

I think the only time you can really charge for your time is when a customer wants you to make something bespoke, to their requirements or personalised...other wise you have to charge what the market is prepared to pay.

I make different pens to most of you on here...but I charge for my time, whether it's bespoke, or not.

If you don't believe your pens are worth more, then neither will your customers. But as I said, most local crafts fairs aren't going to make you money. If anything, they will decrease the value of your work...most people selling at craft fairs nowadays are hobbiests trying to make back a bit of cash to fund their hobby, and you'll be viewed the same. If you want to be viewed as a business, you have to act like a business, and sell in places that businesses sell.

Just my opinion.

 

[Lons]

There are more market opportunities out there than many realise, you just have to think laterally and do some research. As I said, I haven't bothered too much as I'm not looking to make money, I haven't ebven bothered to update my website for well over a year but when I first started and had built up a reasonable selection, my wife took them in to work and in one day sold 26 slimlines at £15 each and a few other types at £25 to £35. Most were from the selection but a number were orders in specific wood or colour acrylic and the usual "can I have that but in chrome rather than gold". I've had a slow steady stream from some of those people since and a couple to South Africa and one to New Zealand from relatives of them here on holiday.

If I remember didn't Alex (Bellringer) approach a bank or financial institution a few years ago and got permission to set up a stall? How many of us have" done some thinking outside the box?"

I give pens away but refuse to sell them cheaply as I value the effort I put into making them. If they're still here when I'm not then the kids can flog them off at a boot sale should they so wish as I won't care anymore. Not for a while yet I hope

 

[silver]

I knew it would be a good thread, spent an hour of my time catching up with the forum today..

I think the only time you can really charge for your time is when a customer wants you to make something bespoke, to their requirements or personalised...other wise you have to charge what the market is prepared to pay.

Nobody will buy a pen from me at £50 because I'm not a known brand like Parker but what I can offer is something different from the norm, so they don't mind paying more than they would for a simple biro pen from Woolies...

I'm stopping selling slimlines soon as to me they aren't worth the time and effort for what I can ask for them. I now look for pens that are £5 to £8 for a kit and charge a flat rate of £25 as that is what I've found is a price people like to pay me for them. It'll be different for others, but it's so simple when I get to the craft fair and put...all pens £25 each :)

Why won't anyone buy a pen from you at that price? It's up to you to sell it, I know I thought the same thing but I know it can and does work. Maybe its the "CRAFT FAIR" where the problem is. I know it was for me and still would be.

I don't blame you on the slimline front, I gave up selling those about 10 years ago. I don't buy them now, but have around 300 on stock. Grandson is making a mess of those right now. (selling them at £15 a shot at school)

When you get on to kitless pens, then they are another point where you can start and "name the price" as you can be very specific and once you get known for the right reasons then that's the right thing to do.

Getting the market, the price and what to sell are very difficult to gauge and manage.

Don't get me wrong, I don't sell many pens per year. What I do sell are top end to company directors and CEO's. They are a tough bunch to please. So much so that I don't even put those on here as I don't believe that they would like me to post them all over a forum for all to see.

But would the pens I sell make turn me in to a big moneymaking business? I don't believe it will. well I haven't ordered my new ferrari yet anyway.

Any I have posted on here I have asked if I could post them as advertising and get their permission first, that's the respect the customer deserves.

What I will say is value your pens as "a work of art" and not a "craft" as that changes the perspective straight away.
Maybe why Walter has his in an art galery

 

[rayf6604]

I have craft fairs to be strange. Sometimes I think it's the venue location, then I think it's the type of people that come in. I've done well at some fairs when other crafters have had an awful day. Other times I've had a bad day. It all depends who comes through the doors, and location doesn't seem to play too much I think.

Sent from my SM-G928F using Tapatalk