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So... What are YOU doing? - Part 8

tango

tango

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Lamb said:
Snowmen!! Those can be pretty popular! I used to collect snowmen, but now I have too many and got into the habit with my former neighbor. Lots of people love them, so you might be surprised and sell it early on. I'd be surprised if it didn't sell.
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It's often hard for me to know how to price something - there's a figure based on how long it took me to make it and another figure based on the perspective of someone who doesn't have a basement full of tools to make them. If you have a lathe and a modicum of skill they are easy to make but if you don't have a lathe they are trickier.

I made this one from 120 year old chestnut, it's about an inch and a half across and maybe four inches tall. I'm thinking I'll see if it sells for $5, and if it sells very fast I'll nudge the price of the next batch to $10. Maybe for the November show I'll see if I can buy a fence post or something, so I can make bigger snowmen. At local craft shows it can be a bit hit-or-miss with what people will pay - some people have cash to burn but a lot of people around here aren't awash with money. Some people will reject a handmade piece for $5 because "it's too expensive" and then stand in line to pay $5.99 for a giant cookie, or they'll complain at the $5 price because it's too much while holding a $10 coffee.

After turning the snowman I had to take a belt sander to it, I'd made it round at the bottom so it didn't stand up. My original thought was to put a hook in the top and present it as a Christmas tree ornament, but then thought it would be good if it would stand up on its own.
 
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tango said:
It's often hard for me to know how to price something - there's a figure based on how long it took me to make it and another figure based on the perspective of someone who doesn't have a basement full of tools to make them. If you have a lathe and a modicum of skill they are easy to make but if you don't have a lathe they are trickier.

I made this one from 120 year old chestnut, it's about an inch and a half across and maybe four inches tall. I'm thinking I'll see if it sells for $5, and if it sells very fast I'll nudge the price of the next batch to $10. Maybe for the November show I'll see if I can buy a fence post or something, so I can make bigger snowmen. At local craft shows it can be a bit hit-or-miss with what people will pay - some people have cash to burn but a lot of people around here aren't awash with money. Some people will reject a handmade piece for $5 because "it's too expensive" and then stand in line to pay $5.99 for a giant cookie, or they'll complain at the $5 price because it's too much while holding a $10 coffee.

After turning the snowman I had to take a belt sander to it, I'd made it round at the bottom so it didn't stand up. My original thought was to put a hook in the top and present it as a Christmas tree ornament, but then thought it would be good if it would stand up on its own.
Click to expand...
the price is always what the market will bear, going significantly above that makes people think of it as a luxury item turn away and look for something else while going significantly below that makes people look at a cheap low value item diminishing its desirability to those who can afford what they consider better.

How the item is marketed and packaged is also important, remember how the Japanese street fruit vendors during the depression outsold other fruit vendors selling the same apples from the same orchards by wrapping them in brightly colored foil and cellophane (which cost very little to do outside of a little time) for the same apples all the other apple carts were selling, it made them seem more desirable at virtually no higher price.

Remember that everything in this universe originates as a result of desire, and most people don't develop a desire for something before they see it. (Many Biblical stories support this from Genesis 1 to Revelation 4
 
tango

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All true, but coming in cold I have no points of reference as to what the market will bear.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some cash in hand to tell me what people are willing to pay. If not, I'll have a point of reference that whatever numbers I guessed need to go down a little
 
tango

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I only had one snowman so made some more. Now I have eight of them. I've made them so they are very similar, I didn't want them to be identical because I wanted them to look like they came off a lathe rather than a CNC machine.
 
Lamb

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tango said:
It's often hard for me to know how to price something - there's a figure based on how long it took me to make it and another figure based on the perspective of someone who doesn't have a basement full of tools to make them. If you have a lathe and a modicum of skill they are easy to make but if you don't have a lathe they are trickier.

I made this one from 120 year old chestnut, it's about an inch and a half across and maybe four inches tall. I'm thinking I'll see if it sells for $5, and if it sells very fast I'll nudge the price of the next batch to $10. Maybe for the November show I'll see if I can buy a fence post or something, so I can make bigger snowmen. At local craft shows it can be a bit hit-or-miss with what people will pay - some people have cash to burn but a lot of people around here aren't awash with money. Some people will reject a handmade piece for $5 because "it's too expensive" and then stand in line to pay $5.99 for a giant cookie, or they'll complain at the $5 price because it's too much while holding a $10 coffee.

After turning the snowman I had to take a belt sander to it, I'd made it round at the bottom so it didn't stand up. My original thought was to put a hook in the top and present it as a Christmas tree ornament, but then thought it would be good if it would stand up on its own.
Click to expand...

Market them as Teacher's Gifts! Everyone is looking for a cheap teacher's gift $10 or under. Starting at $5 should get some buyers.
 
tango

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I sold some wooden trees, including a couple of bigger ones that now I'm wishing I'd sold at a slightly higher price. I'll make more of those. It's good to have a few things that are cheap as well as other stuff with higher prices.
 
Lamb

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tango said:
I sold some wooden trees, including a couple of bigger ones that now I'm wishing I'd sold at a slightly higher price. I'll make more of those. It's good to have a few things that are cheap as well as other stuff with higher prices.
Click to expand...

That's good you sold some things. Pricing can be so difficult!
 
tango

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Lamb said:
That's good you sold some things. Pricing can be so difficult!
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I figured I'd err a little too low and shift stuff rather than err too high and not sell anything. Now I can experiment, maybe nudging some prices up a little.
 
Lamb

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It's Monday which means big chores day today and getting groceries. Have to keep an eye on my tires too because I had a nail/screw in one yesterday and had to take it to the tire shop for a repair. Thankfully I didn't have to get a new set of tires, especially since we're trading in that vehicle next month. Can't wait.
 
NewCreation435

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I started drawing back in June of this year. I haven't done it since college over 30 years ago. I find it very relaxing. Mainly I draw animals or people
 
Lamb

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NewCreation435 said:
I started drawing back in June of this year. I haven't done it since college over 30 years ago. I find it very relaxing. Mainly I draw animals or people
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That's awesome!! I haven't drawn in years (went to art school). When you get more confident, show us your work?
 
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