Perceptions on pricing

[David DeCristoforo]

Ha. No sympathy from here. After spending the better part of my life doing "custom" woodwork, I could not possibly count the number of times I have heard something like this:

"We were over at (fill in the name of the cheapest furniture store you can think of) and they have this dresser that we really like. We would have bought it but it's too small for the space we have for it. Besides it's not real wood and they want way too much for it. We wanted to see if you could make one just like it but bigger and out of real wood and we were hoping that it would not be as expensive as the one over at (fill in the name of the cheapest furniture store you can think of)"

Enough times of hearing this and you begin to be grateful to still have hair on your head, not from aging but from the almost irresistible urge to rip it out.

[Sean Hughto]

Maybe instead of dollars, we should talk to folks about trades. Most everyone can make or do something. It might help them relate if you put it in their terms: "Sure, Sally, I'd trade you my turning for one of your quilts." "Jim, if you want to use your photography skills and equipment to take the pictures at my daughters upcoming wedding ..." etc. etc.

As I've said before, my successful turnings (i.e., the ones I'm persoanlly satisfied with are priceless; therefore, I can only give them away. Funny thing is, I'm not comfortable giving away the ones I see as lacking, and as I get more picky those are piling up. Maybe I should sell 'em. I wouldn't care much what I got for them anyway. Food for thought.

[Sean Hughto]

Yeah, that top thing is freaking nuts. I mean people spend that much on a coffee at Starbucks or for a pack of cigarettes. Sad.

[Dan Hintz]

"Sure, Sally, I'd trade you my turning for one of your quilts."

This could be dangerous as some of those people will spend 80 hours making something and charge $60 for it... to them, it's a hobby, so they only care about making enough to purchase material for the next one.

[Josh Bowman]

...............................
.................. She never asked the price, and I could tell that she likely wouldn't/couldn't indulge herself... As she walked away, I secretly gave the piece to one of her kids and told them to give it to her for Christmas this year. I smile everytime I think about her potential reaction this Christmas.

David,
I have to say you brought a happy smile to my face with that story.
Her expression on Christmas day will be price less.

[Sean Hughto]

Assuming you actually want the quilt and aren't hoping to sell it for the dough, it really shouldn't matter what Sally might sell her work for, right? No matter how she would monetize her own work's value, at least she realizes (1) that you equate the skill and effort and value of your work and hers, and (2) you are presumably getting something you think is a good trade in terms of the value to you in enhancing your life.

[Sean Hughto]

Now that's what I'm talkin about when I say "priceless." As the Aussies say: good on ya, mate.

[Curt Fuller]

Well ya, you put a lot of hours into it and stuff, but it wasn't like you were working or anything. It's just your hobby.
Kind of reminds me of the Dire Straits song "Money for Nothing".

I don't turn a lot of things that I would consider to be high end works of art so I'm a sucker for the relatives that want a deal. In fact, I probably give away well over half of the things I make. But no one has ever called me a shrewd businessman.

[Jim Silva]

Heheh... I run into this all the time with our business.

My family makes Nantucket baskets. People will look at a piece we've done and fall in love with it. Then they ask the price. When they're revived and standing upright again they inevitably ask. "Why so much?!?"

We then have to explain that:

• very few people know how to make these and fewer at the level we do. It's a unique American folk art.
• something like a purse takes us roughly 40 hours of work to complete
• every single piece we produce is done by hand and as such each is completely unique
• Nantucket baskets are highly collectible and never fail to appreciate over time

I then typically ask them how much they make in a 40 hour week. Then would they consider doing the work for say, half the wage. How about their experience, knowledge and other intangibles they bring to their job.

Most will still think the price outrageous but they'll have a better perspective on the effort that goes into these pieces. I also tell them to take a look at competitors doing the quality of work we produce and compare prices. It's what the market will bear and what value the maker puts on their time, experience and materials.

Turning-wise, I don't even remotely consider myself in the same league with some of the turners just viewing this forum but I do know the level of quality work I do produce and value it accordingly.

I give things away frequently but I can do that with friends and family if I choose. When I'm commissioned to produce a particular piece I charge what I feel it's worth.

Jim

[Jim Underwood]

Jim, maybe you should put a sign next to the tops titled "$5 for a top?!" and give a very brief overview of the steps (with times) required to turn such a simple item. For those who read it, it may make a convert of a few... of course, those folks may end up never giving it to their kids, instead displaying it on their shelves... and that's okay.

Problem is, it was underpriced to begin with. If you visit other turners booths with comparable tops? They get $8-$10 for one.... I was just dumbfounded.

I shoulda put a $20 price tag on the dang things so they had a reason to gripe about it. Maybe I'da sold more- it's ART baby. Ya gotta PAY for it!

[David Woodruff]

Having exhibited at a hundred or two, lost count, high end juried mixed media art shows/exhibits I decided early on to create flawless pieces. Actually never did achieve perfection, came close with the final finish. I literally would spend an entire day in leveling and polishing a large vase, bowl, hollow form, etc. I also priced accordingly. Over a several year period 1995 - 2004 my pieces averaged around $1100.00 each with a highest ever sale of $3,000.00 for a single piece.
My point on pricing is do your best work, make an objective comparison to your competitors and price accordingly. My original belief was that a truly level, well polished finish goes a long way in beating most competitors. I still think that is true. One has to price according to the venue. If you have nice work participate in juried shows only, you can at least double you price over the "craft show". Select the higher end juried shows and you can triple your price. In the high end venue form & finish attracts the eye and gets the sale and you still get to meet really weird people who look at the price and shake their head. There are those too who will insist that a nicely formed vase is blown glass.

[Curt Fuller]

Then there's always this poem.........


How Long Does It Take To Make One Of Those?

Do you mean…
not plant the tree, but find the wood,
just ‘see’ the piece, (as if I could)?
to find a highly figured burl,
a crotch, an eye, or pearly curl?
And once I spy it, perhaps buy it,
inventory, store, and dry it?
Then saw or cut it, possibly I kiln it’
glue, imbue with fill, or drill it?
You mean, that once I’m satisfied
it’s stopped the warps, checks, cracks, once dried?
And mounted on the lathe, to turn it,
(which takes much practice, just to learn it;
and then employ a gouge, or two,
or use a skew, which I don’t eschew,
to mold it, shape it (what’s your pleasure?)
by all means, I’m sure to measure,
then sand it smooth, please wear your mitts,
from coarse to fine, 10,000 grits,
then braze, or burnish, paint, or polish,
(the goal: enhance, and don’t demolish)?
Is that your question, start to end,
how long’s that path, its way to wend?
Or do you merely want to know how long it turned?
Ten minutes, or so.

John A. Styer, The Lathe-meister

[Harry Robinette]

Your work is worth what ever you fell it is.BUT talk to the top turners ,Lacer,Elsworth ,Vesery and others and find out that after 20yrs at THE TOP!! Their wifes are the ones making the day to day money.
We all have great expectations of sell our work for what we think it's worth
but is a very hard thing to do.In todays market you have to compramise if your going to make things to sell or do what I do and sell by word of mouth.
I make what I wont and people still buy it because as everyone knows I'll
give them a price we both can live with.
I make enough to make a buck and pay for my shop (sort of ) but I don't have all MY TURNINGS all over the house.
Just my thoughts on the subject.Works for me.