Pricing work

[Keefie]

I was told by another crafter at my first show the best trick yrt to get people looking at your work. He told mt to pick a large item that I thought wasn't even worth putting on display and put it on a raised platform in the centre of your display marked up at a ridiculous price eg ?600.00  He said someone would look at it and go off to tell his/her friends about a piece of work that they saw that is so bad and so overpriced. The friends in turn all come back to look at the item, at which point you explain it is only there to get them looking and you show them your normal pieces of work. I tried it and it does work, at one point I had 27people at my stall looking at a large bowl with a huge crack through it and a price tag of ?600.00. about half of them bought something before moving on.

[Billy in Va]

Keefie  A similar way is to carry a fairly large piece  ie  a 24 inch clock and put it in predominate place with a fair price . maybe a little marked up. that will also attract attention. Worked for a friend last year at a show we did together.  Thing was he sold the clock!!!!!

[king310]

Should have told them it was the second of a commissioned piece art that you did not want to sell anthe first one went for 1000.

[IBMer]

Technically, I'm not suggesting discounting your prices.   If you look at my post, I suggested marking your items higher than you expect to sell them for, then discount that amount to what you wanted in the first place.     That way, when people come up and say, I'll give you 35 cash for that item right now, you can say, sorry, I've already deeply discounted the item from what I normally get just to lower my inventory before starting the new year.      My math is that if you want $30, you mark the item $39.95.   TODAY'S LOW SALE PRICE $30.00.    Or, take your 30 dollar item, mark it $32.00 and put up a banner that $2.00 of every sale will be donated to (charity of your choice).    Document the money you donate and declare it on your Income Taxes.   

I'm suggesting that people will buy things because they are on sale, or are being sold for a good cause, not necessarily because of the great deal they are getting.  Just make them feel like they got the deal of the century.    Those big (Going Out of Business) signs are like a magnet.   Let's face it, Consumers are Vultures for deals.

[pbuchin]

I worked a lot of flea markets in my time. What I found is that it's best to hold firm on pricing. Once you give in and drop your price it's a slippery slope.

My reply to the lady in your scenario would've been, "Everyone has prices. What's marked on the plaque is my price." Then, let her talk. If she insisted that she could buy it cheaper elsewhere you could simply state, "Well, then I guess that person has made a sale."

At that point, the husband will (hopefully) chime in with, "Honey, I've never seen one as nice as this one before." Just look at the lady and raise your eyebrows - the hubby has just made the sale for you. If the hubby says nothing just hand him your business card with a smile.

[geneVG]

I went to a flea market this weekend and sold $465.00 worth of stuff.  I guess it depends on the area that you are in for sales.

gene

[Jim Finn]

In my opinion: Pricing is determined on why you are at the sale.  I go there to get rid of the stuff I make. The more I sell the more I get to make without throwing it away.  When I like making a certain item I sell it pretty cheaply so I get rid of it and can then make more.  I have NEVER had anyone tell me my price was too high.  Too  low  yes.  I sell at craft fairs and flea markets and see almost no competition there.  I have made some $125 trunks (about 50 of them) but no longer make them because I grew tired of lugging them to and from the sales. (I do about 25 sales a year). They eventually did all sell. I now make smaller items mostly because of the transportation hassles of larger items.  My prices range form $5 to $40 now.  Some items I earn about $20 an hour making and others only $3 per hour but I am sure having fun with this self funding hobby.

[puzzlemaker]

I agree with IBMer. While new to scrolling, I have 26 Yrs. doing major shows with other crafts. Mark up the item, put a red line through it, lower the price, and it will sell. The public likes a perceived value.

Puzzlemaker (Pat)

[cherie]

Flea markets are a hard place to sell hand crafted items.  These are the places that people are looking for a bargain and will try to talk you down on price.  She may have thought you price is too high, but that is her loss and like everyone else stated, probably not something she was really looking for.  I have done these myself and I only ask 25.00 and that is with it personalized.
I price my work according to area and economy and what i have in a piece.  I cannot put my time into anything because I jump back and forth from one thing to another all the time.  Anyone that knows me on Facebook knows that I have much to keep up with let alone my own group to keep going.
Your piece is priced just fine, it will find a home to someone who really wants it someday, just give it time. 

[edward]

 Keep the Price, people like to look for bargins, I stand firm on my prices, eventually  they will sell.  Edward

[IBMer]

How many times has your spouse or significant other gone to the store to buy product "A" and come home with a box of product "B" as well, because it was on sale.   Not because you needed the item, but hey, it was on sale...     I bet that Sales and Deals sell over half of the items purchased in this country today.   Just the perception that you are getting a "DEAL" may be enough to sell you on an item....