selling items?

[Matthew Harper]

I have been trying to sell my scroll saw work, but so far have felt upset because I put a lot of work into my boxes, but can't sell them for more than 20$. I understand that 20 is a fair price, I'm just not getting enough back for what i put in. If anyone has any ideas on simpler, smaller things that sell well, please comment. Thanks in advance 

[agooday88]

It is hard to get the value out of some work. People don't realize how much it takes to make a simple thing on a scroll saw. The only advice I can give you is to look at all the free patterns that you can find and pick out some that would sell in your living area according to what kind of people live there.
 I have a lot of elderly people in my town and also a lot of Christian people.. so religious items sell best here.
 Georgia and Alabama are more into country theme..  deer, hunting, camouflage items.  That is what would sell more there.
 So find out what would sell in your area and then go with that.
That is my opinion anyways..   good luck hun

[Matthew Harper]

thanks, I just cut out a small basket with rings that are stacked. It took me about half an hour, i still have to glue it up, but I think I might be able to sell them. I'll see how this one works out!

[agooday88]

That sounds nice. Share the finished product. I would love to see it. 

[DWSudekum]

I have been trying to sell my scroll saw work, but so far have felt upset because I put a lot of work into my boxes, but can't sell them for more than 20$. I understand that 20 is a fair price, I'm just not getting enough back for what i put in. If anyone has any ideas on simpler, smaller things that sell well, please comment. Thanks in advance

Matt a lot is going to depend upon where you are trying to sell them.  In general if you are selling at a craft fair you are looking at the $20 - $30 range.  If you are at an art festival you can charge more. 

The point I am making is that in general when selling your wares that unless you are at an art gallery or have international fame as a scroller you more than likely will not recoup your time spent making them. 

To give you an example : Lets say I figure my time to be $20 / hour if I take and cut a basket that takes me 1 1/2 hours to cut that would be $30 for just my time. If I charge for material - $10.  So that bowl is now priced at $40.  It has been my experience that folks will spend up to around $20 - $30 with little thought but more than that unless they really want it they have to justify the expense to themselves before shelling out the extra.  Some of the items I make take me a couple of days yet if I tried to sell a bowl for $100 when not at an art show I would be left holding the bowl at the end of the craft fair.

Do not give up though on trying to sell your wares. It will take time for folks to recognize your talent.  Keep up the good work and keep plugging along.

DW

[Fab4]

Hi Matthew:
What I found over the years is that using a scroll saw to try and make "decent" money is hard.
As a rule you can always cover the cost of the materials used.
It's the time that you put in that makes it hard to recoup.
If you happen to hit on something that is fast and easy to make you are well ahead of the game.
You have to see what people are into in your area and go from there.
What I do and sell here in Ontario doesn't necessarily mean it will sell good in your area.
Trial and error, and hope people like what they see and give you orders to make more.
One thing that is always a hit is anything you can "personalize". Check out Steve Goods programs.
Easy to use and quick to make
I was once told " put a heart on it" it will sell. Seems anything with a heart on it is a good seller also.
Bottom line through all this:
If you treat it like a business, you will be discouraged more often than not.
Keep it fun, sell a few things here and there and you will enjoy it a lot more.
Good Luck with your sales - Hope you get what you're after
Fab4

[DWSudekum]

Hi Matthew:
What I found over the years is that using a scroll saw to try and make "decent" money is hard.
As a rule you can always cover the cost of the materials used.
It's the time that you put in that makes it hard to recoup.
If you happen to hit on something that is fast and easy to make you are well ahead of the game.
You have to see what people are into in your area and go from there.
What I do and sell here in Ontario doesn't necessarily mean it will sell good in your area.
Trial and error, and hope people like what they see and give you orders to make more.
One thing that is always a hit is anything you can "personalize". Check out Steve Goods programs.
Easy to use and quick to make
I was once told " put a heart on it" it will sell. Seems anything with a heart on it is a good seller also.
Bottom line through all this:
If you treat it like a business, you will be discouraged more often than not.
Keep it fun, sell a few things here and there and you will enjoy it a lot more.
Good Luck with your sales - Hope you get what you're after
Fab4

Exactly - Keeping it fun is critical.

DW

[KarlB]

Matt,

If you haven't watched the video Steve posted on his blog the other day I would suggest watching it:

http://scrollsawworkshop.blogspot.com/2015/01/gwinnett-woodworkers-host-ron-brown-how.html

It is very informative.

Karl

[Toneman]

Matt, I have found that in order to get paid for my time spent is to make things that can be stack cut. For example, most things cut from 1/8" to 1/4" can be stacked cut 3 or 4 at a time. You sell a few of these at say $5.00 to $10.00 ea and you will make up for your loss money on other items that take time to cut just one. Make since? Watch Steve's video on stack cutting.

Tony,aka,Toneman

[Matthew Harper]

thank you everyone, to be honest i'm not too concerned about the time, just what I;m doing in that time. with boxes....mainly sanding, I'd rather be at the saw for a couple of hours.

[MrA]

Don't be discourages because things don't sell the first time you attempt to attend a sale or fair. I have found it takes the right person to purchase an item. I attend a farmers market here weekly, I have seen things sit for 6 weeks with no interest then all of a sudden 3 people want that particular item and 2 more want to know if you have any more, other things disappear the first time you put them out.  I have seen as many as 200 people walk past some stop to admire the work and pass on a compliment but no buyers, then the next 4 people walk up and buy 2 or 3 items. I don't image there are too many millionaires as the result of working with a scroll saw, so keep it a hobby and hope it pays for your material. Above all have fun,

[Ray]

A big problem these days is laser and CNC cut wood.

I really don't sell my work, only occasionally when someone that's seen one of my pieces asks me to make something. One time I was asked about making a Charles Dearing horse portrait that someone saw I had made before. I gave them a price of $65 which is cheap for the hours of cutting. She was a little stunned on the price and said that they had seen "fancy cut wood" cheaper at some store that even had "engraving"

My response was that the difference in what I do is similar to buying a painting versus buying something that came out of a printer after someone pressed the enter key on their computer.

I didn't end up doing the horse for her, but she did get the point.

People either understand craftsmanship or they don't and the ones that do will pay for that.

Ray

[gordster]

I sell at a local weekly flea market.As stated, some walk by and then you sell something.Sometimes, I think I over stock my table with different items.As Ray said  about laser cut wood, there is also the dollar store to compete with.I sell a lot of personalized items , people like to see their name or their kids or pets name on something.Fab4 was on this line also.So now, I try not to overstock but get into personal or useful area more.Clocks use to be good but now price of clock etc., you have to charge too much.here are are a couple of items that I have luck with.