Issues with freight

[Klara]

3 hours ago, Spyros said:

First I tried to go there a couple of times, and I kid you not, in the year of our lord 2022 they actually do NOT have price tags on their stuff. 

Is that legal in Australia? In France you could complain to the consumer protection authorities and they'd at very least visit and give them a good talking-to, probably a fine (not sure because the goods in my stall had prices on them. Yep, they came to check out the artisans in the Christmas market...).

[kgg]

What I have noticed when order stuff from Amazon is over the last year some of the sellers are really terrible for getting stuff out to you and has become a hit or miss unless you order items that they fulfill and you have a prime membership. When it sold by china joe reseller and they use someday maybe courier chances are you aren't going to get it. I recently ordered some size 12 (1/4") open pronged snap fasteners from a US seller which didn't arrive. So I emailed the US seller and they emailed me back with a tracking number and some fly by night courier. Guess what it was going to Calgary, I'm in Ontario a couple of provinces east. So I emailed them again this time they gave me a different tracking number and said the first number was a mistake so give it another week. My response was it is two weeks late, give me my money back. Should have just ordered it directly off Aliababa probably would have had it in under a week.

kgg

 

[Handstitched]

9 hours ago, Spyros said:

We have one big leatherworking shop in my city (I'm not gonna name names but it's well known)

The only name that comes to mind...in Melbourne...is Lefflers ?  

Yeh, I too tried to order stuff from them .  I gave up trading with them years ago. 

The only leather suppliers I deal with now is Birdsalls, Mac-lace leather, Packers , Adelaide leather and NSW leather co.   agent in Perth . 

HS

[Spyros]

15 hours ago, Klara said:

Is that legal in Australia? In France you could complain to the consumer protection authorities and they'd at very least visit and give them a good talking-to, probably a fine (not sure because the goods in my stall had prices on them. Yep, they came to check out the artisans in the Christmas market...).

Not sure actually... I've seen it before in open markets and things like that but not in big shops.

[Handstitched]

I price everything, customers like to see prices,( regardless of laws)  and so do I when I shop . They can make a choice. 

I have swing tags on my belts, and on my stubby holders , knife cases etc. , but I put price tags inside purses , because  the one thing people do when they pick up a purse...they open them   ( but rarely close them) , and prices are on small signs for various other items. 

@Spyros   from the NSW 'Fair Trading' web page:

' Under Australian Consumer Law, businesses must display clear and accurate prices. ' 

 So, they could well be breaking the law .

HS 

[Spyros]

 

15 hours ago, Handstitched said:

The only name that comes to mind...in Melbourne...is Lefflers ?  

Yeh, I too tried to order stuff from them .  I gave up trading with them years ago. 

The only leather suppliers I deal with now is Birdsalls, Mac-lace leather, Packers , Adelaide leather and NSW leather co.   agent in Perth . 

HS

I like Austanners for many things, especially kangaroo (if there's two leathers you'll never catch me without is chromexcel and roo). 

But they're a good business, shipping is usually free, at least within VIC, they ship quickly, good photos, good descriptions, when they say something is in stock it always is, and once they get to know you sometimes they throw in free stuff too.  They're not the luxury leather branded tannery type of thing so you're not gonna find there any high-end leather that rivals Horween or Sedgwick, but their descriptions and pricing are honest and they represent good value.  Buying direct from the tannery cuts the middleman too.

DS Horne in ADL has also been good in my experience but they suffer from the usual terrible website syndrom, you really have to ring them to find out what they really actually have.

Edited March 19, 2022 by Spyros

[Klara]

4 hours ago, Handstitched said:

I price everything, customers like to see prices,( regardless of laws)  and so do I when I shop . They can make a choice. 

So do I - I want the option to just quietly go if I don't like the price. 

But I have talked to an artisan who didn't display prices because he wanted people to talk to him. He figured "how much is it" was a good starting point for him to explain how and why he made things. Sometimes I also would have liked the possibility to increase the price for particularly annoying people...

[fredk]

3 hours ago, Klara said:

But I have talked to an artisan who didn't display prices because he wanted people to talk to him. He figured "how much is it" was a good starting point for him to explain how and why he made things. Sometimes I also would have liked the possibility to increase the price for particularly annoying people...

Some years ago Donaghadee hosted an 'artisan' market. There was one chap who did wood carvings out of sea drift-wood. He had a fairly large sign, about an A4 size, which he placed on one of his pieces. On this card was written £50,000. People stopped, and asked him was that really the price? His reply was 'oops, that sign has fallen on to there, that item is only £25'  As I watched he got about 75 - 80% of sales. That £50,000 card was moved about regularly during the event

[Klara]

That's brilliant!

[Spyros]

Somewhat unrelated:

A private survey in a company I used to work for that trades in discretionary consumer items, showed that our customers are a little more likely to pay $209.95 than $200 for the same item.  That's how dumb we are

Somehow round numbers trigger some bells in the back of the mind that the seller just pulled a number out of thin air in the last minute and they're getting fleeced.

The price "$199.95" ranked even higher because it starts with "1" and some people actually fail to read the last few digits.

Edited March 20, 2022 by Spyros

[Dwight]

25 minutes ago, Spyros said:

Somewhat unrelated:

A private survey in a company I used to work for that trades in discretionary consumer items, showed that our customers are a little more likely to pay $209.95 than $200 for the same item.  That's how dumb we are

Somehow round numbers trigger some bells in the back of the mind that the seller just pulled a number out of thin air in the last minute and they're getting fleeced.

The price "$199.95" ranked even higher because it starts with "1" and some people actually fail to read the last few digits.

If you want to have some fun some time . . . go to Ebay . . . look up something costing about 50 bucks . . . then have it sorted by price, lowest to highest.

If there are 150 offerings or so . . . invariably there will be one in there for $39.95 . . . but it will be after the ones for $79.95.  Reason???  They're also charging you $59.95 shipping.  I almost got hung on that one day . . . been super careful ever since.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Handstitched]

18 hours ago, Klara said:

Sometimes I also would have liked the possibility to increase the price for particularly annoying people...

I would like that same option for people that try no knock my price down .  They must think if they can do that at a 'quaint little market run by some poor soul trying feed their family'   on an o/s holiday, they can do the same  to me......o'h no they can't

HS

[Spyros]

3 hours ago, Handstitched said:

I would like that same option for people that try no knock my price down .  They must think if they can do that at a 'quaint little market run by some poor soul trying feed their family'   on an o/s holiday, they can do the same  to me......o'h no they can't

HS

Hang in there.  I have a bag for sale at the moment with various people lowballing me.  Nope, nope, nope and nope.  I'd rather see it rot, I'll make a doorstop out of it, before working for free so someone can enjoy an expensive bag for peanuts. 

By the way that's just me, this is not my main source of income and I can afford to say no, but I would never criticise a fellow leatherworker if they need to accept some lowball offers in order to pay some bills.

Edited March 20, 2022 by Spyros

[Klara]

55 minutes ago, Spyros said:

I would never criticise a fellow leatherworker if they need to accept some lowball offers in order to pay some bills.

Except they couldn't, long-term. Unless they start out with prices that are too high so as to have a margin for negotiation. Which is okay, even obligatory in some cultures, but I still don't like it (either end).

[Constabulary]

7 hours ago, Dwight said:

If you want to have some fun some time . . . go to Ebay . . . look up something costing about 50 bucks . . . then have it sorted by price, lowest to highest.

If there are 150 offerings or so . . . invariably there will be one in there for $39.95 . . . but it will be after the ones for $79.95.  Reason???  They're also charging you $59.95 shipping.  I almost got hung on that one day . . . been super careful ever since.

May God bless,

Dwight

I always chose price + shipping: Lowest First  But you can still find lower offers down the list f.i. when the listing has multiple variants like sizes (screws for instance).

BTW - Are you aware of "Dynamic Pricing"? Sometimes prices on certain online marketplaces or web shops can be different depending on times, days (weekends vs. Mondays or in advance of holidays) or what device (lets say old Win 7 PC vs. latest Apple Phone) you choose for shopping.

And - believe it or not Ebay is often cheaper than Amazon. I do not recall when I bought on Amazon the last time. I often compare prices before buying and my experience is that Ebay is cheaper most of the times - sometime other web shops but seldom Amazon. May depends on the products but thats my experience.

Just recently - I needed a capacitor for my air compressor. Ebay was cheaper and fun fact - when I looked the sellers other listings (German Seller) I found the same capacitor listed in a different country (Ebay Spain) and it was 1.65€ cheaper than on Ebay.de. Sure not a big amount of money but still 30% cheaper @ 5.50€ vs. 3.85€ - but sipping was a little more - but still. And I figured Chinese sewing machine parts are often cheaper on Ebay.com than on Ebay.de from the same seller (has multiple accounts) that saved me ~12€ recently. I´m not counting pennies but over the time you can safe some good $ and buy other things.

Edited March 20, 2022 by Constabulary

[Handstitched]

@Spyros The only time I offer a  discount is when a customer buys ' um , one of those, this...this...that, ...aaaand... a few key rings ' . I'll calculate the total, and perhaps  round it down a few bucks . Or a kid with their pocket money  may only have say for eg.  , $4.50 for a $5 key ring, I'll let them have it for $4.50 .  

HS

[tsunkasapa]

3 hours ago, Handstitched said:

@Spyros The only time I offer a  discount is when a customer buys ' um , one of those, this...this...that, ...aaaand... a few key rings ' . I'll calculate the total, and perhaps  round it down a few bucks . Or a kid with their pocket money  may only have say for eg.  , $4.50 for a $5 key ring, I'll let them have it for $4.50 .  

HS

At Rendezvous, when I have my tables out, I often get kids that don't have quite enough to purchase something. Usually I will make them a deal, but that depends on the kid. Some are just obnoxious brats. Them I can ignore.

[fredk]

I build in any 'discount' that might be expected

years ago when I had a photo business I was the only photographer willing to do weddings and 1st communion photos for the local gypsies. The other snappers refused to do for them as the gypsies always wanted discounts. I simply added a bit on to the price for taking off for the discount. eg a wedding portfolio would be £150, I made it up to £180. Still cheaper than the other snappers. Then when the gypsy man was paying, in advance, we negotiated, step-by-step till he got about £20 or £25 off the £180. He went away happy cos he wrangled a big 'discount' out of me and I was happy cos I got my actual price out of him! I tried to tell the other snappers about this but they were too thick to understand. I got a good reputation amongst the gypsies that I could be bargained with and I got a lot of business out of them

This translates to my leather goods. Depending on what it is and where I was selling it, I added on a few extra £££, and 'discounted' that price by ££ if asked, only if asked though

At artisan fairs, open table markets, car-boot sales, et cetera, buyers like to think they've got a 'bargain' even if its only £1 off the price

Another thing I have and do is, I have a small basket of odd shaped and sizes of small leather bags or pouches made from scrap leather. They are decent looking. I price them at £3 each. I'll give one of these to the customer as their extra.

In N.I. / Ireland when you buy something in a private deal its traditional to give the seller some money back as their 'lucky penny', This could be anything from £1 to £20 depending on the amount involved in the deal. So even if you/I haven't given 'discount' some people expect their 'lucky penny'

Its all very confusing

Edited March 20, 2022 by fredk

[Spyros]

Hey Fred, did the negotiation go something like this?

 

[fredk]

 

Almost, but we both spoke the same language. A fast exchange, took about 5 seconds, a spit on the hand and a slap of hands, deal done and binding

[Handstitched]

19 hours ago, tsunkasapa said:

Some are just obnoxious brats. Them I can ignore.

Thats largely down to 'some' parents, they can be just as annoying as the kids. 

10 hours ago, fredk said:

A fast exchange, took about 5 seconds, a spit on the hand and a slap of hands

Hope they were sanitised ? Ha !!   .

On some items that haven't sold, I  have marked some prices  to make them "look"  like they've been reduced. For eg. If an item  is say,  $50 , I'll alter the price tag and put "was $70"  . A bit sneeky , but it has shifted some old stock.  

HS