How to answer the question "How much is it?"

[fredk]

Difference in culture; here buyers like a wee bit of banter as they deal, sometimes with a wee bit of bargaining to boot. If you (I/me) just blurt out the price I'll lose the customer because to them that is just a hard sell and they don't like it

We like chat, banter. We can string out one comment about the weather for a whole afternoon

 

[kgg]

I like @fredk approach as it is not a hard sell but still allows for a profit whereas I find the OP's version more akin to a used car salesmen pitch particularly " how this sounds in terms of your budget ".

kgg

[HandyDave]

I mostly do made to order custom work. So when i get someone asking about making a piece i tell them let me crunch the numbers on there piece and i let them know a hard price within a day or 2. But i give them a ballpark when first speaking. And tell them depending on leather used and detail and hardware used this is the range of price variation. Then of course you get the people who say i seen this online for this cheap price can you make same thing for close to the cheap price. My simple answer is no i cant make it that cheap and want make it that cheap. But i allways tell them once there cheap bought item guves up on them to call me for a quality piece. And i do have alot of regular return customers that do get a little better deal then some cause there allways wanting more stuff. Im not gonna try to compete with the mass produced "handmade" crap that is flooded all over the interwebs. Just cause your hands touch the machines that do all the work doesnt in my opinion make it handmade. 

[fredk]

Years ago I came across a craftsman, who I knew casually, at an out door craft fair. His specialty was/is high quality wood turned items and other wood work using extremely very nice woods

He had printed signs on groups of his items. But he had one price sign that said £2000.

He placed it randomly on his wares. As I watched I saw the sign working for him

Like this;

'Is that really the price?'

'yes it is'

'What, £2000 for that ?'

My friend lifts the price sign, turns it round, looks at it and says 'oops, thats in the wrong place. Those are only £x each'

'oh, thats better, Can I have that one with the dark & light wood?'

My friend then tells the buyer what woods they are, how to look after it, then throws in foc a small tin of special wood polish

See, psychology,  the customer is drawn by the £2000 price sign and even when buying at the lower true price in the back of their mind is the thought they got a big discount bargain, £x instead of £2000 

Edited September 8, 2023 by fredk

[chuck123wapati]

non custom I put my price on it just like the stores do. if someone doesn't buy I say have a nice day thanks for looking. Custom orders when cost comes up i usually say it depends on what you want it to look like, plain , tooled, hand sewn, machine sewn etc., I feel it gives them an idea of what goes into the making of a product and a way to judge the difference in workmanship. If they try i can get it cheaper thing then i usually say then please go buy it there I'm not going to lower my standards or waste my time making cheap products. 

[Gezzer]

5 hours ago, fredk said:

 

See, psychology,  the customer is drawn by the £2000 price sign and even when buying at the lower true price in the back of their mind is the thought they got a big discount bargain, £x instead of £2000 

OH  it works , we have a local store that has a " Going Out of Business Sale " twice a year !!!!!!  When they are not going out of business their prices are about 10 or 15 percent cheaper AND morons still fall for it every time .  

[Hags]

I'm with Handy Dave and Chuck here. I mostly do one off, custom holsters for local customers. It's more a busy hobby for me than a business. I charge what I consider a premium for my work (but not really if you look around). I use only Hermann Oak leather, only pro dyes. I have invested a pretty good amount into my little shop to make it enjoyable for me. I have several customers that have 2-3 holsters of mine. And more that are referred to me. I try to do my best on every one because I want to! I run an add on Craigslist,  I tell the price upfront in my response to enquiries.  If it's too much, I can live with that. Go buy Uncle Mike's, maybe it won't fall out....