Prices On Original Work?

[lcmattson]

Hey folks, I'm fairly new to leatherworking (I know the basics of tooling, sewing, lacing and carving), but I've never sold anything, and I'm curious if there is a "system", so to speak, on how to price original pieces of work. I've been making quivers lately, but I was asked to design a pattern for a belt. The job is easy enough, but I'm not sure how much to sell the pattern for, and then I started wondering how you folks price things for sale; whether it be finished pieces, or patterns and design-work.

Thanks!

[Cyberthrasher]

There are SO MANY different methods. My best advice is to research online for comparable custom items in relation to the quality of your work. Don't look for matching content, but similar traits. One of the BIGGEST complaints I have about people selling their work is that too many of them sell really low in hopes of getting it sold, which does nothing but under value everyone else by teaching people that they can get leather for cheap.

For me, I found that a $20 p/h rate works well, but only because it always puts me right in line with the average rate for a similar product on the market. Others who work faster than I do actually do $40 - $80 p/hour - but they still come out at around the same total price.

Some people will tell you to add up your material and double that, but we're not a "manufactured" kind of crafter and that model really undermines us. This is where you find all the cheap crap on Etsy/Ebay. Remember, we put a lot of work into MODIFYING those materials, so that price model doesn't really mean anything to us. So, research, compare, and BE HONEST about the quality of your work as it stands right now in order to get a good price going. And, whatever you do, DO NOT price low just to make a sale. All that does is hurt the craft as a whole while barely paying for your supplies - Lose/Lose situation.

[lcmattson]

Excellent advice; thank you!

[JLSleather]

Keep in mind, people largely don't care HOW you got the item the way you did. You might find the occasional munkey (yeah, deliberate) wiling to pay $100 for a 'guitar strap', which is nothing more than a colored piece of leather stitched around the edges. MOST people are a little smarter than that, I think. Long speeches about how you "hand-sewed" it or "hand-painted" are meaningless if it looks and performs like a $39 off the shelfy.

So, how many hours it takes it irrelevant. Cyber doesn't like that some would "undervalue" other's work. Probably some truth to that. Sometimes I get people saying "I could do that myself", and I reply "Yes, yes you can" -- before leaving.

The reverse is also true, though. IF you already had the materials out on the bench, it would take like minutes to dye that strap, and then a few minutes to glue and line it, and then a few more minutes to stitch the edge. Not including dry time, there's a whoppin half hour to the mailbox. BUT, hand stitch it and you are no longer talking about a few minutes. BUT, the strap is not then WORTH MORE. It's still a solid color strap with stitched edges. If the leather is the same quality, and the stitching is well done, sems like these two should cost the same.

All of that to say this ... I think lots of people remember that old tv commercial ...'If you can't TELL the difference, then why PAY the difference". So perhaps the question is - what can you do that the next guy can't (or wont).

Where in MN? Just around the corner from me?

[lcmattson]

Cynical, but there are grains of truth there. I'll keep all that in mind! Thank you

Roseville, St. Paul area.

[lightningad]

for me, i try work out the material costs of the raw materials (including any taxes and delivery costs incurred) then add that to an hourly rate to make the item.

Then i compare it to whats already on the market and see how close i am (or not!) and adjust accordingly.

[Cyberthrasher]

And a Picasso is just some colored pigment spread around on a piece of canvas - nobody cares what went into making it, so there's no reason to charge such a high price for it.

[lcmattson]

for me, i try work out the material costs of the raw materials (including any taxes and delivery costs incurred) then add that to an hourly rate to make the item.

Then i compare it to whats already on the market and see how close i am (or not!) and adjust accordingly.

Also a good strategy.

And I do agree with Cyberthrasher and Lightningad on this one. When I look for leather items, I do care about how it was crafted, and I will pay more for something because you can tell when someone put thought into the item. And as an art and design student, there's more to design than just slapping 2 pieces of leather together. I don't want glue I know it could be done with stitching, and I don't want stitching that's there just for show, because, in my opinion, function takes precedence over looks. And when a craftsman can combine function and beauty flawlessly, that's when items become worthy of expense, and that's what I'll dish out the dollars for. Excellent craftsmanship takes time and skill. In the same way, excellent leather working takes time and skill. The more time you put into something, the better it will be. If it could be fabricated so easily, there wouldn't be a point to selling it for more.

[JLSleather]

Hmmm.. I'm not trying to talk anybody into anything here. Just one more cynical thought (or maybe just realistic).

I've heard people say they charge more becuase they dont have a machine and therefore "have to" hand sew. True, it WILL take longer.

But, say I'm applying for a job. It pays what it pays. The "boss' isn't going to hear how I should be paid more becuase I dont have a car, and thus have to walk to and from work, which will take me an hour a day (or 3 times that if you're in St. Paul).

Oh, yeah, and the Picasso -- no row of people lined up to make another one just like it. Thus, in demand.

[Macca]

If you make items similar to things that are readily available elsewhere then thats your price

find something to differentiate yourself & price accordingly

A race to the bottom is no fun, don't compete on price alone and don't be afraid to charge a high price for a good product.

Want to charge a premium ? You either need to offer something unique or be extremely good at social marketing (there are plenty of well known "marketing" makers out there, especially with small goods and accessories, extremely average products at premium prices)