Lionhammer Report post Posted June 27, 2018 As I'm practicing and getting close and closer to finished pieces, people are asking me if they can buy stuff. I don't even know where to begin with pricing something out. I looked up some equivalent items and it didn't really help. People are advertising "handcrafted leather" items, with what appears to be hours of intricate carving for $10. I can only assume a lot of these pieces aren't really hand carved. How did you guys begin charging? Did you run into the same types of dilemmas? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TacticallySharp Report post Posted June 27, 2018 I started young in life. In the beginning when I started charging I would charge about 10% less than what was the going price for the same quality items at the area shows. I always kept 20% of the money collected for future in vestments. Paid myself 25% of what I charged as a wage. I raised my pricing at every show. I had a shop cost code one every style item on my table. I did not price anything. I would say I'm about 10% less than what simular quality items are here at the show. I would allow them to pay me. If the price they were offering to pay me was not equal to or more than my code then I would say I was not ready to sale that piece yet. Most cases they would pay more than I though it was worth. Now 20 years later I have set my prices. I'm one of the higher priced folks at the show. I do not lower my prices. If it does not sell at this show I pull it from the next show the third show it's back on my table as a new added item .. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrisash Report post Posted June 27, 2018 I started young in life as a baby Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JLSleather Report post Posted June 27, 2018 There is no "dilemma", there is no "rule". It's YOURS - so you charge what you choose. I don't recommend what OTHER people should charge for their work, but I'll mention a couple things about what I do. If you have people asking to buy your stuff, that's good, right? Here's a clip from a discussion about this type of thing. On a long drive, I stopped in a convenience store to fuel and stand up for a bit. While in line at the counter, I took a bite out of the donut I was getting. When I was next in line, I joked with the girl at the counter; “How much for these damaged donuts?” She looked at the bite taken out and said ‘Damaged ones are free. But that one’s not damaged, that’s custom – and it costs extra”. We both laughed, I paid and left. More of the story at http://www.jlsleather.com/hand-made-well-made/ and http://www.jlsleather.com/compare-items/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
immiketoo Report post Posted June 27, 2018 This is a topic that comes up often. Most makers don't charge nearly enough for the their work, and this is a source of much contention from folks at the top of the game. They feel that craft level prices devalue pro level work. There's some truth in that as we are a digital world and it's easy to compare one source to another. However, you have to be honest with yourself because if the skill isnt there charging top dollar is inappropriate and self defeating. When I started, I could see good work even though I couldn't do it, and I charged for materials and a little bit for my time. As my skill, and ddemand for my products has increased, so have my prices. Just make sure you enever take a loss and you'll be fine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
