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Posted (edited)

Just trying to get my production skills up, not much today, but making up the designs takes time, as I get them in my head, I'll do better.

As you can see, I'm trying to get ready to do some street fairs. As a new company, you have to get the word out somehow. I haven't been doing this long enough locally for a word of mouth business.

The "vintage" straps (without padding) have gone pretty well around here through the local music store, so I'll make up a dozen.

Hopefully, these don't look like the typical street fair belts. I still have no idea what to charge, or what the usual prices are out there.

As always, feel free to add your two centavos, and post your pix in here too.

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Posted

I will keep an eye on your topic here cause I am planning to do some Motorcycle swapmeets soon and craft fai....I mean, street fairs... :unsure:

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Posted
Just trying to get my production skills up, not much today, but making up the designs takes time, as I get them in my head, I'll do better.

As you can see, I'm trying to get ready to do some street fairs. As a new company, you have to get the word out somehow. I haven't been doing this long enough locally for a word of mouth business.

The "vintage" straps (without padding) have gone pretty well around here through the local music store, so I'll make up a dozen.

Hopefully, these don't look like the typical street fair belts. I still have no idea what to charge, or what the usual prices are out there.

As always, feel free to add your two centavos, and post your pix in here too.

I'm sick of the sight of belts this week. I just made 550 for our emergency services and I had to crease app. 5000 feet and edge about 10,000 feet. Just as well they are just plain and the only stamping on them is their size.

  • Contributing Member
Posted

Everybody hates basic belts Tony, but they are bread and butter, I guess...

Hand stamping takes forever, and all the while you are thinking about making something cool...

Did you crease and edge them by hand, or with an embosser/edger. If you did that by hand..I bow down in respect!...lol?

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Posted

Yeah, all edged and creased by hand but my wife does the edge dying which I reckon is the very worst! You're right, they pay a lot of bills and it's the government's money so there are no worries about getting paid! Money is money and we all need it, don't we! I may even buy myself another machine with this lot. Well, I've had lunch so it's back to the workshop!

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Posted

RDB,I guess 2 centavos is all I can offer, I sympathize with the delema of pricing for target groups. Frankly I forget what the fair guys were asking for their cranked out belts, I'm thinking under $30. maybe around $20. The stores are getting over $30. But the issue is are you competing with the crankers? If you are doing hand stamping then your labor and quatity costs go up. Question is, will the street fair folk see the dif between your hand work and the crankers and be willing to shell out more for the quality?

Some projects we make, we can quantify our expences(as with Tonyc has x-hrs for x- belts, x- feet of hide= x$ per belt) others we have to justify our price, usually by time,+materials+art. The art is probably what most have trouble justifying. But again the bottom line is can you sell your quality(convince buyer it's worth it) which sometimes means lower sales volume v.s. pricing to sell for higher sales volume?

Usually it's a trial and error thing, testing the market. One of queations is desiding if your reputation will suffer for the high volume sales of quality items. Will folks expect you to do quality work on everything at street fair prices?

All I can say about that is that I make sure my customers know the difference in quality and labor. It helps to have an example of the crank work on hand to compare with your hand work and ask them if they would rather pay a little more for nicer work.

Ca-ching, there's 2cents.Good luck my man, GH

You did What??

  • Contributing Member
Posted

Thanx abn..that's what I'm hopin'.

Hidemechanic...I agree with your pricing thoughts, and yes I am hand stampin' them. To be honest, around NC, I see very few leatherworkers out there, an occasional street fair guy, you know, with the big leather hat, motorcycle boots, and a huge keychain full of keys...truckers wallets, and knife sheaths. The belts I've seen were not embossed, and ran around $18. But they looked somewhat amateurish. Can the customer tell the difference..I doubt it.

If I get anywhere near $20 a belt, I'll be having TWO Sam Adams that night! There will be time enough to try and make big money off my work. First I have to earn enough to pay off the materials, and resupply, plus some monies towards the sewing machine. Local people are notoriously cheap, hands in pockets kinda folks, whether they have money or not. But if I can earn a few hundred here and there, things will be okay. My goal is to make a wage of $15 an hour, with that you can get by down here. "I'ld rather make a quick nickel, than a slow dime".

Posted

Hey RDB!

Lookin' good!

Hope you have a real blast off total sale on that fair!

I recognize those pricing thoughts and wish the best of luck for you!

As someone mentioned, try to get a crank work for comparison.

Tom

Confucius - Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.

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Posted

Before I got into leatherwork, I used to buy my belts from an old fella in the Smoky Mountains. He charged $30 or so per belt, and they were all run through one of those cranked embossing machines (but the designs were crisp and very clean). I was really happy with the quality vs. price.

One tactic he used was that he always had a Wal-Mart belt on hand which was cut in half. He'd take it out and explain to customers how his belts were leather all the way through, not some vinyl composite that's sewn to a synthetic interior strip. He'd talk to you about how his belts would last a lifetime with proper care. Looking at a store-bought belt side-by-side with his handmade stuff was pretty convincing to me.

I'd charge at least $20 if I were you, and I'd be ready to explain to potential customers why your belts are worth every penny. :trumpet:

Alex

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