Paying for handmade

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Paying for handmade
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Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 13 10:23 pm Post subject:

That's the advantage with the WorldPay/Payatrader terminals, they are actual terminals - I don't think I'd use a plug in device on a smartphone, as a customer. Worldpay have started charging for the terminals now but I'm still very pleased with mine,and the transaction costs have come down considerably & it also has Cardholder Not Present capability, which I was paying Paypal ï¿½20 a month for before.

If you have different shows with better networks for some you can always have a number of P&G sims.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Thu Mar 28, 13 10:27 pm Post subject:

Referring back to the blog though, the lady is seeing it as an insult that people are asking for money off, but at least she knows they appreciate her work, even if they can't afford it. If everyone was like her & didn't ask then, if she was too expensive for everyone at a show she would at least know that people liked her stuff, when they could just go away and she'd be left thinking people didn't like it. She should take it as a compliment that people are trying to buy her stuff.

Midland Spinner

Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 2931
Location: Under a green roof

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 9:36 am Post subject: Re: Paying for handmade

Hairyloon wrote:

Midland Spinner wrote:

I found this and thought I'd share.

I don't agree with the author.
Fair enough if you don't want to haggle, but if you're going to get upset about people trying, then you're in the wrong game.

Which bit don't you agree with? The majority of the article which says that she works out a fair price for the items and politely sticks to it when people offer her a much reduced price on her best sellers which are already fairly priced and over which she has worked very hard for little money? or the half paragraph where she says that she believes that people asking for a discount is insulting?

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 9:59 am Post subject:

I would never haggle. I would assume that they need to charge what they are asking. I don't think it's always necessarily deliberately insulting, but I think the opposite of what Rob says, that it it means they appreciate the work - I'd say it indicates they don't appreciate the time work has taken. In fact, with some on DS I've told them their price is too low and sent more!

If it was not something handmade and the price was to too high I would just look else where.

(I'd never buy a cupcake decoration either though, so maybe I'm not the target audience)

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 10:13 am Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

The trouble is, as a trader, you can sit there on a stall all day and people browse & wander off. If they at least ask for a price reduction you know that they actually want the stuff you are selling, if they don't ask you have no idea whether it is either a) too expensive or b) stuff that noone wants. They're going to ask for a reduction whether you like it or not, so you may as well accept it as a compliment and feel good about yourself rather than building up resentment and going home feel terrible. Customer feedback is better than no customer feedback, as it gives you something to go on.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 10:23 am Post subject:
What's worse is someone coming up to you and telling you you're too cheap, and then going away having not bought a single thing...

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 10:34 am Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

Customer feedback is better than no customer feedback, as it gives you something to go on.

Well put,fully agree

Something i have noticed they don`t like over on RC,lol.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 11:09 am Post subject:
I might say, "that's nice, but I can't afford it today", which I suppose is customer feedback. But It it isn't really any use to the trader. It just tells them about the woeful state of my bank account. Not whether their product is priced correctly.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 11:13 am Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

I might say, "that's nice, but I can't afford it today", which I suppose is customer feedback. But It it isn't really any use to the trader. It just tells them about the woeful state of my bank account. Not whether their product is priced correctly.

It tells them that you like it, and it indicates that if it were cheaper there is a good chance you would have bought it. You don't know their margins but they do so it is valuable feedback to them, even if you don't think it is.

MornieG

Joined: 17 Jan 2013
Posts: 933
Location: Bromham, Wiltshire

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 11:23 am Post subject:

I agree with sticking to your price. No one intentionally overprices their products on the assumption that everyone is going to try and haggle.

Pete had a beautiful large spalted and pyrographed bowl that he brought up with him from Cornwall. It was priced very fairly based on the fact the wood was free and the time it took to make. It sat proudly on the table at almost every fair for 18 months. Looked at and admired many many times a day, but when it was turned over and the price was evident it was quickly put down again. But it did sell before christmas. Someone appreciated the time and effort that went into it and was happy to pay the price.

The only time we have what might be called a reduction is where there is the option of buying a single item or a set of three. We have a set of candlesticks now like that. Three different complimentary colours and graduating sizes, but would look just as good as single items. The set is ï¿½X amount and the single slightly more, so in the customers interest to buy the set. The pricing is done though based on the set, with the single having a little more profit on.

Mo.XX

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 11:29 am Post subject:

I use cards for just about everything I can - because we are on a budget and I like to account for where my money goes - and expensive purchases can go on the credit card- giving me some cover and a month to shift money about to pay for it.

if there was something I wanted to buy but it was cash only I would ask them to hold it whilst I nipped to the cashpoint - but if it was just a whim, I probably wouldn't bother.

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 11:47 am Post subject:

MornieG wrote:

Do you calculate the cost of keeping stock though?

Bodrighy

Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 2157
Location: Near Devizes

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 12:01 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

MornieG wrote:

Do you calculate the cost of keeping stock though?

How do you do that? I can see that with cattle etc there are obviously overheads as there is with meat etc but with wooden objects I don't see that keeping stock actually incurs a cost? This is where no doubt I get a lesson in finances LOL.

Pete

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 12:10 pm Post subject:
I can't put a figure on it but I presume it takes up space & can't be kept damp & it'll need transporting & time. I was just wondering if that bears any influence on your pricing. Of course if it's a showcase piece it probably draws people in to buy the less expensive pieces.

MornieG

Joined: 17 Jan 2013
Posts: 933
Location: Bromham, Wiltshire

Posted: Fri Mar 29, 13 12:38 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

I can't put a figure on it but I presume it takes up space & can't be kept damp & it'll need transporting & time. I was just wondering if that bears any influence on your pricing. Of course if it's a showcase piece it probably draws people in to buy the less expensive pieces.

Stock is a problem if you overstock and have too much to take to fairs etc unless you are purposely overstocking for a time to build up for an event like Christmas. If those expensive pieces are displayed to the detriment of less expensive items that you might otherwise sell then of course it costs. If you have stock that deteriorates then it costs again, which we don't, and we have a store to keep it in good condition. Expensive pieces can also be used as a show piece which brings people to the table. We try and have one or two, generally large and or unusual and they do sell eventually but in the meantime they have worked for their space.

Mo.XX

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