Price Dissappointment

[toyotaman]

I have some of my pens in a shop for a lady to sell for me and she called me today and asked if I had anything cheaper. She thought the pens were not selling because they were over priced. I thought they were very fair considering they are homemade including the blank. The 2 Aero pens are 40.00 and the Jr. Gent is 45.00. Does that sound over priced?

 

[prophetmkr]

nope, that's what I get too. Change shops.

 

[Lenny]

While prices can vary depending on location I think your prices are right in the ballpark!
I wouldn't change them.

 

[Chatham PenWorks]

Nah, I'm thinking you're in the wrong shop.

 

[PenMan1]

Three words. Venue. Venue. Venue.

Sounds like you are in the WRONG PLACE. At those prices, you aren't even REALLY covering materials..... Much less time and marketing costs.

 

[Ruby pen turning]

Sounds good to me. Maybe a hair cheap (comparing to what I sell mine for)

 

[Jim in Oakville]

Time to change shops, think of who you want to have see your pens and then go there, at $40 you are at a rock bottom price, you are competing with Cheap, not exclusive one of a kind hand made items.

I sell pens in a gallery, the owner set my prices as I was too low, suddenly pens started selling, at 2-3 times the price I set.

It's a perception to some degree, but saying your work is $40 and she gets 50% or so means you are not getting your fair share.. if she wants cheap, send her to an off shore mass supplier.

Find a gallery owner who will work with you, her portion of the sale is to make sure she promotes you, if she doesn't, she's stealing your money.

 

[Jjartwood]

The $45 JR. should be about $60 to $70 the arrows are right on the mark,
As odd as it sounds,under pricing a nice pen is as bad as overpricing them.
I have had little luck with pens in a shop,they do not sell well for me,yet ,I'll
do a show in the same area and have to combat turn to re-stock for the next show...!
I stay away from shops all together now,they want the pens for nothing and want you to make even less.
Nice pens,find a Christmas fair and I'm sure you will sell plenty of them.

Mark

 

[Tom T]

Great pens, price is to low. Be kind when you pick up your pens. Look for another place to sell. Your pens are custom, one of a kind. I got lucky and gave a friend of mine a pen. I could have sold as many as I could make for 75.00 each but I have a very busy day job.
Your pens are way,way better than what I am doing. Sometimes bring the price up brings you a different customer.

 

[toyotaman]

I could make the slimline pens cheaper but I would like to stay with the better quality kits. They just feel better to me.

 

[Kretzky]

For me, your price is right (maybe even somewhat low) especially if she is taking the usual 30%-40% commission! I'd say wrong venue try somewhere else & good luck.
David

 

[toyotaman]

Yep, she is adding 30%.

 

[ashaw]

Are your prices listed retail or wholesale. If retail at least the Aero can go for 80.00 - 90.00.
and your gent should be in the 160.00 range. That being said I just had to reduce one of my pen styles by $20.00 retail. The economy is just not coming back strong enough.

Consider another store.

 

[ghostrider]

IMHO, the Aero's are under priced, and if the Jr. Gent is a Dayacom then it is way under priced.

Considering the blanks you used, I wouldn't even think that a good price if you were simply selling them to her outright.


I've only used the Dayacom Jr.'s so I don't know about the others, but a Dayacom Jr. in Rhodium will run about $18-19 plus shipping. X that by three, and it comes to $44-47. Ad in the price of the blank and it goes up from there.

That's a minimum. If I feel a piece is worth it, I'll price it even higher. Note that I don't run it like a business. I'm just a hobbyist.

Of course if you using a Jr that costs $8, then that gives you a little more room, but I still feel that $45 would be a little on the low side if the components are quality, and that is a nice blank.

 

[Kretzky]

my partner sells through a gallery, (not pens) the gallery owner takes 40% of the final sale price. To price her stuff my partner worked out her costs (materials, time to make & profit) she then adjused her price to ensure that after the gallery takes 40% she still covers her costs etc. The owner thought prices were a bit high & that the stuff therfore wouldn't sell. However, she wanted my partner to reduce her cost but wouldn't even consider reducing her 40% commission. I get quite when the artisan/ artist/ creator is the one expected to take the hit & reduce their cost but no similar compromise is offered by the gallery/ store owner.
Stick to your guns... my partner did & her stuff is selling very well, so much so that the gallery owner has asked for more & is very pleased with the reception the stuff is getting. Do not undersell yourself!
Hope that helps.
David

 

[Jim Burr]

Wrong shop bud...it may take a while, but you'll find the right one. Aero's around here are $60, Jr Gent II's $125 and Sierra's $80-100 depending on what's up. I displayed in an upper end gallery in Washington State...what a bust! Moved the stuff to a couple shops here and busy!! Your pens are great!!

 

[keithbyrd]

I agree with everyone - your prices are on the low end of the scale - find a new shop!

 

[alamocdc]

Donny, I don't sell in a gallery or store, but I do sell. But I've no doubt that the venue is wrong for your work. She wants cheap mass produced stuff so she doesn't have to mark it up so much. That means her store does not have the clientele to support pens of the quality you are supplying. For what it's worth, I get no less than $35 for my cheapest plain jane slimline. And that's only because I'm using kits I bought 5 and 6 years ago.

 

[mredburn]

Also consider that if she thinks your prices are to high she will convey her lack of confidence in you and your pens to any potential customer killing the sale.

 

[underdog]

Sounds like you should just tell her that sure, you can change the price by $25 dollars.....

.....more.

I wouldn't sell 'em for a penny less.

 

[SDB777]

With the replies I'm seeing, I think I need to move from Arkansas Those are about the prices I'd get locally for my pens(I do much better on the 'net). Then again, we are at just about the bottom of the barrel as far as per capita income/per person...thankfully MS and AL keep us off the absolute bottom(but their taxes are easier on the wallet-so it's probably a wash).


But I'll jump on the wagon too:
It might be that she just doesn't know how to sell something, or is too lazy to sell it. I've been in retail and if you can talk-the-talk you can sell anything to anyone. Or, maybe she wants you to think she is selling them cheaper, and keep the extra income.



If I can double expenses on a pen...I consider it good. After all, this is a hobby, I already have a job.







Scott (always lookin' for another job though) B

 

[raar25]

I agree you are a little low on the price if anything. I sold a JR Gent just like the one you show for $70 on line.

 

[HoratioHornblower]

I agree with everyone else, find a different venue and raise the price!

 

[fitzman163]

Raise the price. A guy told me this years ago and he was correct. If it's priced to low people don't think they are getting a good product I raised my price and sold a lot more pens. I get a few more $ for my Aero's and more than twice that for my Jr. Gent. I know location has something to do with it but I am by no means in a great location. Good luck!

 

[greggas]

Certainly don't sound over priced...sounds like you have them in the wrong store

 

[skiprat]

Yep, she is adding 30%.

If the selling price is $40 & $45 resp and includes her cut of 30% then you are probably not making a penny after all your costs. I reckon you possibly blew any profit just in fuel cost to deliver them to her shop.

If she is adding the 30% to your figure, then she isn't trying to sell them with any effort.
How does the quality and price of your pens compare to the rest of the stuff in her shop?

You do realise that she is making more from the sale than you don't you? :wink:

 

[ttpenman]

Not trying to defend the shop and I think your prices are fair but at least the shop is only marking up 30%. For some time, most gift shops would double the price the artisan charged which created a pretty high price as is was. Now days, many shops are starting to TRIPLE the cost which makes prices real high. Maybe that will work in a big city but not so much in rural America. I added local consignment art/crafts to my laser business a year ago and sales have been pretty poor. I do a 30% consignment which is by far the lowest in the area. This year I have been noticing that the tourists don't even look at the prices but I hear them commenting about how unique and beautiful all the items are. But, a few minutes later they wave, say 'Thank You' and walk out the door. At least we have polite tourists!!

I have a nice selection of my pens in a case and I believe I have sold one this summer. My retail price is similar in price to what you have been getting with no markup for consignment and they still don't sell. I know my pens are not top shelf but I buy pretty decent components with good platings and nice blanks. I've been making pens for 15 years and I think I make a pretty decent pen (no slims, mostly Sierras and Jr. Gents) -- at least a pen that should be worth $40-$50.

I love making pens and have a ton of materials on the shelf but nothing is selling so I haven't been making hardly any lately. Very frustrating.

End of rant.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin

 

[azamiryou]

Add my voice to the chorus of "price is too low" and "find another shop".

B U T ... first, carefully and realistically consider what else is in the shop, and what kinds of customers will be attracted by the items and the shop's advertising. Are they the right customers for your pens?

They probably aren't, in which case it's almost pointless to offer your pens for sale there at any price. Find a different shop.

But if they are, it's worth talking to the shop about the pens and pricing. Figure out your wholesale price, and talk to the owner about the VALUE of one-of-a-kind hand made items. Show them what you expect their customers to see in the pens. If the people in the shop can recognize the value,they can sell them. As some people have mentioned, raising your prices may actually increase sales - high prices convey to the customer that the artist and shop think the pens have high value.

 

[Rick P]

Only 30% I guess commission is like gas they jump it till we think we are getting a deal! When I started only the TOP galleries GALLERIES that you had to compete to get in charged 30%! Not every corner craft shop and souvenir joint!

Cant speak for your part of the world but I have never sold a gent for less than $75! Sounds to me like your in a craft shop when you need to try for a gallery! HUGE difference in clients and what/how much you can sell. I dont even screw with anything that has the word craft in it anymore..........a pen that cost more than 50 cents is a luxury item, crafters like "cute" or "neat idea" not luxury. The folks you want to sell to are cross town buying the same crap for 4 times as much because it came from a guy in leather pants and a pirate shirt who calls himself an artist!!!!

 

[toyotaman]

It sounds to like I'm in the wrong place to sell my pens. They are having a Grand opening next week so I will see how it goes and then make a decision.

 

[Ted iin Michigan]

If you're selling @ $40-$45, what does the shop owner get? I hate it, but if I'm working consignment (lots of $ tied up in unsold stuff), the maker (me) gets 60% in my area. That gets you about $25 each and puts you in the slave labor/go broke fast category. If you're selling to the shop @ $40-$45 (which is OK wholesale in a small lot), they'll mark up about 100% usually which puts them over $80 each. You figure which you want.
But remember that if you're new and unknown you need to establish yourself. It's not reasonable to march in and demand top dollar.

 

[Leviblue]

I think the pricing is good maybe a little low on the Jr.
I tell folks I have less expensive pens that have been monogrammed if they don't mind it saying Bic!