Thread: Pen pricing

I agree with boomerang. If something is not selling there is often a perception that it's cheap crap. If you have two identical pens and one has a higher price than the other see how often people will choose the more expensive one. Try it. It works. Put your prices UP. But... You Must make sure that your work is presented and displayed in an attractive and professional way. This means no crappy boxes. No "bargain"bins. A clean cover on the table. Smile at people without hassling them. Don't sit reading a book or playing wiith your mobile.

Just because you are an "amateur" does not mean you can't be a professional.

Have fun people.

The only difference between an amatuer and a professional is that professionals get paid, so if your not being proffesional you must be being a novice, this isnt my veiw on things its just a saying i picked up somewhere, in basic, act professional and you become a professional.

I think this a debate that will never be solved all we can do is suggest and tell what we are doing.
I generally work out cost including sand paper, glue etc and times it buy 3 plus the average cost of a rum can (what can I say that is my bonus) if people buy multiples I offer a discount (normally deduct the rum) and not many people argue with that.
I'm not in it to make a leaving just to fund my addiction (rum) and to pay for my hobby.

edblysard
I think your formula is wrong if you sell a pen for $14 and the cost was $7 you have just paid for your original pen and made enough money for your next pen. so if you sell your next pen for $14 that is pure profit or it will pay for 2 more pens. sell them for $14 each and that $28 profit or it will pay for your next 4 pens and if you sell them for $14 each $56 profit or 8 pens and so on. That is the way I think anyway.

So I guess the price should be what ever you think is fair gawdelpus. I do not like to rip people off but just the same I do not like to be ripped off ether. Best of luck

Back to drinking now

Thanks for all your help. I have had pressure from SWMBO to raise prices and will lift them another 50% which will bring me into line with the 3 rule at least. I am reasonably happy with the quality of product that I am producing but I am just not as adventurous as some of our forumites. I always offer a 12 month replacement warranty and up until now ( I shouldn't say this ) I haven't had any come back. The majority of my pens are acrylic so splitting isn't an issue and always go over finished blanks with vernier calipers prior to completion. I have learn't lots of valuable hints, tips and tricks since joining this forum and appreciate all of you for your honesty and criticisms. I have not yet posted any photos as I am having a little difficulty in getting my attachments to attach. Graduly getting there though.
Thanks again
Kim

When I first made some pens, SWMBO wanted to "flog them at the markets", and talked about $5-$10 each. I declined, thinking $50-ish would be more appropriate for Cocobolo Sierras.

She wasn't overly impressed, until a chance encounter moved 10 of them for use as corporate presents, and the buyer thought they were a screaming bargain.

Both my wife and my 6 y.o. daughter make cards as their craft. My wife sells lots at markets, usually for about $2.00 each.

Our daughter Mel wanted to sell some of her cards at the last market, so she took a box along, and SWMBO suggested she ask for 50 cents each. She was ecstatic at selling over a dozen.

The last customer bought three of Mel's cards, and when the wife said "That's $1.50", handed over $5 and said "Keep the change". It took a while to realise that the customer had just happily paid $1.50 each for the cards, not given a $3.50 tip.

So now we're sorting Mel's cards into 50c, $1.00 and $1.50 cards.

So, I'm basically agreeing with "move your prices up, not down". And remember, in the supermarket there are identical products, differentiated by pricing and packaging alone, because some people WANT to pay more - they're the ones you want to be selling to.

Cheers,
Andrew

the formular that has been discussed on pricing pens before is price of your blank plus pen kit times it by three & add 50% that is how i price my pens I got the formular off this forum
Andrew

There was an Easter market thingie in Warwick yesterday. Someone was setting wooden cutting boards and a few other wooden items, and had a case with Slimlines in. My wife asked the price on the pens and was told "$10 - $12". Admittedly they were all pretty plain timber, and the finish was fairly ordinary (if it had a finish at all) - probably offcuts from their cutting boards, but honestly, at that price, why even bother?

We moved on to the gem show then, someone there had slimline pens as well. $20 each I believe theirs were, although I didn't have a close look at those, I had other things on my mind.

Gem shows are a very good place to get ideas for pens, and a good selection of fine crafting tools we could use as well. If only I has the tools to drill and turn stone, man you could make some nice pens.

Russell.

Thanks Russell, We have the national Gemboree about an hours drive from us this weekend and was debateing about going but you have just convinced me. I love that fiddly small stuff and wanted to be a jeweller when I was at school.
Kim

This is always a interesting topic.
I use the cost X three method, which then becomes my wholesale price for galleries and gift shops. I would like to add the 50% to the price when selling myself, as at markets, but the thought of having two sets of price tags for each pen turns me off. I would have them all mixed up and it would become very confusing.

There must be a way around this, any suggestions. One method that I thought of , is to price everything at the X three plus 50% method and then tell the galleries they have a 33% discount.
Oops,, I hope my ranting has not high jacked this thread.

Terry

Originally Posted by schaf

This is always a interesting topic.
I use the cost X three method, which then becomes my wholesale price for galleries and gift shops. I would like to add the 50% to the price when selling myself, as at markets, but the thought of having two sets of price tags for each pen turns me off. I would have them all mixed up and it would become very confusing.

There must be a way around this, any suggestions. One method that I thought of , is to price everything at the X three plus 50% method and then tell the galleries they have a 33% discount.
Oops,, I hope my ranting has not high jacked this thread.

Terry

I would go with the 33% discount. Every one loves a discount