How much?

[LC's Beads]

I am doing a craft fair at my kid's school in a couple of weeks.

Last year I didn't manage to sell anything priced over £3.50! I price my pendants at £3.50 and bracelets at £5. I asked a few mums how much they would pay for one of my bracelets and had the answer of £15 and £2! They are all made with handmade clay beads so I do everything myself.

Am I not selling because I am too cheap so buyers think it is tat or am I too expensive?

[Delta]

To be honest, looking at those two pieces, I would have expected to pay at least double those prices.

Ps... they are very nice by the way!

[Bea]

Wow yes that's cheap, especially if you make the beads and pendants yourself. You're definitely underselling yourself.
Maybe you can emphasise the beads and pendants are made you, Clay artist. A little poster or two on the table? You still have time to design something? (unless you're already doing it of course!) This might add a little ''something special'' about your jewellery?
You just need to find your ''market'' and maybe the school fairs are not it?
Try and see if anyone would be interested in a jewellery party as, from what I hear, this is by far the best way to sell hand made jewellery.
HTH

[urbtaf]

At a craft fair, I think you are far too cheap. Its very hard to get it right, on our market we have to be at market prices, unless we put something in the big posh glass cabinet, then we can ask shop prices!
The buying mind is a very strange thing

[Autumn Faerie]

A friend of mine mentioned to me about her school fair, but did warn me that the parents don't like paying too much for things & I probably wouldn't sell my cards unless they were less than a £1. Needless to say I didn't take her up on the offer. It may be a similar thing for you & at a school fair you're just not going to make the money. You'd do a lot better I'm sure at a craft fair, your jewellery is gorgeous and being all made by you, truly crafted unique pieces of jewellery.

[xrheax]

I really don't have much experience of craft fairs, so I can't really help with that. The only comment I can make is that craft fairs could perhaps bring in higher prices than school fairs.

I agree with the others though, your prices are very cheap and I would be willing to pay more for them. The flowered bracelets are absolutely gorgeous!

[jenig12]

I think they are lovely and affordable and agree with all the comments - no one has any money at the moment so what about making some earrings using the smaller clay beads for a couple of quid as well and have lots of business cards as well so that even if you don't sell too much you are getting your name out there. A free pot of sweets is also something I do to get kids to the stall and their mum's! have a sweet, have a business card lol

[LC's Beads]

Thanks for all your kind comments.

One of my problems is I am not good a selling myself, especially when confronted by people I know.

I like the idea of doing some posters so will set about desiging something - I have some cards already so will set some out - good idea about sweets. I think a price hike certainly on the bracelets and make sure I have a supply of single bead earrings and some phone charms at kiddie prices.

The trouble with being "crafty" is I tend to go to craft fairs thinking "I can do that" so I just assume that other people say the same about my stuff.

[CeeGee]

I agree that you're underselling yourself. I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I don't understand how you could be making a profit once you factor in cost of materials and the time you spend making them. I'd almost pay that for the beads alone, they're gorgeous! Don't kill your prices, find the right market for your pieces.

I'm doing 2 school fairs for the first time this Christmas, and am not expecting to sell more than stocking fillers at one, but am hoping for more at the other as it's an established fair at a private school, the table isn't cheap and the same crafts people go back year after year. However I might have totally misjudged it, who knows!

[Pebbles]

How much would you pay? It is such an awkward question. I quite often put this question to a lady I work with to help me price my items.

I think the minimum you need to charge is the cost of materials plus the time it takes to make them; otherwise, what is the point?

To be totally blunt, if you are not charging this at the absolute minimum; what chance do us other crafters have of getting a fair price for our goods?

I would also point out that you make the beads and pendants yourself - which are very good by the way. Also, that they are unique and no one else has the beads should help.

Good luck with it all

[Alice21]

Don't sell yourself too cheaply

I would say £10 -£15 would be very reasonable considering they are hand-made and unique and absolutely beautiful.


Alice

[[email protected]]

Have to admit I agree with all comments above and you really are selling yourself and other crafters short.

It not only your time and effort that has gone into making your beads but its the outlay costs of the materials and the cooking time plus any varnish you use as well - it all adds up.

Have faith in yourself and your work. I myself tried 3 christmas craft fairs last year, one which was a school one and I did far better at the school on than the other two. To be honest it put me off doing anymore craft fairs as people wanted something for nothing and I had already cut most of my stock down to the bare minimum.

Saying that, I'm doing one next month but to be honest I'm mostly doing it to see if I can sell my christmas stock left over from last year with a few other new designs to see how they fare.

Good luck.

Pauline

[Iccarus]

deff'o

I think the others have hit the nail on the head. Buyers have to be taught to appreciate what they are buying; how it was made, time effort, love of the craft, and above all, why this is important; why supporting hand made crafts is important

[jenig12]

To be totally blunt, if you are not charging this at the absolute minimum; what chance do us other crafters have of getting a fair price for our goods?

I

Whilst I agree in part the real answer to this is the price that any crafters items should be is the price you can get for them and this has to take into account other factors. If the school is in a economically deprived area or a posh private school etc
It is all very well comparing the jewellery prices from 2 different artists that make similar things but at the end of the day jewellery isn't an essential must have item - don't undersell yourself and expect to make a reasonable profit but if it is too expensive frankly you won't sell it. You are competing with yourself at the end of the day.

I really understand your difficulty with selling as well and this may be an area that you need to think about-I fully admit I am rubbish at talking to people that I don't know and stall owners that are full of chat I am sure do much better. Is there a friend that you can take with you that can talk the hind legs off a donkey / increase your confidence in talking about your product - you make great jewellery but sometimes people need to be told just how great before they can fully appreciate it and get their wallet out.

Anyway wish you the best of luck with this and let us know how you did.
x

[LC's Beads]

Thanks for all your comments which I will take on board and restructure my prices but as jenig says you have to cater in some way for the customers you are likely to get.

The fair is at my kid's school and I am actually being provided with someone to look after my stall to start with as I have been collared, along with my other half, son and possibly daughter, to stand out in the cold playing Chrismtas Carols. Last year I missed out on the first rush of customers as I was busy playing and my stall unmaned. Perhaps if they are good at selling I will persuade them to stay with me!