I am entering some pieces into an exposition that will be for sale. I have tried looking at different members websites for rough ideas on pricing, but the prices are all over the map. Are there some general guidlines for pricing pieces for sale?
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Pricing your work
- Thread starter Paul Stolarik
- Start date
What it will sell for?
Sorry, but my guess is, that's as close as anyone can come. For much depends on the venue, the local market, your skill, etc, etc, etc.
Sorry, but my guess is, that's as close as anyone can come. For much depends on the venue, the local market, your skill, etc, etc, etc.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
The biggest problems with pricing your work using the web is location. I know people who sell the same work I make for double or triple in thier area than I can get in my area. We have more double wides than million dollar homes in my area.
I figure $20 an hour plus the cost of materials and if they sell quickly I raise the price on that item. Sometimes I can get a lot more and sometimes I have to sell for less. That's just the way it works around here. Wish I could try some of the other markets but since I work a fulltime job it's hard to produce enough work.
I figure $20 an hour plus the cost of materials and if they sell quickly I raise the price on that item. Sometimes I can get a lot more and sometimes I have to sell for less. That's just the way it works around here. Wish I could try some of the other markets but since I work a fulltime job it's hard to produce enough work.
I agree with the above. It is all about location. I sell Slimline and Baron pens around here in western Kansas for $20 to $100. I send some down to my son to sell in Richmond, Virginia and he can sell the same pens for $50 to $175. I have sold a few bowl thru a craft store down there for $80 to $150. Here I am lucky to get $30 to $75 for the same bowls. The other thing is if you have other turners around there. I have 3 around here that sell their pens for $10 to $20. Sell their bowls for $15 to $25. What is amazing is even with my prices higher I sell more than they do. So price what you feel is fair, up it a little bit. You can always come down. Just my $1.298.
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Dan Ramsey published a book "The Woodworker's Guide to Pricing Your Work" that is available through several sources (Woodcraft, Amazon.com) and it's something that you might want to add to your woodworking library.
If you visit an art studio you will find the work of various artists priced differently. If you're not an art lover you'd probably wonder why one piece of art, which you found to be superior to another, is priced lower than the one you consider inferior. The pricing of a piece of art work, and that's what we're discussing here, is based upon:
1. The reputation of the artist
2. The appeal of the artist's work
3. The medium
4. The ego of the artist
5. The quality (in the eye of the beholder) of the work
6. How well the piece will meet the need of the buyer (as a decorator or display item)
7. What the market will bear in terms of pricing of one piece when compared to a comparable piece.
None of these issues can be judged from afar.
If you visit an art studio you will find the work of various artists priced differently. If you're not an art lover you'd probably wonder why one piece of art, which you found to be superior to another, is priced lower than the one you consider inferior. The pricing of a piece of art work, and that's what we're discussing here, is based upon:
1. The reputation of the artist
2. The appeal of the artist's work
3. The medium
4. The ego of the artist
5. The quality (in the eye of the beholder) of the work
6. How well the piece will meet the need of the buyer (as a decorator or display item)
7. What the market will bear in terms of pricing of one piece when compared to a comparable piece.
None of these issues can be judged from afar.
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Steve Worcester
Admin Emeritus
Location is one, art vs utility is another. A name adds more money in the right hands and market.
Pictures might help.
Pictures might help.
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Paul, you answered your own question, in a way. You said, "I have tried looking at different members websites for rough ideas on pricing, but the prices are all over the map. " Yes, prices are all over the map, meaning it all depends on where you are geographically. This and what Steve Worcester just said about art vs utility, if it's useless, you get 3 times as much, and if you sign the bottom "David Ellsworth" , you can get 10 times as much! don't do that, though. 
Ruth
Ruth
I realize that the question I have asked has no definitive answer, and there are many factors associated with pricing and selling your work. The public is also fickle. The same piece that won't sell at $50 might sell instantly for $500. I do believe that the price bears witness to how you value your work and a low price might not send the right message. What I was hoping to get was feedback on what factors people consider when pricing their work. Steve, I have some pictures of my work posted in the gallery, and some of these are the ones I hope to sell. My problem is I have never sold anything before and don't know where to start. I would like to be fair in my pricing but not sell myself short either. I appreciate all the comments so far and would welcome comments on my work in the gallery if anyone has time.
Paul,
What kind of venue is this exposition? Will it be the higher end gallery crowd, the craft fair crowd, the church sale crowd, etc?
I guess my point is that it would be really hard for any of us not from your area to help you pin down prices. For example, here where I live, tourists are the main buyers and when in galleries they spend far more than you would ever believe for bowls. And I am on the cheap island!!! A natural edge bowl similar to yours is probably $350 to 500. A translucent norfolk pine bowl in the 4 inch diameter range would be $400, I just saw several like that yesterday in a gallery....workmanship was nice, wood and form was nothing special. Koa bowls go up from there. Bowls in the 10 inch and up range are obscenely priced. One turner who concentrates on 4 foot tall vases regularly gets $9,000 each. Go figure.
In the more crafty fair like venues here you might drop 1/3 to a 1/2 in price, but I also noticed a different group of turners and work quality there to match.
Any chance you can hold off pricing until just before the Expo opens, giving you time to scope out the competition and then price accordingly? If your work is unique or better than the others you might make yourself the high price point of the show, or if you are comparable to the others you might try to price a bit lower to sell, or higher to attract people artificially to your stuff, giving them the impression it is better because if is more expensive?
The book mentioned earlier, woodworkers guide to pricing, is quite good. It doesn't give you firm figures, but it does guide you through a pricing process that includes your time, materials, consumeables, fixed equipment, etc, and then adjusting that to meet the venue.
Let us know what you end up doing and how well it works for you? I for one would be very interested to hear your experiences!
Very pretty pieces by the way. I hope you have a great experience at the show!!!
Dave
What kind of venue is this exposition? Will it be the higher end gallery crowd, the craft fair crowd, the church sale crowd, etc?
I guess my point is that it would be really hard for any of us not from your area to help you pin down prices. For example, here where I live, tourists are the main buyers and when in galleries they spend far more than you would ever believe for bowls. And I am on the cheap island!!! A natural edge bowl similar to yours is probably $350 to 500. A translucent norfolk pine bowl in the 4 inch diameter range would be $400, I just saw several like that yesterday in a gallery....workmanship was nice, wood and form was nothing special. Koa bowls go up from there. Bowls in the 10 inch and up range are obscenely priced. One turner who concentrates on 4 foot tall vases regularly gets $9,000 each. Go figure.
In the more crafty fair like venues here you might drop 1/3 to a 1/2 in price, but I also noticed a different group of turners and work quality there to match.
Any chance you can hold off pricing until just before the Expo opens, giving you time to scope out the competition and then price accordingly? If your work is unique or better than the others you might make yourself the high price point of the show, or if you are comparable to the others you might try to price a bit lower to sell, or higher to attract people artificially to your stuff, giving them the impression it is better because if is more expensive?
The book mentioned earlier, woodworkers guide to pricing, is quite good. It doesn't give you firm figures, but it does guide you through a pricing process that includes your time, materials, consumeables, fixed equipment, etc, and then adjusting that to meet the venue.
Let us know what you end up doing and how well it works for you? I for one would be very interested to hear your experiences!
Very pretty pieces by the way. I hope you have a great experience at the show!!!
Dave
If I could throw yet another complicating factor into this already difficult subject: My anxiety about pricing is heightened when the potential customer is also a friend. I don't want a friendship to be strained by asking a high price, but I also don't want to set a precedent for underpricing. My Dad (now enjoying retirement) was a great businessman and handled this issue in a way that he felt very comfortable with. I however seem to struggle with it constantly.
Say I am selling a cherry hollow form 6" diameter 4" deep. It is sanded to 1200 and finished, buffed to a high gloss. It is embellished with a textured pattern about 3/4" wide around its circumference. The wood cost me $4. Cost of finishing material is negligible. Time spent turning, finishing, buffing totals around 4 hours. I've made it at the request of a good friend. What do I charge my friend? $35? $45? $100? No easy answers! I have a feeling I'll ask $40 but I'm bothered by the thought that $40 could be way too little.
Say I am selling a cherry hollow form 6" diameter 4" deep. It is sanded to 1200 and finished, buffed to a high gloss. It is embellished with a textured pattern about 3/4" wide around its circumference. The wood cost me $4. Cost of finishing material is negligible. Time spent turning, finishing, buffing totals around 4 hours. I've made it at the request of a good friend. What do I charge my friend? $35? $45? $100? No easy answers! I have a feeling I'll ask $40 but I'm bothered by the thought that $40 could be way too little.
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Steve Worcester
Admin Emeritus
Early on, I got to the point where I did 12-15 shows in a year. Anything I could find, and figured out I would be smarter to pick those where I could actually sell my work and would hold the price I wanted. At first I sold lower cost and then as my quality of work increased, so did the prices, and I ended up pricing my work out of some of those shows.
For friends, if it is a good friend, they all received pieces as gifts. After that, they would buy the work at a reduced fee. After all, if they don't buy it, I can sell it to someone at full price.
I learned that I don't price my work based on the venue. I just won't sell at the lower end venues. It undercuts the value of your work at the higher end shows. If you ever sell into galleries, all bets are off. You sell at the same prices as the galleries. You never undercut them.
But to answer your question, after looking at the photos, in my area the nicer bowls, at the proper venue, would go for the $100 to $200 range. But understand that the market here isn't large enough to support a woodturner selling art. You just wouldn't sell enough to eat (all the time).
I don't make a living off of turning, that would likely change the formula.
For friends, if it is a good friend, they all received pieces as gifts. After that, they would buy the work at a reduced fee. After all, if they don't buy it, I can sell it to someone at full price.
I learned that I don't price my work based on the venue. I just won't sell at the lower end venues. It undercuts the value of your work at the higher end shows. If you ever sell into galleries, all bets are off. You sell at the same prices as the galleries. You never undercut them.
But to answer your question, after looking at the photos, in my area the nicer bowls, at the proper venue, would go for the $100 to $200 range. But understand that the market here isn't large enough to support a woodturner selling art. You just wouldn't sell enough to eat (all the time).
I don't make a living off of turning, that would likely change the formula.
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Mark Pruitt said:
Hi Mark,
Just remember, once you have allowed the perception that a given piece is worth $40, even with a friend, you have set the expectations moving forward. So, any additional pieces to that friend will be expected to be in the same range. I have sold very few of my pieces. Most are given out as presents.
Interestingly, my wife and I were with another couple at our parish auction last week where one of my pieces sold for $260. Our friends were astounded at the price (they have been receipents of several of my pieces) and asked if I thought it went too high. I told them I was disappointed that it sold so low. Suddenly it was like a light went off in their heads, they realized they had been the beneficaries of several on my pieces and had a new found appreciation of "worth." All that said, location is everything. The same bowl probably wouldn't have fetched more than $40 at the local flea market if it would have sold at all.
pricing-friends
I have problems pricing my stuff-hate it!!!. I have learned to put a price tag on it as soon as it is complete, so I remember the particular problems, time it took, where I got it etc. Then if I have a friend interested, or co workers where I work the price is there and I offer a 20% discount. Higher discounts to people that bring me wood. Then they know the "deal" they got. After all there was no commission to pay, or no show entry fee. If it is a better friend, it may be discounted higher or given(no price tag included on those!!!!-that's gauche, like leaving a store bought gift with the price tag on it). Gretch
I have problems pricing my stuff-hate it!!!. I have learned to put a price tag on it as soon as it is complete, so I remember the particular problems, time it took, where I got it etc. Then if I have a friend interested, or co workers where I work the price is there and I offer a 20% discount. Higher discounts to people that bring me wood. Then they know the "deal" they got. After all there was no commission to pay, or no show entry fee. If it is a better friend, it may be discounted higher or given(no price tag included on those!!!!-that's gauche, like leaving a store bought gift with the price tag on it). Gretch
This is what works for me...your mileage may vary.....
For bowls and other open forms I use a general $10.00 per inch of diameter. I adjust the price up if the form is exceptional or the figure or speices demand it.
I also factor in what I call shop expenses. I shoot for an average of $30.00 per hour. That takes into consideration machine and tool costs, heat/cooling, insurance, power, and my time away from the family.
Somewhere between the two I come up with a price. I'm not a full time turner and I hope to never have to turn to keep food on the table. I enjoy the hobby and if I make enough money selling items to pay my costs I'm happy.
---Nailer---
For bowls and other open forms I use a general $10.00 per inch of diameter. I adjust the price up if the form is exceptional or the figure or speices demand it.
I also factor in what I call shop expenses. I shoot for an average of $30.00 per hour. That takes into consideration machine and tool costs, heat/cooling, insurance, power, and my time away from the family.
Somewhere between the two I come up with a price. I'm not a full time turner and I hope to never have to turn to keep food on the table. I enjoy the hobby and if I make enough money selling items to pay my costs I'm happy.
---Nailer---
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Start by figuring out how much you would charge someone you don't know if selling at a show or gallery. Then, if you feel you need to, knock off some because you have not incurred any marketing expenses, or good turns your friend has done you in the past.Mark Pruitt said:
Another way to look at it is this. Your friend may like it so much, his friends and relatives like it so much that he comes back and asks you to make ten more at the same price. How would feel about doing that amount of work for $400.
You might even be better off long term by just giving it to him as a gift.
Or ask yourself how much your friend would charge you!
Pricing your turnings
Notice that I didn't say "pricing your work"! I turn wood for the pure enjoyment (it is priceless). I turn wood to see the beauty of the wood(it is priceless)! I retired so that I would have time to learn woodturning (it is priceless)!
What is your woodturning worth to you? Does it tickle your soul to create ? out of a piece of firewood? I put a price on a bowl to represent the value to me, not to a market. If a person doesn't want to pay that price, I still hope that they have a Great Day!
Notice that I didn't say "pricing your work"! I turn wood for the pure enjoyment (it is priceless). I turn wood to see the beauty of the wood(it is priceless)! I retired so that I would have time to learn woodturning (it is priceless)!
What is your woodturning worth to you? Does it tickle your soul to create ? out of a piece of firewood? I put a price on a bowl to represent the value to me, not to a market. If a person doesn't want to pay that price, I still hope that they have a Great Day!
Pricing, pricing, pricing . . . .
I've been selling my work for over five years at art, craft, wine, music and whatever kind of festival you can think of. Before trying to make my passion pay for itself (forget making a living), I sold information technology services and learned what several others before me on this thread have said. It's true with what we make as well, pertaining to location. If you're selling in an established and well known art gallery, you can get more. If it's new, you probably have to price lower. If your work is traditional and they've got contemporary, who knows. Location (or venue) is the largest variable factor driving where you should set your price. I've sold essentially the same item (a small pepper mill) at prices from $45 to $75, all depending on the kind of folks who will be coming by and how willing they'll be to purchase.
I try to start by establishing what a piece cost me to make - without considering my time at all. This is what I MUST make to just break even. Anything less and I'll be losing money. Did you buy the wood? Add in wear and tear on tools. Add a small amount for sandpaper and finish. From that point on you have to depend on intuition (free and quick) and market research (sometimes not free and always takes time) - what kind of people visit that gallery, how much spendable income do they have, what's the area's median income?
Something else to think about is that time I was talking with about sales with another person and brought up how one item I'd made for that season hadn't been selling. He said I should try doubling the price - that would give the items more value in the eyes of buyers. He was right. Us humans are sometimes affected by things that just don't seem to make sense, but that's just the way it is.
I've been selling my work for over five years at art, craft, wine, music and whatever kind of festival you can think of. Before trying to make my passion pay for itself (forget making a living), I sold information technology services and learned what several others before me on this thread have said. It's true with what we make as well, pertaining to location. If you're selling in an established and well known art gallery, you can get more. If it's new, you probably have to price lower. If your work is traditional and they've got contemporary, who knows. Location (or venue) is the largest variable factor driving where you should set your price. I've sold essentially the same item (a small pepper mill) at prices from $45 to $75, all depending on the kind of folks who will be coming by and how willing they'll be to purchase.
I try to start by establishing what a piece cost me to make - without considering my time at all. This is what I MUST make to just break even. Anything less and I'll be losing money. Did you buy the wood? Add in wear and tear on tools. Add a small amount for sandpaper and finish. From that point on you have to depend on intuition (free and quick) and market research (sometimes not free and always takes time) - what kind of people visit that gallery, how much spendable income do they have, what's the area's median income?
Something else to think about is that time I was talking with about sales with another person and brought up how one item I'd made for that season hadn't been selling. He said I should try doubling the price - that would give the items more value in the eyes of buyers. He was right. Us humans are sometimes affected by things that just don't seem to make sense, but that's just the way it is.
Selling to a friend...
All the advice above is very sound as far as pricing your items for sale. There are so many variables that you just have to take a close look at the individual show.
But now you've told us that your work is for a friend. That narrows the selling "venue" considerably and, given that most of my cabinetry and turning work is for friends, I'll throw two cents of advice into the pot.
My attitude is very simple when it comes to selling to friends. Most pieces I do for friends I just give away as gifts. Pretty easy.
If there's a particular piece they want, either of furniture or a bowl, they buy the material or provide a pretty piece of wood. I get to turn/build the piece on my own schedule when I feel like it. When it's done, I usually charge a six-pack or fifth of my favorite libation, which I insist the friend share with me.
I used to do commission furniture building but quickly realized the joy of working the wood was gone when $$$, deadlines, and friendships were on the line. I ended up keeping my day job and sharing my hobby with friends as the opportunity arises.
My hobby has stayed a complete joy. My friends are still my friends. My work is sprinkled in houses throughout the community. What more could a man ask for from his hobby?
This past weekend our high school held a fund raiser for the music program and I donated two bowls and some pepper shakers for their bid-n-buy. The winning bid was way below what they'd have sold for in a gallery, but I had fun making the bowls, the wood was scrap that I got for free, and the music program has $80 more at night's end than they had at night's beginning.
Again, what more could a man want from his hobby?
All the advice above is very sound as far as pricing your items for sale. There are so many variables that you just have to take a close look at the individual show.
But now you've told us that your work is for a friend. That narrows the selling "venue" considerably and, given that most of my cabinetry and turning work is for friends, I'll throw two cents of advice into the pot.
My attitude is very simple when it comes to selling to friends. Most pieces I do for friends I just give away as gifts. Pretty easy.
If there's a particular piece they want, either of furniture or a bowl, they buy the material or provide a pretty piece of wood. I get to turn/build the piece on my own schedule when I feel like it. When it's done, I usually charge a six-pack or fifth of my favorite libation, which I insist the friend share with me.
I used to do commission furniture building but quickly realized the joy of working the wood was gone when $$$, deadlines, and friendships were on the line. I ended up keeping my day job and sharing my hobby with friends as the opportunity arises.
My hobby has stayed a complete joy. My friends are still my friends. My work is sprinkled in houses throughout the community. What more could a man ask for from his hobby?
This past weekend our high school held a fund raiser for the music program and I donated two bowls and some pepper shakers for their bid-n-buy. The winning bid was way below what they'd have sold for in a gallery, but I had fun making the bowls, the wood was scrap that I got for free, and the music program has $80 more at night's end than they had at night's beginning.
Again, what more could a man want from his hobby?
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I agree with Charlie. At least in my current situation it is more fun to give the stuff away. It seems like I tend to make a bunch of something (ornaments or bottle stoppers etc) then the fun is giving them away. The other thing that I do a lot of is canes. Those are made to order but still gifts.
It is something I enjoy doing and would be afraid that the fun might be gone if it was a business. Besides then where would I go to forget about work? I salute you folks that can make a living turning, but for me the day job will have to pay the bills.
It is something I enjoy doing and would be afraid that the fun might be gone if it was a business. Besides then where would I go to forget about work?
I salute you folks that can make a living turning, but for me the day job will have to pay the bills.Great discussion - and great timing as well. Many great points, especially as I am hoping to place some small (7'' - 12") bowls at a local gallery in a few weeks.
One question I might add - what kind of commission fee is normal at an upscale gallery? I also trade print art, and see a range of 30% to as high as 50% - would the same be expected in the sale of turned works?
One question I might add - what kind of commission fee is normal at an upscale gallery? I also trade print art, and see a range of 30% to as high as 50% - would the same be expected in the sale of turned works?
Setting a piece's selling price is difficult...!!!
The gallery I work with has a 35% commission fee, which we add on top of the price I set for each piece. I wouldn't consider it "upscale" compared to galleries in major cities, but it is among the best galleries in the region. In this area [mid-Iowa] the commission varies between 45% and 30%, depending on the sales venue. Obviously, I need to consider how much I need out of each piece, and what the end price to the buyer will be. Balancing between these values isn't easy in a small town mid-western market, and not knowing what the market will actually bear makes this process challenging, as others have already noted. The gallery has been good about assisting with pricing, and are fairly realistic as to knowing how much their clientele will pay for a particular item, and how attractive pieces are in each medium in their gallery. I've sold, on average, one or two pieces a month; not enough reliable income to put a down payment on a new Hummer, but certainly enough to provide some additional capital to occasionally get some new turning toys and to pay for the production supplies, etc. I'd starve if I had to rely on turning for my living, so that's not even considered, at this point.
An interesting thread.....
Rob Wallace
42Olds said:
The gallery I work with has a 35% commission fee, which we add on top of the price I set for each piece. I wouldn't consider it "upscale" compared to galleries in major cities, but it is among the best galleries in the region. In this area [mid-Iowa] the commission varies between 45% and 30%, depending on the sales venue. Obviously, I need to consider how much I need out of each piece, and what the end price to the buyer will be. Balancing between these values isn't easy in a small town mid-western market, and not knowing what the market will actually bear makes this process challenging, as others have already noted. The gallery has been good about assisting with pricing, and are fairly realistic as to knowing how much their clientele will pay for a particular item, and how attractive pieces are in each medium in their gallery. I've sold, on average, one or two pieces a month; not enough reliable income to put a down payment on a new Hummer, but certainly enough to provide some additional capital to occasionally get some new turning toys and to pay for the production supplies, etc. I'd starve if I had to rely on turning for my living, so that's not even considered, at this point.
An interesting thread.....
Rob Wallace
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30% - 50% is normal. If it really is upscale, and truly a gallery and not a glorified craft shop, then expect 50%, or even more depending on quality of the place and the volume of sales that they can achieve for you.
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Usual directions for this type of question. The "formula" folks who think commodity, the gallery types who want to see the big "art" numbers on the tag even if they're only getting half, and my type, which is someone who hates math, loves shooting the bull with prospective customers and plain woodworkers at shows, and would rather fifty pieces in a day than one a week. Five bucks for the materials and 25 an hour is fair for ordinary stuff. Fancy wood is plus 50 or 100%, depending on the regularity with which I see the type in question. Gallery owners pay my price less the included tax. I don't consign.
Give to the friends, if they are friends. Have the co-worker or acquaintance make an offer and be prepared to accept it first time. If it's a lowball, learn your lesson for next time, when you can protest how much you love the piece or make excuses that it's for someone else. If the stuff is already priced from not selling at a show, discount it.
Above all, remember that selling is what gets things out of the way so that you can turn more. Don't price yourself into full shelves and twiddling thumbs.
Give to the friends, if they are friends. Have the co-worker or acquaintance make an offer and be prepared to accept it first time. If it's a lowball, learn your lesson for next time, when you can protest how much you love the piece or make excuses that it's for someone else. If the stuff is already priced from not selling at a show, discount it.
Above all, remember that selling is what gets things out of the way so that you can turn more. Don't price yourself into full shelves and twiddling thumbs.
Interesting thread, indeed... And much appreciated as a guide.
One note - "upscale" may have been an overstatement, more like a very good gallery in the suburbs of Seattle... They do carry a fine range of art, within a mid-price range.
Quite a bit to think about - I don't really like the formula method, but it may at least be a guide to a proper price range. Part of the problem is the range of price I pay for the wood I use, some I get prepared in the $20-$50 range, but some is from local trees, which is cut & prepare myself for less than $5 a blank. I don't want to figure the low cost in the formula, it would undercut the work from the high priced wood. Of course, if I figure the time I take doing the work, maybe it does come out the same.
What I think I am reading in this thread is that how you price your work tends to follow what you expect to get for it, which depends on how much you value your art/work. I see the value of pricing a bit high, as it's always easier to lower the price than to up it - and there is a rational in the high price being a nudge to make the buyer think it's worth more... Like when I interviewed for a job and the man asked what I thought I was worth...I said "more than you can afford.." He hired me anyway. :cool2:
Thanks for the thoughts, lots to consider over the next few weeks.
Stephen
One note - "upscale" may have been an overstatement, more like a very good gallery in the suburbs of Seattle...
They do carry a fine range of art, within a mid-price range.Quite a bit to think about - I don't really like the formula method, but it may at least be a guide to a proper price range. Part of the problem is the range of price I pay for the wood I use, some I get prepared in the $20-$50 range, but some is from local trees, which is cut & prepare myself for less than $5 a blank. I don't want to figure the low cost in the formula, it would undercut the work from the high priced wood. Of course, if I figure the time I take doing the work, maybe it does come out the same.
What I think I am reading in this thread is that how you price your work tends to follow what you expect to get for it, which depends on how much you value your art/work. I see the value of pricing a bit high, as it's always easier to lower the price than to up it - and there is a rational in the high price being a nudge to make the buyer think it's worth more...
Like when I interviewed for a job and the man asked what I thought I was worth...I said "more than you can afford.." He hired me anyway. :cool2:Thanks for the thoughts, lots to consider over the next few weeks.
Stephen
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pricing
Always a thorny question, and no less so on this side of the pond. I have a list pinned on the wall. It's for bowls in plain timber (not burrs etc) and approx 2" deep. It starts at £45 (about $90?) for a 7" to 9" bowl, £65 for 9" to 11", etc. Its a ball-park figure (I love these Americanisms) and I always adjust it up or down, depending on how much I like the finished piece myself.
Sometimes customers will ask me why one piece is more expensive than another, but I can't bring myself to tell them its because I don't much like the cheaper piece, so I say its the price of the timber. They accept that readily enough. There's no precise science to pricing. It's a combination of experience of knowing what you might get, fair play about what you think its worth, and hope that someone might value your time, effort and skill at a fair price. We can but try, but I'd starve pdq if I had to rely on turning for a living.
Bob
Always a thorny question, and no less so on this side of the pond. I have a list pinned on the wall. It's for bowls in plain timber (not burrs etc) and approx 2" deep. It starts at £45 (about $90?) for a 7" to 9" bowl, £65 for 9" to 11", etc. Its a ball-park figure (I love these Americanisms) and I always adjust it up or down, depending on how much I like the finished piece myself.
Sometimes customers will ask me why one piece is more expensive than another, but I can't bring myself to tell them its because I don't much like the cheaper piece, so I say its the price of the timber. They accept that readily enough. There's no precise science to pricing. It's a combination of experience of knowing what you might get, fair play about what you think its worth, and hope that someone might value your time, effort and skill at a fair price. We can but try, but I'd starve pdq if I had to rely on turning for a living.
Bob
Bob Chapman said:
Interesting, that is in the same ball-park as the $10/inch quoted earlier. So that ball-park crosses the ocean.
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I had to go back and check, but you're right. I hadn't converted the figures to realise I was repeating. Oh well, at least I know one person agrees with me!