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Gallery/ Studio/ Shop %?

Tom Albrecht

Tom Albrecht

Joined
Feb 8, 2014
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Location
Evanston, IL USA
Can those of you who are familiar with selling woodturnings through vendors lend some thoughts and advice about what a common percentage split would be? In other words, let's say I have a bowl that I would sell to a walk in customer for $200. What do I do with that same bowl that a gallery is displaying and going to sell for me?
Thanks,
Tom
 
Forty percent is standard. I've heard that in some markets it is fifty percent.

I don't think that you have much latitude in adjusting the price to suit what you think you ought to get compared to direct sales. The galleries are the market experts so they aren't going to accept an overpriced piece if it is destined to become a shelf queen.
 
Generally equivalent pieces should have the same sale price regardless of who sells it.

Most galleries will have their artists sign a contract. These contracts almost always include a statement about pricing outside of the gallery.

So a bowl you sell for $200 the gallery would sell for $200. Remember it always costs you something to sell a bowl yourself. If it is in a show you have your time, the booth fee costs, entry fee, booth setup, transportation, credit card processing costs, etc etc

Sometimes there is wiggle room
One gallery(now out of business) that we had a clause in the contract that said we could not undersell the gallery.
The gallery wanted my Christmas Ornaments which I was selling for $50 we worked it out that they would sell them for $60 and I would sell them for $50 and they would get 10 to sell.
 
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40% to the local gallery that represents my work. She does a couple holiday trunk shows with artists participating, 30% at those events. As hockenbery said, you can quickly loose gallery representation if you undersell them to walk ins.
 
my 2 galleries take 40%. I don't undersell the galleries but what I might do for walk in customers is to close the sale is give them something for free. That in affect gives them a discount but they still purchased the bowl or whatever for full price.
 
john lucas said:
my 2 galleries take 40%. I don't undersell the galleries but what I might do for walk in customers is to close the sale is give them something for free. That in affect gives them a discount but they still purchased the bowl or whatever for full price.
Click to expand...

Excellent idea John, thanks.
 
I got that idea from a professional artist who makes a living selling work in a larger city and has a fair amount of people stop by the shop. I thought it was great and has worked for me.
 
This is an interesting thread. When I built custom fishing rods, one thing that was mentioned by a few experienced builders was the liability issue. What if a customer comes into your shop and gets hurt? It was pointed out that since there was a business on premises, a standard homeowner's policy might not cover such things. Just a thought. BTW, if someone came to my shop, I would need proof that they had all their shots up to date.
 
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