Comments on: How Do I Get My Customers to Pay What My Work is Worth?

By: Molly Jaber

Molly Jaber — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 06:10:49 +0000

I sell my jewelry wholesale , on consignment and have done a couple of retail craft shows. When pricing, I know that Ihave to make at least triple my material costs. That is the wholesale price. Retail is double that. You have to pay for materials, your time and your profit. Hence the triple.
Most people have either time OR money to spend on supplies, but not both. You have to figure out which you have and work from there. I have set retail prices levels in my head that I know work, like 32.00, 38.00…etc. then you have to make your pieces so that they will be worth that price. Sometimes that is accomplished by using sterling wire instead of silverplate, and sometimes you put more time into your piece, adding more detail instead of more expensive supplies. It’s all about percieved value by the end customer. I also shop around and see what’s out there and what prices are in local shops and online. If you can’t get the prices you need then you have to change you designs, up your quality, find ways to add less expensive embellishments etc….hope this helps! Ps I love all of Rena’s advice!

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 14:07:47 +0000

Jane, I had the same experience when I did my first show. I was shocked that my more expensive pieces sold and my lower end items were barely even considered by my customers. But this was good because it was a great indicator of who my target customers are. Customers who buy from the artist expect to spend more. If they wanted cheap jewelry they can go elsewhere. Pricing is hard but it sounds like your narrowing in on your customers.

By: Denise Tarvin

Denise Tarvin — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:51:24 +0000

I echo the above. You need to know who your market is–who you are trying to appeal to. Unless it’s a family member or really close friend, I don’t settle for anything less than 2 times my cost and that doesn’t include my labor. I live in an area with a large amount of poverty so people don’t have the dollars to pay the prices I think my work is worth. I find the things that move best are under $40-$50. Good luck!

By: Jane

Jane — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 13:41:44 +0000

Hi Everyone,
Last Saturday my neighbor hosted a trunk show of my jewelry. It was OK in sales for a few hours. My dilemma: None of my $25 & under necklaces sold, and only 3 of the more expensive ones sold. For the Murano jewelry, my prices range from $40-$140. They are beautiful, and I find creative ways to display them. My prices are quite reasonable considering the (wholesale) cost of the beads I use. Lowering my prices would make it less worth making and selling jewelry. How do I find people who understand and are willing to pay the price of lovely handmade jewelry?

By: Judy Bjorkman

Judy Bjorkman — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 12:33:18 +0000

Laura, I’d echo Rena’s remarks. It’s important that a customer not look at your bead jewelry and think, “I could easily make this myself at home.” Of course, this is probably not true, but adding those unique pieces to your bead necklaces should help increase your sales. For example, what kind of clasp do you use? Handmade wire clasps can add interest. Can you use the library or internet to see how other artists have accomplished this added interest?

By: Rena Klingenberg

Rena Klingenberg — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 04:06:03 +0000

Great tips from Sarah!

Laura, is it possible you’re showing your jewelry to the wrong audience for the designs you want to make, or for the price range you want to target?

Also, one thing I discovered with selling bead jewelry – my sales picked up when I started including other jewelry techniques (wirework, mixed media, etc.) alongside the beads in a piece of jewelry. It made my work more unique.

By: Sarah S.

Sarah S. — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 17:14:44 +0000

1) Track all your expenses – materials and labor – so that you can accurately price your pieces

2) Be consistent and firm in your pricing. Generally you want to set a retail price and a wholesale price (for bulk orders) and these should be pretty non negotiable.

3) if you are selling online, invest in good pictures. When all you have to judge a piece by is the picture, it should be a good picture. These can be pictures you take yourself, if you do a little research into jewelry photography, or you can invest in professional pics.