Can she really be making a living wage with prices like this?
I forgot to mention that she also offers free US shipping on everything.
Well, from what I see, the designs are very simple and since they make pretty much the same thing, over and over again, they probably knock the rings out in about 15 minutes, max. I know the earrings would take me only about 5 minutes to put together. So, if they get their materials really, really cheap, its possible that selling enough rings at $5 each would get you a living wage. Quantity adds up.
I was going to say those rings take about 5 minutes. I don't care that much for them. They're ok for kids or teens, but I just don't think they're that pretty.
vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "Beadbimbo" :
]I was going to say those rings take about 5 minutes. I don't care that much ]for them. They're ok for kids or teens, but I just don't think they're that ]pretty.
i don't like putting down other people's work. but yes - for the market they seem to be aiming for, it probably works.
----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)
~~ Sooz
------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
Sooz
------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
If you go to the order info page, about halfway down is a link to her auctions. She's a power seller, so she must be moving a lot of merchandise on eBay.
Lol! Sooz, as we say in the south, "You tickle me!"
It could be she isn't making them all herself.
Even if she isn't at a scale where she can have them made oversees, there are other ways to get cheap labour.
When my cousin was in highschool, her art teacher (a strange woman in some other ways btw) bought her jewelry-making tools and had her make up charm bracelets. She gave her about $2 a bracelet. I am not sure where she sold them, but I'll guess she got more then $2 a bracelet for them.
marisa2
Magik wrote:
Wow 370 feedback entries in the past month alone and a lot of repeat customers.
Celine
OK, but.....
$5.00 ring sold on eBay MINUS $0.35 listing fee $0.25 FVF $0.45 if paid by paypal $0.16 bubble mailer $0.60 postage EQUALS $3.19 Gross profit before materials
That doesn't leave a whole lot of room for materials, labor and overhead.
Tanya
Can she really be making a living wage with prices like this?
My first official "year" in business - I lost over $300 on the books... LOL
Cheryl last semester of lawschool! yipee! DRAGON BEADS Flameworked beads and glass
Wow. I hadn't thought of all that!
Haw! She emailed back -- "Is this a trick question?" Haw!
~~ Sooz
------- "Those in the cheaper seats clap. The rest of you rattle your jewelry." John Lennon (1940 - 1980) Royal Varieties Performance ~ Dr. Sooz's Bead Links
I think you may be making the (possibly incorrect) assumption that this is ALL she does to earn money. This may just be supplemental income.
KarenK
Just a guess here, but maybe she's not trying to make a living wage?
I mean, I work full-time as an administrative assistant (not a great salary, but I won't starve ). I started selling stuff I made so I could afford to buy more beads and make more stuff. I'm even working on a website to try and sell stuff on line; but I'm not trying to make a living at it.
Besides, someone mentioned she (Kim) is a power seller on ebay, so maybe that's where her living wage is coming from and the items on her website are just supplemental income.
Just a thought from a non-professional :)
Cheers, Carla
Dream Master
If you want to make God laugh, tell him your future plans. Woody Allen
It certainly looks like a case of "you get what you pay for" here... I do very little beading, and have never attempted a ring, but looking at that picture I think I could make one in around 10 minutes with less than
6-8" of wire and three beads. I'd imagine if I made several of them I could get it down to under 5 minutes each....plus I could do them while watching TV or waiting on dinner to cook or even while sitting in the car waiting for my daughter to get out of school or while sitting in a doctor's office while waiting my turn...any odd bit of time available.If I wanted a custom ring or bit of jewlery that I didn't think I could make myself, I would certainly want something that looked nicer than those rings, and I would most definately expect to pay a good bit more than $5!
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