Not really an AD, but a marketing question, need advice

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "Kandice Seeber" :

]The question is, are people sick of my Happiness color scheme - ]Am I stressing too much?

Kandice, i have to tell you - - you've never come up with a color set i didn't like - even ones i didn't think i would like. that color set is gorgeous. at the moment, for some reason, i'm into dark greens and blues, but that's just me. are YOU bored? if so, change sets. if you're not, there are still all those people who bid on the previous sets but haven't won one yet!

]The second question is that I have about 40 odds and ends type of beads ]sitting here that I am thinking about putting on ebay. Should I? Is anyone ]really interested in my odds and ends? T

personally, i'm ALWAYS interested in your beads. always. unfortunately, i'm so far over my head in debts i'm trying to pay off at the moment, i wouldn't be able to bid on them and still don't do e-bay anyway. i can't imagine anything you did not doing well, but if you're not sure, why not post it on your website instead of e-bay?

i've been trying to figure out how to take a wire class -- Johnny is gifting me with it!!!!!!!!! he's SUCH a doll!

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

Hi Kandice,

I don't think I've ever seen a bead of yours that wasn't beautiful. You're an artist, so I think you're going to have to make whatever you're inspired to make at the moment. In other words, dont' sweat it.... :)

That being said, there's no reason that every set you make right now has to be offered for sale right now, is there? I mean, you could offer one of the sets you showed us and see what happens with that. If you are inspired to work with different colorways, do that, too.

As far as the odds and ends, I'd say go ahead and offer them in a batch. That type of offering seems to be very popular and you have the following to support it. I think you might get those folks who don't necessarily buy 'sets', too.

Good luck with whatever works best for you!

Best, Deborah

Kandice, I think those colors are gorgeous (not something I can wear but just wonderful to look at), AND that color palette is definitely part of this year's spring/summer line. I should know, my daughter dragged me to three stores yesterday.

As to the odds and ends, I think it depends on how much you want for 'em. I think those kinds of non-sets are always a gamble. The way I look at it is, at least they find a good home and aren't yammering at me on my bead-board anymore. LOL

KarenK

You are stressing a wee bit too much.

I love that color pallette, but if the last 3 auctions you offered were of that type, I'd say offer another color set right now, then have another Happiness set ready in the wings for another auction.

I think and odds & ends auction would be great. Wonderful for earrings, treasure bracelets, etc. I'm just sad that I probably wouldn't be able to afford it. :-)

Barbara

Kandice, your work is always so lovely! The best advice I can give is to make what you love... Work with the colors that feel right to you at the moment. I really think that is how fabulous sets of beads are born! Your color sense is remarkable, as I've said before, and I have no doubt that whatever you put together will be drooled over!

Tink New Auctions Up:

Follow your heart young lady. It will always be good for your soul, maybe not ebay but definitely good for the soul.;-)

How about offering the odds and ends in batches of 10 or 15 so that the price of 40 would not eliminate some of the bidders who want your beads but can't afford a whole lot of them at once. Personally, I would like to see them and get the "pick of the litter" so to speak. Again, I think the asking price will determine the salability for a none set batch I agree with someone earlier who said make things that might not be for sale right away. Maybe do some darker colors for fall and just hold them to sell then. If it is just change up you are seeking, that seems to be the way to go.

I love your happiness set and I am kicking myself for not bidding more on it when it was last on ebay.

I also think an odds and ends set from you would be very popular - I would love to see what was in it!

I would love to see some smaller sets of odds and ends...for me, I *love* seeing the 100+, but can't afford the 100+ price tag (and I think that you would get smaller $$ per bead).

Perhaps if you did 5-10 per "set"??? that gives some of us a chance to look at your sets, and choose colors that we like best, then perhaps order more in those colors...

mary

Or, you can put them up in one big bunch and go for the big bucks, Kandice, and those of us who can't afford it can go in together and bid (as long as Mary doesn't run the group bid, LOL. A BBB joke.)

Becki "In between the moon and you, the angels have a better view of the crumbling difference between wrong and right." -- Counting Crows

ooh and then we could fight over who got what!

ok so I'm in a goofy mood tonight - and I should be working on a bracelet.

I thank everyone who has responded. :) I was kind of stressing last night when I posted this. I'm still kind of stressing, but for a different reason - there is a very angry skunk in the neighborhood making it hard for us all to breathe! I had to quit making beads for awhile in hopes that the air would clear. So far, not so good. :( So anyway - I am probably going to post the odds and ends beads all in one auction I think. Mostly because that helps keep the fees down, and it doesn't take as much time and preparation as taking pics of several different smaller sets. It depends though, so I will wait and see. As for what colors to make for ebay - I am definitely going to just make what my heart wants to make and try and quit worrying about the marketability of it all. :) So hard to strike that balance sometimes!! I do appreciate all the advice and kind words. That's always very welcome and very helpful to me. Oh, man - another whiff of that damn skunk! Ewwwww!!! Must find respirator!

Oh wait - that must mean the odds and ends are now skunk contaminated - you need to get rid of them - fast.

Send them to the decontamination unit here in NC. Glad to help:)

Sorry to hear about the skunk though.

LOL - this night just keeps getting better and better. My kiln has broken down - or at least something is really wrong with it. It won't hold the temperature. It ramps up to 950, and then within an hour, it starts to decrease in temp. I't not running the anneal cycle - the controller says it's still supposed to be at 950. I don't know what to do, except call Frantz in the morning. But I don't think they will be able to help, because I bought the kiln from them almost two years ago. This is really awful, because I don't have the money to replace it, and I have orders to fill. Aaaargh! We'll figure out something I am sure, but for now, I can't work, I have insomnia and I am stressed out. Feel free to ignore me - I'm just venting. For those who do have bead orders pending with me and happen to be reading this - hang on and I will try my best to get my kiln back up or find some way to get a replacement. I will contact all of you individually if plans change or I need to cancel/postpone orders. For now I am going to try and get rid of my insomnia and call Frantz in the morning to see if they have a suggestion.

vj found this in rec.crafts.beads, from "Kandice Seeber" :

]for now, I can't work, I have insomnia and I am stressed out. ]Feel free to ignore me - I'm just venting.

----------- @vicki [SnuggleWench] (Books)

DO NOT Panic. Go to bed, and call Frantz in the morning, but after you've had your had your coffee and are a little put together. Before you call Frantz, get a pad of paper and a pen. Put on a smiley face, you might need it.

First thing when you call, say, "I'm Kandice Seeber, a customer of yours, who am I speaking with?" (write the answer down along with the date and time)

When they transfer you to someone else, don't sound annoyed - just repeat cheerily, "I'm Kandice Seeber, a customer of yours. With who am I speaking?" (I vary these phrases to entertain myself while I'm moving slowly up the food chain.)

Tell them what happened, and what you want to make you happy. "My kiln ramps up to 950, but immediately starts cooling. I want you to repair it, and send me a loaner kiln to use until my kiln is returned. I'll pay shipping for my kiln back and forth, but not for the loaner kiln." (for example)

Ask for a little more than you actually want, so they can "win" by denying you some small thing. Maybe ask for a monetary allowance for the beads that are sittting in the kiln, ruined; or money for your lost time. Something that they will never give you, but doesn't sound greedy, so they think that they won one over on you. Asking for a brand new kiln at no cost, lost business allowance, and a ton of glass probably would be counter productive.

Breathe deeply. It will be all right. Just move up the food chain methodically, and don't lose your temper. Eventually you'll reach a human being who has the authority to make a decision, and present them with your very reasonable request. Don't give up until you get what you want.

Kathy N-V

On Fri, 2 Apr 2004 1:52:39 -0500, Kandice Seeber wrote (in message ):

Good advice Kathy. Frantz is always helpful and great to speak with. We all know who is at the top of the food chain so it's okay. He's easily reached as well.

Kandice - Sorry about that! It sucks when stuff like that happens. I know I was going crazy when my first kiln stopped working...but that was my own fault for falling asleep when it had no controller at all but me.

Thanks, Kathy. I'm not annoyed at Frantz at all, so I know I won't have a problem talking to them. They've given me really good customer service in the past - and I am sure that even if they can't help, they are almost always pleasant to talk to. Frantz isn't under any obligation to repair or replace my kiln - it's almost two years old. The manufacturer's warranty was only for one year. I am just hoping that I will get someone who might have a suggestion about what might be wrong, how I would get it fixed and how much that would cost. Luckily, there would be no shipping unless the kiln has to be sent to the manufacturer, which would cost me, not Frantz. Frantz is less than 2 hours from my house, so I would drive there if they need to look at it or can at all repair it. I'm more worried that I might have to spend the extra money to get a new kiln, or that fixing this one will take several weeks and need to be done by the manufacturer, leaving me kiln-less to complete the orders I have pending. Both scenerios are much less than ideal. I'm more panicked at the thought that I might not be able to make beads for any length of time. I don't want to disappoint my customers, and I can't afford it financially. I do appreciate the suggestions though! They are always good to keep in mind when talking to any company.

~~ 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