Pricing question and critique needed...

Hi Christine,

First of all I am happy that you are using lampwork beads in your creations, but in all honesty I wouldn't buy them at any price because you are using lampwork made in china which is very probably going to break in the future. They don't anneal their beads and so they aren't very sturdy at all. I would love to see you using artisan made lampwork, which costs a bit more, but they are annealed, are not likely to break unless they are handled roughly, dropped on a hard surface etc. You can find some great deals on artisan lampwork on ebay.

Since these are chinese beads though, I think your price is fair. I am not a jewelry designer so I can't really give you much feedback as far as design or pricing goes. I just wanted to give you my honest answer regarding the beads you are using.

Good luck with your sales! Teresa

-------------------------------

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com wrote:

Since only you know what your materials cost, and since you're thinking of the $8-15 range, it's probably Ok. But it's such a subjective process, really. I've been in venues where I might charge one thing for a necklace -- and then double it for a whole other venue -- it depends on the market, sometimes.

Also, have you checked around at what some of the local boutiques are charging for necklaces? Or galleries? That can give you a "base" idea of what the market will bear from stores vs. galleries.

Your necklaces are pretty. :-) If you want to sell them from your website, you should probably include what they're made from. e.g., sterling? glass? crystal? artisan lampwork? etc. etc.

Good luck! HTH!

Hi Teresa,

Thanks for replying :-) Your input was very helpful. I didn't know that about beads made in China. I checked the packaging on all my beads and it looks like the most of the ones I have are Czech glass or Mill Hill seed beads from Japan. The lampwork ones do come from China, and I suspect the loose ones I bought at the bead store have as well :\ I have passed over a lot of lampwork beads in the store because they had air bubbles in them, but I didn't know they were more prone to breakage.

I think, quite naturally, I will progress to beads made by artisans. What was on the link I posted is just a fraction of the necklaces I have made :-) I see a lot that I like on eBay, that's for sure! I am finding that the selection at the local bead shop and Michaels to be limited and not as unique of course. I would like to learn this technique myself. The local art college has a lampwork class, but I don't have $400 to plunk down on it ATM (I already plunked down that much for the Art History course I'm taking :-))

I'm glad you think that the prices are fair :-) Craft sales can be so hit or miss - it's hard to know what people will like. For instance, my mom does a lot of knitting, and she always tries to pick colours that people will like, but there's always someone out there who wants brown or orange. I can't wait until November to see how I do. This is the first year I have included beadwork with my other crafts and photos. Thanks for the luck!

Christine

Hi Sue!

Thanks for replying :-)

Yes, that is so true, it can be so hit or miss and one doesn't know why. Last year we were at one show were a lady had some gorgeous memory wire bracelets for $30. I don't know the source of all the beads, but some looked like glass while others were crystal. She had a hard time selling them. At another show, a lady had elastic bracelets with what looked like Blue Moon Beads for $15 and sold them like hotcakes.

Hmm! No, I haven't. That's a good idea. Again, it's hard sometimes at craft sales, because there are always those people that try to haggle you down too :-D

Thanks :-) I feel lost in magpie-land sometimes with all the colours. I tend to have more blue necklaces at the moment - it seems once you start one project, you naturally collect more of the same colour. I have many more to photograph, but I haven't been able to find the time. I do have a shop at Etsy

but I haven't been listing things to it because I'm stocking up for November. Postage costs are horrendous in Canada, and I'm not sure people would want to pay the extra $3-4. That's a good idea to list the materials, I'll be sure to include that on the sales tags. I'll probably forget by the time November rolls around :-)

It certainly has Sue, thanks much!

Christine

Christine,

I'm sorry to get in this thread so slowly but I can recommend that you spend some time on eBay or JustBeads and look for the self-representing artists. There are a lot of lampwork artists out there who do not command premium prices and would be affordable to anyone who wants to make jewellery. That way if you wish to present your work as using a named artist's glass you can.

That said, your necklace that I could see on your site was lovely, a nice design and that counts for a lot.

-Su

Christine -- actually the best thing for you is to quit buying your beads at the craft store. Not only are you overpaying, but getting poorer quality. Find a local bead store, sweetie.

I could not get to your website to see your necklaces but trust yourself on the pricing.

Becki

Look.......I don't care what you make your necklaces out of. (Though you really should use better materials. IMO. When the Chinese lampwork breaks, you are NOT going to get any return customers.) Are you stringing on tigertail, and using basemetals, as well?

When anyone sells handmade beaded necklaces for $8 - $10, the rest of us look like we're rip-off artists. Do you understand what I mean? The customer looks at our stuff, and not knowing beads well, will say, "Well, why is your necklace $115, when hers is only $8?" They think we're stealing their money.

It's bad for the jewelry bus> Hi guys,

Hi Becki,

Hmm! I wonder why the link doesn't work - I only have about five pictures of jewellery, the rest of the pictures in the gallery are all artwork, which are mostly drawings. There is a way to filter the results, but it would be hard to explain.

Ugh, you're right. I feel like I have gone about this all the wrong way. The localest bead store to me is a Beadzu (Beadworks) and I go there every couple of months. I have noticed that there are similar beads to Blue Moon Beads (are they evil?) there, and that the clarity is better. When I look at my receipts, Beadzu *is* cheaper. A string of five big diamond beads at Michael's is $5.99, that works out to $1.20 a bead :\, not including tax.

Thanks Becki :-) The craft sales we go to are community ones where a table is in the $25-45 range and people are often not willing to pay a lot for an item, unfortunately. Mom and I mostly go to them for fun - I think we always buy more than what we sell :-) Mom only charges $15 for her hat and scarf sets, although if she factored in the amount of a living wage - well, no one attending these sales would pay $40 a set, even if it is handmade.

Best, Christine

Hi Dr. Sooz!

Ok, I hear ya (loud and clear :-D)

Here is how I arrived at the cost of the mixed Czech glass necklaces on flexible steel cable (I think this is Tigertail? The lady at Beadzu didn't say. I asked for something flexible and sturdy that wasn't nylon). The findings came from Beadzu and the cable is securely crimped.

The bag of mixed Czech glass cost $6.99; I can get three and a half necklaces out of each bag (the necklaces are about 18" long). So there's ~$2.30 worth of beads in each necklace. IIRC, the findings work out to be about 50 cents each. I can't remember how much the cable cost me, but let's assume it works out to about $1.50 as well. It takes me an hour to make each necklace. So I factor in Alberta's minimum wage ($5.90). That works out to be $10.20 for time and materials. $15 if I add on a little to make a profit.

But...somehow I doubt someone at a craft sale is going to pay $15 for these. They'll just look at it and say "I could make that myself!" or pass it up. I have heard it said that if you don't price your work at what you value it, others won't value it...but in my heart I know the shoppers may not value it as much as I do. I'm definitely not a "Wal-Mart" shopper, and I have paid for artisan jewellery and other artwork - hehe, I own a jug of a nude female torso that I paid $225 for :-). I'm not afraid to pay the price because I appreciate the time, work and education of the artist. But not everyone is, unfortunately, so I have to knock off a few bucks. Don't get me started on the craft show hagglers :-D

If you have any pricing ideas, I would be happy to hear them.

Thanks, Christine

Blue Moon Beads are just Czech glass beads, repackaged. At least that is what I have seen at Michaels and other crafts stores around here.

DO NOT, under any circumstances, beat yourself up for what you do not know. We all start somewhere. I used to make all my jewelry from what I could get at the craft store, and didn't know the parts weren't as good as others until I was told, in no uncertain terms, on the AOL crafts board. They kicked me out of a bead swap for having inferior quality beads -- what did I know? Don't waste time kicking yourself, Christine. Women do that too easily and too often. You grow and you learn.

The reason I suggested you shop at your local bead store (often referred to in the beading community as LBS) is to get an idea of what is out there, quality and price. THEN you can come online and know what you are looking at, and what you are buying. You can get most everything cheaper from a catalog or online. However, you have to know what you are buying first. Again, it is a learning process.

Also, I disagree directly with Sooz on pricing. Price it for what you want to price it. People are always telling me my prices are too low. When I want to raise them, I will. Make sure you are getting back what you paid and a profit, and put the price point where you want. Sooz gives away so many beads and beaded jewelry that she would have to sell her work for thousands of dollars to ever recoup her costs (hats off to my friend). Listen to all the advice and like all advice? Take what you need, and leave the rest. Be thankful to all for their points of view. The world would be a boring place if we all agreed.

my .02 cents, take it or leave it and either way, thanks for coming to rec.crafts beads and sharing with us!!!

Becki

OK I got to the site just fine this time, and got to see your work. Very nice, especially for someone just starting out. I think you are going to have a fine time in the jewelry world.

Becki

Christine -- This is Becki from rec.crafts.beads. If you don't mind, send me your snail mail address? I have a small gift for you.

Becki Bean

Ah crap, I posted when I meant to email that. Sorry, Christine.

Becki

Hi Christine...min wage in Alberta has gone up...$7 an hour...looks like you are in for a raise :D!!

Where do you live? I am in Edmonton.

Hi Cindy!

Oh my gosh, that totally passed me by! I certainly will have to give myself a raise :-)

I livei n Calgary, but I moved here from Edmonton when I was 16, been here for over a decade now :-)

Best, Christine

That's very true Dr. Sooz. I like to be able to see the beads close up though. There have been times when I bought beads online, and they weren't quite what I expected, due to monitor and scanning differences.

Best, Christine