World Hand Crafted
What does it take? Aside from talent and a particular crafted product you can turn out, it takes determination and planning.
You have a product. You’ve seen shops where it would go nicely. Now what? First, know your market. If you’ve never been a shopper in your area, how can you know what the market will bear? So if you haven’t paid much attention, in a while, then it’s time to go play tourist.
The shop owners are keenly aware of the latest, popular tastes and desires. They know their market, better than anyone else. So where, do you think, you will ever get that information? From the shop owners.
Don’t be afraid that you’ll be showing yourself off as the ‘wannabe’ in the neighborhood. On the contrary. When you spend some quality time with the shop owners, asking them pertinent questions about your own product, you are joining in the marketing scene. Simply ask.
Most tourist and gift shops in tourist areas, stay open on the weekends. Most of them also, take Monday as their day off. Why? Because of shoppers. When you’ve found a shop, you want to get acquainted with, find out which day they are closed. You want to visit, the following day. Usually, your day to visit, is Tuesday or even Wednesday. Those are the quietest days of the week. Don’t try this on a Sat. You want to make friends, not enemies.
All you have to do is step inside and ask for the owner. Then introduce yourself and quickly let them know, you don’t have samples with you, you just want to make plans for future products. Gab with them. Ask which hand crafted products moved the fastest.
The shop owner isn’t interested in the highest profit per piece, they are interested in the most volume in sales. If they can sell a $5 item, 4 or 5 times each day, it’s better than that $100 item that only moves maybe twice a year. Think the way the shop owner thinks. Every square inch of display space, needs to pull its weight. Watching a product collect dust is disheartening, to say the least. That shop keeper is looking for that product that everybody wants, attracts attention to itself and practically sells itself. If you can provide that product, it doesn’t matter what China can make cheaper.
One of the things a shop owner is wary of, is local artists. The reason? That local artist doesn’t understand there is a reason the shop has to double the price of the object.
They have a heavy overhead to support. In most cases, the shop has to see a bigger profit from your product, than you see. You can make 10 or 100 of that same product, in the time it takes him/her to sell just one. So don’t be bitter about them making a profit off your labor. If that shop doesn’t survive, where will you sell your product?
Unless, of course, you’re in the mood to open your own shop. So without actually saying it, let the owner know you know what wholesale means and that you agree with the shop owner, in what it takes to move that product. You might say something like this: I know I produce an item that would be great in this shop, but I wanted to make sure it could sell for enough for me to still make a profit at the wholesale rate. Right there, you’ve relieved the shop owner from the worry of arguments over your price. They’re going to ask just what it is you make.
Be prepared to explain to them what you produce. Talk honestly with them. “It takes about $2 in materials and I can push them through with only about an hour of man hours, so I can actually produce it for $4, although I’d like to go for $6 so that I can see a profit. But, would it sell for $12? What do you think?”
Then comes the walk through the store while they show you which products do move and at what prices.
When and if, you see a product much like your own, say so. “This is what I was talking about. This is almost just like mine, except mine is……. What if I produced this item at a price of $?, would that by any chance cut the costs for you?” “Well, I’ll tell you what (smile), I’ll be back tomorrow with a sample and we can talk.”
This actually works, folks. The shop owner is not a meanie living in their own little snoopy worlds. If they seem put off by you, it’s because of what I talked about. It’s because the local crafters, come to him/her asking for the retail price, not taking into account that the item will only sell for just so much.
If you’ve done your homework, worked on the time it takes to produce the item, kept your cost down, you should be able to offer the product at a good wholesale price. So what does this tell you? Crochet is out! Knitting is out! You’ve got to be able to produce more than one, at the same time-painting assembly line style, assembly in assembly line style.
You don’t fall in love with your product, you look at it with the question ‘time waster or money producer’. If it’s a time waster, don’t go talking to a shop owner about it. They can’t afford it.
About the Author:
Judy is a writer of many themes. Everything from instruction books to non-fiction.
You can follow Judy and her many such articles at
judysbookshop.com/blog
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – What Does It Take to get a Craft Business Going and Growing?
|
|
A VINTAGE WOODEN HAND CRAFTED WORLD GLOBE $40.72 |
|
|
B0656 : LARGE HAND CRAFTED OLD WORLD DINING TABLE $10,835.00 |
|
|
DOLLHOUSE Wooden Wall Shelf HAND CRAFTED Old World $8.99 |
|
|
Santa Old World Wood Hand Crafted Nutcracker Estate $12.99 |
|
|
Wooden Toy Puzzle SEA WORLD Hand Crafted Made in EU NEW $14.95 |
|
|
B0653 : HAND CRAFTED ROUND 60″ OLD WORLD DINING TABLE $8,338.00 |
|
|
B0657 : HAND CRAFTED ROUND 70″ OLD WORLD DINING TABLE $9,086.00 |
|
|
Nashco Hand Crafted Non Toxic Wooden World Map Puzzle $17.99 |
|
|
World Beat Percussion Hand Crafted Latin Conga Drum 9″ $65.00 |
|
|
CH8050-30 : HAND CRAFTED OLD WORLD IRON CHANDELIER 30″ $2,149.00 |
|
|
CH8050-36 : HAND CRAFTED OLD WORLD IRON CHANDELIER 36″ $2,339.00 |
|
|
CH8050-42 : HAND CRAFTED OLD WORLD IRON CHANDELIER 42″ $2,669.00 |
|
|
CH8050-48 : HAND CRAFTED OLD WORLD IRON CHANDELIER 48″ $2,989.00 |
|
|
OLDE WORLD NATURAL SANTA WOOD FELT FUR HAND CRAFTED $7.99 |
|
|
OLD WORLD HAND CRAFTED WOODEN NUTCRACKER 15 in. $10.00 |
|
|
Hand Crafted World Bank with 9 Children from Peru $14.95 |
|
|
Hand Crafted World Candle Lantern from Peru $14.95 |
|
|
American Made Hand-crafted Old World Quilt Rack $33.45 |
|
|
American Made Hand-crafted Old World Quilt Rack $22.45 |
|
|
Old World Santa Hand Crafted Christmas Collection 16″ $9.99 |
|
|
4 Santa’s World Adler Hand Crafted Blue Bird Ornaments $29.99 |
|
|
Olde World Country Copper, Turkish Copper Hand Crafted $29.99 |
|
|
Olde World Country Copper, Turkish Copper Hand Crafted $35.99 |
|
|
Olde World Country Copper, Turkish Copper Hand Crafted $34.99 |
|
|
Olde World Country Copper, Turkish Copper Hand Crafted $28.99 |
|
|
B0652 : HAND CRAFTED OLD WORLD 60″ Dia. DINING TABLE $5,925.00 |
|
|
B0628 : HAND CRAFTED OLD WORLD PAINTED SIDEBOARD $6,350.00 |
|
|
B0621 : HAND CRAFTED OLD WORLD CONSOLE TABLE $4,325.00 |
|
|
LA1002-L : OLD WORLD HAND CRAFTED WROUGHT IRON LANTERN $3,890.00 |
|
|
Oil Bottle Cruet and Olive Oil Bowl Set $35.99 This Oil Cruet and Olive Oil Bowl Set makes an attractive presentation This hand crafted artistic set will liven up any kitchen or dining area Oil Cruet Dimensions: 12″H x 2.5″D |
|
|
Tea Beyond Gift set GFS2010 Teapot Juliet (Hand-crafted Rose on top) & Blooming tea Grade A Collection Assorted Mini (4blooms included, Silver needle green tea based) 2009 World Tea Champion $55.49 This gift set includes one Rose Series Teapot Juliet and one pack of Grade A-Assorted Mini (4 blooms). One of our signature design, designed and inspired by blooming teas, Tea Beyond-Juliet makes tea drinking an unforgetable experience! Special Non-dripping feature finally makes this teapot a purely hassle free. Crystal clear high quality glass allows tea lovers to watch each bloom unfolding. Hand… |
|
|
Zampiva Italian Clown Figurine – Hand Crafted Ceramic $48.95 Enjoy of the delicate and unique workmanship of maestro Lino Zampiva. Hand crafted and hand painted, each figurine is created with much love and inspiration and each carries its own characteristics. The Zampiva figurines are a world of lively colors, humor, fun, beauty and fantasy. These art figurines are created in Italy by a very talented Italian maestro named Lino Zampiva, a graduate of the Sch… |
|
|
Tweezerman Stainless Shears, 5 1/2 $15.00 Buy Tweezerman Hair Razors & Shears – Tweezerman 5 1/2 Inch Styling Shears Model No. 7071-R… |
|
|
Bear & Son Cutlery YB54 Trapper Pocket Knife with Amarillo Smooth Bone Handles $42.50 Bear & Son Knives – Trapper Pocket Knife with Amarillo Smooth Bone Handles: Model BC-YB54. 4 1/8″ closed trapper. Stainless steel clip and spey blades. Amarillo smooth bone handles with nickel silver bolsters. Made in the USA…. |
|
|
Hand-crafted Solid Bronze Wall Sconce In Rust Finish – 2 Bulbs Hand-crafted solid bronze wall sconce in Polished Brass (shown) or Rust. 2 75 Watt Bulbs. Finish: Rust… |
|
|
Canterbury Naturals Old World Sundried Tomato Flatbread Hand-Crafted Baking Mix, 11.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6) $18.28 The sundried tomatoes, oregano and cilantro in our seasoning blend add a gourmet touch to this all-natural flatbread mix. Add bits of fresh oregano and brush on olive oil to enhance flavors of the Old World. Just add water & olive oil! For customer service please call (800)-588-9160…. |
|
|
Melissa & Doug Wooden Family Doll Set $13.01 Multi-generational, colorfully dressed figures are wire-framed, so they can pose in many ways, and make a great addition to any dollhouse. Inspire young imaginations for hours of pretend play!… |
|
|
Schoenhut 37 Key Day Care Durable $199.95 Schoenhut 3798M Schoenhut 37 Key Day Care Durable Upright Piano Mahogany…. |
|
|
Petite Porcelain Doll ~ Signature Collection ~ Dolls of the World ~ Limited Collector’s Edition Genuine Porcelain Doll ~ by Barbara Lee $4.69 … |