How do people go about pricing things they make and sell, leather wise?

[dwardo]

That's cos your bows are just so damn desirable - people want to own them, make inquiries, try and justify a purchase and then realise they can't afford it and all the other accouterments so go off and buy a commercial model then regret the decision later....

Well in my case anyway.

Sorry mate didnt mean it to come across as negative thing, I would be very lucky indeed to have "new bow" kind of money to spend on my self.
What bow did you get your self?

PS I do payment plans lol ,,,,,even if I did have a member buy a bow and pay monthly for the first few months, then every few months then nothing at all and do a vanishing act.
Hey ho.

 

[mountainm]

Sorry mate didnt mean it to come across as negative thing, I would be very lucky indeed to have "new bow" kind of money to spend on my self.
What bow did you get your self?

PS I do payment plans lol ,,,,,even if I did have a member buy a bow and pay monthly for the first few months, then every few months then nothing at all and do a vanishing act.
Hey ho.

I got a Falco Legend - pleased with it. But when I see some of your bows I regret not saving a bit longer.

 

[Angst]

hiya....just wanted to say how warming it is from my p.o.v. to see this and the regulars level of understanding.....very appreciated....

i'm regularly involved with customers who are 'in to bushcraft' at an entry level and they are often shocked when i quote them a price for a commission/one-off. i had it last week....a nice guy had made every effort to get me to do him a sheath....he even joined skype....we spoke, nailed it down....then as dwardo said...he 'ran'.

left me feeling almost like he felt i was trying to rip him off. its nice to know that 'more involved bushcrafters/the 'family', recognise the truth.

yes its tough....yes its tricky....i really dont know how to answer more accurately....have a look round at others....look inside yaself honestly....look at ya work honestly....and try to be fair.

yes weve all got mortgages and familys....but as long as you know in ya heart youre ''doing the right thing'' then thats good enough imo.

as was said below by hibrion.....knife sheaths....seriously...i put my heart and soul into them....axe sheaths too....safety safety safety....but 'pound for pound' i make more profit from a ten minute hair barrette than i do a beautiful woodie sheath....

work (very very very veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery) hard, study, share, teach, be a good guy, itll fall into place with practice....

regards

s

 

[Hibrion]

hiya....just wanted to say how warming it is from my p.o.v. to see this and the regulars level of understanding.....very appreciated....

i'm regularly involved with customers who are 'in to bushcraft' at an entry level and they are often shocked when i quote them a price for a commission/one-off. i had it last week....a nice guy had made every effort to get me to do him a sheath....he even joined skype....we spoke, nailed it down....then as dwardo said...he 'ran'.

left me feeling almost like he felt i was trying to rip him off. its nice to know that 'more involved bushcrafters/the 'family', recognise the truth.

yes its tough....yes its tricky....i really dont know how to answer more accurately....have a look round at others....look inside yaself honestly....look at ya work honestly....and try to be fair.

yes weve all got mortgages and familys....but as long as you know in ya heart youre ''doing the right thing'' then thats good enough imo.

as was said below by hibrion.....knife sheaths....seriously...i put my heart and soul into them....axe sheaths too....safety safety safety....but 'pound for pound' i make more profit from a ten minute hair barrette than i do a beautiful woodie sheath....

work (very very very veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery) hard, study, share, teach, be a good guy, itll fall into place with practice....

regards

s

Good point about more profit in the hair barette. I think in some way it comes down to use: your customer will get great use from that item, using it perhaps several times a week. As you say, a lot of people looking for gear are just 'getting into bushcraft' and don't value the longevity of an item. Others, are collectors more than users, so build quality isn't as important to them as the item might not see regular use; or use at all.
It seems to me that larger companies offering pseudo handmade goods on a larger scale cash in and undercut individual craftsmen who actually hand make things. They use machinery and production lines to create an item that may not be of the same quality, but will do the job for most people, and can still (unfortunately) be marketed as 'handmade.'

I guess when you start to narrow it down, the market for high quality, actually hand made goods in the bushcraft world is rather small

If, like you say, Angst, you try to be a good guy, put your all into products and don't take any shortcuts, it might work out, or we might get left behind, morals and on while industry passes us by.

 

[mountainm]

To me, what I enjoy making (and also feel a client is more willing to pay for) is doing a very unique piece. Something that I won't repeat or make another version of. One of the reasons I don't make much is I'd be bored doing the same thing over and over. Usually i'll produce a prototype for myself - then improve it, which I may keep or swap. Then perfect it - which will be sold on. But I like the challenge of doing complete one offs.

 

[Hibrion]

Very true, mountianm.

Almost all the leather goods I sell are one off pieces built to the customer's spec. You get a nice variety and it keeps you interested.

 

[dwardo]

I got a Falco Legend - pleased with it. But when I see some of your bows I regret not saving a bit longer.

Nice looking bow that. Bet it spits an arrow.

 

[Purgatorio]

A lot of things said here. But i miss a few points. I do read also a feeling that 'the public' does not understand. But what actually they don't understand? That people spend hours and hours making a knife protection thingy? A spoon, bottle from an other material than metal or glass a bow to shoot, what? Meat is available in the supermarket.
Basicly you all make things the public don't need. So all economics used to calculate a price are not useful.
Lets look at Atz Kilcher, from the alaska family. He makes totaly useless baskets from roots, and sells them for $425, and with his name on it for $20 extra. That is what he calls living of the land..... He does not sell a basket, he sells a feeling. The popularity of the Kilcher name is branded and used.
So you all having a problem, that there seems to be a small market, but people won't pay what you think should be payed. You all try to educate the public in terms of materials, hours, craftmanship. Wrong. Spend time and money to create the feeling. Give a bow for free, if you know he will write a review. Make it special! Consider it not as a product you are making, with all product economics but a piece of art. Creating a market that is willing to pay for that feeling.
And if not, make someone happy, ask 10 Pounds for a bow. That feels great! Also )








Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk

 

[dwardo]

A lot of things said here. But i miss a few points. I do read also a feeling that 'the public' does not understand. But what actually they don't understand? That people spend hours and hours making a knife protection thingy? A spoon, bottle from an other material than metal or glass a bow to shoot, what? Meat is available in the supermarket.
Basicly you all make things the public don't need. So all economics used to calculate a price are not useful.
Lets look at Atz Kilcher, from the alaska family. He makes totaly useless baskets from roots, and sells them for $425, and with his name on it for $20 extra. That is what he calls living of the land..... He does not sell a basket, he sells a feeling. The popularity of the Kilcher name is branded and used.
So you all having a problem, that there seems to be a small market, but people won't pay what you think should be payed. You all try to educate the public in terms of materials, hours, craftmanship. Wrong. Spend time and money to create the feeling. Give a bow for free, if you know he will write a review. Make it special! Consider it not as a product you are making, with all product economics but a piece of art. Creating a market that is willing to pay for that feeling.
And if not, make someone happy, ask 10 Pounds for a bow. That feels great! Also )








Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met behulp van Tapatalk

I think most, my self included often give away our products bows too, or as you say for only a few pounds to cover costs.
I do understand your point about these items not exactly being needed every day, they are more luxuries than anything else but so is a mass produced video game, some posh brand trousers or jacket.

This thread to me is helping some folk to understand how many hours go into certain crafts which is a good thing. It is also hopefully giving folk the idea to try some of these crafts them selves rather than just buying.

So far as being paid what we think we should be thats never the case for me, simply being partially compensated for our time is important. It also helps to fund the passing on of these skills.

At the end of the day anyone can make a bow, leather item, wood work them selves, its not rocket science but some people are short on time and not short on money, so they pay others for their time.

 

[Essexman]

I should add there is a flip side. I have a few times been told I've got the price wrong, I'm charging too little.

I have gifted items before that I've had left unsold in the box for some time. I'd rather someone use them than sit for months in a box. One of the people I gifted returned a gift some months on, a very nice knife blade.

You guys are correct, it's not always about the money.