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"would You Be Willing To Accept Less For It?"


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Took this from Mea's post.

 

What do you do when customers ask this?

 

At the 2 shows I do, the answer is NO.   See the attached banner.  At the last show this one lady was gathering up several bracelets ... around 8.  I have 5 workers at this show so they didn't know I was affiliated with the booth.  Her friend said to her "I'm sure they will take less for them".  I had to leave the booth so they didn't see me laughing when they read the sign out loud.   I can't recall anyone asking for a discount since this sign has been in place.  In my studio showroom the answer is always NO.   I made one exception last year when an organization ordered 450 of an item.  It was a small ornament, cut with cookie cutter.   They were going to get the smaller one if there was no discount because they had a price limit.  I dropped the price but it was still more than the smaller one and I knew this particular item had more than enough profit margin to do it. (same amount of time as the smaller one)   Plus they bought a number of other items that were at full retail.

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I have only done one show so far but was determined not to reduce my prices either. Two nice ladies came by and couldn't decide which candle holder to buy, the $30 one or the $20 one, and they asked if I could lower the $30 one to $25 and I refused because of the amount of work that went into it. When pricing my work before the show I couldn't decide to price that one at $25 or $30 but I wouldn't back down once the sticker was on it. They still bought the cheaper one. When I unpacked everything after bringing it all home I noticed that I chipped that piece even though I thought I packed it carefully. Oh, the irony!

 

Paul

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We give a discount if they buy at least three pieces. And we set out tea sets-a pot, cups and a platter, sometimes sugar bowl and creamer too-with a "set price". If they want one piece they pay in full. As we make up the sets based on what product we have on hand, there's no problem with breaking them up. We just rearrange until we have a new set.

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The problem with giving deals is that it creates a "garage sale" mentality which you do not want.

I do give deals sometimes. I gave away a set of oxidized Celadon tumblers as they had sat on the studio shelf for two years. The woman wanted to buy one. Then I would be left with 5. I said;"Buy one get 5 free!" And away they went.

This is rare though. The prices are pretty much set.

TJR.

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I don't give discounts but with sales of 100- or more I give a small 5- piece as a thank you. When people ask if they can get a discount I say no, my prices are fair and its the same price for everyone.  

 

What happens more often is other vendors asking to do a trade. Works okay if it's something I want but usually it isn't. The best line I've come up with so far is to say trades don't really work for me. Kinda lame but can't think of anything else apart from just a polite no thanks. 

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If i am asked for a discount i ask "how many are you planning on buying?" Their answer determines my next response.

 

I sorta like this. It kinda puts it back at them in a nice polite way. " Oh well how many are you planning on buying? " as you perk up ready for their business. Pretty cleaver.

 

Edit: just noticed I spelled clever, cleaver! pretty cleaver!

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I will offer a discount in these situations:

 

1) the piece has been hanging around for over a year. I figure the luck of the draw is the more it is shuffled around the more likely it will be to eventually get damaged. So will do a small discount if asked.

 

2) they buy 4 or more of the same item. If they buy 4 or more DIFFERENT items and are really nice and appreciative of me and my work and don't ask for a discount of me I will find an additional piece that compliments the ones they are buying and add it to their bag.

 

3) they are a charity or nonprofit and buying a dozen or more pieces to sell at their next fund raiser, or give to their volunteers during the holidays. This is usually a Pug Rescue group and they will usually put in a wholesale order of at least 3 dozen pieces which I give to them at my standard rate then I include a selection of small items of my choice like ornaments or something as a donation which discounts their overall price per item. I will also sometimes offer to print their groups logo on certain pieces free of charge rather than charging for this service. Doing all these different things depending on the situation has gotten me several longtime customers.

 

Oh and I should note I have enough padding built in to my prices that I am not losing money when I do any of these things. Giving a discount is a personal choice and I don't advertise that I do so so and often tell people No when asked. Most of the time it's becasue of their attitude of, if you want me to buy this you better give me a discount. Well I DONT WANT TO SELL TO YOU WITH THAT ATTITUDE so NO.

 

I HATE it when a local paper or news outlet does a story just before a festival and basically tells everyone to always ask artists for a discount that basically the artists will always do so if asked. It makes for some very uncomfortable encounters at the festival. What do you mean you don't do discounts! The artist over there is doing such and such. I have had people get pretty irritated when I say no to a discount, which I do most of the time especially on one of a kind items. It's funny though to see them quietly come back in to the booth at the end of the show and fork over full price for it. I just pretend I have never seen them before in my life and thank them kindly for their business.

 

T

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I,suppose its individual prerogative,whether to  give discounts give or not.Rather its not the question about lowering the price which is  readily made with all care,luv and heart .

 

Yeah, if a buyer seems genuine and really interested to purchase while admiring i  would go ahead and discount otherwise vehemently say" NO".

 

At the end i feel if i can get smile on that person face nothing more i can ask for.Though bit weird ,charity somewhere.

 

Vinks!

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What PaulR said. Especially when the prices are, in any event, too low from the beginning for all the amount of work that went into it. USD 30 for a candlestick is not much! And if people want to bargain for USD 5 (5!), that is almost cheecky and an insult to the potter and his work!

 

I like your sticker, DirtRoads!!

 

A potters colleague of mine tells people who ask for a rebate, called "Rabat" here in the German speaking part,: "Rabat is a town in Morocco...." ;)

 

Evelyne

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So far I've yet to experience customers (potential or real) ask for a discount. My hope is that they realize my prices are already low compared to the level of craftsmanship that go into the pieces. I know, however, that there would be a lot more haggling taking place, if I attended events that wasn't specifically aimed towards people seeking craftsmanship.

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I don't really get the benefit of giving a discount for customers buying multiples. I'm not an assembly line. If a customer wants to buy multiples of an item the last one takes just as much work as the first one. 

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I HATE it when a local paper or news outlet does a story just before a festival and basically tells everyone to always ask artists for a discount that basically the artists will always do so if asked. It makes for some very uncomfortable encounters at the festival. What do you mean you don't do discounts! The artist over there is doing such and such. I have had people get pretty irritated when I say no to a discount, which I do most of the time especially on one of a kind items. It's funny though to see them quietly come back in to the booth at the end of the show and fork over full price for it. I just pretend I have never seen them before in my life and thank them kindly for their business.

 

T

 Local paper/news telling people to ask for discounts .... this is horrible.

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What about trading with other artists? How do you all handle that? I get asked that a lot and most of the time I have to ask, can we discuss this at the end of the show? I have limited stock and need to sell as much as I can for cash.

 

Other artists seem to understand this and often come back at the end which then I have to decide if I want to trade or not. Most of the time I have to say no because of items selling or becasue I have another show or gallery that I need any items I have left for.

 

I did have one person come in and ask to trade and said up front they just wanted a bunch of my mini dishes. I have many many of those so agreed and went and picked out what I wanted from their booth and they gathered up the mini dishes they wanted. What I traded for was nice but I wouldn't have spent cold hard cash on it. BUT their booth mate saw what they got and came over and spent $50, so I am glad I said yes to the trade or I might not otherwise have gotten that sale.

 

So what is your answer to other artists when they ask to trade?

 

T

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I just did a local sales event yesterday. Only one person asked me to lower my price. I told them sorry, but no. They then had the audacity to say that they could get something similar [ it was a trio set of soap dish, spoon rest and sponge holder] at WalMart for less than half that. For once in my life, I was ready with an appropriate answer. I told them, "If you want cheap, imported, mass produced pieces, then by all means, go to WalMart. If you want hand crafted, locally produced, one of a kind set, I'm your girl". I then moved on to help the next person waiting for answers to questions. The lady at the booth next to mine overheard the entire exchange and burst out laughing at my response. :lol:

 

I so wish the average person could understand just how much time, materials and equipment goes into the pieces that we make. Maybe then they wouldn't be so given to asking for discounts. <_<

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I just did a local sales event yesterday. Only one person asked me to lower my price. I told them sorry, but no. They then had the audacity to say that they could get something similar [ it was a trio set of soap dish, spoon rest and sponge holder] at WalMart for less than half that. For once in my life, I was ready with an appropriate answer. I told them, "If you want cheap, imported, mass produced pieces, then by all means, go to WalMart. If you want hand crafted, locally produced, one of a kind set, I'm your girl". I then moved on to help the next person waiting for answers to questions. The lady at the booth next to mine overheard the entire exchange and burst out laughing at my response. :lol:

 

I so wish the average person could understand just how much time, materials and equipment goes into the pieces that we make. Maybe then they wouldn't be so given to asking for discounts. <_<

 

I like your response! To that I would say "wal mart does not carry handmade studio pottery, it sounds like you are more in the market for mass produced imports" 

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Hi

I find it strange that people ask for a discount. I might ask a store if they have sales. I might ask restaurants , or attractions if they have local discounts. It just would never occur to me to ask any small business to discount anything. Everything is close to the bone. Thinking about how long it takes for anyone to get to profit and then keep it there.people don't realize everyone is in for profit. Walmart makes money, only reason their products are so cheap is because we still have countries where their cost of living is less compared to our money. One day it might not be that way, and Walmart will charge more. We will pay it because what choice will we have?

That said , I have no pots to sell of my own, but I know I would sale items I was slick of carting around , or not as fun. I would also discount to people I liked, but I am a sap for people I like.

Whatever anyone decides on giving discounts , I find it rude that people ask for one.

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I loved the cash only sign!!!

My late uncle had an automotive repair shop...his sign read

 

100% down - ZERO interest!

 

I try not to change prices once there is a tag on the pottery...

Otherwise, what you're saying is each cup is $20.00 obo

(Or best offer). Once a craft show becomes a flea market, its

hard to reverse it.

 

See ya,

Alabama

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I have these friends and when they see my work and ask me how much I sell them for I can see the gears turning and know they think the pieces are worth only $5.00 each. They have a flea market looking for cheap bargains mentality because they used to sell thousands of umbrellas for $5.00 at flea markets. They used to love when they could make deals for multiple sales. The don't understand the difference between a craft fair and a flea market and keep recommending flea markets where I should be selling my work. I tried to explain to them numerous times and make them understand about how much work is involved in pottery and it's not the same as unloading and selling cases of umbrellas. It just proves that many people have that mentality and will try to bargain an artist down.

 

Paul

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Paul,

I have a friend exactly like yours...he used to go to auctions and flea markets

to fill his booths of knick knacks and antiques. Last year at the craft

show he shows up just as the show started put 3 priced Indian pots

together and asked how much would I take for all of those? My answer

was I wasn't taking any discounts 30 minutes into a show. Come back at 5:00, and IF anything is left, then we can talk.. I did expect to sell something. That's his mentality. I know someone else, whose basically the same. I plan to get this person back in August by making something he wants and needs, and if it looks like

he even thinks about asking for a "discount" refuse to sell him anything. Its just

a game to these people. If its priced, that's the amount I want. I'll have a bag of clay with me, and plan to hand him the bag, "I'll take your offer for this bag of prepared clay and you can make your own for that price"!!!. " Besides that vessel is no longer for sale, check back with me in Nov. or next April.!

Better get off my soapbox before this becomes a real rant.

Price the pottery and stick to it, that's one reason I quit going to one craft

market near Knoxville, Tn.

See ya,

Alabàma

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I have done arts and craft fairs off and on since the 70s, and when asked for a discount, almost always say no. The times which I have relented and given a discount are usually at the end of a fair when someone asks for a discount for a pot that hasn't gotten much interest from the customers, or is a good pot but not one of my favorites.  I'll then give a small discount but I let them know that I don't usually give discounts and don't like doing it.  I rarely give a discount until the end of the fair because I am an eternal optimist who believes that each piece I select for a fair has someone who wants it and will buy it.

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> I'll have a bag of clay with me, and plan to hand him the bag, "I'll take your offer for this bag of prepared clay and you can make your own for that price"!!!. "

 

That is an imaginative solution ... Hand them a "do it yourself kit" .... A free pound of clay in a plastic bag. Maybe even clay from your garden so they can have the fun of processing it.

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Man O man I can't wait for these people. To me, its not even the time we took to make one mug. Its the time we took to figure out how to make the mug. The time we took on how to glaze the mug. The time we took to figure out how to fire it without any defects. The time we took to test how to properly glaze a mug so it looks professional made. The time we took to test millions of combinations of glazes and overlaps and subtle effects that produce beautiful pots. I have been working nonstop for about 1.5 years and I am still firing my kiln for test. I can't imagine someone understanding that. People think paint your own pottery is simple, why can this mug cost so much. 

 

Next time someone ask for a discount, just say, it took me X years to make this mug. (x = number of years you have been a potter). It is priced pretty reasonable.

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Customers don't care how many hours or how many years it took for us to make a mug or a bowl. They only need to love it. If you make things that people love, they buy your work. To say that someone should pay $30 for a mug because it took you a long time to make it is like asking for a raise because your kid needs new shoes.

You get a raise because your work warrants a raise and you get your price because someone falls in love with it.

If you know that people love your work and buy your you don't have to discount it unless you want to.

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