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Valentine's Day - Marketing/sale Opportunity?


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In my continuing saga of producing limited-edition pieces for special occasions and feeling that I'm already too late...is Valentine's Day a realistic opportunity for something like his & hers coffee mug sets?  There is still time to crank-out several sets and to get the word out, but I wonder if others are asking the same questions.  What is the experience of the CAC crowd (both good & bad)?

 

-Paul

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Paul;

If you jump on your wheel now and get throwing, you could probably pull it off. Think a week for drying, then bisquing, then glaze fire.

I made a series once of "Divorce Pots"' for a Valentine sale. They were slab vases that fit together. If you split up, each of you could take one. They were done in Majolica reds. All sold. Don't ask me why.

TJR.

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post-2190-0-73359900-1451659089_thumb.jpg

 

A couple years ago, one of the shops I had wares at asked for V-day items, so I made some V-day ikebana vases. Dropped them off with no expectations. And they sold. Mugs are rather common and can be bought anytime, you may want something more unique or different for that "special" day.

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There still is plenty of time
That said special event pots I feel are not worth the effort for me
Maybe if your whole market is special occasions it may work
I had a potter who made 50 small pitcher,s with the June wedding dates on them
He got the money up front 3 months out and later in Jiune the marriage was called off
Neither party wanted the pitchers so he had 50 with dates in June that he gave away to anyone who would want one
I, m sure Valentine's Day you could sell something but why not make the thing something that appeals to folks everyday
Your market is instantly larger and works on all days not just some sappy made up day to sell couples hearts

Ok I,m not a valentine fan

that said all my mugs work for him or her as a matter of fact all my works works for both sexes as well as divorces

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I would make His and Her mugs that would sell all year round. If you make something too specific, dated items, like Mark mentioned You'll be sipping coffee from you own scrap pile. One off items are great, but you can get to specific. I would only date an item if it was 100% paid for. His and Her, Mom and Dad, items will always be popular. Pessimistic people and parents will always love the divorce items and sets that can be separated and stand on their own.

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As mentioned, don't date the items so they can sell year round.   In a previous business I did a large Valentine's business (6 figures).    I don't do that much for the pottery business.  I don't make any special pottery.  My experience was that Valentine's is a low end holiday for the most part.  Upscale customers go for dinner and sometimes really nice jewelry.  Or a dozen roses or a more simple bouquet.  Or nice chocolates like Godiva.  Most of my pottery customers don't really "gift" for Valentine's Day.  I had Valentine kiosks in quite a few malls and had one at Cool Springs Galleria Mall, which is near you.  The kiosks at Cool Springs, Wolfchase Galleria (Memphis)  and Riverchase Galleria (Birmingham) did NOT perform that well.  Customers were too high end.  I might do like $4-5K in sales where malls with lower end customers would do $20K plus.  For the most part, Valentines is a cheesy holiday.

 

This year Valentine's Day is on Sunday.  Terrible day for the florist as there is no opportunity for all the work place/office showboats.  And not that good for gifts either.   I see Saturday night dinner dates racking in tons of money.  Maybe a card on Sunday morning, a single rose and off to a nice brunch or lunch.

 

I will sell a bit of fashion jewelry.  The women to women gifting friends, daughters, grand daughters, etc.

 

With any type of gifts you have to think about "what" you are selling.  All of my pottery sales for V Day will be to a few men that are filling a request from their girl friends or wives.  They are either collecting Dirt Roads already or may have seen some Dirt Roads during the holidays.

 

^ Those His and Hers items .....  Mr.  and Mrs items .... sell pretty well year round.  But isn't that a different direction for you Paul? 

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  • 3 weeks later...

As mentioned, don't date the items so they can sell year round.   In a previous business I did a large Valentine's business (6 figures).    I don't do that much for the pottery business.  I don't make any special pottery.  My experience was that Valentine's is a low end holiday for the most part.  Upscale customers go for dinner and sometimes really nice jewelry.  Or a dozen roses or a more simple bouquet.  Or nice chocolates like Godiva.  Most of my pottery customers don't really "gift" for Valentine's Day.  I had Valentine kiosks in quite a few malls and had one at Cool Springs Galleria Mall, which is near you.  The kiosks at Cool Springs, Wolfchase Galleria (Memphis)  and Riverchase Galleria (Birmingham) did NOT perform that well.  Customers were too high end.  I might do like $4-5K in sales where malls with lower end customers would do $20K plus.  For the most part, Valentines is a cheesy holiday.

 

This year Valentine's Day is on Sunday.  Terrible day for the florist as there is no opportunity for all the work place/office showboats.  And not that good for gifts either.   I see Saturday night dinner dates racking in tons of money.  Maybe a card on Sunday morning, a single rose and off to a nice brunch or lunch.

 

I will sell a bit of fashion jewelry.  The women to women gifting friends, daughters, grand daughters, etc.

 

With any type of gifts you have to think about "what" you are selling.  All of my pottery sales for V Day will be to a few men that are filling a request from their girl friends or wives.  They are either collecting Dirt Roads already or may have seen some Dirt Roads during the holidays.

 

^ Those His and Hers items .....  Mr.  and Mrs items .... sell pretty well year round.  But isn't that a different direction for you Paul?

 

This was a great post, I was thinking of dong something for Valentines, but pulled it after doing some research following my read of your post. I have decided to do a husband / wife in love goblet series for year round gifting and to avoid all the kitch of V-day.

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When I had a bridal registry, flutes and mugs with "Mr" and "Mrs" had a 100% purchase rate, if the couple registered them.  The Mr & Mrs items were extremely popular among the 20 and 30 something buyers.    You know some wedding gift customers look for a "signature"  gift .... they give the same thing most of the time.  I have several customers that have signature gifts with me but I don't do mugs or glasses or really anything that would host Mr & Mrs but I could see a Mr & Mrs set being a signature gift.

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  • 2 weeks later...

When I had a bridal registry, flutes and mugs with "Mr" and "Mrs" had a 100% purchase rate, if the couple registered them.  The Mr & Mrs items were extremely popular among the 20 and 30 something buyers.    You know some wedding gift customers look for a "signature"  gift .... they give the same thing most of the time.  I have several customers that have signature gifts with me but I don't do mugs or glasses or really anything that would host Mr & Mrs but I could see a Mr & Mrs set being a signature gift.

A "Mr & Mrs" Serving Tray?

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When I had a bridal registry, flutes and mugs with "Mr" and "Mrs" had a 100% purchase rate, if the couple registered them.  The Mr & Mrs items were extremely popular among the 20 and 30 something buyers.    You know some wedding gift customers look for a "signature"  gift .... they give the same thing most of the time.  I have several customers that have signature gifts with me but I don't do mugs or glasses or really anything that would host Mr & Mrs but I could see a Mr & Mrs set being a signature gift.

A "Mr & Mrs" Serving Tray?

 

 

I suppose you could do a set to put on night stands or a dresser.  I'm not sure of using Mr. & Mrs. for actual serve ware ... can't see the point.

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My groundhog day mugs where a flop- seems nobody cares about that animal? The movie was too long ago for them to recall the hype?

Maybe the diet mugs with a heart cut out will be a hit for valentines day. When you pour fluids in they run out the open heart cutout.I better get them done soon only a few days left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only kidding

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My groundhog day mugs where a flop- seems nobody cares about that animal? The movie was too long ago for them to recall the hype?

Maybe the diet mugs with a heart cut out will be a hit for valentines day. When you pour fluids in they run out the open heart cutout.I better get them done soon only a few days left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Only kidding

Our ground hog died two days before he was supposed to make his big entrance. I guess we are stuck in winter until we get a new one.

TJR.

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Tom 

I have been thinking about your (Divorce Pots)

Over the decades I have made a lot of $$$$ on divorce-usally its a whole new dinnerware set-I must have made at least 6 because of this divorce day that some couples celebrate .

I think divorce mugs may be the next big thing-a mug thats cut in half and a slab on the cut side so two mugs look like one pushed together with a handle on each one-That way each can have their favorite 1/2 when that day comes.

I'm still unclear what to do with these 100 mugs with groundhog heads on the side?

​Did your guy die from old age or did it just get to cold for anything outside?Maybe a stars bale for the next one that shows up.

 

 

This whole post of mine is a spoof except for the divorce dinnerware set-I do not have any groundhog mugs or diet heart cutout mugs

I stay away from any custom work.

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anyone who needs a groundhog is welcome to get as many as you can carry from my riverbank.  they make underground dens and if you are not a little careful, you can break a leg stepping into a hole that was not there yesterday.

 

i found that leaving several deposits from neighborhood dogs in the holes encourages them to move elsewhere.  nothing else seems to work.

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These are " My Heart Runneth Over" series. "My Cup Runneth Over" is a quotation from the Hebrew Bible (Psalm 23:5). Good for valentines day.

 

I make Mr. & Mrs XXXXXX and date for friends weddings.

 

I too have been mauling around the idea of divorce mugs or vases that fit together in the shape of a heart or puzzle piece connection since TJR brought it up..

post-66695-0-23095500-1454771411_thumb.jpg

post-66695-0-23095500-1454771411_thumb.jpg

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These are " My Heart Runneth Over" series. "My Cup Runneth Over" is a quotation from the Hebrew Bible (Psalm 23:5). Good for valentines day.

 

I make Mr. & Mrs XXXXXX and date for friends weddings.

 

I too have been mauling around the idea of divorce mugs or vases that fit together in the shape of a heart or puzzle piece connection since TJR brought it up..

Nice feel for the My Heart Runneth Over mug!

 

I think we pick-and-choose these novelty, special occasion and custom mugs. I see to do more custom name-imprint mugs for friends than I attempt to do for sales...but the Valentine Mugs that I made this year (see the original post on this forum) are all sold. The last one shipped out yesterday. Who knows, next year I could be sitting around on February 15th with a bunch of red-heart imprint mugs looking for a place to do a clearance sale :)

Peace,

Paul :)

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  • 9 months later...

I plan on not making any thing for valentines day this coming year-it will still be my time off from clay.

I'm making everything now for x-mas a more general holiday for strong sales than the couples day in February for dead flowers and chocolate.

I think Easter and Halloween are bigger sales days now anyway. 

My exploding pumpkin mugs where a flop as the fluids just ran out the face cutouts and my Easter bunny casseroles never took off with the bunny lifters on the lids last year.Besides rabbit stew is losing popularity.

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"I think Easter and Halloween are bigger sales days now anyway."

 

Easter and Halloween bigger than Valentines Day? No way. No one gives Halloween gifts, it's not a gifting Holiday. Children get candy, adults get drunk at weird rave parties. Easter you could make clay eggs, but I have never been given Easter "presents" other than a chocolate bunny and some hard boiled eggs.

 

Valentines day is for couples. Hearts, roses, candles, romance. I think candle holders with tea candles would do well, as would matching mug sets. It is a gift-giving holiday.

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