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Selling Pottery 101


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Spent my life living near highway 101 up and down the California coast -selling pottery it turns out

Been up and down that road for about 63 years now selling pottery 44 of those years

 

One thing to keep in mind about marketing (selling pottery) is what works for you may not work for me or vice versa.

A few things to consider that need to be thought about

The market area-is it big city, urban or out in the boonies?

That will dictate to some degree your pricing of items.

What is your skill level? Meaning is the work professional or beginning?

What is the level of craftsmanship?

Is your work tight and focused –meaning lots of hours in a piece or loose and fast meaning you can pump them out?

This also will help you decide what to set the price on.

Another point not spoken about much is where the market/show/fair sale is??

Its been my experience that pottery sells for more the more east you get meaning if I travel from my coast to the east coast pottery sells for more there than here-I have no answer why this is but it’s a known fact for us west coast potters.

The other point is the work production or is it say salt or raku or some other slow process that also will add to the sales amount asked,

Also what is the show the Smithsonian? Or the flea market? That also will impact the price asked.

The other point is this hobby or do you need to make a living at it-this is another price point to consider

 

The last point I would like to make and my example is a spoon rest selling here on the west coast at a show say in the boonies.

They sell like crazy at $5. They sell but at a much slower pace for $7

You need to determine which you want to ask-If you are a slow thrower and looking to maximize profit ask $7 and be happy

If you are a speedball and want to hundreds sell them for $5.

The other point on this is how fast are you glazing and firing them

As well as do they take up space or are they free space stuffers.

I just loaded two glaze fires and put in 100 sponge holders in the free space not filled but anything else so firing was free gas wise.

These are some of the other points to consider on pricing.

There is no way anyone can guide you other than you doing it.

What works for you may not work for me? and vice versa. I say this again because it’s true.

Mark

 

 

 

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Mark:

 

After testing clays for two years: I have changed my marketing strategy. Apparently, forming it, glazing it, and firing it is for chumps: you make more money just throwing it in a tub with water: $175 per person per day.

 

http://www.glenivy.com/plan-your-day/hot-springs/club-mud/

 

Recipe for porcelain on the home page....

 

Nerd

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Mark, I just want to say thank you. You share so much of yourself and your experience with all of us here. I know I have learned tons reading your posts. Things like your spoonrests and sponge holders I read what and how you do them then took that information and figured out how to make them work for me and they DID. I never would have imagined such simple little items could do so much.

 

Thank you for sharing.

 

T

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post-22921-0-83827800-1474035434_thumb.jpeg

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Mark:

 

After testing clays for two years: I have changed my marketing strategy. Apparently, forming it, glazing it, and firing it is for chumps: you make more money just throwing it in a tub with water: $175 per person per day.

 

http://www.glenivy.com/plan-your-day/hot-springs/club-mud/

 

Recipe for porcelain on the home page....

 

Nerd

Nerd

That link did not work for me?

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  • 3 months later...

Mark:

 

Was out shopping with my wife, last minute stuff. There is a resale/retail shop in a smaller plaza: just a block away from the large retail "giants" plaza. The place was packed, and been there for over a decade. In talking to the owner: his single space units are $40 a month, plus 15% of sales. I asked him if he had ever seen crystalline pieces: to my surprise he had. He seemed rather eager to have some pieces in his shop. I told him crystalline pieces typically ran from $150-$250. He then offered me a single shelf behind the cash register (eye height): very visible, for $20 a month, plus 20%.

 

Thinking about taking him up on it: what do you (others) think? Told him it would be towards the end of next summer: need more time to hone my throwing skills.

 

Nerd

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If they are asking you to pay rent for your display space, it's not an art or craft gallery. Be cautious. Look around and see if anyone else is selling anything comparable in the same price range. If yes, then give it a shot. If not, then say no thanks.

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It is a retail/resale shop: no pottery other than resale of older pieces (Roseville,etc,) One reason it interests me: no competition.

Well established, kept very clean, professionally ran... a plus for them.

Clients are well able to afford the price: I know many who shop in there: long history in the area.

Most sales average $40... several booths however range 200 to 400 range. ( booth turnover is very low, waiting list usually.)

Only know one who has a booth: has had it for years.   No problems with being paid.

Stolen or broke... on your own. .. being behind the counter: far less chance of those happening.

Minimum six month term.... so $120..... Reasonably cheap for testing the market.

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"One reason it interests me: no competition."

 

I actually prefer when there are other potters selling where I am. I have found when a shop, gallery or market gets known for carrying ceramics it becomes a draw for shoppers who are looking for pots. I sell most of my work myself at markets but am in a half dozen shops also. I do the best when there are many potters in the same market and with the shops I do best in ones that carry other potters work also.

 

Just my 2 cents, probably not worth half of that.

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Mark, do you know a potter lady named "Sue" I think she lives up your way and has been doing the pottery circuit a long time. She was Sue Fox back when I knew her in college we were good friends, haven't seen her for a long time...know her last isn't fox anymore not sure what it changed to. He work was always top notch.

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Min:

 

If 50 people gave me two cents: I have a dollar. :) It is good business to listen to a variety of opinion, thought, and experience.

 

Nerd

Tough for someone who isn't familiar with you area and what's available as far as shops and galleries, if I was doing the same thing in the San Francisco Bay Area where I live it would be fun to try depending on the shop, but I don't see most art of any kind flying off the shelf, although as you said not much risk. It's a tough business when you start figuring your time, materials, firing and then commissions of up to 35% and/or show fees, my hat goes off to everyone who has honed their craft to the degree it's profitable. Taking Mark's very valid points espically the reagonal differences with popularity of ceramics and sales in your area could be really good. Are there other ceramic guilds locally? If so, what shops and galleries do the various members sell at?

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I do not know of a Sue in ceramics-ether in Humboldt or on my circuit (which is narrowing  quite a bit)

I will need more of the last name?

Yea, the name Sue doesn't narrow things down much, it was just that she has been selling since the late 1960's and last time about 8 years ago when I saw her at a show in los altos she was living in Northern California. I've seen her at shows all over the state, but don't know if she did much in sales back east. Just thought you might have seen her at some of the shows, you have both been hitting the same areas for a long time.

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Mark:

 

After testing clays for two years: I have changed my marketing strategy. Apparently, forming it, glazing it, and firing it is for chumps: you make more money just throwing it in a tub with water: $175 per person per day.

 

http://www.glenivy.com/plan-your-day/hot-springs/club-mud/

 

Recipe for porcelain on the home page....

 

Nerd

My daughter wanted me to pick up some "special" clay from a drugstore to make a face mask. The special clay was kaolinite- of which I have a large metal garbage pail of- but mine apparently isn't good enough! Jeesh!

 

Maybe i should make little covered jars, put some "special" kaolinite in it for face masks with instructions (add water + put on face).

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Are there other ceramic guilds locally? If so, what shops and galleries do the various members sell at?

The annual St. Louis Art Walk, done in conjunction with local museums is the largest and most popular. A couple of local guilds: but they are medium or topic specific. Ceramics in general, are not really celebrated per se: and are usually part of a larger theme. Galleries focus on painting mostly, then sculpture, then eclectic pieces made from multiple "parts."  In my specific area= zero-zip, nadda!! If anything dominates the market: it is reproductions. Glass, pottery, furniture, and metals. 

 

The risk is minimal, and I know the area it is located draws a clientele with more than enough disposal income. Long history, clean shop, and current vendors do not report any tug of wars over being paid. I do not foresee a large revenue stream: but I think it will self support with some profits. Truthfully, I see it as a very cheap way to test the market.

 

Nerd

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Nerd 

I see a few potters doing crystalline wares each year at my art shows. The market is solid no need to test it. I know folks like the pots that have them  and will pay more for them-Heck I have even traded for a few over the past 40 years,

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Nerd, it is NOT a way to test YOUR market.

 

Is it a safe way to put your work out there? Yes.

Will it tell you anything useful about your work being saleable? No.

 

I have never had a healthy market for my work in my area. Just means you gotta find your way out of State.

With that $120 you could pay to ship your work to any Gallery you could find. There are many excellent Galleries of American Craft. Start with the Googling. Find a few Galleries that sell good quality pottery and check out their guidelines for submitting work.

Take good images and submit your work.

I have a few articles on this on my website ... http://ccpottery.com/marketing_your_work_to_gall.html

 

You don't stint on the quality of the work you put into making them, so show them off in a nice bright light!

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his single space units are $40 a month, plus 15% of sales. I asked him if he had ever seen crystalline pieces

 

He then offered me a single shelf behind the cash register (eye height): very visible, for $20 a month, plus 20%.

 

I told him crystalline pieces typically ran from $150-$250

 

My two cents worth.

 

If you sell more than two $250 pieces per month you might be better off going for $40/15%

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Mark: say hello to Greg, Jim, Avery, and Phil next time you run into them. They sell alot of pieces up and down the coast. Jim is like you, he has his work in over 30 locations.

 

 

Nerd, it is NOT a way to test YOUR market.           Is it a safe way to put your work out there? Yes.

Chris: fair statements. Several factors involved here however. First, I am not fully retired, so my time at the wheel and making work is limited. Second, although I have been working with clay and crystalline for awhile; throwing is relatively new to me. So I need more time to hone my skills before I get too many sales on my plate. Third, I will increase my tile sales as time goes on. I already have 2 high end kitchen and bath stores that want to sell my tile work: including sinks. So what I am saying: I want to ease into the market at a very controlled pace. However, your post did remind me that we do have an art gallery that draws a high end crowd: and I know one of the owners. So I will put that on my: future list.

 

Ron: agreed. Will start on the safe side, and switch in six months if need be.

 

Nerd

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Merry Christmas!

 

Well, I don't like selling pottery and have (so far) successfully taken the road of teaching instead. Sometimes I look at articles about selling work and see all the things I am not willing to do myself. I had to stop and laugh-- in Chris's Setting Goals the start is a quote "You cannot reach Alaska just by wandering North. You need a map and a planâ€. Since I am already in Alaska I guess I have reached the goal!

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