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Any Thoughts On How To Improve My % In A Good Gallery?


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     I have been in a well run profitable gallery in a lake resort, retirement community near me for 2 years . The shop takes is a large amount monthly.  Most of the sales go to out of state visitors to the retirees and in the summer, lake rentals.  My problem is that my % of the overall profits are not what I would like.  I sell smaller pieces steadily, but of the 35 various artist, the majority of sales BY FAR go to the 5 jewelers  .  I pay a small commission and work the shop one day a month to keep it low. The commission goes to support the local Arts Guild, which is the governing body of the shop.

     There are 3 other potters in this shop, 2 others make work of similar style and quality to mine, and I have better sales that they do because, I think, I have a wider variety and restock more often than they do.  My display space is large and well lit.  I decide what pieces I bring in and what the prices are. Most work in the shop is very nice. 

      There are 2 town wide festivals and I sit my wheel on the front porch and throw pots to a big crown of watchers on those day.  That has increased traffic coming into the shop, but does not translate into ANY sales of my work those days ! :-( .

     The jewelry is up front near the entrance and desk because it is the most easily pocketed item .  The jewelry is nice quality, silver, semi precious stones, I have bought several pieces myself!  They sell $50- $90 pieces regularly, I rarely sell something for more that $25, no matter what it is.  Only item I sell there at a higher price point is woven clay baskets, none of the other potters make them.  

     How do I get my higher priced items to sell to women that come in and happily spend $100 on a whim on jewelry?  I can sell higher priced items other places, and higher priced items sell in this shop, they just aren't mine!

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Sometimes it seems like potters are the poor relations in the art world. I do more sculptural pieces - animal figures - and recently sold several pieces in pairs for $150. But thats what I like to make. Most of my stuff is $25 or so and is humorous and whimsical because thats what seems to sell. My "serious" artsy abstract pieces just don't sell.  

 

So I don't have the answers either. Hope someone else does.  Rakuku

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I wouldn't try to compete with jewelers in terms of gross sales. Jewelers have to spend a lot more on materials. And having taken a beginner metalsmithing class, making jewelry is tedious and time consuming. Their gross/net/labor ratios are nothing like yours. The comparison is meaningless.

 

If there is significant tourist traffic, design some items that reflect the location in a specific way. Make it thoughtful and interesting, doesn't have to be cheezy tourist crap. Last year I designed a simple platter that, if you look closely, contains a subtle silhouette of the state of Maryland. It sells like crazy.

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One of my neighbors at an art fair this summer was a jeweler. It was a slow show, so we spent a lot of time talking about the differences in selling our work. She explained that her materials costs were quite high, often 50% of the sale price, and there was a lot more labor in many of her pieces as well. But the most interesting thing she said to me was that most women could spend $100 cash in her booth and take home the jewelry and the husband would never know she had bought it. But try sneaking a $100 lidded jar into the house....

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Way back in art school I learned that the other Arts are on another plane than ceramics. That lesson still is true today.

(Sometimes it seems like potters are the poor relations in the art world.) Well this is a fact so get used to it.

Say- Painting- they imply a larger cost than most ceramics

say-sculpture -that implies a larger cost than ceramics

say-jewelry -that implies a larger cost than ceramics.

I say you cannot change this perception as it invaded the planet before we where born.

That said if you want to make more money with ceramics _I suggest more small affordable things as the larger more expensive ceramic items move slower. You need to accept this truth in todays economy .I make more money on smalls than you can imagine. Yes I make canister sets and teapots and $150 large bowls but that stuff sells so much slower than smalls.

If you (happily spend $100 on a whim on jewelry? )want to compete with this make ceramic and metal mixed jewelry pieces as that market for women already exists at this location as they are already shopping for that stuff at this outlet.

You already have the perception of value at this location so cashing in with some mixed ceramic jewelry is a no brainer. 

 

The deal is it takes a lifetime to master even some parts of ceramics

kiln building-firing-glaze making-selling

The rest of those fine arts well most do not take a lifetime and leave it at that.

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none of the other potters make them.

 

none of the other potters make them.

 

none of the other potters make them.

Pay attention to the popular colors: regardless of the art medium. Pay attention if its modern, traditional, or eclectic. Learn your market.

 

They sell $50- $90 pieces regularly,

This means it is not a matter of price point, it means you need to tailor your product line to meet market demand.

 

How do I get my higher priced items to sell to women that come in and happily spend $100 on a whim

Impulse buyers are common in tourist traps: but you still have to figure out a product line that taps into the impulse.

 

Nerd

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I wouldn't try to compete with jewelers in terms of gross sales. Jewelers have to spend a lot more on materials. And having taken a beginner metalsmithing class, making jewelry is tedious and time consuming. Their gross/net/labor ratios are nothing like yours. The comparison is meaningless.

 

If there is significant tourist traffic, design some items that reflect the location in a specific way. Make it thoughtful and interesting, doesn't have to be cheezy tourist crap. Last year I designed a simple platter that, if you look closely, contains a subtle silhouette of the state of Maryland. It sells like crazy.

 

^^^^ This. 

 

It is very easy to find "ordinary" pottery so I go out of my way to make pottery that is special in some way. There are some people who prefer to buy a $1 or $10 mug given the cheaper, plainer choice. Those are not my customers. People do not buy my pottery out of need. People do not buy MOST handmade pottery out of need. It is far cheaper to fill a pottery need from the Dollar Store or Target. They buy handmade pottery because they love it and want it. 

 

I just recently completed a two-weekend Open Studio. I had mugs that were simple, just a little slip trailing, glazed a solid color. I also had other mugs, which were highly decorated in several steps, carved, partially glazed, etc. The collection is called "California Wildflowers" and they are inspired by the area where I live. 

 

The California Wildflowers mugs nearly sold out. They are double the price of my other, "plain" mugs. As soon as the  show was over I contacted all the people who had seen them online and asked to be put on a waiting list. All but one of the remaining mugs sold within four days. Therefore I can conclude that the price didn't really matter to them. My customers wanted it because it was something handmade that has the flavor of coastal California. I didn't have to write the name of a tourist spot on it in neon pink lettering, either. ;) 

 

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My other thoughts on improving sales come from my own playbook.

I have made my glazes jump out with color and variation. I offer so many colors that are not seen anywhere else with every form.

This has been a huge success. My glazes stand out-Really jump out.

I call them crow colors as they are shiny and the crows swoop in and snap them up

I offer so many form choices and over items not seen at other shops or booths.

I have a business model that sets prices that work for both parties -the buyer and the seller. That is they are affordable to most.

My items are for the home and to used daily so function is key. (in jewelry this is often not the case-its an impulse buy)

I have a few tourist shops so I know that market well (my longest running outlet is in just such a place.) I started selling there in 1975 its a restaurant and gift shop. Been thru 5 owners.

I only wholesale there now as I only offer limited forms to them.

My idea is you offer forms that complement each other and they buy a few usually not just one-its worked very well .

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The most fun I had at a craft fair was helping a friend in her jewelry booth.

The same people who would anguish over buying a $30 bowl scooped up $30 earrings without a second thought.

My friend thought the biggest reason was they could get it in the house without anyone noticing whereas the wisdom of the pottery expense would be questioned by someone. "You paid $30 for that??"

I did not know her expenses or profit level, but the selling was a lot more fun.

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Listen to Mark C. He knows his stuff!

 

I have been listening and learning from him. I make lots of smalls, heck I do mostly smalls! I have the big flashy pieces as well, things I put on top of the display in plain view, you can see these from across the street. These $100+ pieces get people IN to the booth. They look and ooo and ahhh and then see an $11 spoon rest in the same glaze color and buy it. Like it's the same thing or something people are weird.

 

I have figured out a way to increase my per sale average this year. I started offering a combination of smalls in complimentary colors, again thanks to listening to Mark C. I do A LOT of glaze colors (thanks Mark!) on smalls in fact I will often do up tests of color combinations put them out and see which sell to let me know what color trends are forming. I have large and small size spoonrests, sponge holders, and the mighty mini dish. With this combination of choices I am now often seeing an $11 sale becoming a $38 sale... all in smalls.

 

This year I also started offering 2 different sized mugs, standard 12oz and large 20oz. I will be honest I don't like making mugs so I charge a lot for them, $22-$30 depending on size and design work. I think I am one of the highest priced potters for mugs in my area and I can't keep the things on the shelf! I made the 20oz ones as kind of a joke for people that said my 12oz mugs aren't big enough... boy oh boy did I ever learn. Sold every last one of them the first show and that happened again and again all season long. I am already making 20oz mugs I preparation for next year. I can only do about a dozen at a time before I want to commit harry carry. Mugs are my least favorite form to do. Spoon rests and sponge holders I can crank out all day long and often make 4-5 dozen in a day.

 

People LIKE for me to talk about the pottery in interesting ways. I tell them pick up a mug, it will tell you if it likes you or not. I say, my pottery is meant to be used, if you don't use it it gets sad. How do you know your pottery is sad, I ask them. They will shake their heads and say how? I say... it gets dusty. They laugh and buy something. I tell them how I create my blue lace and flowers using cotton lace dollies I inherited from my grandmother. I tell them it's my way of continuing her legacy. They get misty eyed thinking about their grandmothers and buy something. I tell them, The mighty mini dish is the little dish that just wants to make their life better. Then I list all the ways they can be used, they usually buy an handful at $5 a piece. I make the pottery personal and fun and I have found the people respond.

 

T

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At a couple galleries I group my smalls into gift sets, it works really well. I make what I call "The Tidy Kitchen" set it's a trivet, large spoonrest and sponge holder. It's sells really really well. If you set up your own area group items into either color groups or similar item groups. When I can I always try to put mugs and such together so people can see a variety without having to really look.

 

You also need to learn your market. I have one place that I can't give away jewelry but that same jewelry a few blocks away sells like hot cakes. It has a lot to do with location. In touristy locations I find smaller packable items sell best. Also look and see if there is a type item that sells most in the gallery is there something you could make that would compliment it, not copy but compliment, that way the buyer might pick up both pieces.

 

T

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Ok I get it -it's the place not the pots

I have an outlet that sells mostly smalls my larger stuff just does not move there. I have accepted it as a smalls outlet and worked on those in that location.

I still am the #1 seller there in ceramics there but they move Jewelry there like hot cakes. I just cash the checks and am happy.

I do not do any sales in co-ops or galleries myself anymore (gave that up in the early 80's)

Jewelry is in its own category as far as I'm concerned .Never tried for to compete with those sales.I did learn it in art school -just never took more than the advanced class in it and moved on.

I can silver solder and have all the tools just never pursued it.

I have some potters who in there elder years gave up heavy clay and now are Jewelers at shows-they say it even more competitive to get into shows now. The setup is lighter and faster.

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