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What Do You Like Making Vs. What Sells


Favorite VS. What Sells  

53 members have voted

  1. 1. What is your favorite pot to make?

  2. 2. What pot do you sell the most of, in general?



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Phil;

I like to make teapots the best. They are the most challenging. I sell a lot of mugs, one at a time. Started making collanders, or "berry bowls" with a matching saucer. Sold out of those in the summer. They are a lot of work to make for the money, but people like them. If people see an obvious use for something, it tends to sell well.

TJR.

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If people see an obvious use for something, it tends to sell well.

TJR.

 

Bingo! Even with something as simple as a bowl, which has a million uses, people seem to need to be told what it's for. I can't count how many times someone has come into m y booth and said 'That's a beautiful bowl, but I just don't know what I'd use it for.' Food, maybe?!? Of course, as soon as you say 'ice cream bowl', they say 'I don't like ice cream'! How about salsa? 'I thought you said it was for ice cream'. AAAAAUUUUUUGH!

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If people see an obvious use for something, it tends to sell well.

TJR.

 

Bingo! Even with something as simple as a bowl, which has a million uses, people seem to need to be told what it's for. I can't count how many times someone has come into m y booth and said 'That's a beautiful bowl, but I just don't know what I'd use it for.' Food, maybe?!? Of course, as soon as you say 'ice cream bowl', they say 'I don't like ice cream'! How about salsa? 'I thought you said it was for ice cream'. AAAAAUUUUUUGH!

 

hahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha   I have met these people tooooo!!!   Sometimes I tell them it's for oatmeal.  sometimes applesauce.  or catfood.  hahahahahaha

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I love throwing bowls...no matter the size

 

What sells best is my tea bag plates/spoonrests/ring dish

 

I figure cause they are the least expensive pottery I make and they fit easily in a suitcase...i do most my markets in a touristy area.

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'Bowl' is too vague a description for me. Large bowls, mixing bowls, etc, sell okay, but not great. Small 1lb bowls, on the other hand, sell very well.

 

Yeah, I knew the poll wouldn't work for all categories but I think it works in a very general way. 

 

What sells best is my tea bag plates/spoonrests/ring dish

 

I recently made a bunch of small plates/bowls that would fit this description. I have never thought to call them tea bag plates. good idea!

 

and here is a picture for reference, of course (i took the pic with my computer which has a terrible camera):

 

tinyplates

 

If people see an obvious use for something, it tends to sell well.

 

Does anyone have name cards or anything that sits next to pieces or tags that has a name for specific pieces, for example a "porridge bowl" or a "batter bowl"?

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My favorite things to make are jars and canisters. It has something to do with making a container to store something important, where the contents will be protected. And the two-part form provides lots of opportunities for design.

 

My best sellers are mugs and individual bowls.

 

 

 

If people see an obvious use for something, it tends to sell well.

 

Does anyone have name cards or anything that sits next to pieces or tags that has a name for specific pieces, for example a "porridge bowl" or a "batter bowl"?Yes we had a discussion about hang tags and their effectiveness (I'll try to find it). It definitely helps you to deal with the "what is this for" types, and makes your overall presentation more credible.
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My favorite things, by far, are sculptural assemblages (fountains, drums, lanterns). I love the integration of multiple wheel-thrown forms... and the challenge of making these functional (especially when raku fired).

 

So far, the one thing that I can guarantee sales with is the shot-glass sized test bowl. I try new glazes on these, stamp a 'non-functional' mark on the bottom, and sell them for $5- they move as fast as I put them out.

 

Mugs have been my best selling 'legit' item so far (in terms of quantity sold) but the sculptural stuff is rapidly encroaching in terms of net sales.

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Does anyone have name cards or anything that sits next to pieces or tags that has a name for specific pieces, for example a "porridge bowl" or a "batter bowl"?

 

 

The only place I sell other than at home is the farmers market.  As soon as I get there I go to a couple of stands and gather fruit, vegs, berries, and flowers and use them in my display.  I think is makes everything look nicer. Of course I then get to take it all home at the end.

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phill, yes, a description of how to use the product is helpful.  a prop is even better.  my long, narrow trays are shown with a row of crackers ($1 at dollar tree) and something from a typical man's pocket is shown on the square plates so folks know where those go. 

 

after seeing a duplicate of one of my things online priced at half price ( $54 ) i am putting a hairbrush and comb on it and raising the price significantly.  recipes work well, too.

 

 

one benefit of having edible things available is the distraction value they have.  offering a cracker to a restless child allows those busy hands something to do while a parent is shopping.  a wrapped candy is a wonderful loss prevention item.  as long as the parent agrees.

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big sale last weekend showed that somehow i got  it right this year!  made lots of long butterdishes, lots of 4 inch squares, many, many "outside the lines" trays and a million teabag holders.  nearly everything walked out the door by 2 pm on saturday and i reset the display on sunday by removing the empty racks and baskets.  someone told me that a buyer was bragging about one of my trays and had put it on facebook to show her friends.  no numbers available yet but i only took home 4 boxes with things in them and a lot of empty ones.  the contents of all three of the baskets of small things fit into just one on the way home.  maybe now i can fix the roof!

 

update..........the roof might have to wait.  the car needs $700.   sigh...........................

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Years ago when I was selling at festivals, the mugs went very well along with bowls. Many folks appreciated a sweeping curve in a bowl more that the flat of a dish. I sold a lot of bowls. Before I quit doing the shows because of a lucrative summer professorship I had started selling very large (28-36") bulbous jars in increasing numbers. Many of these were purchased by the repeat buyers. Alas nowdays I do mostly chalices and patens in small numbers. Other items for fun and occasional sale.

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I have not sold a lot of items yet because I have been trying to build a decent inventory, and with every new kiln opening, I want to trash older stuff.  I do get a lot of mug requests and Utensil holder requests.  

I love the feeling of making a large mixing/salad bowl. 

 

Could you label a bowl "breakfast bowl" and let them determine if it's for cereal or oatmeal? 

I have seen a lot of berry bowls sell at local craft fairs (i have never set up a booth yet, I don't have enough decent work to do that yet)  You could display some sugar snap peas in one of those and get a whole new crowd of buyers ;)  

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  • 4 weeks later...

 

If people see an obvious use for something, it tends to sell well.

TJR.

 

Bingo! Even with something as simple as a bowl, which has a million uses, people seem to need to be told what it's for. I can't count how many times someone has come into m y booth and said 'That's a beautiful bowl, but I just don't know what I'd use it for.' Food, maybe?!? Of course, as soon as you say 'ice cream bowl', they say 'I don't like ice cream'! How about salsa? 'I thought you said it was for ice cream'. AAAAAUUUUUUGH!

 

Yes! I have two sizes of bowls in my cupboard for daily use. Not once have I said "No! That's only for salsa, put that back and use the cereal bowls instead". People.

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Hmmm! I gave some larger bowls(8-9#) for Christmas this year. So I got a Thank You from my father's wife saying that she just loved the bowl and had already used it twice, once to mix meatloaf, and once to serve. Never know what they'll be used for, but a good bowl with a nice curve. . . is really appreciated by a good cook.

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I make the taller bowls, like for ice cream, and then the lower, cereal type bowls. Both sell very well, and I love making them!! They are easy for me.

 

My best seller are the mugs. I don't like them, too many steps. Plus, I get a lot of orders for personalized ones, so I have to add the nameplates, which often crack off in the kiln. PITA. I make three, hope two come out OK. But they paid for Christmas this year, so there is that.

Nancy

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In very general terms, smaller items at shows where "crafts" are dominant, it is mostly mugs and bowls that are priced below $25.  In gallery shows where paintings are the principal feature, tall bottles sell the best.  I consider myself fortunate that some galleries are willing to call my cityscape bottles "art" or "sculpture" rather than "craft"...and although I enjoy the sales, they are so time consuming that I don't enjoy making them as much as other items (probably should get over that, right?)

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