Another box - how much would you sell it for?

Rennie Heuer

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Another project I started some years back and set aside just before glue-up. More walnut and birch - six in all. Machine cut dovetails, solid wood top and bottom milled to 1/8" thick (bottom) and 3/16" thick for top. These are going to the craft fair with my DIL.

I have proven to myself several times that I am too critical of my own work and therefore have a tendency to grossly under-price my work So, here's a question for those of you who have sold at craft fairs before, what would you sell these for?:dunno:

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I can't help with pricing because we haven't done a craft fair for years, but those are very nice boxes. Fine joinery, fine wood and a nice finish. How many hours do you have in each one and how much did the wood cost?
 
I can't help with pricing because we haven't done a craft fair for years, but those are very nice boxes. Fine joinery, fine wood and a nice finish. How many hours do you have in each one and how much did the wood cost?
There's not much wood in these, less than a bf. I paid nothing for the birch, came out of my yard. The walnut was about $4 a bf. Hours? Can't remember, but I'd guess about 10-15 for all 6 boxes. Yes, I'm that slow.
 
I am no help either. However, those are very nice boxes. Excellent: workmanship, finish, choice of wood and design.

If I wanted a box like that, sixty-dollars would not stop me. I don't think that figure would stop a lot of people in So. Calif. who attend art fairs.

What is the economy in Idaho? Go to an art fair and see what is for sale and what price is on it. Mentally compare to your work for the things I listed at the top. Your quality, artistic eye, etc. should put you in the top price bracket for your area.

I don't know Idaho. Do you have a lot of art lovers? Are people purchasing "cutesy" stuff, quality stuff, expensive stuff, cheap stuff, etc.? I had friends in Eastern Idaho. They are deceased. However, when alive, they appreciated artistic things and they were not hurting for money.

You got no direct answer, however you did get a brain stimulation I hope.

Enjoy,

JimB

In the past I was very much into art. I have been president of art associations, I have purchased Best In Show art almost every year. I am 87 years old and Myrna and I have been giving that art away for quite a few years. The preceding is for background, to let you know I have been aware of the art market. What I have seen is that there are areas where art sells and there are areas where it isn't even recognized. I don't know your area.

The boss just called dinner. You are lucky; I will shut up now.
 
I would think in the 40 - 50 dollar range.

I was at a show for one of the local craft guilds this past weekend that was Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I was talking to one fellows who had some outstanding natural edge tables made from spalted maple and cherry. They were what I thought fairly priced for a little over 400 each. He told me he hadn't sold anything. I was talking to another guy that was a turner. He had some wooden chip bag clips. They looked like the old timey cloths pens, only a little longer. He told me over two days he had sold 160 of the clips at 5 bucks a pop.
 
thats the thing John, you nailed it on the head.

People dont mind taking out a 5 for something thats cute and handmade.

People do mind taking out 50 dollars.

I was at a tiny craft show once in Lake George NY, the type of craft show they run during August up there in the park in the center of town.
There was an old guy with an old school bus, and he sold small wooden toys, rubber band guns, crayon holders, and he was the only guy selling stuff like crazy. 3, 4 dollars a pop.
(I asked him to sell me 500 rubber band guns, and we met up with him a week later near his home and he managed to make me almost 300 by then)
 
12 hours @$30=$360 divide by 6=$60 per box....and I'd pay it.

I had $55 to $65 each in my mind and feel that would be a fair price. Don't forget that even some wood was free from your yard it still has a price, what would that wood cost if you purchased it? needs to be accounted for:)
 
If they're big enough, I'd display one of them with a bottle of wine in it. Just a random thought --- I was thinking that presentation and salemanship count, and reasons why someone might want a fancy gift box.
 
If they're big enough, I'd display one of them with a bottle of wine in it. Just a random thought --- I was thinking that presentation and salemanship count, and reasons why someone might want a fancy gift box.

Art has a VERY GOOD POINT there. Sell the sizzle not the product (that is why designer clothes sell...they are selling the romance or whatever, not the clothes).

Referring back to my posts in a recent Thread with a name something like, How can they get away charging those high prices? You will never get a high price unless you ask for it.

As a test: Is there anything unusual enough about one of the boxes, or something similar, that you could price it ten bucks higher than the others? If there is, and you sell it, next fair price them $10 higher and one twenty bucks higher.

Look at it this way: If you price them at 40 and you sell several, raise the price to 50. If successful, next time raise the price to 60, repeat as appropriate. When you find out you sell only half as many at 80 as you did at 40, you only have to make half as many boxes. AND your profit went up because the money spent for wood, gasoline, etc. is less if you only make half as many. The higher price will raise your prestige and then you can charge even more.

"Oh, I bought that from Rennie at the Dohinkey Fair. His prices are a bit high, however his whatchcallems are so beautiful and the craftsmanship is fantastic." In this world of status seekers, the person who hears this just has to go to the Dohinkey Fair next time so he/she can have one of Rennie's whatchcallems too. In fact she might buy a more expensive product to play the status game.

You can't get the price if you don't ask for it. You do have to offer honest to god service, be pleasant and use nice wrapping paper. Treat the whatchcallem like a jeweler (not the Sears, K Mart type of jeweler, but the kind in a jewelry store) treats the ring or watch he is trying to sell you. Lay the whatchacallem on nice piece of leather when you show it.

Watch your market. If your price goes too high, you will know it. You want to be just under "too high".

People tell the dentist, optometrist, mechanic (In the past I included physician in that list. However, now, it is almost all third party payment for them.), something like, It is so expensive. However, if the doc or mechanic is any good, the person goes back to them next time. They will pay the price if they are happy. Smile, chat, handle the product with loving care and use the good paper.

Enjoy,

JimB
 
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If they're big enough, I'd display one of them with a bottle of wine in it. Just a random thought --- I was thinking that presentation and salemanship count, and reasons why someone might want a fancy gift box.
Great idea! And, yes, it will fit!

I had $55 to $65 each in my mind and feel that would be a fair price. Don't forget that even some wood was free from your yard it still has a price, what would that wood cost if you purchased it? needs to be accounted for:)
Seems like a lot to me, but that's probably because I would never pay that much since I would just build one! :rofl::rofl:

I'm wondering, do people have to pay cash? Can they pay with debit or credit card? If they can pay with debit or credit, I'd pay $75 for it. It's very nice. If they have to pay cash, make it less. Most people don't carry wads of cash.

Yes, we will be able to use credit cards. I'm hoping that increases our base.
 
I think the $50 - $75 range is very fair. I don't know if you can get it though, but to price lower than that seriously devalues your work and talent. Beautiful boxes, BTW.
 
I think they are certainly worth $50 to $75, but you are reaching the limit of what I think people will pay at a craft fair. They look nice enough that they may sell in a gallery. In that environment, they may sell for $150. If you own the box in the gallery (your money tied up, you are at risk for wear and tear) the gallery should pay you $100 of their $150 selling price. But if they buy it from you wholesale, for resale, you should only expect to get about $75 out of a $150 selling price (even if they have to hold it for a long time before it sells, pay you to refinish it when a customer scratches it, or finally sell it at a discount - at a 20% off close out sale).

I saw someone at a craft fair selling a beautifully turned and finished, fairly large, segmented bowl, and he was upset that he couldn't get $250 for his week's work. I bet it would have sold for $500 in a gallery or on a web site where people were looking for a good turning, rather than discovering a $250 bargain at a fair.

As someone pointed out, craft fairs sell a lot of low price junk - most of it impulse purchases. Your work isn't low price junk, so you have to decide if it worth sitting at a fair.
 
I think as usual your workmanship is fantastic. First there is no free wood in a business. That you got a material free is irrelevant. If you created a price and by chance had someone say i want more and had no wood then you would have an increase in your cost to meet demand. So price in the wood that is "free".

Now i am somewhat in Chalies camp. This aint work for a crafts show in fact i think it could do damage to you in a craft show pricing an item like this at around $50 - anything range.


I dont see the price being anywhere near what everyone has stated for the following reason.

Value.

When i saw the first pic i was thinking of the pencil box i knew of when i was at school. Then the small box of same kind that Dad passed down with small brass screws in it, then saw the candles and thought ok so its to store candles but i cant exactly see me putting a candle storage box on display, so do i need a box thats that fancy afterall when i reach for the candles it will be dark anyhow and the last thing on my mind needs to be how carefully i handle the great $highX box.

SO whats the purpose of the box because its not a Jewelry box which has other nuances of value like thought and romance entering its imagery.

To me although its wonderfully made and fine craftsmanship its not a artsy type of box one would put on display. Its more a functional storage mechanism and that today competes with commodity plastic items.

Now slice it in half so its kinda 1.5 inch high put some molded recesses in it and add a couple of gold plated chopstixs and a gold plated carp to rest them on and the box can be a completely different value. This kind of box would then add to the value and presentation of the content.

For wine, sorry but its too exotic and detracts from the wine in my view. Vineyards do make similar boxes and wrap a bottle of good wine in rice paper and even burn mark their logo on it. But the balance is between not havingthe box in that case weigh in with tooo much value relative to the wine. It all has to be in proportion to the selling price or the consumer says am i buying a box or a bottle of wine.

Just consider collectables. Antique toys attract good prices add their packaging the price gets better but it dont get to the point where the packaging is worth as much as the content. Same with say planes.

Sorry for me this is not a great product to derive value from for your skill and capability so i would give you atta boys for making it and as great as it is for Loyl but no points for a for sale item in my opinion. Not when much the same effort could yield $250 or more at the undertakers.

What you may consider doing is to bundle an item like this full of decent candles with something more expensive you have sold.

For example the lady that recently bought those custom side tables from you. Well send her one with a Xmas card and some candles in and than her for her order. As a promo item this item is worth $500 in value in that route. She will again get a piece of your fine work. She will be delighted that she purchased from you and she will definitely tell everyone about it. The affirmation to her that she made the right choice buying from you in the beginning will have her looking to see what else she can buy from you to be able to enjoy a repeat experience. You could not buy advertising like this.

Sorry Rennie if my directness offends no offence intended.
 
Sorry Rennie if my directness offends no offense intended.

No offense taken!

In fact, although flattered, I thought most estimates were a bit high (thanks guys:thumb:), especially for the venue. Fact is, these boxes came close to winding up in the burn pile several times over the past few years. I started them for two reasons. First, I thought I could use the practice and wanted to try my dovetail jig on some thin stock. Second, I was looking around for an easy to mass produce box that was easy to ship. They were never intended to be a high price item. Never-the-less, they turned out pretty well.

They are going out to the craft fair next week. Mostly because my DIL needed a few extra items to fill out her table. I hope they sell, but I won't be heartbroken if they all come back. We talked it over and she will display one with a few candles and one with a bottle (empty) of wine. Considering the venue, and the need to just have them out of the shop, I've priced them at $30 and given her the OK to negotiate if needed to sell them. As you said, they have limited utility and, therefore, limited appeal. If I can turn potential fire bin prospects into a "C" note or so, great for me!

As for the clocks, I made up a small poster and framed it for the table stating the 'normal' price of over $100 but heralding this as the 'show special' a something under $100. There are ten of those. Anything that comes back will go up on my Etsy site. 'Bout time I tried that out too.

I won't be attending the craft fair personally. Jan is flying out to Indiana that day to spend a week with her new grandson. He was born nearly two months early without a spleen, several organs in the wrong place, and a malfunctioning heart. He's been in Rieley's Children's hospital in Indianapolis for about 90% of his life so far. Recently he's been experiencing seizures and it has just been discovered he has had a stroke. He needs heart surgery, but he is not strong enough to endure it. The prospects at not good for the little guy.
 
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