Pricing bowls

Roger Tulk

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Location
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
I am considering making bowls for sale at craft shows this year. I have shown my best work to some people who spend money at craft shows, and been told I could ask $100 for them. I find that a little hard to believe, partly because I wouldn't pay $100 for one of my bowls, but then, I'm a cheap illegitimate son. (That other word would probably violate the COC :p ) Anyway, if I make my very best 7" x 2½" bowl, how much can I reasonably ask for it? Or how much would you price it at, if you made it?

I do plan to go to some craft shows while I am building my inventory, and see what people are asking, but I'd like to know what any of you who sell at craft shows charge.

Thanks, eh?
 
My observation has been that it's highly regional so if those folks are local I'd take thier advice.

The other observation is that you might do better selling at a higher price point because you're avoiding the comparison with cheap Walmart bowls and positioning yourself against "art" pieces (whatever that means). That may mean adding some blah blah artistic statements to a card to accompany the bowls describing your vision and the wood. If you want some help on that part give me a PM, I've written lots of bs for various things ;)
 
My observation has been that it's highly regional so if those folks are local I'd take thier advice.

Yes, this. I get a pretty significant sum for a dresser that takes me months to make and I feel it is fair for the market where I live and what others are offering. If I moved to a factory town with a population of 2500 I would not see these prices. The worst thing you can do to your fellow craftsmen is sell beautiful work for pennies. Online selling has changed the market but, a local craft fair is local; price accordingly.
 
At the prices that has been thrown around for band saw boxes on the internet your asking to little for a wooden bowl................120.00 for this one is just one example of what prices are.
 

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My observation has been that it's highly regional so if those folks are local I'd take thier advice.

The other observation is that you might do better selling at a higher price point because you're avoiding the comparison with cheap Walmart bowls and positioning yourself against "art" pieces (whatever that means). That may mean adding some blah blah artistic statements to a card to accompany the bowls describing your vision and the wood. If you want some help on that part give me a PM, I've written lots of bs for various things ;)

Having sold at quite a few higher-end art shows, I completely agree with Ryan. Your price will be dictated by what your local crowd will pay. Going to shows and seeing what comparable pieces are selling for is a good first step. I did a lot of that before I started doing shows. I was selling bowls in the $40 to $200+ range, and hollow forms for $80 to 300+, but I actively sought out "art" shows (as opposed to "craft" shows) in places like Malibu and Brentwood (next door to Beverly Hills). Those same bowls and hollow forms might be in the $20 to $100 range in other towns and at other venues. But in any market, a $100 bowl had better be pretty much flawless. No tearout or sanding scratches, and good finish, and a pleasing form. And as Glenn mentioned, it's not good to underprice your work, because you not only make your own art seem cheap, you drive down the prices for other artists.

And I wouldn't recommend using online prices as a firm guide. Those are the asking prices, but not necessarily what customers are willing to pay.
 
Roger,
I routinely sell bowls, pepper mills and wood stemmed wine glasses at a local Farmer's Market in Knoxville... Not a big money town and I'll get people that look and make faces at the prices, or I'll get people who grab up a bowl and think nothing about the price... the first time I did the market about 10 years ago, I had an 8" diameter x 4" high bowl out of a big leaf maple burl... a lady walked in, grabbed it up and held on to it as she continued to look around, then said "You artists never charge enough for your work"... I had $65 on the bowl and really thought I was high on it... most of my bowls range from about 6" diameter up to about 12" diameter and prices range from about $25 up to $100. Some of my bowls aren't perfect, they may have some wood defects, a chip or crack or maybe a small tear out... some of the spalted woods will have a roughness in the bottom where the wood was punky and I didn't get it smooth.... when I point it out, customers tell me that's what they like about the wood bowls, the rustic look of them.

My bowls get priced on my spreadsheet at about $6.50 per inch of diameter plus wood cost + a percentage for shop expenses, then rounded up to the nearest multiple of $5... I have an 8 3/4" diameter bowl from Sycamore, the wood cost me nothing, that calculates out at $65.

As said, learn your market place... sometimes a bowl will sell high at one market and lower at another, depending on the venue.
 
Thanks, guys. You've given me a lot to think about, and some good advice. The person who said i could get $100 for one of my bowls was somebody who would attend high-end craft shows, so I'll have a look at the local fairs before I get into selling.
 
people who attend high end craft shows are not just going to throw 120 dollars at a bandsaw box.
you can fish at a crafts fair, odds are you will not get one hooked. Or you can price reasonable, not expect to make a living from it, and sell a few.
I think previous posters here posting results from fairs in all parts of USA, makes it pretty clear people aren't shelling out big bucks for wooden boards or bowls, or other assorted wood crafts.
 
...I think previous posters here posting results from fairs in all parts of USA, makes it pretty clear people aren't shelling out big bucks for wooden boards or bowls, or other assorted wood crafts.

Back around 2007 and 2008 those people existed (and a few still do), but when the economy tanked in 2008, I saw the market (and price point) for my bowls and hollow forms drop bigtime.
 
Roger, not to be delusional but I've been woodturning for longer than what I can remember and sell a few turnings on occasion even do a few shows here and there, the bottom line is there is no real money in it, the only thing that makes money is burial urns or you really have to be "artsy" with your turnings and work the art galleries not craft shows. The bowl size your are describing will be lucky to bring in $30 US on any consistent basis.
 
Roger, not to be delusional but I've been woodturning for longer than what I can remember and sell a few turnings on occasion even do a few shows here and there, the bottom line is there is no real money in it, the only thing that makes money is burial urns or you really have to be "artsy" with your turnings and work the art galleries not craft shows. The bowl size your are describing will be lucky to bring in $30 US on any consistent basis.

See my reply to Allen, above.
 
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roger, Im not trying to be a negative nelly, just trying to be real.
elen and me, well, we attend craft shows and fairs in any state we go to.
We love them. I enjoy seeing the handiwork and talent of gifted artists.
unique stuff, one of a kinds.

at a woodworking show couple years back in Saratoga springs, ny, I saw a guy who made famous landmark buildings out of toothpicks.
details were incredible. He had the old yankee stadium made out of toothpicks. I posted it here somewhere years ago.

Bowls, boards, are very common stuff. I see doggie bowls on wood stands sell great, but most of that stuff is imported, people think its homemade, but the labels are on back.

I think finding some type of gallery, or touristy type store that sells one of kind items might be a good venue for home made bowls and things like that. consignment type of stuff.
Its only my opinion, based on the years of reading show results here, being in retail for 33 years, and working one of the largest flea markets in the 70s every sunday to put myself through college. People are stingy when it comes to parting with money these days.
Having merchandise sitting on a store shelf that attracts buyers daily, 364 days a year, seems a much better way to go if you want to push some bowls out, as long as you are content just making a few bucks to support your habit.

Im sure there are plenty of galleries, (not the kind selling 10 thousand dollar paintings), in Toronto, that would support unique items made out of wood, on a consignment basis.
 
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A lot of what Vaughn said I find to be quite true. I have always tried to price my turnings as reasonable as possible. I am not trying to make a living or anything like that. I've already done that and have the ball cap and t shirt to show it. I do it because it's fun and good physical and mental therapy. Of course the therapy also includes my small logging operation to get my wood. I would like to be able to charge more, but the market just won't bear it right now. And I am sure area has a lot to do with it. And, another way I look at it is if you put a price on it, make sure you put one on it that you can come down some from. Kind of hard to raise your prices once it is posted and all have seen it.
 
Knoxville is a large enough market you will get people from all income levels to look at your stuff. With more people you have a better chance of someone coming by who either really appreciates art and craftmanship or are willing to spend without concern for price. In my local area people scoff at a $35.00 pen. e.g. "I can buy a pen for 99 cents at Wal-Mart." But when my stuff was in an art gallery in Little Rock most sold in the $50.00 to $85.00 range. My topper was a $300.00 faux ivory beauty. Pricing is the most critical aspect of any business. I'll restate that: Finding the price point at which you can make a decent profit is the most critical aspect of any business.
 
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