My market season is over and I have time to respond to two issues that Odie posted earlier. 1. Do I tell a potential buyer my cost? 2. Do I bargain with a potential buyer? No and yes. People, including myself, don't care what the cost of making an item is. they care about what it will cost them. I'f they decide something is more than they want to pay, knowing what it costs doesn't change their mind. I am asked how long it took to make a given bowl and I do answer that. Time and care are added values to an item.
Do I bargain with people. Sometimes and other times no. Let me give you an example. I had two Hackberry bowls that had not sold for several months. One was $100 and the other $125. A buyer asked what was the best I could do. I said $200 for both, he said $175. I said $190, and he bought them at $185. He felt good, I felt good, a win, win deal. I am never insulted by an offer, everyone wants to get the most for their money. I bargain with everyone. Almost everything is negotiable. I just made a deal for chain saw chains with my local Sthil dealer. I buy 5 and get 1 free. I don't drop my price when I know the bowl will sell or it is an attraction bringing people into my booth. I had a bowl that was 22" in diameter and 10" deep. It was made from the largest Alanthus Altisimma ( Chinese Tree Of Haven) I had ever seen. The price was $600. I was offered $500, $550 and some lower. I refused all offers because I knew it would sell and it did at $600. I wrote an article several years ago for the AAW Journal( Almost making A Living Turning) detailing selling your products. Hope this helps. Paul M. Kaplowitz
Do I bargain with people. Sometimes and other times no. Let me give you an example. I had two Hackberry bowls that had not sold for several months. One was $100 and the other $125. A buyer asked what was the best I could do. I said $200 for both, he said $175. I said $190, and he bought them at $185. He felt good, I felt good, a win, win deal. I am never insulted by an offer, everyone wants to get the most for their money. I bargain with everyone. Almost everything is negotiable. I just made a deal for chain saw chains with my local Sthil dealer. I buy 5 and get 1 free. I don't drop my price when I know the bowl will sell or it is an attraction bringing people into my booth. I had a bowl that was 22" in diameter and 10" deep. It was made from the largest Alanthus Altisimma ( Chinese Tree Of Haven) I had ever seen. The price was $600. I was offered $500, $550 and some lower. I refused all offers because I knew it would sell and it did at $600. I wrote an article several years ago for the AAW Journal( Almost making A Living Turning) detailing selling your products. Hope this helps. Paul M. Kaplowitz