I was reading an interesting article in Gift Focus Magazine recently about getting the price point right for your creations. Gift Focus is a gift ware trade magazine sent to retailers throughout the UK. In the first edition of 2012, an 'Industry Insight' article was focused on getting the right price point for your goods. A handful of suppliers and retailers were interviewed about the current climate and it became quite apparent that there has been an insurgence in the £10 category in recent months. Customers will not hesitate in spending up to £10 as these are more likely to be impulse buys.
With forecasts still gloomy, the retail climate continues to be a tough one, it is important as a maker to offer retailers what customers are demanding, and at the moment it is gifts valued around £10.
As a maker myself, it is increasingly difficult to create and offer such goods when the cost of raw materials continues to rise. Also taking in to account the retailers mark-up as well as your own! With this in mind, a maker has to sell an item for £4 in order for the retailer to sell at £10. Not only difficult, but also having to compete with foreign, mass produced goods!
The article has been an interesting read and one which I am now taking in to account. It has made me think about reducing my costs i.e., buying in cheaper/alternative materials, without compromising the end product. The key being to create fun and unusual items that customers still believe to be good value for money. It's not easy having to be one step ahead, but the beauty of handcrafted products, is that they are unique and will often stand out against the mass produced. Keep creating!!!
Kathryn, Lazy Daisy Glass xx
4 comments:
An interesting blog and an issue that is facing so many of us who make lovely,unique pieces of art. I will not compromise on the quality of my pieces of jewellery, but have had to reduce the price of my goods in this economic market. The result is that I make almost nothing on my time and design work. There are lots of things out there that are inexpensive, but I often question the claims that the materials are genuine. So many suppliers from abroad are offering questionable goods but at such tempting prices. It is all very frustrating, but when the economy recovers, I hope that the artists who create truly genuine and unique pieces will survive.
Thanks for your comments Martha, it is much appreciated to hear from other makers and what they think/do. Good luck with your business.
Hiya! This is a really interesting post - so true that we makers are struggling with rising materials costs as wll as the expectation to produce mor affordable products.
Where do you sell, mostly? I have a folksy shop, and am currently trying to break the Etsy market.
I'll be popping over to your Facebook page for a look at all your glass.
Keep making! x
Thanks for visiting Jen
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