Pricing Our Work

[stoney]

I don't sell many of the projects I make but I learned a lesson a while back I would like to share.   I have done some custom work over time and have usually set the price before hand.

 

I had made a military Jeep and had it displayed in my rec room.   A good friend saw it and asked if I would make one for her to give to her son.   She said she would pay me for it.   I didn't keep track of the amount of time I had spent on mine so no price was set before hand.

 

When I completed the project she asked what she owed me.   I said for her, $25.00 would be enough.   She said. "really" and not in a good way.   Needless to say I had many, many hours in the project and thought I was being more than generous.   Was not a good outcome.

 

Moral of the story:   Never ever assume a customer knows the value of the amount of time and effort that goes into what we do.   

[Ron Johnson]

That's unfortunate Al but I think most have gone through a similar situation one time or another. To avoid this ever happening I quote my price prior to beginning an order. Either the person is happy with the price or their not. There's no reward in stupidity.

Edited February 2, 2016 by Ron Johnson

[LarryEA]

Really!!!!!

How to lose friends..... She probably expected it as a gift.

[rjR]

Many think that 15 hours of your time is worth at least $.25 per hour and they are doing you a favor by even paying that!

 

 

Some of these same people pay $30+ for haircuts that take 20 minutes and think they got a bargain!

 

Hand work is not appreciated by most of the current "throw-it away" generation. And some of those are old enough to actually know better!

 

Stupidity is certainly not limited to the young!

 

I do give a lot of things away and I try to make sure that I am not -"overcharging" anyone. I have found CHEAP places to get some of my supplies too help keep my costs down! 

 

I think your (friend) is in a habit of taking advantage of everyone that she can!

 

WE have all had some of that type of experience!  Just let it ride and avoid the repeat!

Edited February 2, 2016 by rjR

[Clayton717]

I have had a couple experiences like that. Now I give a price up front and if they don't like I won't make it. I use to worry about charging to much but now I don't they either pay my price or they don't it don't bother me anymore. You will always have some that no matter the price it will be to high for them. Some tell me my prices are low but I'm happy with the rate I charge, it buys all my materials and tools I need.

[amazingkevin]

Many think that 15 hours of your time is worth at least $.25 per hour and they are doing you a favor by even paying that!

 

 

Some of these same people pay $30+ for haircuts that take 20 minutes and think they got a bargain!

 

Hand work is not appreciated by most of the current "throw-it away" generation. And some of those are old enough to actually know better!

 

Stupidity is certainly not limited to the young!

 

I do give a lot of things away and I try to make sure that I am not -"overcharging" anyone. I have found CHEAP places to get some of my supplies too help keep my costs down! 

 

I think your (friend) is in a habit of taking advantage of everyone that she can!

 

WE have all had some of that type of experience!  Just let it ride and avoid the repeat!

It won't be the first time i got beat or the last time.I'm just happy to make it from day to day.

[TripleJScroller]

I too have had this happen to me and learned my lesson quick.  I've also learned something similar about doing custom work.  A friend asked me to make him an intersecting word art sign, nothing too difficult, I spent a couple hours at the computer making a pattern for it.  I showed it to him and he didn't like it, so I spent more time making it more to his liking.  This time he still wasn't happy with the pattern and told me to just forget it.  So I wasted two of my evenings for nothing.  In the future I don't know how much custom work I'll be doing.

[Scrappile]

This way I do not want to get into selling.  I quickly decided this when I was in the pen making phase of my life.  Lots of people got all excited and wanted to buy one as long as it was around $10.  The hardware cost almost that much.  So I stuck with making them for fun and giving as gifts to whom or for what  I wanted.  Same with scroll saw work.  Crafts just do not seem to sell good where I live. 

[tomsteve]

doesnt matter who it is, if its custom work, price is agreed upon before ANYTHING happens on construction in my shop.

[ike]

I did custom scroll saw work 35 years ago. The price was set before i started and that was it. if they didn't like it i said OK I will just burn it then they wanted it at a chieper  price i said no and it went into the fire place, then I decided I don't need this so I don't do any more costume work.

[stoney]

Thank you everyone for your responses.   I would like to share a little story with you.

 

My father in-law used to make some beautiful woodcraft's years ago.   He was at an art fair and had some of the beautiful clocks he made displayed on one of his tables.   He always had his items fairly priced and clearly marked.   A guy walks up and looks at his display for a while picks up one of the least expensive clocks and asked if he would take any less.  My father in-law reached out took the clock and double checked his price.   Finally he handed the clock back to the guy and said " if you don't think that is a fair price just take it."  The guy's face got red he set the clock down and walked away.

 

Some people expect to get a quality made woodcraft at flea market or yard sale prices.   Yea, so I mostly make things for myself and to give as gifts to friends and family.

Edited February 2, 2016 by stoney

[bandaideman]

I do a show no more than 2-3 times a year to fund my hobby. Custom things friends as for I make for them and if they insist on paying I charge for material most do not insist. Might if you do custom signs like that charge 1/3 to 1/2 non refundable for the pattern making time with rest upon delivery. Like many I just try to get enough over the year for funding.

[RangerJay]

Stoney: 

 

I like your father-in-law.

 

I've come to never undervalue my work - I set my prices based on what I think it is worth - not my hours put into the piece nor the cost to make it .... they are usually priced higher than most will be willing to pay - and if I can't sell it at the price I feel it is worth then I end up packaging the piece (or pieces) as a gift or making a donation to a local organization for a raffle, auction, door prize (whatever).  They almost always end up making much more for the organization I donated it to than the asking price I put on it when it was for sale .... this always leaves me feeling as good about it as if I sold it.

 

 

Jay

Edited February 3, 2016 by RangerJay

[Lucky2]

I price my items for what I think they are worth, if you don't like my prices, to freaking bad. Plus, I don't lower my prices just to sell an item. There's always someone out there that wants a better price, I ask them if they give the company they work for any free labor. When they say no, I then tell them that I don't work for free either. That usually ends the conversation, and they either buy the item at the asking price, or they walk away. I'm fine with whatever they decide to do, I usually have no trouble selling what I make.

 

Len

[stoney]

Stoney: 

 

I like your father-in-law.

 

I've come to never undervalue my work - I set my prices based on what I think it is worth - not my hours put into the piece nor the cost to make it .... they are usually priced higher than most will be willing to pay - and if I can't sell it at the price I feel it is worth then I end up packaging the piece (or pieces) as a gift or making a donation to a local organization for a raffle, auction, door prize (whatever).  They almost always end up making much more for the organization I donated it to than the asking price I put on it when it was for sale .... this always leaves me feeling as good about it as if I sold it.

 

 

Jay

Yea Jay he was a great guy and treated me like I was his son.   The last few years I have been making and donating toys that are distributed to under privileged kids so I know what you mean it's a great feeling.   

[Patrick Hurley]

Al,I read about your unfortunate deal.I was a bit more fortunate,I made an oak doll swing for a fellow worker, when I told him $90.00 he said I was underpriced and wrote me a check for $120.00. Fortunately some people know what goes into making these projects.

[Chiloquinruss]

Pricing for custom handwork is something I'm NOT familiar with, but in my CNC business there is a different set of circumstances.  The customer wants 100 pieces of something, you work up the bid price, he agrees and says that's a good price but he only NEEDS 10 right now!  Soooooo it is the same only different!    Russ

[ONELUNG]

custom work very little  turn saw on $ 10.00     price goes from there    Jerry

[tomsteve]

Thank you everyone for your responses.   I would like to share a little story with you.

 

My father in-law used to make some beautiful woodcraft's years ago.   He was at an art fair and had some of the beautiful clocks he made displayed on one of his tables.   He always had his items fairly priced and clearly marked.   A guy walks up and looks at his display for a while picks up one of the least expensive clocks and asked if he would take any less.  My father in-law reached out took the clock and double checked his price.   Finally he handed the clock back to the guy and said " if you don't think that is a fair price just take it."  The guy's face got red he set the clock down and walked away.

 

 

pretty much the same reaction when i said to a customer, with a smile," im sure youd be thrilled if yoor boss asked you to take a paycut."

[amazingkevin]

I don't sell many of the projects I make but I learned a lesson a while back I would like to share.   I have done some custom work over time and have usually set the price before hand.

 

I had made a military Jeep and had it displayed in my rec room.   A good friend saw it and asked if I would make one for her to give to her son.   She said she would pay me for it.   I didn't keep track of the amount of time I had spent on mine so no price was set before hand.

 

When I completed the project she asked what she owed me.   I said for her, $25.00 would be enough.   She said. "really" and not in a good way.   Needless to say I had many, many hours in the project and thought I was being more than generous.   Was not a good outcome.

 

Moral of the story:   Never ever assume a customer knows the value of the amount of time and effort that goes into what we do.   

They've no idea what's entailed in our job.

[Bpardue]

Everyone has had this experience. Mine was at a show last year. The show opened the 1st day at 9am and a customer came up to me 15 minutes or so after opening and wanted to buy one of my Pieces. She offered me less than 1/2 of my asking price. I told her no my prices were a fair price. She asked if I was going to reduce my price the second day of the show, I told her no again. Than She asked what I was going to do if I didn't sell the piece, I told here I would take it to the next show and someone that truly likes handmade items will pay my price.

She turned around and paid the full price of the item.

[lake9guy]

I really did enjoy reading the above experiences re selling cost of handmade items and customer responses. Here's a story.  Many years ago I experienced a somewhat similar situation.  At the time I was a "one-man-band" selling and installing auto air conditioning upgrades.  A friend asked me to come look at and fix his home refrigerator that had stopped working.  I did visit his home-  could not repair because it was not a simple problem (I thought he was maybe low on freon or maybe a broken wire or something).  

 

I suggested he pay me for my time and effort-- and lost a friend!!  It is true that there are people who feel (for some reason) they are entitled to receive goods or services without much money changing hands.  For my woodwork stuff, I usually give as a gift or donate to a charity.  

 

Again-- thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences.  lake9guy

[Seprenyi Zoltán]

Hi!

 

I made scroll saw patterns only.

 

 

Please see my price:

 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/scrollsawpatterns