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General Category => General Scroll Saw Talk => Topic started by: frankorona on February 01, 2013, 10:46:28 pm

Title: A question for forum members
Post by: frankorona on February 01, 2013, 10:46:28 pm
A question for forum members:
When I do a job like this, I put on sale at price of $ 15.dlls
It is made of 6mm plywood finished with clear lacquer.
the backrest is the same material, but inking.
However, I can not sell.
My question is, is it a high price?
The measures 25cms X 30cms are approximately. .
Have any of you can guide me if I'm okay?
or the price is too high.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: Scroll Down on February 01, 2013, 11:15:36 pm
I have seen this pattern several times now..
Couldn't decide at first if it was Jesus or Bob Marley.
May just be the pattern doesn't appeal to people.
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: Keefie on February 02, 2013, 02:41:26 am
I think it might be too cheap, my first portraits went on sale for ?18 at a woodturning club sale. they didn't sell the first 2 days of the show . One of the woodturners said they were too cheap and people were wondering what was wrong with them, so I went mad and changed the price to ?35 (not expecting to sell them at that price). I sold all 5 of them that morning.
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: canadasgall on February 02, 2013, 04:27:55 am
i sell my portraits  starting at 25.00 and they sell pretty good i do not drop my prices.
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: geneVG on February 02, 2013, 10:21:37 am
My clocks sell from $20.00 to $200.00.  If I don't sell that many on the last day I put a sign on the table which reads "$5.00 off any idem $20.00 or higher".  You can't believe what I sell on the last day of the show.

gene
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: Jim Finn on February 02, 2013, 11:03:12 am
That is a nice pattern.  Here in the Bible Belt it would sell in a heart beat.  Your area may not be as receptive to the theme of your very nice work.  I am in west Texas and western themed items sell well and would not sell well in other parts of the world.  I am not all that "into" western and religious items but I make some of them because they sell well here.
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: dunk on February 02, 2013, 12:03:20 pm
Add a frame to it and raise your price to $35.  $15.00 is way low.  Some items sit for 2 years and do not sell then you sell all of them and get special orders for more.   You can never accurately anticipate what a given group of folks will buy on any given day.  Just when you think you have it nailed down they will surprise you.
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: Danny on February 02, 2013, 01:30:20 pm
Hey Frank....  First your talent with cutting that pattern is Great.  I say it needs a
frame.   I had a couple of that same pattern out for sale at last years Nov. show.
Neither one of them sold!  Had a couple of just  JESUS from shoulders up and both
sold the first day.  All were framed and the ones that sold I only asked $20.  I did
have a critic stop by and he does wood/scroll work also.  Said I had most of my
crafts set at TO CHEAP OF A PRICE.  So don't really know how to take that.  Danny :+}
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: SheGold on February 02, 2013, 07:24:56 pm
Frank I have done a few of the same portrait, the only difference is I framed mine.. I sold them for $75.00 each... By the way, That pattern is the Crown of Thorns (Jesus).. Hope this helps... Sheila
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: tvman44 on February 03, 2013, 10:29:13 am
Haven't started selling anything yet but that price seems way too low for that much work! JMHO :)
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: Jim Finn on February 03, 2013, 06:31:36 pm
I have had other vendors tell me that I have my items priced way to low so I tell them:" you buy it and re-sell it at a higher price...won't hurt my feelings"  Never have a taker.
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: ShadowB6 on February 03, 2013, 07:32:42 pm
If memory serves me correct, the lowest price I've ever sold a religious piece for was $35. And they sold well. I'm in agreement Frank with most of the others. You need to raise your price.

Mike
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: EIEIO on February 03, 2013, 07:48:38 pm
I agree that the picture is beautifully executed but it is not obvious that it is a portrait of Jesus.That doubt may hold back buyers who feel funny asking. Maybe put a title on it so it is not a question. It's also pretty big at 10"x12". Maybe a 5"x7" (13x18 cm) would be more marketable?

I'd set a price based on the time and material invested - if it takes 2 hours to cut a stack of 4, and the material cost you $20 for a 5x5 sheet of BB, then time is about $60 and material is about $4. Add $8 for blade a saw use: $72/4=$18 each. Increase it if you need more $$$/hour.

Add a frame at twice the cost to buy it (maybe add $20 to the sale price), and offer the portrait framed and unframed. They like a bargain.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: steviegwood on February 04, 2013, 04:39:33 pm
It is funny but around my area I can go to a church bizarre and I will sell a deer,bear or turkey faster than a religious cutting. Steve
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: The WoodArtist on February 04, 2013, 07:12:20 pm
Here's my opinion on this: First of all, great job on the cutting. As far as price, I couldn't tell you how much to charge as I'm not in that area nor do I know what your cost of materials was. Here's my formula on figuring price. For a piece like that one. First figure up your cost for materials then figure in about $3 an hour for electricity used to make it it. Then figure up how much you think your time is worth, I usually charge $2 an hour for my time. Then sometimes I add an additional $5 to each piece just as a mark-up and it gives me a little room if they want to try and talk me down on the price. This is how I figure up what to charge. I don't all the time use these numbers nor the formula but it's a good place to start to get an idea of what to charge. Another woodworker I know that does carving and lathe work gave me this formula and it has worked for me to get an idea of what to charge. If your like me and get a lot of wood free still use this formula with the going price of wood at the time to get a price that way it's more profit. Hope this helps. There's other things that I add but these are the basics.
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: IBMer on February 04, 2013, 10:38:53 pm
It's a nice looking portrait.   I think you have to have customers with pretty specific tastes or interests.     Maybe you had wrong audience?  Where did you try to sell it?
Title: Re: A question for forum members
Post by: mrsn on February 05, 2013, 12:34:17 pm
I sell my portraits at $30 and up for just the wood piece. If I frame it, I start at $75.
I find that the audience is really important with portraits. People love (and will pay for) different topics. I have had pretty good luck with nature patterns and fishing related things, also pretty good luck with cats. I would have thought that a religious portrait would have been a good target for mexico (sorry for the huge steriotype)
I think your price is ok, you just need to find better people :)