craft show AAAaHHHHH! (Dial-up warning - image heavy)

[zombiequeen]

So, there is a craft show I will be in September 18. That means I have two weeks to get all my crap ready, make sure my friend's crap ready (we're sharing a 10' by 10' booth) and prepare myself for it.
I have only priced maybe 5 of my 10+ range of items.

I have no clue how to price things, my mum is so cheap that her attempts to help me end up with her telling me I won't sell anything because it's all so expensive. I should be practically paying people to get them, because my stuff is crap and should be cheap.
I put a ton of work into my projects. I handsew everything, and make sure my crochet is even and looks professional. This means some items take days to finish. So I should sell them for $5? I've recently made a list of possible prices with my husband, and he's going to be asking people where he works if those seem reasonable. He's also bringing in pictures of what I make to show them.
On the other hand, I'm getting commissions like crazy, and it seems most people that see my work want something I make. So hubby is letting me get an etsy shop as soon as we have a stable income. I'm also applying at all the local craft and hobby shops, because a discount there would mean a big savings for me. Also, I love crafting so the support working at a craft store gives would be tremendous.
So...any advice? I'm trying to use those pricing spreadsheets, but because most of my supply of fabric and yarn I inherited or was given...there's not much for me to go on here.

[Kanalah]

My mom used to say that my things were priced too cheaply (around $25 for a handmade baby quilt) but I sold a ton of them. Now I've raised prices a bit, which makes my husband a lot happier.

I don't do a "per hour" charge for labor, it's basically materials x a set number based on quilt size. I do have another fee for lots of work/rush job/asshole tax.

I think per hour I make about $2-4 now which is a lot better then the $0.02 - .09 per hour I used to make.

My mother crochets and she sells baby sweaters for $15-20, and blankets (like receiving blanket size) for like $25.

Hope that helps.

[zombiequeen]

Thanks, it does actually.
I make crochet screen cleaner octopuses, and I sell the big ones (like softball size) for $5. I also make these crazy complicated dragons once in a while, that have wire in the bodies and wings so they are poseable, for $25.
I'm guessing $10 is reasonable for my unicorns, because all the people I told that price too said either yes or that's cheap for something like that.
I make two sizes of stuffed whales though, and stuffed squids in two sizes...all this in two weeks, I have only one squid to sell and my brand name has squid in it!
I know I'll be fine and I'm just panicking because I can, but still...I'm nervous.

[csquared]

If this is becoming more of a business, you need to start tracking your material costs. That will help with pricing (You will also need that come tax time). Make sure you sell for more than it costs. You may want to do something like cost X2 or X3.

[zombiequeen]

If this is becoming more of a business, you need to start tracking your material costs. That will help with pricing (You will also need that come tax time). Make sure you sell for more than it costs. You may want to do something like cost X2 or X3.

Yep, I've been keeping receipts this year...but I've only had to get materials like three times...so yeah.
the cost x2 or x3 sounds like a good idea too. These sheets that help you total cost, profit, and labor are really complicated to me, so I might do that instead.

[Kanalah]

Oh and also, Etsy has been wonderful for me. I only started uploading stuff in May-ish and word's already getting out about the store. I've sold 6 quilts so far in my slow season.

If you have any other crafty or craft fair or Etsy questions, I'm only a PM away.

[It's me]

Remember: Expensive = perception of quality, while Cheap = perception of junk.

You are sure to have customers who will want to negotiate... keeping the prices higher gives you some space for that. Plus, you can always mark down prices if things don't sell...

[Aethian]

Yep, I've been keeping receipts this year...but I've only had to get materials like three times...so yeah.
the cost x2 or x3 sounds like a good idea too. These sheets that help you total cost, profit, and labor are really complicated to me, so I might do that instead.

I second the x2 or x3. Maybe x2 to start and go up to x3 when you get more known.

[Kanalah]

I agreee with It's me as well.

I have a little bit of "wiggle/haggle/coupon for friends" room in my prices, usually around $10.

Hey also can you send a link or pics of your work Zombiequeen? I do have a weakness for crocheted things. >.>

[RetailWorkhorse]

I have a 4-Multiplier (x4) to my "retail" selling on the food cart (I'm trying to wean myself off of "hotdog cart" because I sell so much more than hotdogs now ).

Post a couple of pictures and we can tell ya how much to sell it for.

[Erin]

Be prepared to hear a lot of "I can make that...and do it cheaper".

A lot of crafters go to craft shows. I go to them every once in awhile (I crochet and knit). Usually to get ideas on stuff to make for myself, but sometimes I buy things others have made because it's there, finished and I didnt have to make it.

[Seshat]

Also, go to other craft places and look at comparable work. Knitted, tatted, or other crocheted objects of similar yarn amount and complexity, and of similar crafting-quality. Or check things out online.

Price your items about 10% or 15% above the mode price of items of similar yarn amount, complexity, and crafter skill.

mode: a special kind of 'average' where you're actually picking the most common item in a selection of data points.
For example, if the prices were $3 $4 $5 $5 $5 $6 $7 $10, the mode would be 5.

Use your judgement, though. If there's a bunch of things at $5, and a bunch at $10, and they both seem to sell about equally well, try setting your price at $7.


Always be willing to tweak prices. Pricing is a difficult skill, but do it right and it'll really work for you.



You probably don't have time for this craft show, but it's very useful to have a bunch of ultra-cheap things to sell as a loss leader. Crocheted keyrings with initials or symbols on them, perhaps. Design something you can do in snippets of time - while waiting for a bus, or in the doctor's office - and make them in time that would otherwise be wasted.
Sell them at the craft fair in a bin, for a dollar or two. While one person in a group is digging through the bin for the perfect one for their friend, the other is examining your octopi and may well buy one - when otherwise they'd have walked right past your stall.

[Merriweather]

Be prepared to hear a lot of "I can make that...and do it cheaper".

A lot of crafters go to craft shows. I go to them every once in awhile (I crochet and knit). Usually to get ideas on stuff to make for myself, but sometimes I buy things others have made because it's there, finished and I didnt have to make it.

I do a lot of crafts, and love craft fairs (have never sold at one yet). I absolutely loved a sign one crafter had above their booth a a recent fair:

"Yes, you can make it yourself - but will you?".

Just realized one thing I don't think anyone mentioned on here to consider when pricing (though I've never sold, I have considered it, and done some research".

Take your venue into account. A tiny little church bazaar isn't going to get the prices of a huge well advertised craft show, which in turn won't get the prices you'd get at an artsy type shop. Where you sell it (and the type of customer common at that venue) can make a large difference on what you can get for it.

[zombiequeen]

Thanks for all the advice, I went to bed after my last post and just now am updating my blog, so I have pics for you all!
Before I get to them though, I do have some little accessory straps made of polymer clay and beads and some little crochet octopus keychains, for $1 and $1.50 respectively. I also am making a nice big plate of cookies or something cute. I'm printing business cards like crazy (mum needs to get color ink, it's making me look bad!)
I'm really big on presentation, so there is going to be a lot of fabric-draped boxes and sweet bowls with my products in them so it looks good.
Ok, now for the super-dense pics

These are squid pincushions, but they are also just really fun, you know?

Dragons, the green is prototype, and the black was commissioned.

These are my octopuses (I call them octopidders because it's cute :]) I sell the big ones (around softball size) for $5, medium ones for $4, and the small ones for $1.50.

Unicorn, I was thinking of selling them for $10-$15 each, does that sound good?
That's a lot of pictures, so if you guys wanted to see more, just ask and I can PM you them or the link to my deviantART or blog.
I know the pics aren't the best, but my husband was sleeping so I had to use low-light pictures.

[Aethian]

I want the dragon... the purple gem is soooo cute.