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

[zombiequeen]

True. What if I do $30 for four-legged dragons? I plan on selling the unicorns for either $10 or $15, the hikisquids for $10, the whales I make for $10 for small, $15 for large, and I'm not sure if I should increase the price on the octopidders, they are my best sellers. Or does that mean I'm safe to increase the price?
And, should I have commission tickets at the craft show? I've seen them before, it's a form with two halves that the person fills out their contact info and what they basically want on, and then after the show I email them and we work out the item? They pay nothing or like a tiny deposit up front and then afterwards we work out a deal.
If it worked, it would be really great, that's what most of my business is. I'm just not sure of the security of doing commissions that way...

[Taboo]

I'm just not sure of the security of doing commissions that way...

Ask that commissioned, super-customized ones be paid in full before you make them.

For things that are just a request for a different color it's up to you - as long as they're close enough to your normal ones that you could easily put them on the table and sell them side by side, then even if someone weasels out of paying, then you just sell it at the next craft fair. So that just depends on how comfortable you feel about starting it without a deposit.

They're really cute, by the way! I love your squids and the little octopi. How long do they take you to make? I might commission one or two for friends as Christmas presents... I was going to make people's presents this year, but thesis work is killing that dream.

[zombiequeen]

Not long, the octopidders take about an hour if I'm watching TV or something, and the squids can take a couple hours.
I was thinking of having a down payment of sorts, like pay $5 when I contact them, then pay the rest before I ship it. Although paying in full for the super-custom ones sounds good too, that way I don't lose out if they change their mind, because they have to do it then. Something like that at least.
I don't really know, most of my commissions are from family and friends, or the person pays up front. This is all a bit new to me.

I've noticed that my more "imperfect" octopidders are selling better. Apparently people like ones that have uneven eyes or are just a little bit special looking. Case in point:

Not for sale because one of my friends immediately called dibs. Still, I guess people feel sorry for it because I ran out of yarn at work when I made it. Something.

[spark]

I usually take enough down to cover all possible materials costs (because it'd suck to spend money on supplies and then have the customer flake out on you) and the rest when it's done, when I'm taking elaborate custom orders. That's just me, and I know plenty of people who ask for full payment up front. But I really am not comfortable having money in hand that I haven't actually earned yet. It makes it hard if they change their mind/you screw something up and you end up needing to refund them, because if you've had that money sitting in your bank account for months you've probably spent it already. So I prefer to get paid after I've done the work. Worst comes to worst and they back out, I've got supplies covered and can usually raise at least *some* money by selling it to somebody else.

And if you're selling out faster than you can make something, then yes, it's time to raise your prices! Not by a ton, especially not if you're making enough to pay for the time put in, but bumping them up a couple of bucks will probably not lose you any money, since you'll sell only a few less, but make more for each sale, so it works out to around the same amount of money, but less time spent to earn it.

If you ever want to talk shop about making stuff, I don't mind. I've only just barely started doing craft fairs, but I've been selling online as a full time job for about 5 years now.

[spark]

Remember that you're selling largely to middle class people. $25 is pocket change.

Unfortunately you're also selling largely to people who shop at Big Box stores. $25 is five times the cost of a stuffed animal at most of those. Not that I'm saying it's too cheap to charge! Quite the contrary. But brace yourself for the many people who squee and say they love it, then see the price tag and put it down, and the fewer, incredibly rude people who start going off at you about how absurd the price is.

[zombiequeen]

Unfortunately you're also selling largely to people who shop at Big Box stores. $25 is five times the cost of a stuffed animal at most of those. Not that I'm saying it's too cheap to charge! Quite the contrary. But brace yourself for the many people who squee and say they love it, then see the price tag and put it down, and the fewer, incredibly rude people who start going off at you about how absurd the price is.

I get enough of the being rude from my mother, so I'm used to it.
I have an argument I used on her, "Well, if you like it so much, it's worth it to you. But if you don't want to buy it, then you must not like it very much." She felt bad about that and bought about $15 worth of stuff. At least my husband supports what I do 100%, he even helps me when he can. And I have an awesome network of friends, both on line and nearby, that are supportive. In fact, I'm sharing my booth with some friends so we don't get too overwhelmed.
I've never said that to anyone, but it's just mean for them to say my stuff isn't worth the price I'm asking, especially if I'm selling it for a lot less than it's worth.
I'm getting fabric prices this weekend so I can realistically price my items. I honestly got almost all of my supplies for free so now I have no clue how much they cost.
I'm normally willing to negotiate or do a trade, but I won't be if someone's rude to me.

[roothorick]

It's not very often I make something just to sell, but when I do, I use a formula:

parts cost + labor cost (I make up a number based on the difficulty) * number of hours spent

And then I'll round up, nearest $1/$5/$10 or so. I never multiply the parts cost; if something's selling too well I'd probably up the base labor cost and redo the formula.

If I'm selling something I made for myself, used for a while, but don't need it anymore, I do the formula, then cut it by a certain percentage, half or so, works out pretty well. I've used this formula for selling modded consoles (console MSRP + chip cost + wires + a few cents for solder + $20 * two or three hours), and usually wind up much cheaper than the market, but hey. (I'm not a crafty guy. Things I sell are usually some kind of electronics)

[Sliceanddice]

i actually think 543 and are too cheap 1 dollar more each would be better 6 5 4.

I love the unicorn.

it would be awesome if you made some basic dragons to sell buy you can post a 'Design your Pet dragon- Dragon Commissons available' sign next to the prototype.

[wagegoth]

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.

Find a really cheap retirement home for your mum as soon as possible, and dump her there. She doesn't deserve you.

[zombiequeen]

i actually think 543 and are too cheap 1 dollar more each would be better 6 5 4.

I love the unicorn.

it would be awesome if you made some basic dragons to sell buy you can post a 'Design your Pet dragon- Dragon Commissons available' sign next to the prototype.

I plan on doing that with the dragons and the unicorns. My prototype dragon is cute, and the one I'm making now is fairly complex. I also make unicorns of every color, mane, and horn available to me.

Find a really cheap retirement home for your mum as soon as possible, and dump her there. She doesn't deserve you.

She's not even fifty yet! I tell myself she's jealous that I'm not only a skilled cook, but crafty too! That and I don't need to throw a fit for my husband to pay attention to me/do what needs to be done.

[wagegoth]

I tell myself she's jealous that I'm not only a skilled cook, but crafty too! That and I don't need to throw a fit for my husband to pay attention to me/do what needs to be done.

Good for you. I've known too many people who never see the truth of their parents, which is that they are human and fallible and not perfect.

[zombiequeen]

Yeah, she's human like my dad is. Fortunately, I'm not human! Muahahaha!
Sorry, feeling really good because I sent the money to pay for my booth at the show and now I know I'm in
And I've decided to do commission slips, but I'm going to be smart and have my display models tied to a string, which will be tied to the table. Don't want them getting stolen.

[Merriweather]

Awwww, that unicorn just has the cutest look on it's face......

He'a absolutely adorable.

[zombiequeen]

Thanks.
Yeah the unicorns are kind of my favorite right now, and a cow that I made special for my husband because he collects cows and didn't have a hugging-sized one. He has forbidden me from making them for anyone else though, because then it wouldn't be special.

[Becks]

Any gargoyles? *looking hopeful*