[Jewelry making - Article 00955] - Re: [Orchid] Negotiating with retailers

[Jewelers Gallery]

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>        I'm so glad to see this thread, as I've been wringing my hands
>     over just this problem the last week or so. I've got a store in LA
>     and the owner wants to do 50/50% consignment. I'm trying to be firm
>     and hold out for 60/40% (she has not responded yet to this split).
>     I am new at selling my work and at consignment in general and
>     cannot decide which is better -- to get my work out there even at
>     50/50%, to just set a price, or to hold out for 60/40%. 

    	I am a little confused by this thread. For those that consign, are
    your pieces so price sensitive that pricing your work at 50-50, with
    you getting for your 50% the same amount as what you would get if it
    was a 60-40 split keeping your pieces from selling? 

    It means a $100 item at 50-50 would be $120 if the artist gets 60%
    and the gallery keystones, if I did my math right. 20% does not seem
    to  be a lot to me in this day and age where people pay $4 for
    coffee. 

    Is any of this sentiment derived from an artist feeling like the
    gallery does not deserve what they get for selling, after you put all
    that hard work into making it? I have heard talk like this from
    artists at craft shows over the years. I have found that if I find
    people who love my work and promote it, it sells. If is an attempt
    to increase inventory to sell more, but they aren't emotional about
    my work, it has less of a chance of selling. Your work will not
    necessarily sell itself, no matter how well made, or how well
    designed. 

    A good sales person can get that $20. One other issue, recogize which
    items you make that you get paid better for your time and or
    materials, and do more of that, lee experients. Don't try to make the
    retail client or the gallery pay for your learning curve. Know your
    strengths and weaknesses. Make more of the pieces you can get paid
    better for, and some pieces that you take more time to learn on, and
    get paid for learning new things, 	but not make much of a profit. As
    your skills develop and your speed increases, you get paid more for
    less time. Develope your name and you can charge more for materials. 

    This is what has happened to me as a custom jeweler with my own
    retail store. If I take in consignment, I pay the artist what they
    want. I keystone, and will discount off my side!!!! If you set your
    price, and the gallery owner can sell it for more than keystone, as
    long as they sell your work, and give you what you ask for, it is
    none of your business what they sell it for. They 	developed their
    client base and you should be grateful. They get paid for their
    expertise at what they are good at. Isn't that what you want? I
    learned a long time ago, pay people what they are worth, because you
    want to be paid what you are worth. Devalue others and you devalue
    yourself. In consciousness there is no them or us. Hard for me to
    aknowledge at times, but I usually get around to that way of
    thinking sooner or later. 			 										 

Richard in Denver


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