[Jewelry making - Article 00272] - Re: [Orchid] Hagglers at your jewelry booth

[Richard Hart]

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>     It was only the second part of the response in which I said that
>     purposefully raising your prices so that you can always discount
>     them was unethical that seemed to have started the maelstrom.

    Please look up ethical in the dictionary and please tell me how you
    can apply that word to something that is your opinion about a
    business practice. 

    If you are going to try using logic about this, if some of you will
    not discount new pieces, but will discount something that has been
    around a while, does that mean your price was too high to begin
    with, or the work has some design or workmanship issue that makes it
    worth less than what you originally thought it was worth? 

    So now where are the "ethics". 

    Ethics and morality, (morality in the dictionary definition of
    ethics) is to me a subject that is more profound that raising prices
    so you can discount. False advertising and selling diamonds for color
    and clarity above what it is knowingly are unethical practices. 

    Ethics are about what is done as a society, and since there are a lot
    of people who have prices higher so they can discount, it is
    acceptable as there are no consequences for having that practice.
    Some of you do do not like to do it, or don't feel comfortable, or
    you have a good reason why it is "wrong" (which is actually a
    criticism and/or judgment), but it cannot be unethical. Theft, rape,
    murder, adultery are ethical/moral issues. There are consequences for
    these that society has determined. it is not opinion. 

    Most of what was or is unethical was or is criminal behavior.
    Adultery seems to have made it to the unethical but not criminal
    list in the U.S. 

    And "the reason so many are asked for discounts is because so many
    other craftspeople have already bargained with them " Is not true. 

    I negotiate for a lot of goods and services. 

    We are in a free market economy. If someone is interested in
    purchasing something, if they feel there is a possibility of paying
    less, it does not hurt to ask. When something is for sale, it is a
    commodity. The value of the commodity is what it will sell for, not
    what it is priced at. I do not beat people up, I actually say " I do
    not want to offend you, but can you take $$ for it?" People are
    always nice and either say yes or no. 

    People exchange money for something they feel is worth more than the
    dollars it takes to purchase the item. 

    When either the buyer(A) or (B)seller has an emotional attachment to
    the item, either 

    (A) the buyer will pay full price, even after asking for a discount
    and not getting one, or 

    (B) the seller believes that the item cannot be replaced or produced
    for the discount price. 

    And I have had no problems with customers expecting a discount
    because I gave them one previously, but that is because it is
    approached as a negotiation. I either see it as beneficial to my
    needs or detrimental to my needs. Not a value judgement other than
    if I need the dollars or the merchandise, which ever will suit my
    needs the best at the moment. 

    One last thought...what if someone asks you for a discount, and you
    said: I do give a discount, I give a 5% (10?) on three or more
    pieces. Maybe they will pick one of the pieces you have had a while. 

    Be as creative selling as you are making your work. 

    There are people who want to take advantage of you by de-valuing you
    work, an there are sweet innocent people who feel they cannot afford
    to spend $XX but 5% or 10% is justification to purchase. 

    For those of you who do craft shows, you are not being picked on
    because you have a booth at a craft fair. As a brick and morter
    store, I am asked at least 2 or 3 times a month.

Richard Hart
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