Just wanted to get feed back as to the showing or not of prices on
custom pieces in a show case at shows and in stores. Or is it a
psycological thing that enables the customer to react and the
sales begin? What are your feelings? Keith
Keith- I usually only put prices on lower end work. If someone is
shopping for price they are not going to buy my better
one-of-a-kind pieces. I’d rather have them fall in love with the
piece and ask me about it. Before I give them the price I talk to
them about how it was made, tell them about the stones I used and
why, in other words make the piece have some value. This usually
helps make the sale.
Janet in sunny Phila. where the azeleas are in bloom.
I show. Otherwise (at a good show) I spend all my time checking
prices for people, which makes it impossible to write those $$$
tickets… I usually have about 125-150 pieces per show. Joy
I did 2 shows during the last 2 weekend (ouch, my feet!), and
never leave the prices showing on my work. When a customer asks the
price, I take the piece from the case and tell them the price as I
put it in their hand. In my opinion, the first step to really
making a sale is getting the customer to handle the jewelry.
Karen (in Boulder, CO)
It is my opinion that it is best to show prices. This way the
customer doesen’t express interest in a piece and then shock at the
price!! (As they sometimes will at the price of a handmade item) It
also saves you time at shows, as you will be hauling pieces out of
the case for interested people only. I’d be interested to hear some
other opinions on this!
LisaPersonally I like everything to be upfront, I hate viewing things
that I can’t see the prices of. I hate asking some one the price
and watching them struggle through catalouges and I hate most of
all being given a price by the salesperson from their head, with
out looking at anything at all because I am thinking to myself
Are they having a go at me? Personally that is what I feel!
Marjorie Lord
Australia
I am a wholehearted believer in not showing the price of objects
in the showcase, when working in a retail situation. My reasoning
behind this is that the price tag can sometimes frighten away
customers at the first glance. But if they have to ask you for the
price then you have the opportunity to let them hold or try on the
object and do a bit of salesmanship, which can often make a sale.
The downside of this approach is that if you are busy and
shorthanded it can make you not give each customer the attention
they deserve. Scott
Keith,
I prefer to show the prices. If I am looking at something, stones
for example, and there is no price visible, I will wonder if the
seller has a fixed price, or starts high to dicker down. I don’t
like to dicker prices whether buying or selling. I put prices on
each piece with a ultra fine Sharpie and make sure I have a price
visible to the customer. When a piece is sold, a quick wipe with
alcohol will remove the price before presentation.
An error? Impossible! My modem is error correcting
Bobert
Carmel,CA
Yes, I agree, that it is best to show the prices, as I have been
told several times that if prices are not shown on some jewelry
pieces that is cause the price will fluctuate depending on the
person that is wanting to know the price of the piece that is being
offered for sale. That some people the price will be a lot higher.
Maybe depending on if they look like they could pay more or not.
So, I agree, that prices should be shown, plus as Lisa says, it
does save time then that they can see and not take up so much of
the sellers time.
KathyHi
My response as a buyer at shows or anywhere else is that I must
have some price indication before I will ask about a piece. If a
piece is out of my range and since I refuse to “haggle” , it is a
waste of time to consider a purchase. Ask your self when you go in
to a retail store if you want to see prices displayed?
Bob B
I don’t show prices. I do both wholesale and retail shows. With
about 150+ pieces, re-pricing could take me the better part of the
little time on earth I have left to me. Tried it once, and missed
a few wholesale prices. Not very amusing. Besides, if I can get
the customer to aknowlege my existence by forcing them to ask a
price, conversation starts, and work is often sold. Or maybe
they’re just buying so that I’ll shut up. Anyway, works for me.
Lisa, in Topanga Canyon, California, USA . Located in the rural
mountains between the beach and the valley smack in the center of
Los Angeles. Pine and oak trees, few palms. Rattlesnakes are out
a-plenty.
I use return address sized labels over regular string tags. On
one side is my company logo, on the other is a complete description
of the piece (stones & metals used) and the price. (Done in Arial
7 pt font). I place these face up in the case so customers can
read them. I know this causes some clutter, but it frees me up to
do the actual selling. I think some customers just assume that if
something doesn’t have a price on it, they can’t afford it. Most
of my work is affordable for what it is.
Wendy Newman
ggraphix@msn.com
My prices are marked on the back of each piece. All my work is
one ofs and I think that filling my case with small signs for each
piece or marking on the top of each piece would look cluttered (I
usually have a minimum of 150 and up to 250 pieces for a show). I
also like the opportunity to describe an uncommon stone, a design
process, etc. as I take the piece out for the customer’s
examination. I think my booth display indicates a general price
range and its infrequent that a customer comments on the price. I
do only retail shows now, but if I were to do a wholesale show I
might find a way to show prices because I think price points and
time would be bigger customer concerns.
Nancy
ICQ # 9472643
Bacliff, Texas Gulf Coast USA
Should you show the prices? Just to give an opinion of someone
who does not make jewelry, but does go to shows to buy–show the
price. I want to know if a piece is clearly out of my price range
before I go to the trouble of having the piece taken out. That way
if I can’t afford it, I don’t have to bother anyone and you don’t
have to go through that uncomfortable feeling of asking to see the
piece, then say “well, it’s nice but too much for me.” I realise
as a designer you want to get your piece into the customer’s hands
so they can see the workmanship but handing me a $1000 ring isn’t
going to change the fact I don’t have $1000 to spend.
Melissa James Office Manager
Tim Roark Imports @TRimports
toll free at 888-TIM-ROCK
Dealer of Fine Colored Gemstones
Melissa,
IMHO you are spot-on here. Being a potential buyer and not a
jewellery maker like you, that is exactly what I think. There is
also the thought that if the jeweller is not being upfront with
the price and showing it, why? Is it that they have one price for
some people and another for others? I like to know that the
displayed price is the same for everyone and if I can afford it
and like the look of it on first impressions, I will then ask to
look at it up-close to see what it looks like in detail and feels
like.
Nick
Bahrain
Personally I like everything to be upfront, I hate viewing things that I can't see the prices of. I hate asking some one the price and watching them struggle through catalouges and I hate most of all being given a price by the salesperson from their head, with out looking at anything at all because I am thinking to myself Are they having a go at me? Personally that is what I feel!
Very interesting point! I’ve often felt that “they were having a
go at me,” and that’s why I’ve always put the prices on the back of
the piece, and then mentioned that the price tag on the reverse
side. If they love something, the price isn’t going to matter that
much.
I am a wholehearted believer in not showing the price of objects in the showcase, when working in a retail situation. My reasoning behind this is that the price tag can sometimes frighten away customers at the first glance. But if they have to ask you for the price then you have the opportunity to let them hold or try on the object and do a bit of salesmanship, which can often make a sale. The downside of this approach is that if you are busy and shorthanded it can make you not give each customer the attention they deserve.
Maybe, as a compromise, the price of a few of the pieces can be
exposed? If there is some sort of a “price range” suggested, then
maybe the potential customer would consider “hanging around” rather
than walking away?
The discussion of whether or not to show prices has been very
interesting. My own practice is to tag everything (so the customer
is assured I’m not just inventing a price on the spot), but not
necessarily to have the tags visible to the customer. I don’t try
to hide them but they’re not always in a position to be seen. I
think everyone’s sales approach is unique and what works for one
person may not do for another. But the responses of several
potential customers have been eye-opening to me: an unwillingness
to consider items that aren’t clearly tagged because they may be
unaffordable. I may try some new approaches.
But the real purpose of this note is to get some views on another
matter that’s been mentioned: haggling. I personally despise
haggling. Considering the time and effort that goes into my work, I
usually feel I’m giving most items away anyhow. But no matter how
reasonable my prices are, there’s always someone who thinks they
can get an item for half the marked price – and indeed, there are
many sellers who overprice in order to be able to give a big
"discount." My prices are low and firm and only once in a great
while do I discount them, usually in the case of someone who
appears to really want to own a piece but (in my perhaps naive
opinion) can’t afford full price. Anyhow, what do others think?
Has haggling become the norm in business? Does the wise business
person add a “haggling mark-up?” I’m speaking retail, of course.
Rick Martin
Out in the country in warm and peaceful Ventura County, CA. We’re “just
south” of Santa Barbara, not “just north” of L.A.!
I don't have to bother anyone and you don't have to go through that uncomfortable feeling of asking to see the piece, then say "well, it's nice but too much for me."
I would like to also add . … “gee, that’s a BEAUTIFUL piece, I
love it, but where would I wear it???” And when I find out the
price??? Heck, I feak, and then know that I cannot justify the
price for the amount of times I would be able to wear it. Now,
don’t assume that I don’t have some very expensive jewelry in my
personal collection, I have, but I don’t wear it much anymore . …
gees, diamonds and jeans??? We don’t frequent the fancy places as
we used to. I love wearing a fur with jeans . . . seems that,
that’s the only time I get to wear vintage furs!!! (I only wear
animals that were dead longer than I’ve been alive!)
My prices are marked on the back of each piece. All my work is one ofs and I think that filling my case with small signs for each piece or marking on the top of each piece would look cluttered (I usually have a minimum of 150 and up to 250 pieces for a show). I also like the opportunity to describe an uncommon stone, a design process, etc. as I take the piece out for the customer's examination. I think my booth display indicates a general price range and its infrequent that a customer comments on the price. I do only retail shows now, but if I were to do a wholesale show I might find a way to show prices because I think price points and time would be bigger customer concerns.
So, now that you’ve “vented;” what is your price range??? Just
curious. I do small tags . . .mostly on strings. . . or I group
like items/w like prices together and can avoid the clutter that
way. I do not usually “reproduce” like crazy, mine are a variety
of original designs . . . but, I try to price according to amount
of silver used, stones used, and time. I find that people don’t
know anything about stones (I don’t know much about those either,
until I’ve purchased of few of whatever expensive kind.) But, I
cannot explain the gathering nor the reason for the expensive
price of whatever stone. . . I won’t stoop to saying, “well, It
cost me a lot WHOLESALE, so I have to charge you a lot more . . .”
I can only hope they know what they are looking at and understand
why the price is what it is.
Guess I’m just too forthright .