Your statement was "specific" for a generic question. The question
is "40% of what?"
What? What does that mean?
So if the economy is in the toilet, did you lower your prices?
No, they are the about same as they’ve been all year. I raised 'em if
anything because milk and bread and circuses cost me more.
I assume you're a trade shop and your business can be linked to the
retailers success. If they have less business, so would you,
unless you got more accounts.
True.
If you're a trade shop, your retailer marks up your prices.
Charging 40% of retail gives the retailer a 2.5 markup. 50% gives
a retailer a keystone markup.
If the retailer marks up my prices, how can I use his prices to
determine what mine should be? My head is spinning. I must give him a
price so that he can mark it up. All this talk about the mark-up
we’ll “get” doesn’t really help much. If fools with retail stores are
charging peanuts to do complicated repairs because they don’t
understand what’s involved, I won’t do what they want for 40% of
too-little.
To answer your question " What do you expect bench jewelers to
charge to size a sterling ring down one size?" The answer is very
simple. If it goes faster than sizing a gold ring, charge less, if
it goes slower than sizing a gold ring, charge more.
Great. So since silver is more difficult to work with than is gold,
I can charge more for it? I don’t think so. Your “time” example
doesn’t work. I pay the same rent every month, the electric bills are
the same pretty much, in short, I have a fairly fixed outgo every
month. I should charge MORE if I can do something quickly and
correctly because I am worth more to the business than if I’m slow,
and more money will come in.
Too many benchies think the customer can get the SAME service down
the street. I disagree. Do they have YOU down the street?
Yes, this is a good point and the only way I am able to charge what
I do, but when trying to attract new clients, people who didn’t find
me by the word of mouth of other retailers, they want a price list.
And I’m sorry. It’s going to be a hard sell for me to sell me and
you. I’m a jeweler not a salesman. I just want a client to have a
general guide, a list of my average prices. I guess I was trying to
discover an average price of basic repairs. Maybe I need to build a
survey.
Benchies think customers buy diamonds by quality and price combined
and that's true (called value) but when it comes to a repair or
customer many bencheis think its all about price.
Price is a guideline we use to determine worth. I think diamond cost
me some amount and I can mark them up some amount. They are worth
whatever the buyer is willing to pay for them. How much should I
expect to mark up a 1 ct diamond that I buy on memo from Stuller?
The only service I’m providing is the ordering, receiving and
physically paying the bill from Stuller. The retailer can order the
diamond as easily as I can. Other then the minor risk I’m taking
buying stuff for the retailer, what is fair and competitive to
charge? Or should I not mark it up at all and be thankful I have a
diamond to mount?
So does the customer not consider quality?
My customer? You mean the retailer? Yeah, he’s happy if his customer
is happy.
the customer does. Most benchies don't even think of it.
What? We don’t think about quality? Dude, that’s what it’s all
about! We’re burning and cutting our fingers up to make metal and
rocks look beautiful. I dare say those jewelers on Orchid are all
about quality else we wouldn’t read and write all this stuff.
Noman