When I first started making jewellery properly almost two years ago I knew very little about the components, I didn't know what Lamp work was or how to use tiger tail or make ear wires from silver wire. I used cheap glass beads that looked pretty but had no story but that's fine because i was learning, I still am. I like to tell a story. I did a jewellery party last week at a pub near my house and I took my lower cost items and lowered the prices further to meet the market. For ease I priced all my earrings at £2 a pair or 3 for £5 bracelets £4 or 3 for £10 necklaces £8 or 3 for £20. Most of the pieces were just simple pretty glass except for one bracelet. I was trying to tell the customer about it, give her a little idea of what she was buying but she didn't even listen which was just rude. I was trying to tell her that the bracelet was made of Chinese Jade which I bought from a market seller in Dubrovnik whilst on my honeymoon. Now if I was buying a £4 bracelet and someone told me a story like that it would make the piece all the more special. Plus the fact that I actually pay attention when I am being spoken to.
And that is ladies and gentlemen why I will never lower my prices like that again. If you want cheap crap go elsewhere. You get what you pay for. Funnily enough some one has convo'd me on Etsy today and asked me to sell them my Marina earrings for $15! Seriously WTF?! I'd made a serious loss if I sold them at that. THE PRICE IS THE PRICE IS THE PRICE
Anyway, moving on before I move into perpetual ranting. I really want to make my business as ethical as possible. The wholesaler I use only uses ethical suppliers and claim that their products are all fair trade. I want to replace the plastic carriers I use with recycled and re-usable packaging. To me the point of buying handmade goes beyond the quality of the piece and the skill involved, you are supporting someones dream. We should all support small businesses and we should all consider what we spend our money on more carefully. Times are hard for most people right now and it's time to put your money to better use. Obviously if you are struggling financially you aren't going to buy jewellery but you can buy from markets selling local produce and farm shops.
So to follow on from this I want to promote the people who create the beautiful beads that I use. When I sell a pair of earrings I want to be able to promote the bead maker and tell their story, and weave that through mine. Create a new story.
My newest creation... the story? Oh right, yeah, well, you see...errrrm?!
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1 comment:
Very nice! And I agree. Never sell yourself short. Sure selling the cheaper stuff is fine to offload it but you should have kept that bracelet and sold it for what it is worth, story and all.
Funnily enough even people who cannot afford it seem to go for the more expensive stuff even when its not worth the money! Go figure! I guess thats just a material market. (And materialistic people tend not to appreciate anything anyway!)
Go forth and create, tell your story and charge for it! You deserve to be noticed for your talents!
And thats my rant done! hehe! Big hugs and smoochies xxxx
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