Hello:
Time is still flying by. I can't believe it's almost October 1. I am very glad for the fall temps.
Last weekend I participated in a rock show in Oshkosh. Thanks to everyone who stopped by. This was my 3rd year at this show and I always enjoy it (and eating at my favorite restaurant - Kodiak Jacks). In the past, the club that puts on this show has always had speakers giving talks on geology or other rock/fossil related topics. They did not have any speakers this year. I'm sure it gets harder and harder to find people to volunteer their time for this type of thing. In fact, it seems to me that the rock shows in this part of the midwest are all about getting the same small group of vendors together to sell their stuff and less about promoting and teaching about geology and the lapidary arts. Disappointing.
I will be at the Mt. Horeb Fall Fest this coming weekend. The show special will be gemstone and sterling silver bracelets - $16 each (usually are $18) or 2 for $30. I'm hoping it won't be too windy. My display and the wind don't mix well...
There are a couple of things I'd like to mention even though I've written about them before.
First, I do charge sales tax on my items. I have had a few customers lately who seem surprised and offended by this. Believe me, if there was any way I could get around charging sales tax I would. I have to pay these taxes quarterly to the state via an online interface and it is one of my most dreaded tasks. But, JRD is a real business, and the state of WI requires me to charge this tax. Thanks for understanding.
Secondly, I would like to address the pricing of my jewelry. I price my pieces honestly and fairly. I don't price to allow room for negotiation. Now, if you buy in large quantities ($100+ or more) I will offer a discount. But...it will be a very small discount. While JRD is a labor of love - meaning I don't make a living from it - I do have to cover my costs (which are increasing all the time). I can't do that if I offer discounts on small quantities.
I also do not reduce my prices close to or at the end of a show. If a piece doesn't sell at one show, it will sell at the next, or the one after that.
What I am doing is offering "show specials". These will be an item or a particular grouping of items that are offered at a special price for a show. The specials will change at each show. This weekend's "show special" will be bracelets priced as listed above.
In general, pricing is a touchy topic amongst artisan jewelry designers. If you price your stuff at a reasonable price point other artists accuse you of undercutting them. If you price too high, things don't sell. And there are always those lower end sellers that sell non sterling stuff and price it real low - like $2 for a pair of earrings, sigh.
