Under-selling!

[Graham]

As an 'Fred in the shed' I very rarely even try to sell my stuff but when/if I do I would want to sell at a price that would not upset the pro's, but as someone mentioned in an earlier post it will take me/us many times longer to make something than Pete or George et al. So people like me would need an alternative system than the hourly rate for time taken. What we really need to see is some examples of pieces with with the honest price charged for them because that is the only way we can compare and judge what price to set.

[GBF]

If I sell something for £100 the Gallery takes £50  00 the Taxman takes £10  00 this leaves me with £40  00 to run a van and workshop not to mention material costs insurance and a whole lot more.
If you Fred's in the Shed's sell something for £100  00 you get the lot.
How many of you declare you earnings to the Tax man

Just something for you all to think about

Regards George

[Les Symonds]

If I sell something for £100 the Gallery takes £50  00 the Taxman takes £10  00 this leaves me with £40  00 to run a van and workshop not to mention material costs insurance and a whole lot more.....

I took the other route and opened my own gallery/shop. OK, I get 100% of the retail price, which is great, but I also pay rent, rates, electricity,water, insurance, packaging costs, advertising etc etc etc....the list goes on a whole lot more than you might expect.
Les

[fuzzyturns]

Geroge: nobody is forcing you to sell through galleries. I have done it, and the figures are pretty much the same as yours. OTOH, if I (or anybody else) go to a craft fair, I have to pay for the stall, van hire, fuel, camping site. So my initial outlay before I even sell the first piece is around £400 for a really cheap event and closer to £1000 for a high-class event. I take all the risk. If the weather is lousy, you're lucky to get your basic expenses back. Now think about that.

[Derek]

If you Fred's in the Shed's sell something for £100  00 you get the lot.




Regards George

Not true as I do craft fairs and the like I still have to pay for pitch/table as well as take in consideration Getting there and back as well as having to have insurance, so I do not get the lot as you state. I may end up with a greater percentage than what you do using a gallery.
I am sure you did not become a professional over night and also had to start somewhere but maybe not the same route that people like me are doing.

[John D Smith]

 There are more than two sides to every story I wonder how many of you who complain about "Fred's in the Shed" when you are purchasing

 Some goods you do not buy from your Local man in the High Street but shop around on ebay Amazon etc.to get the cheapest come on live

   & let live   
                                       Regards John

[GBF]

Geroge: nobody is forcing you to sell through galleries. I have done it, and the figures are pretty much the same as yours. OTOH, if I (or anybody else) go to a craft fair, I have to pay for the stall, van hire, fuel, camping site. So my initial outlay before I even sell the first piece is around £400 for a really cheap event and closer to £1000 for a high-class event. I take all the risk. If the weather is lousy, you're lucky to get your basic expenses back. Now think about that.

I sell in Galleries because my work is better than Craft fair quality.

Regards George

[GBF]

Live and let live is all very well John if we are on a level playing field.

Regards George

[John D Smith]

 Yes George at some of the Larger events I have seen some very good work done by Fred's take the instant Gallery at the AWGB Seminar

there is some wonderful work and perhaps they do sell their work for the price in keeping with the pros.

                                                 Regards John

[GBF]

I think you are probably right John the Turners that create that quality of work don't tend to give it away.
My objection is  that novice turners think as soon as they make something it is saleable no matter what the quality .
I have had students here for a day or two then the next thing they are selling stuff.
I have seen some shocking stuff for sale at Craft fairs and this is what Joe public are judging us by.

Regards George

[bodrighywood]

I am extremely fortunate in having a live in critic who spent 30 years at the top end of the designer furniture induistry. I would never claim to be a top level turner but I am quickly brought back to ground if I try and sell something that is not of a reasonable quality. I have stopped doing 'local' craft fairs because the sort of things that are sold and (generally speaking) of a poorer quality than I would want to be associated with. Sorry if that sounds arrogant but facts are facts. The shows I do, like the one this coming weekend at henley on Thames are far from the normal 'craft fairs' and most of the things sold are gallery quality. I would love, like George, to have work in galleries but I have found that few galleries accept wood and those that do are usually a;lready aligned with turners and in no need of more. If you are earning a living from your work, making the stuff is perhaps a fraction of the overall work involved, selling, promoting and generally finding an appropriate market takes up a large percentage of your time.

Pete

[Steve Jones]

The more I read the more fortunate I feel that I only do work to order.
We should noit under sell our talent wether it is Fred in a shed or a pro turner. I generallly work for trade and get paid an hourly rate. I am really lucky to have been taught to turn quickly and accurately meaning my work is affordable and gives me a reasonable living. It is easy to work out but working out the price for gallery type work is a different animal. Having been in the woodturning trade all my life I know how to price my work but how do you put a price on your ability to produce quality art? 

[Mark Hancock]

Just like to point out that both Fred in the Shed and Pros are required to declare income. It is well known that Tax Inspectors also visit shows to check up on this. Next time someone takes a card or your details at a show just think about it. It may not be a future sale 

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

One of the ways of working out a price for bowls for example is this formula:
2xdxh
So twice the diameter eg, a 6" bowl = 12
the height, lets say 2.5 inches         = 2.5
So the cost is 2.5 x12                     = 30
so a 6" bowl 2 1/2 inches high would cost £30.

A 10" bowl in 2.5 would cost    £50
This for basic stuff, start adding embellishments and the price rises. So a bead on a (6") bowl takes seconds to apply and sand but it is still time and materials so each bead would cost £1 for instance. For segmented work I used to charge £1 a segment, haven't done any for a while but I expect its a bit more now. But however you do work it out add in and charge for the quality.

[Richard S]

If I sell something for £100 the Gallery takes £50  00 the Taxman takes £10  00 this leaves me with £40  00 to run a van and workshop not to mention material costs insurance and a whole lot more.
If you Fred's in the Shed's sell something for £100  00 you get the lot.
How many of you declare you earnings to the Tax man

Just something for you all to think about

Regards George

I'd get a better accountant if you pay that much tax on £100 first off the £50 Gallery slice is Tax Deductible, so is the wood so are your materials etc etc.

Richard