Epoxy Daggers, Just Sharing

[mysterionz]

A common mistake of many makers and artisans is to undercut themselves, thinking "it's just a hobby" and so I'm glad you asked the question.

There's a variety of different formulas available. I suggest seeing what they come up with, and that will give you a range to work with.

Another one I like is to blend
A) 3x cost of materials
B) cost of materials + what you consider to be the value of your work to produce an item (e.g. 1.0 hour x $15).

A is a common pricing strategy for items that don't require individual creation (e.g. postcards and stickers that you had made from a drawing you made)

B is basically the baseline, and in @Atrapa Almas' example, is a variation that also builds in a margin.

Having a margin is always good, as that provides you with the reward for selling it - basically, you get earnings for both the creation and for the selling. And you'd want to be able to give a modest discount for multiple purchases, or repeat buyers.

Where you are considering the possibility of consignment, having a higher margin is helpful, since 25-50% commission to the store is quite common, and you want to ensure that you're still getting a fair amount.

The other point I want to cover is shipping. Generally, I'd recommend actual postage+packaging costs and up to $1 more to cover incidentals. People that buy enough online get familiar with costs, and are turned off when a seller has an obviously inflated "shipping and handling."

The packaging is where you get to show some additional creativity - a thank you note or message written on the back of a business card, perhaps an organza bag or other simple but elegant packaging, and maybe some fun stickers with your logo or other art to adorn the envelope with. You want to show your pride in your creation, and for the buyer to get excited when they get it - it's not just another widget that someone got from Amazon in yet another generic brown envelope, but something you lovingly made - for them to enjoy and cherish.

I do art commissions and I should keep the above point regarding cost in mind.. I plan on redoing my commission prices eventually

 

[Forest Cat]

Thank you so much. I was encouraged to go for it on etsy on this thread, but other important things have eaten up my motivation.

I keep second-guessing myself that they would be worthy, but I don’t make them for fun anymore because I have too many just lying around. I have so much fun making them. I would like to get back to it.

Also, most of them contain secret things inside the handle which can give each one a good story as to where it gets some power, or magic.

As a few pieces fall into place and with much more energy in sobriety, perhaps it is time to pair this with my part-time job and really make a go at it. I am really considering what you said.

I just thought of something, you know that thing called Cosplay? People make costumes from video games and all sorts of things and those costumes often have things like weapons and daggers and stuff. So if you look at what the Cosplay people are using/what's popular and make knives or daggers or other things that are from a video game or something popular, I'll bet people will buy it. Because the quality of your stuff looks good. But this was just a random thought off the top of my head, so maybe it's not interesting for you. Anway, good luck with everything.

 

[mysterionz]

I just thought of something, you know that thing called Cosplay? People make costumes from video games and all sorts of things and those costumes often have things like weapons and daggers and stuff. So if you look at what the Cosplay people are using/what's popular and make knives or daggers or other things that are from a video game or something popular, I'll bet people will buy it. Because the quality of your stuff looks good. But this was just a random thought off the top of my head, so maybe it's not interesting for you. Anway, good luck with everything.

Cosplay is awesome! I’d use a dagger like that if I were to do some cosplay pertaining to South Park TSoT

 

[Rodafina]

so maybe it's not interesting for you

Oh, I’m always interested in great ideas!

 

[WhitewaterWoman]

Elegant. Good luck.

Don‘t forget Etsy takes a cut. Also look at how many sellers there are and figure out something to make yours stand out.

 

[Aspychata]

Plus go online and see what is available, what is selling point, how is it marketed. This will give you a honest feeling if you can roll with it. But Cosplay sites would be where you could do assignments for people to complete their outfits. You could even sell at booths for this. Sheath to accompany would be another price point, and monogrammed handle might be an additional price point. Please put all warnings if sharp etc, or not for children. It never hurts to act like California's dumbing down labels. I swear they slap may cause cancer on every product.

 

[Aspychata]

These are so beautiful to look at, maybe a shadowbox with 3 of these inside on that pretty background would really bring a decent price, just wrap well. I worked at a beach store, and we sold tons of things for walls, l would be packaging up stuff to send everywhere.

 

[Human Avatar]

@Rodafina cosplay is a great idea for your your talents !

 

[VictorR]

Thank you so much. I was encouraged to go for it on etsy on this thread, but other important things have eaten up my motivation.

I keep second-guessing myself that they would be worthy, but I don’t make them for fun anymore because I have too many just lying around. I have so much fun making them. I would like to get back to it.

Also, most of them contain secret things inside the handle which can give each one a good story as to where it gets some power, or magic.

As a few pieces fall into place and with much more energy in sobriety, perhaps it is time to pair this with my part-time job and really make a go at it. I am really considering what you said.

If you really enjoy making something and sharing it with others, your storytelling of your self and your items will shine through and potential buyers will notice and pick yours over comparable items from others.

One of the biggest pitfalls that many small artisans / businesses get into is chasing business for the sake of it, in which case it loses the fun and becomes a chore. Sometimes expanding too much or too quickly can do this, and so it you can keep things small, making them when you're happy to do so, and scale up only if/when you feel comfortable doing so, I think you'll do well.

 

[Aspychata]

https://www.etsy.com/market/cosplay_daggers
Oh boy. I thought your daggers were way cooler.

 

[Rodafina]

Thank you all so much for your encouraging, informative, and incredibly useful posts here.

Special thanks to you, @Yeshuasdaughter for bringing attention to this again. I think I posted this when I was very new to the forum and that feels like a lifetime ago.

Clearly I wasn’t ready to go for it then, but maybe I am now. I am motivated and excited by the support and advice.

 

[Atrapa Almas]

Thank you all so much for your encouraging, informative, and incredibly useful posts here.

Special thanks to you, @Yeshuasdaughter for bringing attention to this again. I think I posted this when I was very new to the forum and that feels like a lifetime ago.

Clearly I wasn’t ready to go for it then, but maybe I am now. I am motivated and excited by the support and advice.

In this kind of bussines, where you need to invest nothing (you already have the daggers) you have nothing to lose.

If it work for you, you will win.
If you discover that its not for you, you will learn.

Hugs.

 

[Slime_Punk]

In this kind of bussines, where you need to invest nothing (you already have the daggers) you have nothing to lose.

If it work for you, you will win.
If you discover that its not for you, you will learn.

Hugs.

I think Etsy does cost a little bit, but it's definitely worth the few cents per listing. They can rack up pretty fast, but it's not a huge loss if anything goes wrong. Sometimes I wish their listings were just free like digital-sales sites usually are.

I definitely think these are Etsy-store material, too! Sometimes promoting can be tough, but it's also very rewarding!
I had next-to-no luck when I opened up a few stores last year, but it still pushed me to make more stuff which definitely wasn't a bad thing at all. Sometimes just the act of doing something bold changes your approach!

 

[Outdated]

If each one came with a certificate declaring what's inside the handle, and why, they could be a big hit in the D&D world.

And I think the other's formulas about how to work out a price could be a little on the low side. Basic commercial markup is 110%. A supermarket buys a product for $1.00 and sells it for $2.10.

Your costs include all materials, consumables, reasonable estimate of the cost of replacing tools and equipment, and your wage. If truly a commercial enterprise the rent of a premises would also come under costs. As a printer back in the 90s I was paid $30/hour but my time was charged out at $80/hour.

 

[VictorR]

And I think the other's formulas about how to work out a price could be a little on the low side. Basic commercial markup is 110%. A supermarket buys a product for $1.00 and sells it for $2.10.

Most formulas, like those shared earlier, are were intended to provide a potential baseline "wholesale price."

As noted, one would then add a retail margin on that, if their intent is to sell them (rather than being strictly hobbyist e.g. proverbial elderly lady who knits for fun while watching TV, has hundreds of items and is primarily concerned with cost recovery). I suggested 30-50%, and I should clarify that this would be as a percentage of the final retail price. This basically reflects that when selling on consignment, especially at smaller stores, and for less expensive items that 30-50% represents a common "cut" percentage.

If we go with 50%, then the markup would be 100% from wholesale.

To put that into an real example, $40 wholesale / $80 retail.

The markup also allows the artist some wiggle room - there's always going to be people who want a discount, and I'm generally willing to offer 10% off to those who ask nicely. You also want to consider a multiples discount, typically for buying three or more (note how fast food usually has a main/side/drink combo), though if you are also selling through stores and other venues, you may not wish to advertise this (e.g. only available if asked for) as you do not want to be seen as competing against the stores/galleries that are carrying your items.

That brings me to my next topic - that one should ideally have a variety of price points. For "flat art" (paintings, sketches, drawings) - it's pretty straight forward - you have an original and prints on the more expensive side, and for those who wish to support you but aren't in the market for a full piece, you can also have postcards and greeting cards at the $5-10 range and depending on your genre, perhaps stickers and buttons at the $2-3 range.

With the smaller items, you'd almost always want to have a quantity discount to encourage purchases of multiples:
e.g. Postcards
$5 each, $20 for 5 (A 5-combo is desirable and is a common alterate to the standard 3-combo e.g. $12 for 3. Note that 4-combo is generally not used)

The great thing about e-commerce and made-to-order is that one can also offer things like t-shirts for $25.


Now, @Rodafina, in your case, since you're selling 3D art, from a business perspective, I would recommend pursuing a different angle for alternative price points: miniatures.

If say, you decide upon $80 retail for a full-sized piece, I'd suggest $50-60 retail for a miniature. The idea is, as with above, to allow those who like and appreciate your art to buy a piece at a price that may be more affordable for them. But note that I am pricing the miniature at more than half of the full sized piece. This is because in your case, where you really have one flagship product, you want the focus to be on that, and you don't want the miniatures to cannibalize those sales. By pricing it somewhat close, relatively speaking, to the full sized piece, you can also help reinforce the sales pitch for the full sized piece. Someone thinking about paying $60 for the miniature will likely say "might as well pay the extra $20 for the full sized one."

To add to @Outdated's other point, someone often neglected is the packaging and presentation. When someone gets it in the mail, the package should stand out and they should feel, when opening it, that it's something special and valuable. A personalized and signed thank you note (preferably one you've designed yourself), tissue paper, box or bag are simple things that go a long way. And this extends to the mailing envelope or box as well. A sticker that is connected to your product/brand would raise excitement when they get it. Hey, it's that (item) I've been looking forward to!

By the way, for anyone reading this, feel free to PM me if you'd ever like to bounce ideas on selling art.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

If I wanted to buy one, how much would you sell it for?

 

[Rodafina]

If I wanted to buy one, how much would you sell it for?

Well, here’s my problem as a businesswoman. For you, actually? Free, of course. It would be a gift.

But for an anonymous customer? I’d have to consult the formulas that were offered earlier in the thread, but it falls somewhere between $20-$30.

 

[Rodafina]

Back to the dagger shop. Here’s the handle making in progress.

 

[Rodafina]

This is what I consider a “blank.”

And I will use recycled paper, in this case grocery store bags, and a glue/sealer to make it look like wood or stone.

 

[Atrapa Almas]

They look great!

Is the reference to dagger "shop" a hint of something?