{"id":2600,"date":"2009-02-16T03:18:49","date_gmt":"2009-02-16T11:18:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beadsandbeading.com\/blog\/?p=2600"},"modified":"2013-10-26T11:48:46","modified_gmt":"2013-10-26T18:48:46","slug":"pricing-selling-handmade-jewelry-valuing-polymer-clay-beads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beadsandbeading.com\/blog\/pricing-selling-handmade-jewelry-valuing-polymer-clay-beads\/2600\/","title":{"rendered":"Pricing and Selling Handmade Jewelry – Valuing Polymer Clay Beads"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Swirl<\/p>\n

Are You Feeling Like Your Stuff’s Not Worth Very Much? Then Your Customers Will Think That Too:
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

As a bead and jewelry designer, one of the hardest things to figure out is how to price your pieces. This is why you will often<\/span> see handmade beads listed anywhere from 15 cents to 15 dollars for similar items. That’s a pretty big spread!<\/span><\/p>\n

With pricing, there are two main factors to consider. One is your cost of production (i.e. materials and labor). And when I say labor, I’m referring to how much value you place on an hour of your time. If you are doing this as a business, obviously your items must be priced so that you are not losing money with each sale. That’s just basic economics.<\/span><\/p>\n

The other pricing consideration is market perception. And that is what I’d like to focus on for the rest of this article.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perceived value is what allows one bead to sell for $15 in the marketplace, as compared to something similar that might only go for 15 cents.<\/span><\/p>\n

So how do you get customers to pay higher prices for your products? <\/span><\/p>\n

Well, it starts with you. What is your perception of the value of the stuff you sell? If you honestly feel that your jewelry pieces and beads aren’t worth much, then everything you say and do is going to convey that to the customer. And that’s what they will believe too.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, if you present your products and your artistic story with congruency and passion, customers will see value in this. It’s why many people love buying handmade… because a piece of the artist comes with every purchase.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you think of your finished polymer clay beads as chunks of plastic made from a product that little kids often play with at pre-school? Or are they precious miniature pieces of art, based on an idea or feeling that inspired you to create?<\/span><\/p>\n

Are you starting to see that ‘how’ you view your handmade beads might have a big influence on what you will be able to charge for them?<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch the following YouTube video and see why Sandy Rueve of She Beads is able to charge up to $15 for a single round polymer clay bead. Listen as she describes how bead making traditions have been around for 30,000 years. She tells a great story…<\/span><\/p>\n

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Do you think Sandy believes in what she produces? Absolutely! She sees value in it and has the marketing skills to get others to see it as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

She also makes an excellent product… which goes without saying by the way. In business today, it’s given that the quality of your product must be good.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now I am not so naive to think that everyone can accomplish what She Beads has achieved. But I do think you can study other people’s success to see how to improve your own chances of having it too.<\/span><\/p>\n

A belief in yourself and of the value you bring through your art, plus constant research and testing of the prices you charge, will give you a much better chance at making your jewelry business a viable one.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you find that you’re working your butt off making a good product, but hardly getting any money in return… why don’t you give some thought to the things I discussed above, about story telling and perception. <\/span><\/p>\n

And then try raising your prices. You may be surprised to find that your products become much more desirable to your customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

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For more success tips and ideas on selling your polymer clay beads and jewelry items, here are a couple of other articles to check out:<\/span><\/p>\n