Suggestions needed

[crazycacti]

So I have been selling a lot of tarts and bath cookies and some soap and aroma ornaments to friends. More people have heard about and tried them. I have not been putting to much into my packaging and have been selling the tarts-made with the silicone baking pans or the heart ice trays-2 for a dollar and the bath cookies 3 for a dollar.

A good friend has a sister who sells her pottery at an artisan market in town and she keeps pushing me to take my stuff their-cuz people will love them. Only problem is that they take 50%--so I would really have to up my prices. Not sure it would sell for more.

I have been using little ziplock plastic bags for the items and putting stickers on the outside with the name, ingredients, my contact info and any warnings.

Suggestions? How could I make the quality of packaging look more professional without spending a lot of time or money?

Would people buy the items at twice the price?

I ordered some of the 6 cavity tart molds from the current co-op and those might sale for a little more--but just the loose tarts?

I hate to pass up a good opportunity!!

Thanks for any insight!!

[smellywax]

50% is a lot to be taking....I would find a better option for you.

[Guest Candelishis]

Uhh..yeah...50% is ridiculous, IMO. That's why a lot of handcrafted stuff ends up being SOOOOO expensive, because of places like that who make you hand over all of your profit! How do you make any money without jacking up your retail price?? jeez.

Also - A bit of advice - don't call them "tarts". Yankme has that one copyrighted. They'll send you a c&d faster than you can think of a new name..lol..

[MissMary]

Upping your prices could alienate those who you KNOW buy at the current prices - just a thought.

Packaging is so subjective. I personally prefer to shrink wrap my tarts and put on a small round label on top and warning on bottom, but others swear by cello bags, while others yet swear by those little plastic see through boxes.

I'd suggest starting by using search and search the type + packaging, or like this:

tart packaging

You'll get at least 20 different ways it's done. When you find something, order a sample and try it out.

[sockmonkey]

Crazy, I don't know that it would be such a good idea from a profit standpoint to do the market. Is it the friend's sister who wants to charge you 50%, or the market itself that collects 50%? If a potter charges $200 for a vase and has to turn over $100, they still take home a nice chunk of change; but you sell your tarts 2/$1, so that means at this market you would only make $.25 each. If you doubled your price you'd still only make $.50 after they got their cut. On top of that, you're thinking about different ways to package them, which will surely cost more than what you're currently doing. Consider how many tarts you'd have to make just to clear $100 there.

One way of looking at their fee is, if you don't sell anything, you aren't out any money, unlike other fairs where you pay a fee up front regardless if you sell anything, or even show up.

I would suggest you make a visit to this market for yourself and checkout the type of vendors they have there and what kind of prices they're charging. Notice how busy the market is. If it seems viable, go for it. I would definitely raise my prices substantially. Handcrafted pottery usually commands high prices at art fairs, so people are probably expecting to fork over more than a few bucks for things.

[HeavenScentU]

I think your prices are very low anyway. How can you sell at those prices and afford the insurance and all the other costs involved? Any I would visit the market and see what if any competition is selling their B&B products and tarts for. That will give you a good idea of where you should be in pricing.

[crazycacti]

Thanks everyone. It is the market that charges the 50%-and with her making pottery-it is easier to charge more. I have told them numerous times i do not think that it is the place for me-plus i do not feel like my product is quite professional looking yet!

I think have been charging small prices while i get them all sucked in and perfect my product--then gonna triple the prices-not really!! but will eventually go up!!

Thanks.

[sockmonkey]

I think have been charging small prices while i get them all sucked in and perfect my product--then gonna triple the prices-not really!! but will eventually go up!!

Thanks.

You might as well. That's what every other business does!