Pricing your precious unique handmade items - Part 1

 I'm happy to publish another guest post here on my blog!

My friend Monique (Yemanja) has started an exciting experiment 

concerning pricing handmade items 

& she will share her experiences here with us!

♥♥♥

How to go about pricing your precious handmade items?

How to balance the very thin line between under- and over-pricing

in a world where many people struggle to make ends meet?

Two months ago I have started an experiment:

I let my customers price the item they are interested in!

They have to take my material-costs into account

(plus the 21% VAT I have to charge in the country I live.)

And that's it! Then my customers decide on the price.

In a way it fits perfectly in what I think of as (ideas of) a New Economy.

Besides, I really want my Crazy Creations to go out into the world,

not stay hidden in my atelier.

It makes for great conversation with my customers!

I feel more appreciated in my work,

people really think about the value of handmade,

the hours you put into it, your craftmanship.

I never hear anymore that it is too expensive ;)

Not one customer has not bought because of this policy.

Yes, sometimes it makes them feel uncomfortable.

They'd prefer me to put a price.

In that way they don't have to think about the value of handmade

and what it is worth to them.

They only have to "look inside their wallet":

can I afford this, does my budget allow it?

I found it is important to let them lovingly know

that it is not possible for them to disappoint me in any way,

that one's € 10 is not the same as the other's € 10,

that they can pay me what they can afford to pay for the value of the item.

I just did an exhibition/ fair in a small village on 'my' island in Greece.

A country in a deep crisis also on personal and family level.

I gave it some serious thought, if I should continue my experiment in Greece,

knowing that people are really low on money

and are looking for cheap-above-all or not buy at all.

Then I thought "well if I truly believe that the Universe will balance things out,

then I must do this, especially in Greece!"

I will keep this experiment till the end of 2015.

Then I 'll decide how to go on.

I 'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject!

Love, Monique

♥♥♥

A huge

"THANK YOU" to Monique,

Pricing is one of the most difficult things

& I hope her experiment

will become a real success!

We will read more about

Monique's experiences

with this unusual pricing method

in future guest posts,

can't wait!

Please get in touch with Monique

on her fabulous page Yemanja!

Hugs & Love:

Dada