Pricing leathercraft items

Рет қаралды 5,085

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 33

@_BigLife_ Ай бұрын

I had to start charging half up front for customized pieces. Most everybody is happy to do that, and if they do back out for some reason, at least the material and some of my time is paid for

@brokenbearleather673 Ай бұрын

I think I replied to a different comment so if something looks like a goofy response, that's why. But yeah, someday I will probably also end up going with this model to save myself getting burned.

@ReadyUpGo 2 ай бұрын

Very helpful and I respect you for your willingness to get into this generally taboo subject. It proves to me that you sincerely want to help people, which I value highly wherever I see it. All my best to you and yours always. 🙂

@brokenbearleather673 2 ай бұрын

Thank you is insufficient. That may be one of the few moments in life I have ever felt "seen". 10/10 would buy this comment again.

@chrischrismon 3 ай бұрын

I love my sheath and holster u made! I show them both off every chance i get!

@madmoments5073 2 ай бұрын

I took up leatherwork during the pandemic , when i was in my late 50s. People always tell me i should start a business, like doing so is easy. Thing is, i already have a job and i doubt i could produce enough to make a living from it. I dont invest in all kinds of equipment, because i can't afford to. I do it for the pleasure of it, and give away most of what i make. I discovered your videos today, and enjoy your straightforward approach. Nothing turns me off more than how-to videos that involve all manner of expensive tools and machinery. Thank you for sharing your time, talent, and experience

@brokenbearleather673 2 ай бұрын

I can relate. Leatherwork is job #3 (could be argued that youtube is job #4). I love that people have dreams. I don't love that people dream, then never do. Every "expert" has told me, All you gotta do is...(get a loan, go into debt, build a workshop, buy presses and clicker dies and sewing machines, develop marketing and find a clientele) start a business! We do what we can with what we got. Cheers!

@main11gear 2 ай бұрын

Imma the kitchen table, Brother. And I agree...

@brokenbearleather673 2 ай бұрын

We have concensus! That's it...I'm calling it a day and working on some aged bourbon.

@chrischrismon 3 ай бұрын

"15% God damn them"...😂😂😂😂 u aint lying there man!!

@johna5669 Ай бұрын

Just a suggestion make this holster take it to the gun shop and leave it for customers to see. Leave business card s for interested customers.

@brokenbearleather673 Ай бұрын

*see your other comment for my full response.

@jeffallen3382 2 ай бұрын

Thank you for putting this together.

@brokenbearleather673 2 ай бұрын

I mean this earnestly; it was my pleasure. It brings me joy and documenting it has the advantage of being a perpetual legacy (as long as the internet holds up). Totally selfish!

@jeffallen3382 2 ай бұрын

@@brokenbearleather673 I just found your channel and subscribed.

@ashleyanderson2859 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for your perspective

@brokenbearleather673 3 ай бұрын

Thank you for being here. Without you, I'm...well...only me.

@ashleyanderson2859 3 ай бұрын

@@brokenbearleather673 understand that!!

@james2592OldLeatherSmith Ай бұрын

OLD Leather Smith here, I know what U R saying. I have people work 4 me that get 125.00 an hour but couldn't make it in my Leather work. So now I get 125.00 4 the 1st hour & 62.50 every hour after that. 1 very important thing I only do custom work nothing 4 Sale so my clients usually come we me because I work on their imagination with some input by me. God's Blessings ✝️ 🥎 🙃

@brokenbearleather673 Ай бұрын

Yessir. Thank you for the sage contribution. It's a sticky subject but we need to bring it into the light if we want to find the problems.

@johna5669 Ай бұрын

People just don't appreciate the time required or the actual cost of leather to make.a custom product. Also there is so.much foreign stuff available for sale on the Internet. Analyzing your cost is a good idea so you know to markup and sell it for

@brokenbearleather673 Ай бұрын

You're right. And this brings us to your other suggestion. Local shop owner offered to stock my holsters on his shelves which was really quite flattering but he intended to sell them at Uncle Mike prices...meaning I would have to make them for free or worse, at a loss. I can't compete against the commercial market, so I don't. Maybe someday I'll have the time to produce more and renegotiate those rates, or maybe I save my sanity and don't. We shall see.

@jamesw.3491 3 ай бұрын

Some things I agree with, some are just nonsensical. Yes, you need to understand who you want to sell to and what they will buy and pay for. But it takes 2-5 years to really get a business rolling. Just depends on what you are willing to invest to get TO those buyers. I would rather sell one $300 backpack a week, rather than 300 little pouches. It takes less time to make one backpack verses 300 pouches. Your breakdown for your business is a recipe for disaster. You'll never make any real money with those margins. 15% tax? Yup. Labor should be about the same as materials, or at least a lot closer to it. You want to make good money per man hour, then you need to make products that command a higher price tag. A welder makes more money an hour compared to the person taking your order at the local fast food restaurant, because the welder makes the company more money per man hour. The crafter selling 20-30 dollar items can't get paid the same per hour as the crafter who sells 100-500 dollar items. And your business profit margin should certainly be more than single digits. More like 20% or more. "Profits" is what grows your business and makes investments in machines to be more productive. Profits pay for better tools that outlast cheap bargain junk. Profits pay for advertising. Profits are the tools to GROW your business. Profit is not a dirty word. Let us know where you are getting hides exactly the same size too. No matter who you buy from it varies. Your square inch cost per hide is bunk. One may be 22 foot, another 25, another 21. It varies. I get there is no need to be super precise, but with a whopping 5% margin, you have zero room for error. Raising prices is a NORMAL part of business. Has postage held it's price since 2017? Has your blacksmith's been holding off prices? That sheath makes part of the VALUE of the knife. They are not going to go back to selling bare knives and think they will get the same business. People will shop elsewhere. My prices go up 3-10% every single year. Why? Because my costs go up, both personal and business. How many years are you working someplace without a raise? No one is going to do that. Look, I own a business and leather craft is a side business/enjoyable hobby. You can run your business any way you choose, but you will never really make any money screwing around. You worry about competing with other people like the Amish. Why? No matter what you are competing with someone. Welcome to the global market. Just because you don't sell online, lots of people do. Lots of shoppers buy online too. You are competing with leather crafters, and you are competing with import goods. People who aren't willing to compete are generally the people who make shoddy stuff. You don't make shoddy stuff do you? People either want your stuff at the price you set, or they don't. It's your job to convince people why your stuff is worth the money. Why it's better. If you can't do that, then they don't have any real reason to buy from you.

@brokenbearleather673 2 ай бұрын

That's all fair commentary. These are my choices based on my market, and my willingness to grow (or not). They're certainly not the end all answers but booyah, this video served it's purpose of opening the conversation rather than all of us scurrying about in the dark and guessing. Some dumbass had to lay bare their cards for all of us to learn. And for better or worse...I am that dumbass.

@Godofantz 3 ай бұрын

Bwahaha im right there with you on the backpack

@brokenbearleather673 2 ай бұрын

Ahahahaha

@edenbreckhouse Ай бұрын

I'm a handyman. I charge £30 an hour for my time. Plus materials. If I was trying to sell leatherwork I'd do exactly the same. I've had a few people tell me that £30 is too expensive for them. I will not reduce my price. Problem for leatherworkers is that if you're prepared to drop your price to compete with mass produced stuff then you end up working for almost nothing.

@brokenbearleather673 Ай бұрын

Legitimate. I'm certainly not advocating a race to the bottom (or I'd mass produce for etsy). I want us talking openly about it. Mission accomplished! Thank you for putting ammo in the cannon.