# Opportunity to have my furniture in retail store



## anastacia_elon (Mar 23, 2015)

I have an opportunity to have some pieces sold in a popular retail store. However I dont even know where to begin. I have my portfolio ready, but when it comes to how much to sale it to the retailer and other things. I have no clue. Any insight please.


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

A lot of it depends on the level of the store, what kind of store, where you live.

If I put nice but easy to make cutting boards into my gallery at my local museum, I can get as high as $85 each.
If I put them into a local average antique and craft shop, I can get maybe, maybe $50 each.
This is also dependent on my locale, which is a community in the South where the cost of living is a bit below the national average.

I'll assume your items are high end, so I would look at other items in high end stores that carry your kind of items. See what the market will bear. 
As far as wholesale/retail, most retailers work on at least a 35% markup, most try to do more. My gallery is 40%. I've walked away from some that wanted 50%. But they have too much overhead to do a small number.
So if think your item will bring $500, think that you might have to sell it to the retailer for $250 to $350.
And all of this is just an opinion. Situations change by store, by city, by piece.

One last thing: If you do come to an agreement, and they sell quickly, are you prepared to duplicate them fast? I've never known a retailer that really likes one-offs, and no retailer can sell off bare concrete. (empty store)


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## anastacia_elon (Mar 23, 2015)

Thank you so much for this. I'm in Hawaii and a retailer sought me out. I can get bored easy, so the duplication scenario scares me. I just want to handle myself well and I don't want to walk out this meeting wondering if I could have negotiated better.


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## anastacia_elon (Mar 23, 2015)

What about contracts? Any advice on deposits?


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

http://lumberjocks.com/huff/blog

Huff ^^ has an excellent blog on answers to your questions anastacia_elon. and may you have good

fortune going forward.


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## anastacia_elon (Mar 23, 2015)

Thank you waho6o9… I will check it out. Fingers crossed, thank you


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## Blackie_ (Jul 10, 2011)

You don't want to sell yourself cheap nor do you want to price yourself out of sells. Compare with others pricing item for item, the fact that it's created by an individual and not an assembly line also how unique is it? How practical is it? How useful is it? These are the things you have to take into consideration when selling your work.

Start at a price that you feel comfortable with and if things are going great than try increasing the price just a tad over time.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)




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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

LaShunda, I know nothing of Hawaii. But spend time looking at all the stores your type of products. You want to be competitive, but that doesn't mean that you should be lower than everyone else. If you you feel you are at or above their quality level, then there is no harm in being at or above their price. Being unique is important, but that alone doesn't make it worth more or less. I wish you well on your adventures. Keep making sawdust.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Huff's blog is great.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Looking through your projects, they look great. You should be able to to complete comfortably.


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## TarHeelz (Sep 13, 2012)

If you are not currently in the business of selling your creations, I would think the best approach is to set your price high. This mitigates your duplication concerns and creates the opportunity to find one of those few buyers who appreciate your art … as art.


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## anastacia_elon (Mar 23, 2015)

Thank you all so much for the advice. I'm getting more comfortable thinking about this meeting tomorrow. Im taking notes. Monte- thank you for the compliment. I've been selling my pieces for almost 5 years. I a lot of my clients are military. My husband is retired. We decided to stay in Hawaii. I've been breaking out the military community recently. I just never thought a retailer would get in contact with me. I thought it would be the other way around. However this makes me want venture out my comfort zone. My work is a different genre of what the locals usually focus on.


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

Consignments or buy outright?

I had a problem with consignments when stores would take on their percent for the retail, then subtract it from that new total. This meant they dipped into my wholesale price.

To solve the problem, I just divide my percentage into the wholesale and this gives me my retail. When they subtract their percentage from the retail sticker price, we are right back to my wholesale.

PS This is just like bidding. A lot of it can be got to by being aware of your cost (shop, tools, replacements and repairs, electric, transport, materials, etc), then setting a value for your time. However, in the end, it's as much art as it is computation, when establishing price.

In bidding, if you're getting all your bids, you're too low. If none, to high, or nobody likes you and you should go eat worms (so, be nice, of course, until your famous (then be nicer)).


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## anastacia_elon (Mar 23, 2015)

I'm not sure. Kelly ,but I'm preparing numbers for both. I was going to have numbers for retail and wholesale.


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## anastacia_elon (Mar 23, 2015)

Has anybody got any advice on what I should bring to this meeting. Besides my portfolio and list of prices


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## Puzzleman (May 4, 2010)

Bring confidence.

If you don't know the answer to a question, let them know that you will get back to them and tell them when you will do it by. And of course, do it earlier.

I presume that they have seen your work already otherwise they would not have contacted you.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

> Has anybody got any advice on what I should bring to this meeting. Besides my portfolio and list of prices
> 
> - anastacia_elon


I agree with Puzzleman. Also, bring an open mind, a willingness to negotiate and leave the desire to take anything personally at the door to your shop. I've not been in your shoes, but have been on the other side of the table many, many times as a buyer for retail, so that is the perspective the rest of this comes from.

The retailer obviously thinks they can sell your product. They probably also have an idea of what prices they can sell it at and what kind of profit margin they need to make to justify the investment in space and money. They WILL try to talk you down on price-if they don't, you are probably priced too low. Every dollar less they can spend is a dollar more possible profit. Don't take that personally. It can be hard because it is your sweat and effort that has been expended, but this is a business negotiation, not a critique of you or your abilities. Also keep in mind that the person you are talking to may have no idea how much time and material cost it takes to build these pieces, so may shoot you a very low number out of ignorance, not greed.

Just keep in mind that for the business relationship to work, both of you have to make some profit. You for your time, effort and talent and the retailer for the space, investment and time between buying and selling. If you don't make enough, then you can't afford to keep building. If they don't make enough, they can't afford to take up space on the sales floor. Striking a good balance will keep both of you happy.

Another thing. As part of your pricing list, have you given thought to what pricing will need to be if the store wants multiples of a single item? Batching production should bring your time per piece down and pricing should reflect that. It also encourages the store to buy in quantity so they can make more.

Saying all that, don't undersell yourself, either. If you know what you need to get out of a piece, don't cut your own throat just to get product in the store. I looked at your projects and you have some really great ideas (love the AT-AT bookcase). Hopefully this works out well for both of you.

Good luck.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Hi LaShunda
If you sell your products on a regular basis you have a feel for what your customers like and what prices make sense for the things you make. You make very nice products so don't undersell yourself or your products. Sometimes retailers contact artisans because they are selling the products at a below market price and sometimes the contact you because they really like your work. I would guess a retailer in Hawaii has to pay high shipping cost so buying local might be a savings for them. When meeting the folks you might ask what made them contact you and what kind of relationship they are looking for .If their response is price based don't consider a wholesale price at all,they already think your prices are good enough for them to make a reasonable profit.If their response is that they appreciate your work for it's artistic value you may want to increase your price. If you feel comfortable talking this way you may speak on terms of "here's what I do with my retailers". All said an done do as others of suggested take some time to think about if your wish to make the kind of products they want and if it will be profitable to make and what kind of time restraints are involved. If in doubt say lets try it on a trial basis to see home it works out.
Best of luck to you


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

> Has anybody got any advice on what I should bring to this meeting. Besides my portfolio and list of prices
> 
> - anastacia_elon


Confidence. You know that you make a quality product. He contacted you. Don't let them beat you down too much on price.


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

Curious about an update. How did it work for you?


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## anastacia_elon (Mar 23, 2015)

Monte,
Thank you for asking. It went really well. As others said he contacted me. He had already decided he wanted to work with me. He mentioned consignment and I was honest that I really didnt want to do that. However he said he doesnt mind buying outright (but we will see) He wanted me to come up with ideas that had a quick turnaround. So I prepared sort of a proposal with prices of a few pieces. Waiting to see what happens next.


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