July 17, 2008

Buzz buzz buzz

this is where I've been for the past week - the Angel Court booth at the Gift Show!

My head is buzz buzz buzzing with information. I just returned from the Atlanta International Gift Show to see if I am ready to take the leap to a major wholesale show. If you've never been to a wholesale trade show, it's pretty insane. The Atlanta Mart is a gigantic multi-building, multi-level space where retailers come to buy merchandise to fill their store for the next several months. In short, they are basically on a shopping binge. They spend thousands and thousands without blinking an eye. All in an effort to please you, their dear customer.

The benefit of this is that you take your product to one show and take thousands of dollars in orders from multiple stores over a few days and then you're basically slammed for the next few months. (especially if you're like me and you make it all yourself) It's a sizable investment to do it - not only do you have to pay the booth fee (over $3000), you also have to have samples of everything you're going to sell and have a pretty fabulous display (more money).

I must say I got pretty pumped up to do it - not only were my friends for whom I was helping in their booth (Angel Court) super supportive, many other surrounding exhibitors were very encouraging as well. I met the fabulous faces behind Ollie Sang, Starr Luna, Shalla Wista, Jane Marvel, Papaya, and too many more to name! Whether their product was hand-made or manufactured, they were so very creative and we bounced ideas off of each other all weekend - it was great! It's another reason my head is buzzzing with info - I have so many new jewelry & display ideas I feel like my head's going to explode.


Lauren (of Ollie Sang) and Starr (of Starr Luna) try to decide which Jane Marvel bags to buy.

What I heard over and over again from all of the retailers that I consulted with was something I had known all along but had kind of been looking the other way - my prices are way too low. I don't know why I have been in denial of this. The price of silver has basically doubled since I set my prices (not to mention gas prices!) and I've raised a few pieces a few dollars, but that's really not enough and it isn't really good business sense. I was told by these retailers that I have adopted the craft show/etsy mentality where the trend is to kind of price as low as you can go... which I have to admit I am guilty of. I feel like I am constantly throwing money at shows and supplies and I am making money but I'm not really getting ahead.

Angela chats with Deb from Curious Sofa - she has been a sounding board for retailers since starting her blog, and this was a great night of networking and brainstorming!

So after much mental debate, I decided to raise my prices somewhat significantly. I didn't raise them as high as some retailers suggested (about $20+ dollars retail a piece!) but I am raising them fairly in relation to the time involved (it's not just the creation of the piece; it's the website editing, photographing, bookkeeping, etc) and the cost of my raw materials. Some of my gold filled pieces are actually going down a little in price, since I felt that some of them were a little too high.

As I raised the prices on my price sheet, I kept having mini break downs because it was so painful!! I guess my fear is that no one would pay that much for it, but I'm not sure why I feel that way, since my jewelry is handmade from the best materials I can find and it's not like I'm asking for hundreds of dollars. I had to keep taking computer breaks because I was getting heartburn. Seriously. Such a wuss... It's going to take me forever to update all of my website prices, so don't worry - if there is a piece you've been considering buying - now is the time to get it before I start staying up all night to edit my website! I know this will all be worth it when it is over and I won't be undervaluing myself or my product any more. Hooray!

Courtney, the designer behind Angel Court was also told her prices were way too low. So she tripled her prices and tripled her sales!

So if you're cruising around my website or see me at a show and your favorite piece seems slightly more expensive than you remember it, that's because it is. And if you're guilty like I was of underpricing yourself (80% of etsy sellers, he-hem), stop it right now! Charge what you think you're worth, not what you think someone would pay for it. One thing that happens to me over and over again is that I'll see something on etsy and think it's cute; then I'll check the price and think "there's no way - that's too low!" and in my mind, I immediately devalue the item and I don't buy it because I assume it is junk, or I assume that the creator does not value their creation or time. Knitters seem especially guilty of this. Just something to think about all of you buzzing entrepreneurs...

More resources to get your brain buzzing too:
Atlanta Gift Marts
American Craft Council
Philadelphia Buyer's Market of American Craft
Crafts and Craft Shows by Phil Kadubec (my all-time favorite craft fair book)
500 Tips for Marketing your Crafts by A.B. Petrow (this is on my reading list)
The Basic Guide to Pricing your Craftwork by James Dillehay
Making a Living in Crafts by Donald Clark



July 08, 2008

Visit my guest blog on Indie Fixx!

Yes, it's official. I'm an auteur. A published authoress if you will and, well, . . . okay I'm really just a published guest blogger. But I did get to write about two of my favorite things - shopping and my hometown of Nashville! And it is on one of my favorite blogs, IndieFixx.com! Click on over and read my City Guide all about boutique & indie shopping in Nashville, Tennessee. My guide has been split up into three sections - the first installment is all about Hillsboro Village and the best place to find cool indie goods there. The next two installments will be posted in the next few days. I hope it inspires people to come and visit Nashville and see what a rockin' little city we have here!


July 4th photos

I took these over the weekend in Philadelphia while visiting my dear friend Amy. It reminded me so much of my high school photography class and how much fun it was to take photos at night!









July 07, 2008

help still needed for custom boxes

Yes! I am still seeking help for my custom boxes! There was a $75 gift certificate at stake but now I'm raising it to $100 just for a little extra incentive. Not to mention having your design on my boxes for who knows how long?

Please contact me directly with questions & submissions at freshie{at!}freshieandzero.com. You may read the original post here with all of the specifics. I guess I should add some legal jargon about how the design becomes my property and I can use it in the future etc, etc but I guess I'll work that out with the person who submits that winning design...

Thank you fabulous graphic designers!!!

July 02, 2008

A girl can dream

I can't afford any of these purses, but I can always imagine what it would be like to have one, right? Plus, my 30th birthday is right around the corner and I'm certainly not afraid to treat myself...Chloé - Saskia square tote - $2,005 - net-a-porter.com
Beautiful structure & color! I bet that leather feels like buttah...


Orla Kiely medium beach tote - $180 - piperlime.com
I've always loved Orla Kiely - her patterns are so bold and simple.
Susan Farber Collections 'Mezzo - Sofia' Clutch - $258 - nordstrom.com
This looks like something a very stylish girl would have in her wardrobe.
Plenty by Tracy Reese oversized canvas clutch - $175 - norstrom.com
I've always liked Tracy Reese, too but alas have never purchased one of her creations.


Chella Bag - $268 - anthropologie.com
This may be my favorite out of all of these. SO pretty and classically bohemian.

Sutradhara Shoulder bag - $228 - anthropologie.com
I love this bag, too. It reminds me of M.I.A.'s style - a little crazy & colorful but totally stylish.

July 01, 2008

Chicago Pics

Greg & I went out for dinner in Chicago on Friday night and had a bottle of wine at Bistro 110. Needless to say, merriment ensued along with a well-documented walk through downtown Chicago...







Every 5 minutes, I was thrusting my camera at Greg saying "take a picture!" right before I did something goofy (or made him do something goofy). Ah... I love wine!