I, personally, don't need a reason to buy beautiful things. I see it, I want it. I think I'll wear that! It's different and special. If I can make up an excuse, I buy it.
I don't have to have much in the way of incentives. Free shipping saves a dollar or two, a percent off is nice. I'm indifferent to gift boxes. If you come across nice on your blog and listings that's a definite plus and may be a kicker if you don't, but honestly, I'm buying the piece because I've decided that it's for me or it's for someone I know so well that I can tell it's for them. (Or sometimes I need a gift which is less personal, in which case, saving is good because it can be tough to decide on things like that.) I'm buying because I desperately have to have that exact item and none other, or need 'it' anyway and 'this' fits the bill. If I wasn't buying from Merchant A I'd be buying a similar product from Merchant B.
The Wold in a Grain of SandI wonder if most of us are like that? And if so, how do I get to be Merchant A? In the first scenario, I see something an resonate with it. I've had that happen with customers. Sometimes I see something, but it's obviously out of my price range-- sometimes I only think it's out of my price range. That's happened with my cuffs especially. If they were $10, they'd be gone (and so would my mind . . . ) But I've had people walk away and I've had them walk back.
In the second scenario, I literally look at everything! I'll take hours trying to find the 'right' thing that sends the right message and the right price. But I don't really know what pushes me over the edge. I have to figure it out.
Either way urgency can be a factor, if it's ooak and I have to have it or if I'm in the market and the 'deal' is just for the weekend.
It seems to me that the work sells itself because I'm unconscious of the factors involved, beyond my own preferences and needs. I have to pay attention so I can adapt those factors to work for me too.
So, what makes you click the buy button? What makes you hold off? If you sell your creations has that affected how you do it?
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hmm... lots to think on, sarah.
ReplyDeletei don't buy a lot of jewelry, but when i find that one piece that i can't live without, it's ugly. price is not an object. i should post a pic of sarah graham's rings i bought at baltimore 2 years ago. ouch. pricey. had to have them!
i have no idea what sells my work & i have no idea how to market it to the group i make it for, so i am no help here whatsoever.
You are right here...if you cant speak your truth on your blog..where can you? added doo dah's dont attract me either, but I dont buy alot of jewellery. There is a piece that calls me right now. And i waled away a second time because it is actually too visually heavy on me. I adore it, but it makes my head look like a pea. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteCan't help you, Sarah. I haven't the faintest idea how to market my beadwork. That is why I came to join my teams so that I could learn. Maybe someday I will figure it out.
ReplyDeleteSo I may come from a painterly background, but art is art right? Your work is not just jewelry to be compared to the masses, they are truly wonderful works of art. The person that buys your work feels like they're getting something really special. Whether they push the button because special to them means "expensive" or because they read your blog, and special to them, means having a tiny little piece of "you and what you're all about." I also think people like to have a story to tell. If they purchase that $400 cuff, that's a real eye catcher...when they get a complement on it, they want to be able to say "oh I picked this up from a budding artist in Savannah, she was inspired by blah blah blah..." Those are also the people that spread the word about your work to their friends...everyone wants to be a trend setter right?
ReplyDeleteAnywho, that's just my perspective. There are a lot of beautiful things in this world, that I just overlook...but I'm attracted to your work, because it's more than that...
well, back to the drawing board...don't worry about it too much...I sense you are very much on the right path with things :)
Amber-- I get you. My income is limited due to my desire to do things my way and some other issues. Anyway-- doesn't stop me from buying insanely expensive jewelry if I have to have it:) We all have our priorities don't we. (I say insanely expensive, but I've never spent over $1000-- fortunately diamonds aren't my thing)
ReplyDeletegrrl-- been there too. I found some fabulous enameled silver pieces in Egypt that just didn't look good on me. I went with the keychain, but I loved the jewelry.
Art is art, and you're right Heather, inspiration is key.
Back when I made a great living and didn't appreciate it, I used to be a very impulsive buyer - if I wanted it, I bought it - but since I left my stable career and since my finances are not my own alone anymore, I've had to drastically curb my spending -- and this was before the economy took a nosedive.
ReplyDeleteBut what does make me buy is usually a combination of two things: uniqueness (as in, if I don't buy this right now, somebody else will, and I cannot live without it) and experience (as in, it makes my world a better place, makes my life better, makes me happy, adds a new element or a new dimension to my world... there are objects that can do those things and I am far more likely to buy those things sooner rather than later).
One good thing that has come out of my spending freeze, combined with my new artistic career and spending time on Etsy, is that I am far, far less likely to buy cheap things made in China now, and far, far more likely to invest in higher quality items (except for clothing, because cheap is all I can afford with the way I destroy my clothes).
All that said, most of my discretionary spending these days has to go to gifts toward other people, and for that, I just have to know they will love it.
I've voted for you Sarah...your work is so lovely.
ReplyDeleteIf you find the answer, I'd love to know. I have exactly the same problem, my work can take hours to make, as I know yours must too, but what can you charge that people are happy to pay. I think most of the problem is getting exposure especially on Etsy.
ReplyDeleteI have recently had an exhibition in which I had some hand made journals. I had decorated all of the pages, stitched and added things and in the end was only able to complete two before the show, so much work. I cut the paintings off the covers off the journals I didn't get time to complete and put them in frames. They were the same price as the journals and sold instantly, yet I struggled to sell the journals that had so much more in them. Human nature, who can work it out.
By the way I love your jewellery.