Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Givin' Myself a Raise






It’s Shameless Commerce Tuesday (and the LAST day of Tax Season!!).  Today I’m officially announcing two price increases for my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations:

1.       I have revised my Etsy shop policies to include a 25% SURCHARGE for custom orders.
2.       I will be raising prices on oven mitt listings in my shop between now and May 1, 2014.

Custom Orders

Custom orders are both a blessing and a curse – and they are always a challenge!  I had considered eliminating custom orders altogether, but some of my best sellers were initially inspired by custom orders, so-o-o-o I devised a Plan B

I have found that custom orders require WAY more time and energy to complete than “regular” orders.  They often require shopping for special fabrics and supplies (rarely on sale), photographing fabric options, and then special ordering fabrics.  Some also require new design elements or construction techniques, and drafting new patterns which may only be used once.

I am hoping the 25% surcharge will reduce my number of custom orders, while not discouraging customers who realize that one of a kind (OOAK) or special designs are worth more than something off the cyber shelf.  The surcharge will provide at least SOME additional compensation for the extra time, energy, and out-of-pocket costs required to complete custom orders.

Product Price Increases

The increase in oven mitt prices is mostly due to an increase in the cost of high quality cotton fabrics coupled with an increase in postal rates.  It’s been a double whammy!  High postage rates mean I need to spend even more to get those higher cost fabrics shipped to me.    Also, some of my best sellers use fabrics that are now out of print or in very limited supply – again increasing my costs to keep them in stock. 

AND my boss (that would be ME) decided that her employee (that would also be ME), a hard worker who has honed her skills making 800+ oven mitts over the past three years, and who consistently receives positive customer feedback, deserves to be paid more than a sweatshop worker.


Bottom Line:  I’m givin’ myself a raise!

TTFN
LeAnn

14 comments:

  1. Good for you!
    You deserve it!

    I know exactly what you mean about custom orders. While I love them in general, they take sooo much time! There's the cost of all the special materials, the time spent running around for them and taking pictures every time a change is made!
    It's a wonderful process but without charging extra, all that work goes unpaid.

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    1. I'm so glad I'm not alone in my feelings about custom orders!

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  2. Great post! And I hear ya! Good for you! That's why I am realigning my products and work--phasing out those items that take too much of my time and I end up storing in a tub! Streamlining my line!

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    1. I'm still conflicted about whether to expand or streamline. I think "culling" is where I'm at now---moving the old stuff and slow movers to CraftIsArt, and putting some newer stuff on Etsy. But then there are craft fairs, where I need inexpensive impulse buy items....

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  3. Yay for the end of tax season! Your plan for a raise sounds like a great idea! I've been slowly raising my prices too since the cost of everything else raises so it just makes sense.

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    1. We survived another tax season!! BOY, am I glad this one's over! Glad you agree that a price increase is not out of line.

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  4. Woohoo...you deserve it! Asking more for custom work is definitely a good idea. And your oven mitts are wonderful...people won't bat an eye at a price increase.

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  5. Well deserved! Custom orders are tons of xtra work mostly in gathering the supplies as you say. Best of luck with your new plan. I'm sure that it will work to your advantage.

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    1. Thanks, Patty! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

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  6. Sounds like it's a well deserved raise LeAnn! Raising your prices is just a part of doing good business, it won't stop people from shopping.
    Valerie
    Everyday Inspired

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  7. Right on ! I don't think people realize that custom orders do cost more. I used to take orders and they always required beads that I did not have and therefore had to order.
    I recall one customer that wanted custom earrings to match a seed bead necklace. She told me the beads in her necklace were cobalt blue and gold - which I had. However the 1st pair of earrings did not match her necklace. She agreed to bring the necklace by so I could try to match it. Turned out the gold was really a silver-lined yellow. Long story a tad shorter, all I could find in that particular color came in a 1/4 kilo package. That's a whole lot of size #11 seed beads and I still have a jelly jar filled with them to this day.

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    1. Reading about your experience really helps confirm I made a reasonable decision to impose a surcharge on custom orders!!

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