It has taken me some time, but the Sunlit Letterpress Wholesale Catalog for Spring/Summer 2008 is now available. If you are a retailer we would love to send you an electronic copy - please e-mail the studio at the address listed in the blog header for more information on our wholesale offerings.
This weekend I am off to Las Vegas. It was meant to be a non-business trip; however, I just noticed that the American Craft Retailers Expo is taking place at the LV Convention Center while I am in town. The cost is $35 for visiting artists, and I'd have to show credentials to get in (including a receipt from a raw materials purchase), but it might be an interesting show to check out. The Convention Centre is at the opposite end of the strip from where I'll be staying, and I'm not sure what my plans are for the weekend, but if I can spare an hour, I may go attend. If anyone reading this has attended in the past, please let me know what you thought.
Happy letterpressing!
This weekend I spent some time finalizing the Sunlit Letterpress Spring-Summer 2008 Catalog. I found setting wholesale pricing difficult. There is always the tradeoff between making a profit and adding more retailers to your list of retailers. From my research, I've established that with mass-produced items, the wholesale price offered to retailers should be about 50% of the MSRP. But when you are an artist or crafter creating limited amounts of product, this 50% might only cover your costs. Selling your products at cost won't get you very far.
So what is the balance? Is there even a formula that works for everyone? Definitely not. I guess it's a bit of trial and error.
Then there is the other issue of minimum order quantities and dollar amounts. Discounts for repeat orders and payment up front. Oh, and should you even list an MSRP? Shipping costs and return policies...the list goes on and on.
I think I've come up with terms and pricing that will work for me - but the sad thing is, that I won't know if this will work for retailers until they see the catalog for themselves.
If you are an artist or crafter that has struggled with these issues - I invite you to comment below. What works for you? What feedback have you received from retailers that carry your products? Do you have tips for the rest of us?
Happy letterpressing!
I'm back from a quick trip to the Mayan Riviera. It was so nice to lay in the warm sun and relax. Although I love what I do, I find that running my own business really eats up the times during the day that if I had a strictly 9-5 job I would be able to use for myself. This makes vacation time even more important, especially for my sanity.
Since being back I had a chance to finish up a couple of projects, including some custom flat notecards for client Doree, a writer in NYC. It was a pleasure to work with Doree and the cards are now on their way to the Big Apple.
This weekend I will be spending time on getting prepared for the Got Craft show (May4th, Vancouver). I need to organize my items and finish up the printing of my swag for the swag bags. What is a swag bag? It's a bag of free goodies from all the vendors at the Got Craft show - and the first 30 people in the door get one. Last year's bags were very cool, and this year will be even better - I hear the bag itself is Gocco printed, and among other treats in the bag, there will be a copy of Craft Magazine, the sponsors of the event.
Back to work...Happy letterpressing!
Sunlit Letterpress is featured on Crafty Synergy - a blog by Patricia Zapata of A Little Hut that features a collection of interviews with inspiring artists. It is an awesome blog - check it out!
Thanks Patricia!
Happy letterpressing!
© 2008 Sunlit Letterpress
Above are some photos of some notecards I've been working on for the Etsy shop, and for the Got Craft show coming up in May. I must admit, I'm pretty excited for Got Craft this year - last year was great, and this year they are having a breakfast reception before the show for local media and retailers. If you fit into either of these categories and want to attend, please contact Andrea or Rob at Lotus Events for all the details.
I just read over the list of other vendors attending the show and I think the line-up looks awesome - other vendors include Olive, Anabella Designs, BuenoStyle, Track & Field Designs, and more. I can't wait!
Thank you to everyone who posted or emailed me with their comments about the Alchemy post. It's great to hear what other designers and crafters think. For those of you who haven't already joined the NO!Spec movement, I encourage you to - whether you are a designer, printer, artist or crafter (or all of the above!). NO!Spec is a campaign that serves as a vehicle to unite those who support the notion that spec work devalues the potential of design and ultimately does a disservice to the client.
This week I am working on the design for some custom notecards for a new client in Brooklyn, and am trying to get product ready for my Etsy shop and for the Got Craft show. The more time you spend on your Etsy shop and listings, the more you sell, and it's time to get back at it.
I'm also planning for a little bit of this sometime next week... :)
Happy letterpressing!
