Focus on Craft Quality

Make sure to focus on craft quality... it does matter!

If you are trying to cut costs, without raising your prices, you have to be very careful, because if you use substandard supplies, your craft quality will be in the toilet, and you won't sell anything!

There is nothing wrong with looking for a good deal on craft supplies, I do it, so does everyone else, but its HOW you create your product, and how you piece it together.. that part is your talent and you will shine through, but I have noticed more and more vendors, buying the actual product ... say from a dollar store (I am not bashing dollar stores, here, they are great for all kinds of everyday items, and some supplies).. and possibly adding one thing to change it, and passing it off as their own creation..this is not craft quality!

But, what these vendors forget, is that people are smarter than that, they can usually spot a cheapy product miles away, especially someone with a good eye for quality!.

Example.. there was one vendor who did bird feeders, instead of making her own bird feeder, she was buying them and then painting them, they looked cute, problem was, they were poorly made, stapled together, and although the paintings were nice, the product did not sell very well, as she was asking top dollar and you know just by looking at these bird feeders they would not survive the weather... she probably got a good deal from a supplier and thought she would make more money this way..

A few booths down, was a gentlemen who made equisite bird feeders, and his prices seemed high, until you had a good look at one, he had them very well displayed, and they were robust, heavier and put togther well, and had artwork on them as well.. he even had pictures of himself making these bird feeders, and you could tell he was passionate and very proud of his product... great craft quality.

If you can not stand up tall and be proud of your product, then you won't sell it.. in this case, her paintings were beautiful, but the cheaply put together bird feeders, took away from her talent and she did not sell many...

You have to watch what corners you cut, when trying to save money, if it shows in the finished product, then it just won't sell for the price you want.. make yourself proud!.. and make it right!