Shopping Tips for the 25 Days of Christmas: Tip #18

To accompany my last Shopping Tip #17 (DIY this holiday for gift-giving!) I thought it would be important to also pass along another related shopping tip that is certainly near and dear to my heart...

HOLIDAY SHOPPING TIP #18:

Buy HANDMADE gifts this holiday season!

I love handmade gifts. I love that someone took the time to make something by hand. I enjoy that passion for their talent and gift. I really dig the idea of supporting an entrepreneur and not a huge corporation. Of course I love some really amazing brand products, however, I also truly appreciate how hard an individual works at creating something that is often one-of-a-kind or something that simply cannot and should not be replicated in a factory somewhere!

So, support an artisan this holiday season, buy local, buy handmade!

Shopping Tips for the 25 Days of Christmas: Tip #16

Many retailers offer a variety of frequent shopper programs, and I am sure that many of us take advantage of them in one way or another. Retailers have to differentiate and in a retail environment in which so much looks and seems the same one true way they have to keep hold your attention is to offer you rewards for your hard-earned discretionary spending! But have you truly thought about how you could leverage that buying power all year long to pay off for you at the holidays? While this tip is offered in December, this is a tip that you can be thinking of all year long...

HOLIDAY SHOPPING TIP #16:

Leverage your year-long shopping with retailers that offer frequent shopper awards to get "free" holidays gifts and stocking stuffers!

This is a tip that all of us can truly follow all year to "cash" out for the holiday season! I shop a variety of retailers and always inquire about their frequent shopper/rewards programs to get free Spanx, free makeup and beauty products, free groceries, free clothing, free stocking stuffers and more! You are already giving them your business, you deserve to get something back for that is a great added bonus!

I simply have a small wallet in my purse that holds the rewards cards or frequent shopper cards to ensure that I have them on me at all times. Just make sure that you know if any of the rewards "expire" as some of them have to be used in a certain time frame. However, many, like my BeautyOne cards, had no expiration date and I was able to cash in over $120.00 for free makeup and beauty products!

P.S. Speaking of getting amazing beauty and skincare products, here is one of my favorite websites to find top-of-the-line beauty products: SpaLook.com! They have amazing offers to take advantage of, from free shipping to free product to much, much more! Click on the image below to experience what SpaLook.com has to offer any beauty product and skincare aficionado!

K. A. Mace Consignment Series Continues!

The next big question in the K. A. Mace Jewelry Consigment Series:

Who determines the retail price? How is it determined? Do they have a set markup?

These are key questions, as it gives you insight into their pricing structure. You also want to make sure that you are protecting the value of your goods, although that is rarely an issue. By that I mean that you do not want them to be "low balling" retail prices that could erode your brand as well as detract from how you may be retailing your product for if you also sell from your website or another website.


Who determines the retail price is really up to how the boutique/gallery does business. I would estimate that about 1/2 of the time, they asked me to assign a retail price, the other 1/2 of the time they would determine the retail price. If I were asked to assign the pricing, I would make sure that I walked them through my wholesale pricing and my markup structure. I would make them partners in that process, as sometimes they would have input on the pricing that would be very helpful. For example, they know when they have more tourist traffic, which can boost retail prices. They may have special events in their area that drive up retail pricing as well, like fairs or festivals that bring a great deal of traffic to their boutique and can drive sales and margin.

If they have a set markup, that makes it pretty easy for you to know what your pricing will be! No brainer! Again, if it seems a bit low to you, you can certainly voice your challenge. It may be that they have a lower overhead than you imagined, or they simply know what pricing will work for their customer base. Your expectations will need to match what the outcome is, however. If you truly have a gut feel that the pricing will be too high, you may find that your product does not sell as well as you had hoped. If you truly feel that the pricing is too low, you may have to adjust pricing on other websites, creating a lot of work for you, and a long term evaluation what that margin erosion will do to your overall business. You might just find that that is not going to be the right boutique/gallery for you based off of what will occur with pricing.


If you do find that the pricing structure works, it is a great idea to invoice them with your wholesale, and then document either your "retail" price on the invoice, or their "retail" with the markup that they provide to you. Ask them if they pay to that invoiced retail price. Why???

Do they put the goods on sale (common in the jewelry business!) and are you notified if your product is put on any kind of promotional sale?

With regard to sales, promotions, etc. I have learned from the jewelry industry that product is marked up to be marked down! So, when I have been told what the retail prices would be, early on, I had stars in my eyes! I was going to make what??? Only to find out that they had all jewelry on sale for Valentine’s Day, or another sales event. In consignment, you typically get a percentage of the SELLING PRICE. That is not the RETAIL PRICE in all cases. Make sure that you understand that, how you invoice the retail price can make all of the difference. Clarify this upfront and you will save yourself a lot of confusion, misunderstanding, disappointment and accounting/bookkeeping nightmares!

Do they want you to retail your product for the same price that they are selling it for? This is very common in today’s world where we are retailing our own product; we are selling through other websites (like www.Etsy.com or www.iCraft.com ) and using other methods to sell our goods. This is something that you will have to decide for yourself, and what works for your business plan. Just know this upfront, they can easily “Google” you and find out if and how you are retailing your work, so if you are selling at a lower price, they may sever the relationship. It will make no sense for you to undercut your own retailers!


For me, candidly, the first couple of consignment deals that I made actually helped me to find my own retail prices! For too long I was the one that was pricing my jewelry too low, and not truly understanding what the market could and would bear! Yes, I had done a lot of research, but pricing is something that is a bit of a trial and error process for many designers/artists. You want to use certain benchmarks, but often, I was benchmarking established designers using similar gemstones and metals. In part, you have to take out the fact that an established brand can command more at retail. However, interestingly, I had to factor in my workmanship that was often lacking in the competition. For example, I handknot my necklaces, and found that the competition was often stringing the pearls and/or gemstones. So...figuring out their "mark up" for their established brand but "mark down" for less workmanship...well, you can easily see how difficult it is to price your designs in an accurate way so they will sell, and you are profitable!

Please feel free to contact me at kelly@kamacejewelry.com for more questions about consignment. As always, comments are appreciated!

Consignment, Continued!

First of all, sorry for neglecting this series regarding consignment. I have received really positive emails from fellow jewelry designers and other artists stating that this series has really helped them to learn a great deal about consigment and how it "really" works!

I have been just a wee bit busy with a new (non-jewelry!) project, Jet-Chef.com! Jet-Chef.com is an innovative directory of caterers, personal chefs, florists, and other vendors who can provide inflight catering and services to private jet owners and jet charter industry! Go to the Jet-Chef blog to check out more information!


Furthermore, I want to take a moment to brag a bit...

One of my blog posts is featured in the Summer 2008 issue of Artful Blogging! Yup! On the "Buzz" page, page 3 in the issue. I am so proud! This publication is so amazing and so inspiring (and not just because one of my posts is featured!). This is a magazine that reads like a highend, ultra expensive coffee table books! Go to www.stampington.com for more info on ordering Artful Blogging!


Enough about me...Moving on to Consignment, and the Big Questions!

First Big Question: Does this boutique/retailer have a consignment contract?

I typically ask this before the first meeting, and if they have one, I ask if they can scan or fax a copy of it to me prior to our meeting. Sometimes, they will say it is proprietary and they only share that with the artists that they consign with. That is fine. Just remember, the more details that they are willing to share up front with you, the more likely it is a professional retailer with whom you want to do business.

If they provide a copy to you at the meeting, ask to read through it with the owner/manager. This is pretty standard practice, and hopefully you have set up enough appointment time to do this. If not, let them know that you will need to review it when you get home before you make any decisions. If any retailer is troubled by this request, that can be a question mark. Having the chance to read it quickly through with the owner/manager gives you both the opportunity to clear up any questions or concerns on the spot.


Remember, this is your opportunity to make sure that their terms meet your expectations. Yes, you want to sell your product, yes it feels amazing to be recognized and have your work validated in this manner. But, you have to make sure that it is a solid business, that they are flexible and understanding of your desire to get all of the facts. Truly, top notch retailers will respect you MORE for asking these questions and being involved, they will recognize you as not only an artist, but also a business person.

Not all terms may be negotiable. They may tell you the contract is the contract, period. Does that fit your goals and needs? Again, the sense of urgency to get your product and artwork into the retail marketplace is only known truly by you. You may feel that your desire to get your "foot in the door" outweighs your desire to be flexible. There is nothing wrong with agreeing to their terms, as long as you truly do understand them and are willing to live up to those terms!

So, what do you do if they do not have a contract? You can bring a copy of a contract that you have created, and discuss those terms with them. Feel free to contact me at kelly@kamacejewelry.com if you have any questions or would like to see a sample contract. You should have a contract, or this series of questions and suggestions with you for your meeting, as a back up plan.

This is always a great reason to have a laptop or mobile device upon which you could have a copy of a contract that you would like to propose to them to use for your consignment arrangement. That could be immediately emailed to them, and even printed during the meeting for review.


You can always create after the meeting your own "working contract". Throughout the meeting you should have been taking notes and keeping track of what you and the owner/manager agreed upon. After you get home, you can recap what has been discussed. Tell the owner/manager that you would like to send them an email or snail mail copy of your notes for their review. Request that they initial or sign the notes, as this will be your "working contract". Type it up with two initial fields at the lead of each bulletpoint. Initial one set, and they will see that as a good faith effort on your behalf to also commit to what they had told you were their expectation!


Bottom line, if the boutique does not have a contract, you do not have a contract, and they do not want to sign any kind of recap...then what???
I would suggest that you continue on your search for another boutique/retailer. That is solely my suggestion, but one that I know would have been a handly concept for people that I know that entered into consigment agreements with just a friendly handshake. Obviously if you know the owner/manager well, he/she is a neighbor, in your carpool, go to your church, or is your brother or sister-in-law...that is one thing! But the bottom line is that you need to protect your brand, the investment in your inventory and your sanity with some form of written agreement.

Next question in the series...How about some references???

Consignment, continued!

I wanted to start this next installment with a warm thanks to the great response that I have received to the first posting about consignment. I received many wonderful comments and emails thanking me for this information and asking me to continue with this informative series. I love to share my experience and knowledge with others, and if any of this information assists you, please let me know. I would love to share that with other readers, and highlight your business successes on this blog!

Interesting side note: I have been in contact with boutiques interested in my jewelry, including some with whom I have done wholesale business in the past. With the current state of the economy, many smaller boutiques are taking a much more careful and cautious approach to how they manage their inventory and are incorporating CONSIGNMENT into their inventory plan. This is a business practice that may just be growing, and one that we as artists will need to understand and embrace to continue to drive our sales and exposure!

Here is the next installment in the Consignment series...Meeting with the Boutique! Please note that this series is also being posted on my K. A. Mace Jewelry Blog. Next installment: The First of the "BIG QUESTIONS"!



The Meeting! (drumroll, please...)

When you have a meeting scheduled, be prepared. You have every right to negotiate as much as the retailer does! I know many artists who have felt that it is up the retailer to set the terms, and they put their art and their livelihood in the hands of that retailer. That is pretty naïve, and I have heard nightmare stories come out of such arrangements. You are also in control, remember, it is your product that will make them a profit! This should be a two way conversation!

Come prepared with the following:

Samples. Bring as many as you can, with a strong representation of your work, the colors/gemstones/mediums you work in and with the variety of techniques that you may incorporate into your work. Make sure that they are professionally presented, I have heard horror stories about necklaces tangled in bags, earrings that are mismatched...not the impression you want to leave! Fetpak and other suppliers have wonderful sample cases, roll bags, portfolios, and other clever ways of keeping your samples safe and well-presented.

With jewelry, it is great to show them on displayers, if you can bring some along. It can also really showcase the jewelry if you have velvet or leather mats to lay the pieces on. It also shows the care that you take with your product, and that it is truly special.

Put the jewelry on, invite them to try it on. Jewelry is a visceral sale, and when people try on jewelry they are much more likely to buy it, including boutique owners and managers! Do you have a friend who would be willing to be a model for you? Bring them along, and have them help showcase your work!

A portfolio of your work. This could include digital pictures, postcards or catalogs you have printed. If you are featured in blogs, have screen prints, or screen prints from being highlighted or featured on other websites. If you have been featured in any print advertising, editorials or articles, this is a great way to showcase the newspaper or magazine articles. Yes, this is your opportunity to "brag", and this is a professional way to do so! A nice portfolio is a strong impression!

A new way to showcase your work is to incorporate one of the digital frames that you can plug in and have pictures of your work (and even music) scrolling across the frame. Upload your favorite pictures, set it to flash from picture to picture at the time interval that you set, and some offer you the ability to add effects. It is a high tech way to showcase your work, and the digital frames are now very accessible in price. Use it later at jewelry parties and shows too!

Price sheets. Try to use item numbers for your produdct if possible, as this makes it much less confusing for you and the retailer. While I love to have unique and interesting names and descriptions for my pieces, each one has a unique item number that makes it easy to track and communicate to retailers.

Also, be sure to note any volume pricing that you may offer, or any pricing variations between styles. For example, if I do a necklace in freshwater pearl, it is priced differently than if it is in gemstones. Be prepared to answer if you are flexible in your pricing. Also, be prepared and answer what your average price is, what the average mark up of your work is, and what other retailers are carrying your work.

Blank invoices. They should be pre-printed with your logo and business info on them if possible. This conveys that you are an established business, an invoice pad from an office store does not.

Invoices will be crucial should they want to keep any samples as well to show the owner, other partners, etc. You should never leave any samples without some kind of paper trail! Also, they may wish to create an order on the spot, and this way you are ready to write it up!

Pens, pencils, calculator, stapler, paper clips, etc. I have a small pencil bag from Staples that I carry supplies in that can assist me with writing up an invoice, with all of the supplies in miniature. Cute, and still usable! That way, I can streamline my supplies, and still get the job done!

Technology. Better yet...if you have the technology that makes price sheets, invoices and office supplies a thing of the past, go for it! I have brought along my laptop, and from one piece of technology, I can show them my website, my blog, my portfolio, my price sheets and type up the invoice and email it to them before I even leave the boutique! Whew!

I also have a PDA that can do pretty much all of the above, just on a smaller screen. Ditto for an iPhone. Be savvy with the technology that you use, it can make the meeting much easier, take much less time, and truly show them how much you respect their time and how quickly you can react to their business needs.

Recommendations from customers or other retail partners. This is a great way to show a steady track record with other customers, and that you are reliable and credible.

Good luck with your meeting! Feel free to share with me what worked, what you did differently, or any other advice you would offer for meeting with retailers!

Next posting: The first of the "BIG QUESTIONS"!