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Dilu Aug 17, 2005

ECONOMICS BY DILU

I am posting some thoughts here, because not everyone goes to the sale page.

It has been suggested by those near and dear to me that I underprice my work.  My play.

I do have a philosophy, although it may be outdated.  (I listen to all the money talking head shows on TV and find I am certainly not in step with them!)

1.  It isn't underpriced if it doesn't sell
     While we would all love to think our play/work is valuable it is only as valuable as much as people are willing to pay. If no one buys our work then the intrinsic value is to us but the monetary value is nil. 

2.  I believe the the US is spiraling into inflation
     The talking heads all tell us everything is fine.  However think about this: they have all their money in the stock market-if we go into inflation and they haven't sold their stock they will have lost money, the money they think they have, which is all on paper and not tangible anyway.  They have a vested interest in keeping the status quo.  Therefore are they believable?

3.  I believe the rest of the world has been suffering in their economies for quite a while.  Look at Mother England; the middle class is being demoted to poor and the poor are living in squats. The taxes in Europe are unbelievable and life styles are graduating downward to compensate from the heavy taxation.  It isn't across the board yet, but the studies are showing that the poor classes are growing and the the middle classes are disappearing.  I find this rather terrifying.

4.  As the gap widens we will see our own economic choices narrowing.
I hear on the news that the gas prices will not have any effect on spending and driving habits.  However I have seen and lived this before.  ( I remember gas at 35 cents a gallon-just an aside)  They will tell you that adjusted for the "value" of the dollar now why we are paying less than the 1980's.  Hogwash.

Who knows the difference between lies and statistics?

5.  Many of us are old enough to remember the 1980's from an economic point of view-how much milk was, meat going up and up and up
etc. How hard it was to make the ends meet at the end of the month

Add to this credit card debt that our poor country has allowed itself to get so sucked into that it literally takes my breath away.

  I have 2 debit cards, one for each account- the business account and the personal account.  No credit cards. 

Have any of you really read what the flyers that come with those cards say in the teeny tiny print on the back.  You are one day late and the interest jumps to (yesterday's offering which was Mastercard) 28%

I remember when the government would have called that usuary.  But because so many in the government (doesn't matter your party affiliation) have stock in those same credit card companies they are not going to do anything to stop it, because it means bigger and better dividends to them

When I was a younger woman a great rate of return on a stock was 1-2% and everyone was elated.  Now if they aren't getting 5,6,7,15% they are angry.

So think about how companies increase their profitablility.  They lay off thousands of workers a year, and that money saved, on the books, looks like profit.  They then transfer the jobs to Sri Lanka, Peru, Indonesia, where ever the cost of doing business is cheaper.....and Your neighbor who got laid off?  Well, know he is working 2 jobs at half what he was getting and doesn't have the income to call himself middle class anymore.

College:  anyone wonder WHY costs have gone up quadruple the rate of inflation?  The teaching certainly isn't any better

Medicine: anyone know someone who has to choose between heat and food and medications?  I do.

All the pharmaceuticals and HMO's are traded on the big board.  Therefore, again, the incentive is to have more profit on the books regardless what happens in the real world. 

2 years ago we bought a used GEO for me to use as a run around car. (my honey is a mechanic which is a Godsend) We got it because we felt and saw the trend in gas prices and believed it would go up to $3.00+.  My quilt guild laughed at me.  My honey's friends laughed at him.  They were all retired and believed the good life would continue forever.  They bought monster Chevy trucks and fancy big sedans.

Well.  We were wrong.

Gas is going to go higher.

They will tell you on the talking head shows that its a blip.  Yep a blip that could last for years and destroy your lifestyle.

Every single year that I have been alive and thinking I have watched gas go up about 20% before Labor day but down only 10% after.  Add that up over 40 -50 years and it is allot!  But every year they tell us the same thing.

Wait till this winter- if its a bad one-people are really going to suffer. heat vs food, heat vs. medications. 

The gap widens

I think what I am trying, feebly to get across, is that we need to take back our economic freedom that we have abdicated to people who would use us up and throw us away. 

For us this means:

1. no credit card debt
2.house bought and paid for
3. no new cars- $40,000 for a new car?  What?!?!?
4. owe no one anything

We sleep ok at night.  But I still worry.  Because I can see the time coming when so many people are going to be suffering so terribly.

Now- for those who think I am an old crumudgeon, you are right- lets see what happens this Christmas season.  If the season is less than the stellar season being projected take the steps you need to to protect yourselves.

Therefore my little feeble atrtempts at levity, teddies and gollies I make with the understanding that they very well never sell, and I have to be fine with this, and therefore make what I like so that I can live with it.

In my town I can't ask what I could in a big city.  And yes, there are rich people as well as dirt poor people here.  But there is a part of me that is happier seeing a little pocket golly going to someone without much money but who will be happy with it for a long time.  My purpose is to make people smile well not with this post perhaps..., lighten the load a little, and hope that someday I will have the following that Shelli, Sue Ann, Judi, Ritas, Danni, Paula, Shari well and all the other ARTISTS here.

Meanwhile, I get to hang out with the best of the best....I get to learn, I get to play, I get to love.

Now that is truly priceless.

Gollygeewhizzikin hugs and love to all

Sorry to be a downer......from now on happy talk

Dilu

ellen Aug 17, 2005

ditto!!!
i luv you Dilu!
*speechless*

Deb Aug 17, 2005

Well great ... now I have to take another Celexa (my anti-depressant of choice).  Thankfully, it's available in generic form which is much more affordable.

I definitely agree regarding credit cards ... ugh.  It's no fun digging out ... but feels great when you become free!  A $40KA car would be great if each Golly sells for $15K!

Regarding your #1 ... that is so true (IMO).  Kind of like beauty being in the eye of the beholder ... value and/or worth is in the eye of the consumer.  My husband had a Harley Davidson Sportster.  Lovely bike.  Can't ride anymore.  He'd accessorised quite a bit and figured the bike to be "worth" about $1,000 more than any buyer was willing to pay.  Perception, indeed, is reality.

Okay ... off to the drinking fountain ...

Deb

Dilu Aug 17, 2005

Ahhhh Deb...I am sorry, but go hug your oldest teddy and remember the joy you felt when you first got him.  Remember who gave him to you.  And remember love.

Yep.....just did it for me....all else pales in comparison to love.

Dilu

psichick78 Aug 17, 2005

Dilu, I agree with you. Gas prices are getting scary, and they never go down as much as they went up. Even in my 10 yrs of driving, the prices have over doubled what I used to pay.It's scary bec. gas effects just about all we do.
I do thank my lucky stars that I"m in Canada so health care is no worry to me.
I do have a theory on selling on ebay though. Thought this was a good place to share.

If you find that when your bears sell on ebay, you only get 1 or 2 bids then PUT YOUR PRICES HIGHER!!! I had to learn this the hard way. I would put something on ebay for a low price. hoping to get a bidding war. ( dont we all) It would turn out that I would get only 1 bid, but the buyer loved my stuff. I believe that they would have bought it for $10 or for $50. But since  I only had it listed for so cheap, they got it for a deal.
So after a few of those, I started to put the price MUCH higher and it worked!!!! I would still only get one bid but that's fine. I got the price I thought it deserved. You can really get yourself in trouble, if you show your buyers that your art is only worth so much. You need to show them what it's worth. Even myself, when I'm on ebay looking at other artist bears, if I see one listed for real cheap, I find myself thinking that they must be made by a newbie and/or not done very well. As if the artist knows there is no way their bear can compete with the others. Sometimes, I'm very suprised how great the bear is, and I hope for them they get lots of bids.
You gotta have the confidance in your work, and that shows in your pricing as well.
Now don't get me wrong, you can't go crazy with your prices, but it just kills me to see for example and 21" teddy, made of mohair, sell for $20. You just know the materials cost more than that.
And that's my take on that!!!!! LOL

--trying to save gas, Heather

Deb Aug 17, 2005

Dilu ~

LOL ... I was kinda teasing about the Celexa (well, about the extra one anyway).  It's so funny you said "remember love" as I've had so many conversations with my 22 year old over the past year about love.  She says "I don't FEEEEEEL love."  And I say "Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?  Love is not at FEEEEEELing, it's a choice, a decision, a commitment".  I don't get how she's lived with us for all this time and is struggling so with such a basic concept.    What's up with that anyway?

Dilu ... is that like short for Diane Lucinda or something, or is that your given name.  It's different, interesting.  It was my intention to use DebbieLu as a username.  It's just what a waiter at a deli here in the thriving metropolis of Corning calls me, and it's fun.  I had several screens open, was grossly over-multitasking, and typed a portion of a password in the username field.  Tried to correct it later on, but the system wouldn't allow another username for my email address.  Sooooo .... JJ it is.  GAK.

Heather ~

Me too ... I've tried all different price setting strategies.  Started at $2.00, being an unknown, got about $2.00.  I've got a bear going on <Ebay> soon and I'm thinking I have no problem starting with what materials were (or close to it at least).  If she doesn't sell, so be it.  I'll have <another> great gift for a sister or niece or nephew.

Happy afternoon!

Deb

Dilu Aug 17, 2005

How weird- My sister's, who I hope is in heaven, name was Lucinda Louise

Nope- mine is ever so prozaic-I like that word sort of like Prozac- Di for Diane- LU for Lundgren- married name-  It types fast, I can remember it and when my fingers go too fast I get silly little typos that are amusing, if to no one else, to me.  I AM EVER SO EASY TO AMUSE

It is interesting about your daughter.  I have seen this in many kids around her age/her generation that were brought in to the psych hospital where I did intakes.  I found it troubleing and could never figure it out except that I think our western society is schizophrenic.  We send the kids mixed messages.

So no to drugs- meanwhile every third commercial is about drugs and every third kid in school is on Ritalin

Every other mom they know either tocks up or drinks down to get through the day.....Librium, (my mom's personal fav) valium, xanax, Ativan, take 2......
Love- I love Brittany, I love that color, I love marmalade.....hmmmmm I suspect our kids have burned out on the very overused word of LOVE.  They don't understand it.  It is an adjective to tack onto the latest hottest coolest bluest things that comes along, and it means nothing.  They say it to each other and then stab each other ( sometimes literelly) in the back from the time they are 5 years old.

We can model behavior, but until it clicks, until it is in them, until they feel it in their souls, in their cells, they will never get it.

Scarry huh?

Here's the god news, I hope, most kids really are good kids, and they grow up to be good adults.  When you consider the percentage of bad people in our societies it is incredably small....maybe 2-4%.  And true eveil is .1% (yeah I know about stats....there are lies, damn lies and statistics.  According to Mark Twain

Hang in there-Deb;  she's still young.

dilu

bearsbybeesley Aug 17, 2005

You are a very wise and very Dear woman Dilu. Never never change Hon!

Hugs Louise

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorAug 17, 2005

I am too intimidated to even speak on this thread.  Dilu, you're wonderful.

psichick78 Aug 17, 2005

I don't have kids, but I was a baaad kid myself. Did it all and then some. Now here I am at 26, been with the same guy for 12 yrs (yeah, I know it's crazy) and I sit at home most Friday nights at the sewing maching. So there is hope for you parents. I promise!!!!!
Heather

Deb Aug 17, 2005

Hope no one misunderstood me ... my kids are GREAT kids.  I really think I just wasn't prepared for how difficult this particular stage of <their> growing up would be for me.  All those years of ... helping, instructing, coaching, etc.  Then you have to turn them loose and just be supportive and silent and let them make their way.

You know in the end the movie will have a happy ending, but it's a difficult one to watch just the same.

It's all good.

Deb

Carolyn Green Aug 17, 2005

Deb I think they are set to try us in our lives.
We have a 16 year old daughter who most of the time is very nice and can turn and for no
apparant reason can say something nasty.
I once heard it said that it is their way of cutting that cord a little so when they finally move out
it is easier for all.
And then there is our sweet little son Marcel 13 who is at boarding school and on Wednesday
he and an older boy were playfighting and they made a great hole in the wall.
The Master said he was very remorseful and he had offered to pay for the repairs out of his
allowance and he got to sweep leaves after school.
So there you go, as much as you would like them to be perfect they throw you a curve ball.
All fun and I suppose they keep us on our toes!
Keep up the good work and I know that deep down they really do appreciate all we do.

Hugs Carolyn

Terrie Aug 17, 2005

Hi Dilu,
I agree with you about the state of our economic world and I think that if you are happy with the prices that you are asking for your bears, that is all that matters. Money is only one reasons why I ( and probably most people) even make bears. I came to the realization a couple of years ago that I would still make bears even if I had to bury them in the back yard!
Hugs,
Terrie

Dilu Aug 18, 2005

For those of you mothers with teenagers 2 things to remember

1.  there is life ( for you) after puberty

1 never underestimate the power of hormones   Remember hormones when your daughters ' are turning into nasty scarry barely representative of the human race creatures. 

And have sympathy, because if you have teenagers now you probably haven't gone through the big M yourself.

It can be very scary.

Terrie, I am glad you have joined us.  I WOULD continue to make bears and gollies.  I can't help myself.

granted I do want to sell, make no mistake about it, but I recognize that these things take time and if it is meant to sell it will and for my life, for me and mine, it is all in the hands of the Lord.

hugs guys

Dilu

Delartful Bears Aug 18, 2005

Oh Dilu,  I hope I didn't upset or hurt you by saying you should raise your prices..... I just don't like to see you underselling your work.... I mean, I would be suprised if you made any profit for those prices...

Of course, do what you are happy with...  I was just trying to help!

You are right in everything you said... of course..

Danni

Dilu Aug 18, 2005

Oh Dannikins, silly bearikins, of course you didn't upset me.....

The economy upsets me,

The Senate upsets me

The house of Reps uipsets me

The oil companies with their obscene profits upset me

Senseless death upsets me....

EVIL upsets me

But you, my sweet, could never upset me.....it just gave me the idea to talk about one of my pet subjects.....avoiding debt and not giving to the credit card thieves more than they should have....but how else do they pay for all their gimiks?

ahhhh sigh......let it go  think peaceful, think calm....

Danni you are a special lady.....think no more about it!

Hugs....and since my eyes are finally crossing, night'all

Dilu

Carolyn Green Aug 18, 2005

thanks very much for your advice Dilu - there is life for us, after puberty.
Yes, I think one needs to be patient and wait for the day when our darling teenagers, will be able to get over these stages. It is scary I know.

About the econonmy  - our petrol prices seem to go up nearly every month. It is about
$1.40 a litre and has been said it could be as much as $2.00 by the end of the year.
I think we all need to go back to walking and push bikes.

What you said think peaceful, think calm - very lovely words. Thanks

Bear hugs
Carolyn

MerBear Aug 18, 2005

Dilu - what you said is so true. I'm in Ontario and our gas prices hit $1.03/litre today. I remember 6 years ago it was .38...and our gvt says there is no collusion between the gas companies in pricing! Since the gvt gets a hefty portion of gas prices by way of taxes and the taxes go up proportinally with the price I don't see that they have any interest in controlling the price of gas! We are fortunate in our health care h/e the gvt is starting to privatize health care so the wealthy don't have to wait so long.
We are almost debt free - I did so want a new car last year! It's not a gas guzzler h/e. We've tried to bring up four kids up as socialists and politically savvy, mostly by example. I wonder where we went wrong with one son - he's conservative and a financial adviser:rolleyes: but hopefully he'll grow out of it:)
I shudder when I see the debt most families carry these days. I was thankfully able to stay home and raise my kids. Now both parents really have to work to be able to earn a decent living. When we married 35 years ago we started out with 2nd hand everything. Now when kids marry they get all new furniture with those buy now pay later debts, not to mention the school debt most of them also have.

Marion

Daphne Aug 19, 2005

OK, I am going to try to be nice here as I post my 3 cents (inflation) on this subject!!!

Dilu started this off  by saying that some thought she underpriced her work. I can't tell you how many times I've heard this... by my mother, the craftsmen's league I am a juried member of, and other artists including a couple here.

So what do you say and how do you feel when you are at a show, a woman sees a bear she absolutely loves, it's got the same name as her deceased mother and she'd just love to have it. Then sees the price and is heart broken. She said she'd come to the bear show for cheering up, something that sounded like fun... had no idea a teddy bear could cost over $100.00 but did recognize the art and talent involved. But, she could only afford $50 for this $110.00 bear she held in her hands that bore her mother's name. Her mother had wanted a nice funeral service, nothing extravagant, but hadn't planned for it financially so this daughter had spent her savings for the funeral. She carried the obituary from the newspaper with her as her mother had passed away recently. (So, it wasn't an act to get me to drop the price so those skeptics out there can forget that argument!)  I get a card from her and the bear she bought for $50 on the anniversary of her mother's death every year. Thanking me.

You see, bear making can be a business but you should all know by now that with only a few exceptions of certain artists, it's not going to be a high profit venture. You'll be lucky to have a bit of spending money left over in the end!! So, we're NOT in it for the money. I think personally that if you are your motives need to be re-evaluated. What are teddy bears all about? Love, comfort, warm fuzzies, happiness, memories.... that's what teddies are about. Not about charging an arm and a leg for them! Not about allowing only the wealthy, upper class own our one of a kind, filled with love and hard work bears. Those struggling with finances, marriage problems, teenagers, loss of a loved one, sickness.... regardless of the size of their bank account... are the ones who could use a teddy bear the most.

So, I will NOT up my prices. If we all keep doing that we're going to drive each other right out of business! There are more and more folks making bears every day... this board is a perfect example of all the newbies trying bear making for the first time. There is a lot of talent out there. But, artist bears are also going to be a dime a dozen if this keeps up.... so not worth the hundreds of dollars many of you would like us to be charging for our bears.

And if fuel prices keep going up along with everything else no one will have money to spend on frivolous things anyway!

So, sorry I don't with agree with all of you on pricing. I'm flattered that many think my work is worth more but then fewer would be able to afford it so I'd sell less.

Whether I charge $100 or $200 the quality of my work is the same. To charge more to make someone think it's really valuable, etc. is just playing mind games.

But hey, this all comes from someone who didn't wear underwear under her dress to school when she was five years old!!! What do I know!??

Daphne

Dilu Aug 19, 2005

Daphne

I am positive that you have been blessed by the blessing you gave that woman. 

No matter where we stand on the subject of religion, and I will not speak or think poorly of any religion, regardless of mine.  I bellieve that God is bigger than any religion and any dogma, and by trying to fit God into a little box we are trying to limit the vastness that I call God.  (Hmmm my comparative religions minor which was a subset of Philosophy is showing huh?)

I truly believe that we are all on the same train-life- and that we will all get to the train station.  But since the train is so long some of us get there sooner than others.  ( like my dad) and some of us tend to keep going back in the cars, to avoid the station but we can't do it forever....oh welll

I also truly believe that when good is done, like Daphne did for her bear show lady, that good continues to ripple through the universe, because it is energy and energy lasts for ever.

I also believe that when good is done good is returned.

So Daphne did a wonderful thing.  She followed her intuition (which we all have).  Unfortunetly not enough of us listen to it.  I don't believe in being used.  That turns us into victems and I believe we can all be stronger than wallowing in victim hood.  That's for another day

Pity plays only have one audience member ,ourselves, and that's just pretty darn lonely.

So no, not everyone who wants a bear and has a good story should get one.  But Daphne's story shows us that there are those who maybe should.  I do not advoacte anyone lowering their prices.  Each and every gal here works her little thing she sits on, since we are an international group with interesting idioms off, and our work is valuable and frequently undervaluing it indicates that we do not think it is valuable.  Frequenlty people who get things  handed them do not appreciate the gift. 

This is where our intuition and our woman's wisdom comes in.  And yes each and every one of you has it.  Practise listening to it.  Start by paying attention to where in your body you first feel tense when your best friend, spouse or child tells you a little right lie.  Wherever that is, usually the solar plexus is where you will always feel someone lieing to you or trying to manipulate you.  See how easy this Psych stuff is? 

With practise you too can become a walking lie detector.  (It really is a lot of fun, especially with kids between 6 and 8 they are so amazed...also with boarderlines who are trying  NOTto get better, and of course adolescents, who can lie as easily as they tell you their name)

I believe that those of you who have stated my prices are too low- have valid points and I am listening and am considering....But there is also a time and a place for the generosity of the soul.

May we all be comfortable with these opportunities when they come to us.

Dilu

Winney Aug 19, 2005

Love this thread...Hmmm, I hear you all on prices.I have given so much thought on the difficulty of pricing and every new comer has to mull this over too.

I finally had to settle on something  on my basic mohair  prices  which is around $10. to $15 per inch depending on material and labor costs and a small profit. I end up in the ball park of a bear that is priced moderately compared to what is offered on the artist bear market.

I have reduced a price on a bear if I can fit it in to where I am not just giving my labor and materials away. But then.. on the other hand.....  I have actually given away some bears because I felt or was compelled to ...that's for the other half of me that loves to give fuzzy hugs to any one that really needs it... in the form of a bear . My of my...that feels good on my end too....very fuzzy love, nothing like it and oddly the memory of it lasts fur ever..
                                                                                             ....Winney

Daphne Aug 19, 2005

Dilu & Winney -

So does that mean I'm not ousted from the board???

Ooo, I feel the luuuuve! :D

Daphne

Winney Aug 19, 2005

Of course you silly....heres one from my ((((((((((((((((((((( U ))))))))))))))))))  Winney

Shelli Retired Help Advisor, Banner SponsorAug 19, 2005

For what it's worth, I believe respectful debate is a growth opportunity for anyone with an open mind and an open heart.  It's just plain good for the soul to hear and consider and be tolerant of -- are you listening, current DC administration? -- one another.  So this is all good.

Just to play devil's advocate, remember that some can more easily "afford" to keep their pricing low for value-based reasons, because someone else is helping out considerably with paying the bills (such as darling husband; well-stocked pension plan; inheritance; lottery win; or big bucks bank accounts from former career paths.)  For others -- those who choose this artistic, comes-and-goes, seasonally-influenced route instead of another fulltime career -- it's important to make ends meet and cover materials costs, and then some.  Those folks don't have the luxury to choose "nice" over "profitable," because "nice" equates to beans and franks on the table every day of the week.  And that doesn't feel like something that's in the best interests of the family.  Yet to give up this creative and fulfilling full-time career and find a more serious paycheck elsewhere, outside the home, in a far less satisfying outlet, just makes for unhappy former bearmakers (now working in a cubicle), and kids who wish mom was home again and sewing things -- even if that keeps everyone on a tight budget.

Just a little more food for thought...

Winney Aug 19, 2005

Good food and thoughts Shelli.. I know where you are coming from... and so,it does depend on each bear makers needs and budgets....some of us are really needing to help make a living from it.
I for one, am  disabled, so is my husband, he had to retire early from a disbaility... and neither one of us can  go out and work.
The problem too is... we have not reached official retirement age , so together we live on a VERY  restricted SSI  income. This year our medical costs have gone up so much..OVER 1/4th of the income is payed out just for medical ( after the insurance pays ) and soon it will be 1/3 . It gets to where you must decide robbing from the food table or do without .

We are among that population of people that " fall between the cracks " . Make too much to qualify for assistance and don't make enough to pay all our med. costs ourselves.
We will qualify for Medicare in Nov.. so the story I hope will  get better...

Everyone has different circumstances..so we are sometimes limited in what we can do when it comes to giving freely away our work .... Winney