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Back Road Bears(If we've discussed this in the past and I missed it or forgot I'm sorry but this might be worth re-discussing anyway!)
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If you are an artist and sell your bears on your own website or blog do you state the price on your site or do you request that a collector email you for price? Why?
If you are a collector would you prefer to see the price stated right on the site or are you comfortable emailing the artist for this?
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As an artist I list the price with a PayPal button right on my site. I don't have anything to hide and I don't have time to answer a lot of inquiry emails about my prices. If a collector wants one of my bears I want to make it as quick and simple as possible. They shouldn't have to WORK for it. It's just good customer service, in my opinion.
As a collector I don't feel I should have to email the artist for a price. If they can't include the price after listing all kinds of pictures and details about the bear then I think either they figure I'll be turned off by the price or they don't want to sell it that badly. But maybe there's a very good reason for not stating the price that I am missing?
Newcastle, OntarioDaphne, I always list my price with the item on my blog. I don't like it when I'm interested in an item and have to do a search for the price, so I assume most people are the same. Most often, I don't bother with the item, if I have to actually work to find the price. :o)
desertmountainbearAs a bear maker I always list the price when selling a bear. When it is an auction I always list the reserve price either on ebay or direct people to my website for details on the reserve.
As a buyer I am not one to email anyone for details on anything, so for me that puts me off. I will pass up the bear thinking it is too expensive for the artist to list the price, so it must be too expensive for me to buy.
Joanne
I have to agree with you Joanne. As a collector I would rather have the price listed. If I sell a bear I have the price there for everyone to see.
Dolls N DreamsI list mine and it drives me crazy to have email someone and ask for a price 
Little Bear GuyI have to agree with everyone else, as a collector I want to see the price. If the price is not listed chances are I am not going to contact the seller, it drives me bonkers when the price is not listed. I am not sure why a bear artist does that but it turns me off.
hugs
Shane
SarchieAs a collector I feel bad if I have to email and find its out of my price range. I prefer to know the inns and outs as I can see the item.
Hope this helps.
As a new bear artist I will be listing my prices. I already have a full-time job and so I would like as much time as possible creating bears and less times going through emails. 
Fulrfun BearsI won't contact an artist if the price isn't listed as I (maybe wrongly) assume if they can't put the price there I can't afford it.
I'm with everyone else here. I won't email the artist to find out the price if it's not listed, no matter how much I love the creation.
Regards
Lisa
Walnut Tree Corner Bears By GailI always state the prices. Like Clare, if the price is not stated, it makes me think of those exclusive jewelery shops where they don't display the prices and you dare not go in to enquire, because if you need to ask the price, you probably cannot afford it.
Potential customers need as much information as possible, first they will look at the pictures and that will determine whether they then look to see if they can afford the item, so they need that information at hand. If they have to wait for an e-mail with a price, they may well have gone off the boil a bit and have decided that really they don't want to spend at the moment or will have looked at other bears in the mean time and have bought one of those instead.
Hi Daphne, 
This is a brilliant topic and one that I wrestled with a little while ago.
I used to put my prices on my website but then had bit of a problem with someone who would constantly email me about the prices. On chatting with another artist about this "problem", they had had a similar situation and so no longer placed prices on their website, so I decided that maybe I should remove mine too. So I haven't shown prices on my website mainly because I have got into the habit of not doing so! But maybe I should! I still get enquiries either by email or phone for my prices but perhaps not as many as I would if prices were shown.
Obviously you have to show the price if you have a Paypal button system on your website and I had wondered about doing this myself recently, wondering whether the "Buy It Now" way of working would be advantageous, but then wondered whether it took some of the "customer contact" feeling away if you see what I mean. Some things can seem too mechanical or techy and I personally do like the customer contact side of things.
I do think though that if someone really loves a particular bear and would love to adopt it, they would be only too pleased to quickly email or ring for a price. . If they don't, then maybe it means they didn't really "want" the bear so much in the first place. That is certainly what I have found and customers who have actually contacted me usually buy the bears they have enquired about. I actually had a lovely person ring for prices of particular bears last night which resulted in their adopting one of my bears right there and then. They were a brand new contact too so "thank you" to them if they are reading this!
However, after reading the comments of other TT lovelies here, maybe I should rethink the whole thingermejig through and start putting prices on the bear details. I think I will give it a little go - and I do apologise to anyone who has been annoyed with me for not putting prices on my website!!! I'll attend to it today!!!! 
Many thanks Daphne, it's given me bit of a kick up the proverbial backside!!
Hugs to all,
Marilyn
Hi Daphne,
Obviously you have to show the price if you have a Paypal button system on your website and I had wondered about doing this myself recently, wondering whether the "Buy It Now" way of working would be advantageous, but then wondered whether it took some of the "customer contact" feeling away if you see what I mean. Some things can seem too mechanical or techy and I personally do like the customer contact side of things.
Hugs to all,
Marilyn
There is another reason not to have the Paypal pay button. If you are in the UK, and have an ecommerce site i.e. one that you can buy direct from, you have to have your business address on the website. If, like most of us, you work from home, then this can cause serious security issues. After all, we normally have a list of fairs on our sites which are effectively saying our house will be empty on that day.
If you don't want to put your address on the site then the email option is ideal.
Having said all that, I'm with everyone else, I prefer to know prices in advance and I am always very open about my prices.
Marilyn - your bears are so gorgeous that I think they will always find homes no matter what. 
Emo BearsI have to say I agree with what has been said. I prefer to see prices. I also like to see the prices of the items that have been previously sold. This gives me a good idea of what I can expect to pay for a bear from that artist.
I have only emailed once or twice and both times the price has been something that I simply cannot afford, and I have had to say No even though I really wanted the pieces - and then I felt really bad for wasting the sellers time. So I tend not to bother.
I do like to buy 'ebay' style; so I buy the item, it arrives no problem. With artist bears I have often used layaway and this does give me some personal contact which was nice but it's not vital to me.
Belper, DerbyshireLike everyone else, if I can't see the price I assume I can't afford it.
It's the same at fairs. Where the prices are not on display, I don't spend too long admiring the bears because I assume I can't afford them.
cheers,
G
The Littlest ThistleI prefer to see and advertise the prices of my bears, hadn't realised that about the addresses having to be on the site though Dawn, oops! Better get onto that. As for the place being empty on fair days, they'll have to get past the pet flatmate first, and I think he might bite if provoked 
Hi Daphne,
Gggrrrr, it's been one of those days today! No sooner had I popped my last message on this topic this morning when "hey presto", our system went down and has remained down all day so I have been unable to get back on until now! Most frustrating.
Anyway, I have taken the bull by the horns (knees trembling) and have followed popular advice and have now put prices on my website. It makes you feel so "exposed"!! 
I'll let you know if it makes any difference to how things are going. (it will probably scare everyone away! ):cry: 
Dawn:
Thank you so very much for your lovely comment Dawn; that made my day.xx :hug: :hug:
Hugs to all,
Marilyn
Thank you for asking these questions, Daphne. Though I don't actively collect right now (maybe someday I can again--I hope!), I do like to browse artists' work and see the prices of the creations being offered (and dream...). I doubt I would e-mail or call for prices. Like Julia, I also really like to see the prices of items that have been sold to get a feel for the price range the artist works within. So many artists sell all their bears very quickly, and I don't have a clue how much they are going for.
~Debora
Back Road BearsWow! Lots of great responses. I'm glad I'm not the only bothered by the lack of a price on an artist's website. But Marilyn, I didn't mean for you to feel pressured to change your ways! :hug: If your reason for keeping the price private was because of one person then I'd say it's certainly fair to give this another try!
Another way to look at it is that for every one person who DOES call or email you for a price look at how many people likely don't given the responses here. Does listing the price mean you'll have greater or fewer sales? Time will tell but I honestly don't think it could hurt. Those who can't afford a bear might now know what your bears sell for and be prepared to buy one later on. Do let us know how it goes!
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From a sales and marketing perspective:
We live in a fast-paced age of technology, ecommerce and instant gratification. As a business with an internet presence and something to sell it is important to seize the buying habits of internet shoppers. That means offering sharp pictures, simple factual descriptions, price and a way to buy instantly. PayPal buttons or another shopping cart service can greatly increase sales as you'll capture impulse buys. While artist bears aren't really an impulse buy given their price point there are collectors who may have a want or need for a new bear and sit down to their computer to buy one. If they see two by different artists, on different websites and can't decide between the two do you think they'll go for the one in which they don't know the price or how to purchase it and have to email and wait for a response? Or will they go for the one with the price including shipping clearly stated and a "Buy Now" button right there? While PayPal may not be something everyone wants to use it's something to consider.
There are all kinds of articles, courses, etc. about how to sell online. Most address buying habits, simplicity, easy navigation and providing customer service by giving a customer all the information they need to make the decision to buy. Handmade items are no different than anything else. You can make your website a visual reflection of "you" and make it personal with your "about me" page, etc. but the bones of a good website still need to be in place. Personal customer service can still be given to your customers via a thank you email, thoughtful packaging and a thank you card with the bear.
As an artist I wouldn't put my physical address or phone number on my website. If you have a PO Box I'd say you are safe. This is just my way of thinking: If someone is on the internet at my website then they likely have email by which to contact me! If you chose to give them your phone number or mailing address privately through email that is much safer! In the 8 years I've been selling online and involved with forums like TT this is the first time I've heard of someone being concerned about having a show schedule AND address on their site and fearing someone could go to their home while they are at a show. Hm. I don't think stating you'll be at a show means that everyone in your home is going to be gone too. Also keep in mind that even if you don't post your address or phone number on your site it is very easy for anyone to look up a person's address online if they want it that bad!
I'm so glad so many of you responded. Thank you for your input! :hug:
I prefer to see and advertise the prices of my bears, hadn't realised that about the addresses having to be on the site though Dawn, oops! Better get onto that. As for the place being empty on fair days, they'll have to get past the pet flatmate first, and I think he might bite if provoked ;)
Hi Katy - you only need your address on the site if you are actually selling direct ie. you have a shopping cart and a pay now button etc. If you just have your prices on with an 'email me if you are interested' you don't need your address.
It's not just the house being empty on fair dates, I feel quite vulnerable at having my address for all to see when I don't know who is looking at my site.
But maybe that is just me!
BrisbaneAs a collector I prefer to see the price listed for a bear. If I have to email then I don't bother usually. I like to see if the bear is in my price range before I make contact.
The Littlest Thistlerowarrior wrote:I prefer to see and advertise the prices of my bears, hadn't realised that about the addresses having to be on the site though Dawn, oops! Better get onto that. As for the place being empty on fair days, they'll have to get past the pet flatmate first, and I think he might bite if provoked ;)
Hi Katy - you only need your address on the site if you are actually selling direct ie. you have a shopping cart and a pay now button etc. If you just have your prices on with an 'email me if you are interested' you don't need your address.
It's not just the house being empty on fair dates, I feel quite vulnerable at having my address for all to see when I don't know who is looking at my site.
But maybe that is just me!
Ah, cool, thanks for clarifying, I don't need it then I know what you mean about the address though.
Back Road BearsIf you are in the UK, and have an ecommerce site i.e. one that you can buy direct from, you have to have your business address on the website.
Who governs this, Dawn? Who makes sure anyone selling anything online in the UK has their address on their site and what is the penalty if you don't? Just curious.
Little Bear GuyWe use to have our telephone number on our website but had to remove it, we started getting harassing phone calls in the middle of the night and threatening ones as well. We did have to contact the police at one time as we had a very threatening phone call from a Red Neck from Kentucky (mountain folk I assume) lol no offense to anyone from Kentucky or hill folk .
hugs
Shane
OMG Shane! That is just plain scary. I pay for a toll free number for my business. It rolls right to VM and I call back as soon as I'm free. That helps protect me from things like that. I did have one person harassing me. It was nothing like what you went thru, but very odd. I called the company that handles my toll free number and had them block that person from calling my #.
Dawn, can you use a postal box address? I use that now for my business also for safety's sake. No one but my closest friends know my street address - well, them and the government :crackup:
