Question on pricing .... Long Story

[Teresa]

I am so baffled, I thought I had done a pretty good price study of the machine quilters in my area and trust me there is not that many? I live in a ?your not a quilter unless you do it by hand? area. However when I complete a quilt and hand them there invoices they all turn and look at me like there is something wrong, and today took the cake. I completed a LQS sample and when I returned it to the shop owner she told me I should not discount so much. I didn?t discount the quilt! I charged her what I charge everyone?. Kicker is the other three I delivered told me the same thing, oh and I turned them is less than two weeks!

I just don?t get that much business here and I really do not know what to do about my pricing.

Finally the question

So what you have charged to do this quilt?

Here is the info:

The quilt is 68.75 square

I used Rainbow variegated on the top and bottom

Center of the quilt - rows of paisleys and feathers

Small border is simply swirls

Outer border is a large feather with a paisley on one side and the feathers on the other

One quilt turn charge for the borders

:

You can email me privately if you would like to.

Thanks for your help...

[Bonnie]

I sent you a u2u

[Ferret]

well my first thought is at least they are saying you are too cheap, this is a good thing. Too expensive is a lot harder to deal with. I think I would start by asking them what they expected to pay. Also ask how mcuh would be definately too much. I would then raise my price to a little under what they say they expected to pay. They are still getting a good deal and you are making more money per quilt.

I would give a discount to those who helped set the prices so their next quilt is not as much as your new price, but make it an explicit discount and tell them why they are geeting it. I bet they will brag about how they helped and how you gave them a thank you. This not only publicises your service but also adds ligitimacy to the fees.

Ferret

[xtraquilts]

Without a picture, it is hard to say-sometimes if the scale is ssmall, I charge more. Usually, medium custom work I price at 3.5 cents per square inch and that is common here in the Dallas area. Does that help?

Sue

[Patch]

Maybe the people who looked at you like you're nuts were thinking of the hand-quilting prices people charge in your area. I suppose hand-quilting carries a higher price tag because it's so laborious, and sought-after. Machine quilting doesn't take so long, and so of course will cost less, right? Maybe those people just aren't used to machine quilting prices. I like Ferret's suggestion (not that I know anything about it, but it sounds good to me as a consumer).

[ramona-quilter]

Teresa,

I can't get to webshots from where I am (too slow) so I will go by your description. I would love to know how much time you spent on it, too. The time might make me adjust the pricing. This is a small quilt, like a lap quilt. A bigger one would, of course, cost more.

I agree with Ferret. It is always easier to raise your prices. Since this is my first year, I think that my prices are still pretty low. After September, they will go up based on my quilting experience. And my biz brochure has a caveat on the pricing page "*Prices are subject to change without notice."

This is my math. I'm assuming she provided her own batting.

69 x 69 = 4761 sq in

4761 x .025 = $119.02

$119.02 quilting service

+ 5.00 thread charge

_______

$124.02

+ 9.61 California State Tax

_______

$133.62 out the door in a Cleaner's Supply zippered quilt bag with my brochure and 3 business cards.

So how close am I to your pricing? I have been told that my pricing is low, too. But this is still my first year as a quilter for $$.

[Teresa]

I feel better with all of your input...

I charged the customer $130.00 and fell within all of the pricing input from you folks...

Thanks for your suggestions,

[coverlea]

I agree with Ferret - Testing is the only way to find out how much your market will bare..

There are some schools of thought that you should charge an hourly rate that you are happy with (that you think you are worth).. Of course this is a little hard when you are beginning..

Michelle

[Grammie]

Hello,

I think your pricing is more than fair. I kinda look at pricing different than most. I want longarm quilters to realize that they are gifted and provide a wonderful service and demand to be paid for that service well. I find many are undercharging for their services. I've seen their beautiful quilting and cannot believe they work so hard for so little. With that being said I also understand we all live in different areas and need to get ourself out there. Time and experience does indeed get you better pricing scales. I'm not a ribbon winner yet but this seems to matter to the piecers. I've acutually been asked that. "Do you compete and are you an award winner?" I hate to say no to them. lol If that is in the cards than it will come some day. When I decide to enter something. I still consider myself a learning quilter. Many techniques I have had to opportunity to use in a customers quilt. I'm almost there.

All I know is that I can do a simple pieced quilt once cut and ready to Piece/sew in less than half a day and I can do a simple quilting job on that quilt in the same amount of time and still make a fair profit selling the quilt. That has been my experience. I am one of those who people say are alittle High in price. It probly keeps my turn around down but just when I am down to 3 quilts 10 more show up. Like everyone I need to make money quilting but I am learning that there are many avenues to which I can do this. Settling for bottom dollar for my quilting isn't one of them. Trust that you are talented and offer a special kind of service. All quilters are talented more in some areas than others. Find that type of quilting that you love doing and focus on being the best in your area at that skill. I always do more in the quilt than I'm suppose to. I can't help myself. If I know it will look great I usually do it. Like Ferret its great to test the waters. I do give discounts to some of my best customers but I don't announce it. I keep track of what I quilt for them and I surprise them once in a while. It makes them feel special. Those that spend money on me are the ones that get the discounts. I don't give discounts to first time customers except those that have WON one of my Gift Certificates or something in a quilt club or something. I reward the returning customers and they just keep coming back for more. I recieved more Christmas presents this year from my customers than my family. I think that is because I have built a relationship with them and they really do appreciate that. I really like my customer base so far. Kinda like when you go to the hairdresser and she already knows what you like and what you do not like. Never does my customer set the price. I simply ask them if they have a budget guideline and then I quote what I will do for that price if it is possible to honor. I get really close. But in the end I set the price according to the work and time I need to meet their needs.. Like Linda you do need some way to stucture your pricing rather than just quoting a Total. I like to charge by the square inch and many like square foot and even square yard. Best wishes to you. I love longarm quilting more than I ever thought I would. "You decide the direction that it takes you" and you will be very happy.