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Post by Rockindad on Apr 15, 2019 21:50:04 GMT -5
Not sure where to put this as it could probably fit in a couple of places. I came across this site www.mysticmerchant.com/ and was blown away by what I saw. I am not talking about the level of craftsmanship but of the prices. Please do not get me wrong, I am a fervent believer that you should price your goods however you see fit. I am just saying that I see comparable to much better quality here on this site on a daily basis and if I can see this, being far from an expert, I wonder what many of you see. I do not want to be insulting but the bails that are used on many of the pendants are very similar to what my 10 year old is working on for his schools Arts & Crafts Fair. That being said it seems like he has been at this for quite some time so maybe he has attained a certain level of success. If so it shows that marketing is just as important as the goods that are being dealt. Some of you sellers need to give yourselves a raise! Al |
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Post by Rockoonz on Apr 15, 2019 22:38:00 GMT -5
The real question would be is he selling them?
I will say nothing else, last time I commented on something it turned out to be a fellow RTH'er.
Talk about awkward.
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 15, 2019 22:44:07 GMT -5
I will say that I flat out hate that website.
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Post by hummingbirdstones2 on Apr 15, 2019 23:08:55 GMT -5
Heeheehee - okay, we'll raise our prices. What do you want to buy?
Seriously, we had a friend in the club who was complaining about not selling any pieces at a craft show. Robin looked at her prices and told her to raise them. The other lady thought she was nuts, but eventually did re-price them. She sold several pieces that same day.
Apparently the perceived value went up right along with her prices. Some people just think if it costs more it's a better piece. |
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 15, 2019 23:17:18 GMT -5
I'm getting ready to start selling. Before I proceed on a project I do a lot of research. I buy a lot of stuff online and shopping is the mirror image of marketing. People offer great bargains, decent prices and … are you dreaming. Until a person knows what something actually sold for the offering price means little. When ebay sold a lot of good quality cabochons and jewelry, it was easy to price items a person wanted to sell. There are always some ill informed customers who will buy because they like something and don't bother to shop for value. When I market, I expect my buyers to be savvy.
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 15, 2019 23:41:26 GMT -5
Guys- He's catering to the mystical crowd. They always pay a ton for those things because of lots of reasons that I just don't get.
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jasperfanatic
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2019
Posts: 463
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Post by jasperfanatic on Apr 15, 2019 23:55:02 GMT -5
Caveat emptor.
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gemfeller
Cave Dweller 
Member since June 2011
Posts: 4,064 
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Post by gemfeller on Apr 16, 2019 0:00:25 GMT -5
Guys- He's catering to the mystical crowd. They always pay a ton for those things because of lots of reasons that I just don't get. Yep. I've watched that site for years and am amazed it remains in business. Yet he seems to have found a very profitable niche and is successful. I met him once years ago in Tucson and his prices there were sky-high, much higher than nearby competing dealers. I guess his clients either don't shop around or are convinced his products are worth the higher prices. Marketing is a very strange affair and you can't argue with success. |
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jimaz
spending too much on rocks
Member since July 2018
Posts: 476
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Post by jimaz on Apr 16, 2019 1:04:50 GMT -5
I just looked at the “jewelry” galleries. OMG, I think a first grader could do better.
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Post by Rockindad on Apr 16, 2019 6:52:03 GMT -5
The real question would be is he selling them? I will say nothing else, last time I commented on something it turned out to be a fellow RTH'er. Talk about awkward. I thought about both of those issues and I hesitated to post this as I came across that site quite awhile back. Also, when you are running your own site you can pretty much put "Sold" next to anything you want...... Al |
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Post by Rockindad on Apr 16, 2019 6:53:16 GMT -5
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 16, 2019 10:23:28 GMT -5
Guys- He's catering to the mystical crowd. They always pay a ton for those things because of lots of reasons that I just don't get. More like New Age; crystals, minerals, Reiki etc. New Age is like a religion and the bible is: www.amazon.com/Love-Earth-Kaleidoscope-Describing-Metaphysical/dp/0962819034Crystals and minerals have healing properties and are held in the hand or worn. The market for this is a crossover with minerals, lapidary, crystals and jewelry. Some of the people that sell at the Crystal fairs also sell at lapidary shows. The attraction is similar to horoscopes and birth stones. My wife was in to all of this 20 years ago. She collected crystals, minerals and eventually cabs which got me in to lapidary (I can do that). |
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Post by rockjunquie on Apr 16, 2019 10:27:33 GMT -5
Guys- He's catering to the mystical crowd. They always pay a ton for those things because of lots of reasons that I just don't get. More like New Age; crystals, minerals, Reiki etc. New Age is like a religion and the bible is: www.amazon.com/Love-Earth-Kaleidoscope-Describing-Metaphysical/dp/0962819034Crystals and minerals have healing properties and are held in the hand or worn. The market for this is a crossover with minerals, lapidary, crystals and jewelry. Some of the people that sell at the Crystal fairs also sell at lapidary shows. The attraction is similar to horoscopes and birth stones. My wife was in to all of this 20 years ago. She collected crystals, minerals and eventually cabs which got me in to lapidary (I can do that). Yes, I was using a blanket term. |
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Post by Starguy on Apr 16, 2019 10:47:13 GMT -5
Holy mackerel! Those prices are something else.
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Post by Rockindad on Apr 16, 2019 11:13:53 GMT -5
Guys- He's catering to the mystical crowd. They always pay a ton for those things because of lots of reasons that I just don't get. More like New Age; crystals, minerals, Reiki etc. New Age is like a religion and the bible is: www.amazon.com/Love-Earth-Kaleidoscope-Describing-Metaphysical/dp/0962819034Crystals and minerals have healing properties and are held in the hand or worn. The market for this is a crossover with minerals, lapidary, crystals and jewelry. Some of the people that sell at the Crystal fairs also sell at lapidary shows. The attraction is similar to horoscopes and birth stones. My wife was in to all of this 20 years ago. She collected crystals, minerals and eventually cabs which got me in to lapidary (I can do that). It would be very easy to offend some people due to where that seller is coming from, and maybe I have already by bringing this site up. I am sure there are members here that are proponents/practitioners of the above due to the aforementioned crossover, and while it is not for me and cannot relate to it at all, to each their own. I was just shocked at the pricing. Some of those items are just downright inferior and would be considered rejects by all but perhaps someone just starting to get into tumbling: Tiger Eye Talisman pendant designer gems cabs cabochons tigers eye golden yellow blue red amulet Tigereye talisman carving tigereye jewelry stones chatoyant quartz Shamanic metaphysical new age View 2  Extra Large Tiger Eye Shield fantastic chatoyance Amazing golden color Shamanic healing energy 62 x 47 x 5 mm item # tigereyeshield $399.99 /orderbut.jpg Al |
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Post by MsAli on Apr 16, 2019 11:19:15 GMT -5
My thought on this is good for him!
Regardless of whether I am drawn to his work or not I applaud him for being able to ask those prices and get them.
Would love to pick his brain on how to be as successful.
Vince also made a really great point. People perceive something that cost more as better. Whether or not it actually is.
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Post by Rockindad on Apr 16, 2019 11:46:51 GMT -5
My thought on this is good for him! Regardless of whether I am drawn to his work or not I applaud him for being able to ask those prices and get them. Would love to pick his brain on how to be as successful. Vince also made a really great point. People perceive something that cost more as better. Whether or not it actually is. I don't begrudge him for getting what he gets, if his website is actually telling the truth as to what it is marked "sold". More a commentary on what can be seen on this forum at any given time and comparing the quality of the two. Before I started my current job I was a small GC/Home Improvement contractor. Over time I studied a lot of sales and marketing techniques and put them into practice. When I first started I would spend a lot more time on a quote, run through every scenario, etc. to arrive at a fair price for myself and the customer. Doing it this way my closing rate was pretty good and I did okay financially. I then started being a little more bold- rarely more than 30 seconds to give a quote and it was given in a polite but clear: that is the price, take it or leave it. These quotes were ALWAYS considerably higher (30-50%) than the original way I did business. My closing rate got even better and I did much better financially. The truth of the matter is they all got the same high quality job. As a business entity I do not know if there is anything more important than how you are perceived. Anyways, could go on for days about the business stuff. Perhaps a question to ponder for sellers is "How am I separating myself from the pack?" This guy has clearly found his niche with the quality of products that he offers and the prices that he charges. Al |
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Post by MsAli on Apr 16, 2019 12:04:22 GMT -5
My thought on this is good for him! Regardless of whether I am drawn to his work or not I applaud him for being able to ask those prices and get them. Would love to pick his brain on how to be as successful. Vince also made a really great point. People perceive something that cost more as better. Whether or not it actually is. I don't begrudge him for getting what he gets, if his website is actually telling the truth as to what it is marked "sold". More a commentary on what can be seen on this forum at any given time and comparing the quality of the two. Before I started my current job I was a small GC/Home Improvement contractor. Over time I studied a lot of sales and marketing techniques and put them into practice. When I first started I would spend a lot more time on a quote, run through every scenario, etc. to arrive at a fair price for myself and the customer. Doing it this way my closing rate was pretty good and I did okay financially. I then started being a little more bold- rarely more than 30 seconds to give a quote and it was given in a polite but clear: that is the price, take it or leave it. These quotes were ALWAYS considerably higher (30-50%) than the original way I did business. My closing rate got even better and I did much better financially. The truth of the matter is they all got the same high quality job. As a business entity I do not know if there is anything more important than how you are perceived. Anyways, could go on for days about the business stuff. Perhaps a question to ponder for sellers is "How am I separating myself from the pack?" This guy has clearly found his niche with the quality of products that he offers and the prices that he charges. Al "How am I separating myself from the pack?" I think this is a very good question Al It is one I ponder every day |
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NevadaBill
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2019
Posts: 1,332
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Post by NevadaBill on Apr 16, 2019 12:05:41 GMT -5
I think you make a great point. If you follow the links, you will notice thousands and thousands of dollars made from SOLD merchandise (real or not). Everyone here (who vendors their art) could make a comparison here and probably adjust their pricing accordingly.
PM Sent.
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Post by stardiamond on Apr 16, 2019 12:07:06 GMT -5
More like New Age; crystals, minerals, Reiki etc. New Age is like a religion and the bible is: www.amazon.com/Love-Earth-Kaleidoscope-Describing-Metaphysical/dp/0962819034Crystals and minerals have healing properties and are held in the hand or worn. The market for this is a crossover with minerals, lapidary, crystals and jewelry. Some of the people that sell at the Crystal fairs also sell at lapidary shows. The attraction is similar to horoscopes and birth stones. My wife was in to all of this 20 years ago. She collected crystals, minerals and eventually cabs which got me in to lapidary (I can do that). It would be very easy to offend some people due to where that seller is coming from, and maybe I have already by bringing this site up. I am sure there are members here that are proponents/practitioners of the above due to the aforementioned crossover, and while it is not for me and cannot relate to it at all, to each their own. I was just shocked at the pricing. Some of those items are just downright inferior and would be considered rejects by all but perhaps someone just starting to get into tumbling: Tiger Eye Talisman pendant designer gems cabs cabochons tigers eye golden yellow blue red amulet Tigereye talisman carving tigereye jewelry stones chatoyant quartz Shamanic metaphysical new age View 2 Extra Large Tiger Eye Shield fantastic chatoyance Amazing golden color Shamanic healing energy 62 x 47 x 5 mm item # tigereyeshield $399.99 /orderbut.jpg Al It's not jewelry. It's a healing agent to those who believe and people will overpay for something they think will help.There is also the faulty logic; the more expensive it is, the better it is. |
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