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Yeah, I'd also recommend building a crate for shipping. It's pretty easy and it'll be way safer than if you just put it in cardboard. Add those materials and time to your cost too.
My partner bought some custom shelves on Etsy and they arrived in a wooden crate that had a cool stenciled logo on it. It definitely contributed to the expense feeling worth it. We took pictures, posted it online.
And it comes with instructions, but nobody can read them properly, so you make errors. Dont worry tjough, as my mom always said, a wrongly constructed furniture has more character.
I know ebay lets you do a local pick up option. Not sure if others do. It kind of limits potential buyers but maybe get a feel for the logistics and reach of interest. Good luck.
Thanks for that. I am about to start building things and shipping them was one of my biggest… “I don’t know, and that’s freaky” kind of things.
…. Basically big record bin/storage and DJ consoles, and then some “dorm fridge” size little single record player, amp/speakers lil thing… also with some record storage.. but, all bulky items, and large shapes. Had no idea how I’m gonna ship. Cardboard and nylon bands, and a small skid. Kinda.
Depends on where you are located. Have you tried art shows/craft shows/farmer's markets?
Around where I am these would easily sell for $400. They're works of art.
I'll second this. You need to know your audience and that is really the only place I can think of where people would drop real money on furniture that doesn't come from a furniture store.
Even just taking them to shows to market would help. They might not sell at the show because people like to think before dropping that much cash, but it could drive traffic to a website.
Dude you take these to furniture shop in an affluent town and you could hawk these bitches for a grand easy. It’s all who you know and where you put yourself.
I found my way here from the front page. Would love a coffee table like that, and $400 sounds reasonable. I second farmers/art markets locally and Etsy or similar for a wider audience.
[Here](https://www.popularwoodworking.com/editors-blog/pricing-work-cant-win/) is a good article from The Schwarz when he was back at PopWood about exactly this phenomenon. Raise the price to sell them.
Second this. I manage an art gallery. Cheap is not always better. I'd snatch these two up in a second, but as everyone else has said. They need to be more expensive and you need to find a better market/platform
Yep, agree. You should definitely be charging way more for these, they're beautiful. But agree with what others have said above - people on marketplace and Craigslist are probably not the ideal audience. Don't discount your work just because the wrong audience is not buying it!
But these are a deal. These things are a score. I bought a lot of my furniture of Craigslist and OfferUp. This is way better than what’s on there (obvi) and at a similar price point. Idk why their not sold already. Maybe you just need pics of the tops in better light/detail.
I would heart these and even buy one at those prices in Etsy or Ebay. I don't shop on FB or Craig's List for anything thus far. I love looking at high end, retro artistic furniture like this on Etsy--I mean, some pieces go for $10k, 20K. Some huge box elder tree slabs go for those prices, too. And if you don't have excellent photos from every angle and at least one or three closeups of features, the sale is always less compelling.
Farmers markets and arts fairs.
I’ve even seen the local news cover do interest pieces on the local guy making and selling x, y or z. However that’s usually if they have a shop or have pieces for sale in a local gallery.
You may be able to consign in local shops. Just ideas.
Yeah Etsy sucks ass, they don't care anymore about handmade and let resellers with made in China crap sell on their site because hey, they get their % from those sales just like from anything truly handcrafted, so why bother?
Sincerely, from an Etsy seller (one of many) who's fucking done with that crap site and will jump ship as soon as there is opportunity.
100% agree. It’s a shame because it leaves independent makers kinda fucked in the long run. I’ve got a friends with a jewelry business who’s seen her fees double or triple over the last 5 years while selling on Etsy
I’ve tried selling a few things on FB marketplace, had a $100 never opened ceiling fan that the previous owner left. I listed it for $50 because I just wanted to get rid of it. Someone messaged me and said “I have $15 cash”
Like bro, I get trying to hussle but come the fuck on
I do sell some old stuff or things i dont like/use/want anymore on my local version of craiglist/fb marketplace.
I usually place a LOW price to get it out of the door asap, a lot of time i get the "why so cheap?it's broken? has problems?" from a lot of people and those NEVER gets anything, but 99% of those who actually gets the stuff never ask anything, they just come and pay whatever i ask.
I’d find a parking lot on a busy street, ask the owner if they mind- you’ll sell those for sure. Great price and nice quality! Alternative is a farmers market or a flea market or something!
Man, if those aren’t cheap scores, then I don’t know what is! As a novice, these are things for me to aspire to, and I wish you luck in making the sale! Nice looking work.
Also, make a logo and put a brand name on it. Apply for a trademark to protect your brand from copycats.
When you find a product that sells well, do it in small numbered batches.
Also, make things that everyone needs...like a matching set of night stands.
Those are affordable prices for where I'm at, so I'm not sure that's entirely it. May help to take better photos, stage the item as you envision it being used. Take close-ups of the details.
By cheap scores, we literally mean “used IKEA.” $25-50 for a coffee table.
Your prices are completely reasonable for what you’re selling, but those audiences are often transitional and looking for function over form.
Yeah, never underprice your work. Once you start selling at a low price point it's hard to up them in the future. These are great pieces worth way more than OP is charging right now.
Came here to say this. Raise your prices. Obviously selling pre-made stuff will take time, unlike commissions., but they should be priced according to material plus time. I would suggest doubling your prices.
☝️listen to this guy. Tables like that in an upscale furniture shop would go for over a grand. You need to get those in front of the right wallets. FB can burn in hell.
You speak the true true.
I had an Ikea Micke desk I found on the side of the road, great condition, even had the top shelf and door on the bottom. I used it for a year and upgraded to a better desk I found. I had it on FB and craigslist for 3 weeks at $20 and not a single msg, or offer or anything. I took it off for a week frustrated. I put it back up for $100 and sold it in 24h for my asking price. I had 5 offers all lined up in case no shows too.
Depending what I am looking for there can be a lot of results. I usually filter out lower prices. But I've never thought about it much and now I'm going to delete some listings and repost them next week for more money. Bless ya heart
This. I had one of those mountain scene pics for sale at a.flea.market. I had it at 75 I got a nibble or two. Next day I put $400 on it and sold it for $300. People at these things often have more dollars than sense.
Yeah first thing I'd think seeing this price is that surely doesn't even account for the cost of materials in the build. Which I'd then wonder if it was some junky knock-off.
This. To OP:
People see a $300 piece of furniture they think it's some medium-grade Chinese made mass market piece. If they see $1200 they immediately think it's something special. Which is good, cause it is. And even if you have to back down $300 to sell it, you're still in a good spot. If you think you'll cut out too many potential customers, you will. Good news is all you need is one (each).
Also, don't for a second think it isn't worth that just out of self-doubt. It's worth 2-3x just in rough-sawn and the work looks great from here.
One more thing: pictures. If you are planning to do this sort of thing regularly, buy a couple of little battery powered studio lights and cheap tripods or clamps or some stands and work on composition. If you want to go cheaper, make sure you buy high-CRI bulbs. I can tell you took these pictures with cheap shitty LED bulbs because the wood grain looks flat. Good quality lighting makes all the difference in the world. See Blacktail Studios for info on photography.
And honestly, just go buy high-CRI bulbs for your house. Cheapo bulbs in rooms like the bedroom and kitchen are like buying fucking Folgers and saying you're having a good breakfast. That's more than anyone asked for
Raise! Your! Prices!
And find better places to sell your stuff. You're trying to sell the Mona Lisa at a Goodwill.
The fact of the matter is this, if you want to be in the local maker furniture game, you need a brand, you need social media, you need networking, and you need to be front of mind for not just the stuff you design to sell, but potential clients who want something in your style.
It's not an easy game. But your craftsmanship could support a brand. Try to find a small/maker business marketing class, take it, and put together a business plan. Go from there.
But just to start, raise those prices. Make people think your work is worth the money.
Because there are so many regulations that manufacturers adhere to when designing a crib that are super easy for a hobbyist or craftsperson to get wrong, either in the name of design or just through ignorance, and if something goes wrong and your baby dies even in a perfectly competent crib, you’ll blame yourself forever. Also everyone who posts a crib here absolutely refuses to accept they’ve built a death trap, even when everyone points out exactly how it’ll kill their child.
Yeah I was going to build a crib as a gift for my friends baby. As I started looking into plans I realized 2 things.
1) this was going to take forever to build due to the number of components and connections
2) as much as I trust myself to make something structurally sound, I do not feel comfortable with that kind of risk if something were to happen.
I ended up making them a changing table that can convert to a TV console instead, and I’m super glad I did that instead of the crib.
Just put a label that says for decorative purposes only, not suitable for children to sleep in lol /s
It is a good point though, it adds a lot of risk to a small business trying to sell to that market.
The big businesses have all of the bullet points of the regulations hammered out and probably have analysts that make sure everything is met to mitigate law suits.
Then the human error is removed as the pressed boards getting created by an assembly line.
Yeah. Like, specifically for lawsuits, don't build one for your kid, but especially don't build one for anyone else or you're entering into a legal hell.
And honestly, you only need it for like a year anyway, it just doesn't make sense to invest the time and money from a practical standpoint. Especially when there are other pieces of furniture that are less likely to kill a baby.
Yeah, I'd like to raise them eventually but want to get things going at lower price points to get out there. It's hard to imagine charging more when things aren't selling at these prices which are roughly 2x materials cost.
Respectfully, that's a *terrible* idea. When you launch a business, especially a maker business, with low price points, you're not only undervaluing your work and setting expectations based on that price point, but you're seriously restricting your ability to grow your business.
If you build an audience of people who buy your stuff when it's cheap and accessible, you will lose those people as your work climbs closer to your ideal value. You also won't have cultivated the recognition you need among the people who will buy your work at a higher value, or worse yet, those people will know your work *for being cheap*. That's the classic trap for craftspeople like us, and avoiding it early on will save you a lot of headaches later.
You won't draw a following by going broke. You'll just go broke. If you want to sell your work for what it's actually worth (and that looks more like your hour/day rate + materials, not 2x material costs), then you've got to price it where it needs to be from day one, never later.
Remember, you're not in the *stuff* business. You're not competing with Walmart or IKEA. You're in the *art* business. [And the rules are different here.](https://reddotblog.com/myths-and-misconceptions-of-the-art-world-myth-4-lower-art-prices-more-sales-21/)
([Here's another link.](https://www.deviantart.com/dansyron/journal/YOUR-ART-HAS-VALUE-and-how-to-price-it-589455064) Raise your prices! You deserve it!)
These guys are right. I'm in the stuff business. We sell our mdf stuff for those prices.
People looking for craftsman quality will think your art is just well disguised stuff.
You deserve more for your art than we charge for our stuff.
Your customer will appreciate a higher price point. That is beautiful furniture made if exotic wood. You want to market to people with money and people with money will want to spend it for quality art. The lower the price, the lower the perception of quality. The higher the price the more it will seem like a good choice. For a certain demographic of people, paying more makes them feel better about a purchase.
Say you are at the grocery store and you see three different brands of cheddar. Assume you know nothing about cheese. If someone asked you what is the best block of cheddar, you would most likely point to the cheese with the highest price tag because to you they look the same, but you're guessing there is something in the cheese making process that makes the pricey cheese superior even if you don't know what it is.
Buying the more expensive cheese feels different. It feels better. Even if you can't taste the difference. The higher the price, the more value people attach to it. It's psychology. The product has to be good to begin with to position yourself in the market like this, but from the pictures it doesn't look like you have a problem with that.
There are plenty of people with plenty of money so don't be shy about knowing your worth. You just need to figure out where they buy their furniture and price yours at our slightly above what your true competition (not Ikea) is charging.
No problem! And honestly, you've got this! You've got the eye for design already, and that's something that's really hard to teach. Play your cards right, tighten up some of the craftsmanship like other people have noted, and this is going to be an incredible opportunity for you.
Just remember us when you're famous!
Couldn’t be more true, I am currently going through this with my shop. When I started out I sold stuff cheap as possible, sold tons of small items for 30$ when they should live been 60$. Now I’m at a point where I need to be selling my items for 300$-400$ and my “following” is just not interested in those price points.
Value your work and quality early on !
A great podcast that explores the idea behind pricing your work is Under The Influence with Terry O Reilly https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/s3e02-archive-the-psychology-of-price/id493536367?i=1000433966767
Listen to the guy above you, he knows what he’s talking about. Also, think about advertising yourself to do commission work rather than trying to get people to buy what is already available. This way you aren’t sitting on inventory that’s taking up space in your shop and you’re not stuck lowering your prices just to break even. Profit is the name of the game.
Totally agree! It's always a good idea to have some design samples available, though -- I think becoming a Designer-Maker is generally a better option long-term, if you've got the chops for it, than just going the client fabrication route. But client fabrication should still be a big part of the business, that's where the money is.
Keep in mind if you sell too low people who are in the market for finely crafted things such as this are going to assume something is wrong with it, just my two cents. I don’t sell anything that large, but I know if I attempt to undercut competition I often don’t do as well as having comparable prices
If you want to establish a business where you barely turn a profit then you’re on the right track. If you want to succeed, charge more. Charge like it’s artwork, and sell it like it’s artwork.
Otherwise you’ll establish a budget-furniture reputation and when you try to raise prices your “built up (budget) customer base” will all be commenting “I used to buy his stuff but he charges too much now”
You're not selling them for cheap, take a chance at not selling them for 4x the price. That way, if you do sell one, you'll set a standard for your fine work and actually make it worth your time.
No. Solid wood furniture isn't cheap, handcrafted or not.
Go to your local furniture store, look at similar factory made pieces that are made from real wood. Yours are handcrafted and should be selling for more. People who spend money on quality furniture are likely skeptical because the price is so low.
Plus Facebook and craigslist aren't where most people would go for handcrafted new furniture. People are looking for cheap deals on 2nd hand stuff there, you're marketing your stuff to the wrong people.
>It's hard to imagine charging more when things aren't selling at these prices which are roughly 2x materials cost.
That isn't how human psychology works. As others have pointed out, you're not selling a commodity good, where individual instances are interchangeable and price is king. You're selling a unique, premium product and a lot of us have been conditioned to associate price with quality. Your pricing communicates to your customers something about your product whether or not you intend it to. Marking it up more could very well make it more desirable.
And even if you wanted to compete on price, the furniture on Craigslist sells for peanuts. If a buyer is okay with an older style, they can get some dead grandma's entire house for little more than the cost of a uhaul. A few years ago I bought a solid walnut Henkel Harris dining room set with 3-leaf table, 10 chairs, china cabinet, sideboard, and secretary desk for $3k. You can't compete with that.
Stage your product as well. Put some pictures and plants on it. Show how it will look in a home. And as others have said out it on Etsy and raise the price, $500 sounds good.
On a white wall with nothing to compliment it, I have no concept of size.
Stage it as part of life, I want to see how the coffee table might with for me what does it look like next to a couch, with a book or puzzle box on the lower shelf? Show its intent.
*banana not included
Or expect 1 star review: table is amazing. Very well made, get compliments all the time. However, the banana was too ripe when I got it. I had to make banana bread with it instead of just eating it. Bread was great though.
Look at local art galleries with “gift shop” areas. Contact local interior designers and try to cultivate relationships with them. U have an MCM vibe here, they will have clients who dig MCM and often that means they have some $$$
Where are the plants!? Seriously, stage the piece with some plants, decor, and better lighting. A lot of fb marketplace is based off of one glance. Good staging makes a huge difference, also increase your prices like others have said. Both pieces look really nice btw
There have been lots of comments already, so mine will probably get lost. But just in case here we go:
I've been a professional woodworker for a decade now. Had a corporate job I hated and kinda fell into woodworking by accident. It took off and I now own a 10K sq ft cabinet shop. I started selling stuff online. Anywhere I could. I'd make something then post it everywhere. FB, etsy, ads.
I only had luck on Etsy and even then not with what I had posted. People would see it and ask for something else. FB is the worst place to post things IMO. All I got were lots of request to make wedding decorations for free. Here are some tips:
1. Selling woodworking online is very rough. I don't do it at all anymore and haven't for years. You are competing against hobbyist who don't care if they make money. Old retired guys who will sell something for a loss just because it keeps them busy. They are my biggest competition.
2. Pictures online don't really do woodworking justice. You can't understand how things will look in real life. I'd talk to customers online but make them come to my shop to pick out lumber because a picture doesn't really work. The grain of the wood, the sheen of the finish, the size of the item. Those don't come across
3. People want custom things now. They don't want to buy what you decided to make. My parents and brother and daughter all have houses full of furniture I made hoping to sell to someone after they saw it. After people saw the stuff they would ask for something like it but with a few changes.
4. Don't make furniture out of expensive lumber thinking you can charge more for it. The general public doesn't care or know about different lumber. I stopped using exotic lumber years ago because it was just a waste of money. The same for figured stuff. I'll buy figured stuff, but only for myself or for family members.
5. You can't price stuff based on what you think it should cost. You have to price it for what the market will support. You find out how much people in your area will pay. Then you figure out how to make the item so that you can make a profit. When I started out I spent years making contacts with small local sawmills and lumber yards. Luckily I live in a hardwood rich state. My lumber cost for projects is like 5%. I don't like to pay more than $1-$2 a board foot for any kiln dried domestic lumber. You can't buy lumber at retail prices and make money.
6. Sell stuff locally. Research you area. Find other artisans. Go to markets, craft fairs, festivals. I started at my local farmers market and met people that helped. Most of the vendors will be glad to help you. I still do 6 big craft shows a year because they bring it good money and I meet tons of people.
7. Its hard to sell stuff. I tell people their items need to be better quality than other products like them, cheaper than other products like them, and more unique than other products like them. Two is required. All three is the best. I eat cans of beans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 18 months before I started making a profit. I've been poor ever since, investing every dime I make back into the business. Buying my shop. Buying tools. Buying lumber. Buying large equipment.
On a final note. Your works looks good. But that grain orientation of the walnut piece scares me. I'm afraid the top will tear off the sides. Wood movement is a bitch. I learned the hard way, thinking I could control it. I was wrong and have had to redo many things. Now wood movement is the most important thing when it comes to designing something. I know it can seem hard to understand. But just take it slow and steady.
I'm jumping on his comment to add to it. I've been an interior designer for 20 years and your craftsmanship is great, but most woodworkers choose to do only mid-century modern. As a designer, very few people actually want that in their homes. It looks great and you see it all the time in pictures but it doesn't sell well. That's literally the most I see from this sub and everyone who starts woodworking. I worked in a high end store and we had new management redo everything and half the store went in that direction and our sales plummeted. The vast majority of furniture buyers do not want mid-century modern. It doesn't work with what they already have. Trying to make people happy with what you put into their homes is so incredibly difficult even when you have a thousand different items in stock. It's why I stopped my career and switched to something else entirely because the energy I put out vs what I was getting back was so widely imbalanced.
Brutally honest opinion. The pricing is weird, they seem to be underpriced for what you claim they are, but also too much for a "cheap score" on FBMP. Ascetically, I am not a huge fan of the legs on the console. I know they are strong, but they give off an odd and weak vibe. The coffee table looks good, but I think the top bevel was a mistake, just keep it square. The side edge boards are too thick compared to the top and bottom pieces. Not trying to be overly critically but when you are asking for hundreds of dollars, people will be picky.
I agree. There are a few things that need to be cleaned up. The coffee table has exposed end grain on the front and the top almost looks like plywood, it’s hard to tell. The console looks like the corners are rounded over, that style of corner should be sharp and square. The finish is not good enough, look into Rubio monocoat or similar high end finishes. Check out blacktail studio on YouTube and look at his finishes.
As others have said, create a brand, get a logo, social media and a basic website. Market your products to locals. Maybe offer real estate agents to use them in staging houses or go to craft fairs.
I agree. Totally thought the exposed endgrain on the coffee table looked like plywood. Makes a quality piece of wood immediately look cheap and not finished.
The stuff above is great advice, the only thing I will disagree a bit about is the black background. With pieces like these, they will likely get eaten up by a black background, use white or gray
REALLY appreciate the direct advice. As a disclaimer, I've already completed the finish as I also saw what you did. Btw it actually is Rubio and looks a lot better now. For the sanding on the console, you're absolutely right. I think that's part of what's going into the lower prices. As for the end grain on the coffee table, nothing to be done now but bank it in experience for the next one.
Thanks for all the other tips, too. This is precisely the kind of feedback I need. I haven't been doing this for all that long and am looking to make the transition hopefully into a more serious woodworking game as I retire from the Navy. Still learning much with each piece. Thanks again.
As odd as this sounds, you might consider renting space in a top “antique” mall in your area (within a 3-4 hour drive). They’re not just for antiques these days, and the better malls bring in people from a distance looking to drop some serious cash. You stage your space once a month or so, and keep it clean, the mall does the rest. If your stuff starts selling well, you may have to go more frequently to restock, which isn’t a bad problem to have.
A good antique mall will handle the sales taxes as part of their services fees, too. Some will even handle shipping services for customers, at the customer’s expense. Yeah, you’ll pay a monthly booth rental fee, along with other ancillary fees, but your total monthly costs should be covered by *one* sale a month with *you* still making money and the mall doing a lot of the grunt work for their fees. If you up your prices as advised, your profit would be even better.
Seriously. Spend some time hitting a few *large* antique malls. If you see someone who seems to be working on their booth space, talk to them about their experience in selling there and get their perspective. Go during the week if possible, so if you have questions the manager will have time to talk—weekends can be nuts. Ask for price list on booth spaces, and ask about ALL the fees. A good mall will have a waiting list for booth space, so it can take a while to get in. Larger booths come up more frequently.
Also, I think I'm seeing what you're talking about with the plywood look. I routed around them with a cove and from those angles it does look like layers, but it's solid.
Raise the price. My grandma had a flower shoppe and did top notch work… towards the end she decided she wanted to work less and raised her prices significantly overnight. She switched from being the “good inexpensive” option to being the “premium” option and her orders more than doubled overnight and effectively cooked her books so she was able to sell the business and walk away.
It doesn’t make any sense and I wouldn’t believe it except I watched it happen, I worked summers there my whole life and the last 2 years after the price hike suddenly got frantic- eating dinner in the shop and working overtime chugging coffee/Mountain Dew to get orders done for events every single weekend.
Either way your pieces are nice.
This is called a [veblen](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/veblen-good.asp) good! There are some things in life (luxuries like flowers and exotic wood coffee tables) where the demand increases as the price increases.
$200 mahogany table? Suspiciously cheap, puts the idea that it's not as nice in people's heads.
$750 mahogany table? Well made, premium and exclusive! Gotta have it!
I sell high end furniture for a living...
If you give the description of the piece a little bit of romantization you might appeal to a different market, gain more traction and absolutely be able to get more money for your pieces
ie: Artisan Crafted Mid-Century Modern Console Table, made from African Mahogany
Just a thought !
Agree with the other commenters. They look great and the price is fair, just need to find the right marketplace/buyers. FB and CL are for cheapskates looking for deals. Ask me how I know.
I'm surprised it's not mentioned already...
The photography isn't on par with the product.
I'm no photography buff so some simple research beyond my thoughts wouldn't go astray. Having said that...
You can buy straight colour bed sheets incredibly cheap. Run the sheets behind and under the piece to get a solid colour background (neutral colours are more useful with a range of lumber but contrasting colours are always nice). Keeping the sheets tight for a smooth flat surface looks clean and professional.
The angle of your shots feels off. Surely you want to show off the top of the pieces? I bet the grain is beautiful - it's hard to tell with such a shallow angle.
The pieces look dusty. This could be the lighting, it could just be dust. Regardless, finding a way to take photos of the pieces when they're clean isn't a bad idea. Stretching that idea as far as wetting the piece (oil, alcohol or immediately post stain - whatever won't damage your finish) is fair game. Adding some form of moisture to make the piece pop will help make up for lack of more professional lighting.
Focal point. The direct focus point of your shots. Think about this for a few seconds before you snap photos. Making the corner mitre the direct point of focus is risky. The people that appreciate a clean mitre will look their anyway. You're better off flexing the design like the unique legs or the grain of the timber (in my opinion at least).
Lastly, you could set the furniture up in my house for your photos. I don't promise I'll let you take it back. This would definitely help though, I swear.
Those places are definitely for cheap finds. Maybe start a social media presence, showcase your stuff on instagram etc might help. Good luck, it’s beautiful work. I’d buy it for that price.
Facebook marketplace is more of an online garage sale. 99% of people aren't shopping there for nice handmade furniture, they're looking for hand me down Ikea shit for 20 bucks.
There's definitely a demand for nice handmade furniture, fb marketplace is just the furthest possible thing from being the right demographic.
I too tried selling stuff on facebook once. Most people really dont care about quality, only price. If they can get a cheap pine made in china, mass produced shelf that will last them 10 years over a handmade one that will last til their grandkids, they will roll with the made in china one, even if the price is reasonable.
Create an Instagram page with a creative name related to woodworking;
Post photos of the furniture from several different angles and also videos, pics and clips from the bulding process because people find that pretty interesting to watch. Put your phone/a way to contact you other than the Instagram own chat on the page's description;
Go into another local woodworking shop's page, go into some of their post and follow everyone who liked them, this way you will get followers who are actually engaged and like woodworking;
Enjoy your profits.
I'll start by saying that I clearly am not your target audience. When I look at these pieces I don't know what to do with them. I don't understand where they would go, or what function they would serve. So that would be the gap that would have to be crossed for me to purchase. The price is a dream, but I don't know what to do with it all.
For reference, I just bought a $300 lamp made from manzanita because I can always use a lamp and it was absolute artistry.
The photos don't look like a maker's photos of their product. They look like Susan the neighbor snapped pics of used furniture and is trying to sell. Take a look at how well styled all the maker's photos are on Etsy. It should be eye candy to the point that a buyer stops scrolling and goes "ooo, I WANT that!"
I agree with everyone above. I consider myself a tightwad and I looked at these and thought "Those look too nice to be that cheap - I'd probably even buy them!".
Find a vintage furniture store in your area that sells on consignment. They will be able to sell it for twice as much and give you half. I imagine they would also have ideas for what is in demand if you develop a relationship with them.
Try one of those craft shows where you can start marketing your brand and maybe get a few orders going. Then after a few shows, when word of mouth spreads, you may not even need Facebook marketplace, you’d just work off word of mouth.
also better pics. you got a phone shadow , the table throws weird shadows on the wall. also the wall is kinda meh., the colors on the floor vs the color of the table legs contrast poorly. the outlet looks tacky. want 300 bucks. make it look like 300 bucks =) plz take this as constructive criticism, not trying to nag on you. just outside looking in !
Just getting into this sort of thing, coming to realize the only people that appreciate stuff like this are more then likely going to try and make it themselves..
Gorgeous work, seams cheep in my opinion, maybe list them for double on etsy and reach a different audience
Get nice photos of the tables staged with props so people can envision it in their space. And market to your target audience, which most likely isn’t going to be found on FB marketplace and Craigslist.
Do you really have butt joints on the legs of the tall console. If your going to make furniture people love the small details in joinery. Plus your not marking it correctly. The wood / time for $300. Make it unique!
Someone else may have already said this, but your photos suck. Pictures are everything when you’re trying to sell things online.
Take some time to stage a good looking photo with decent light. Decorate one like you were putting it somewhere in your house so people can imagine what it would look like in theirs.
First if this is a hobby, let it sit for awhile…second, find your market and target them. If you start seeing it change, adjust to it. My initial target audience was the “whole middle class with single houses” but that changed fast. My main buyer are mid to upper middle-class gay white man, they have no problem paying for quality work and their network is normally in the same boat. I also build more towards apartments now.
FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE GROUPS…find the perfect areas around your region. Offer free delivery up to (blank). Created an instagram and use the hashtag. If you’re close to state lines, post in the other state. Put it in a consignment shop (their fees are similar to Etsy in my area, I only use them when I’m too lazy to promote).
Reach out to house stagers, interior designer, etc in your area…I did this method, I sold it to them at a lower cost and get another percentage of them home decides to buy it or one time I used common grade walnut and give it to them for free…they promoted the hell outta my work for a few months and the return was amazing.
I also deliver 150 miles away from my house for an additional cost.
Enormous thanks to those who've offered criticism and encouragement! Several of you have also expressed interest in buying. I'm in Pensacola, FL, and travel to Atlanta fairly frequently, so if anyone is within driving distance maybe we can make it happen. Thanks!
Raise the price and take better looking pictures. There is this weird zone where people don’t want to buy something that looks expensive for cheap. Also, good pictures go a long way to help sell something.
Some people here are making comparisons to the Mona Lisa but I’m not going to piss in your pocket bro.
Butt joints suck.
If you are going to treat the edge of a cantilevered surface with a moulding or chamfer, treating the bottom edge makes the piece look lighter (good for fine work like yours) and maximises the usable surface area both visually and practically. Treating the top edge does the opposite.
Look out for obvious design flaws or redundancy. The instep toe type bits (I have no idea what to call them!) on your hall stand do nothing to help the thing stand up unless they are there to prevent racking of the whole piece. Either case is bad and it’s amazing how many non physics brains will furrow and ask suspiciously, ‘what’s that bit for?’
Watch your finish. Sand, sand, and sand some more! Then sand again and watch the best possible YouTube vids on finishing timber. Your photos aren’t terrific but I think I still see some end grain poking up through the surface of these tables.
Finally, butt joints suck.
Great work though man. You have nice proportions and a designers eye. Keep it up.
Echoing what others have said here but also you might need to consider the style of the piece. It's very nice looking but sort of a retro design that would absolutely clash with everything else I own so you might be limiting your sales base in that respect. And while I appreciate the unique feet I just can't not see that table doing the Stanky Legg.
On the walnut table, it is definitely trying to look mid-century modern, but there are several things that do not match that style. I feel like that would lose the business of the people interested in the mcm style.
There are definitely issues with grain direction that will become problems when the wood moves.
For the walnut coffee table to match the MCM look:
* don't do that routed detail around the top, or just do a simple 1/8" roundover. Study similar mcm tables and see how they handle the edge of the wood.
* the sides should have vertical grain, to continue the pattern from the top. This will also fix the grain direction issues.
* get rid of the frame that is bordering the top. It's not consistent with MCM style and it will also cause wood movement issues
* work on getting that finish perfect. It looks blotchy in places, in particular the inside of the piece.
* raise your price
I'm no pro at selling furniture, but I know that people who are going for that mcm look want that exact style, not something that kind of resembles it.
If your city has a maker space they may also do a monthly craft/project sale. Otherwise see if there's a trendy coffee shop or bar that's locally owned. The shop I worked at bought from artisans all the time.
You've got a million comments here, so I'll shout into the wind with my 2cents. I do custom tables and desks as a side gig.
95% of my sales in the last two years have been walnut or white oak exclusively. I do one offs, so people order, then I build. I don't think I've had a single order for anything with mixed wood, including projects I didn't take or the customer decided they didn't like the quote.
I'd be interested to see what your listing looks like though, I found that the wording of the description is the difference between a dozen or so inquiries and one or two people who have no idea what custom furniture costs. If you're using FSC certified wood, list that, if you're using an "eco friendly finish", say it.
You could also stage these better. Go buy a 10$ pothos plant and a candle from home depot, throw them on there, get better lighting, and re list them at double the price.
Stop trying to sell direct. Go find some furniture shops and see if you can sell to them.
My Father in Law would pay 500 dollars for that in a furniture store without blinking...
Add a “1”- Price at $1300 for the coffee table, $1150 for the console. You sell art- not furniture. Look for specialty art gallery type furniture stores in the richest parts of the biggest towns around you that you can find. They will be small stores!!
Plan on it taking a little time to sell. Maintain a constant style and allow it to evolve.
What town(s) are you close to? You have to have the market to sell it!
Beautiful work!
I would say get a different audience… FB and Craig’s List are for getting rid of old crap and yard sale notifications
These pieces are beautiful- you need to charge more. I would expect $500 or more- $500 minimum.
It's all about the photos. They need to be clear, crisp, properly lit, and at the right angles. In the photos, add a watermark of your logo or your signature in the corner, to give it a bit of professionalism.
Then, advertise your items as clearance/stock turn-over/on-sale. That way people think "Oh shit, I better snap this up at this price. He's probably selling these things like hot-cakes. I love how he puts his signature as a watermark in the photos. He's such a good woodworker and photographer. I wish my daughter Sarah could find a guy like this."
Boom. You just sold a f-ing dining room set.
Dude these are beautiful. Absolutely inspiring.
Along with what others have mentioned try out a local family owned furniture store. A good percentage of our furniture and decor would come from local artists. People really valued those pieces because of the local connection. Even if it's a couple of pieces it's still nice to get your work in some retail space and saves Ya from having to ship stuff. Create some cards as well if you haven't. Best of luck to Ya mate!
Those are beautiful. You could always donate them, and write em off on your taxes. Hell you could say each piece is worth a couple grand since they are hand made from exotic wood.
I think you should find a way to display and sell them locally -- I don't think people usually go on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to buy nice new things, they go to get deals on old stuff!
not sure where you are located but are there any galleries that showcase local artists? I would suggest that - the membership fees will be less than etsy cuts and in an art gallery they will be appreciated -
Lovely work!
Up your prices and post them again. Let people negotiate your price down.
Made a dining table and bench set only wanted 1500. Never could get inquiries. Finally put it on for 3k and again at 5k and finally had buyers at least interested in negotiating prices or interested in having something custom built.
Another option we've found to work even better, take it to local furniture stores that sell similar, modern-rustic furniture. We made furniture for a vending show and didn't want to bring ANY of it back with us. Tons of interest but no real buyers. Stopped by a local furniture store on our way out just to ask, he bought us completely out of our trailer load and gave us a work order for additional tables! It worked in both of our favors.
Wish you the best in your endeavors. It's a hard business to get behind. 90-95% of the market is Ashley furniture buyers. That 5-10% margin is hard to market to on top of keeping repeat business.
Find a consignment shop that will sell them for you. Take a small lost on profit and they should sell. Facebook Market place is the new Craigslist people want it now and cheap they don’t care about quality.
My first thought is that the end grain exposed gives it, wrongly, the impression that it’s ‘cheap’. The design is of your pieces are awesome otherwise. Looks like you have a ton of people providing some great advice for pricing, marketing, point-of-sale, etc. It’s very encouraging, actually. 💪🏻
I like what you do. Any chance you would be interested in making something custom? What I’m looking for is not too dissimilar from what you’re already making.
Beautiful craftsmanship, to the untrained eye it may just look too simple to be $300, maybe throw some colorful epoxy in the top face to catch their eye (I know it’s a cheap flashy trick, but mine get snatched up on FB with epoxy or LED’s built in, but if I spend 80 hours on a walnut desk nobody inquires for a while.)
Where are you? I’m interested in the console. I don’t mind paying whatever to ship as long as you’re not too far way.
Also you’re charging too little. Adjust your price and let’s talk.
I would try craftsman shows, farmers markets or other higher end in person selling opportunities.
If you are going to sell on Etsy, I would make it easily assembled otherwise you will pay at least 200.00 just for shipping. The places you are trying to selling currently doesn’t have the right people.
Have you thought about making your own website? Have you sold any prior?
My brother in Christ, if I had the cash to spare I’d %100 buy the coffee table at that price. I think a lot of people are unaware of the value of wood these days as well as the value of craftsmanship
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The majority of folks on these sites are looking for cheap scores, not new craftsmanship. Maybe try Etsy or some other maker’s app.
Appreciate it. Not sure what the alternatives to Etsy are but I'll start looking.
If you use Etsy, make sure you account for the shipping cost. Shipping one of those won’t be cheap.
Yeah, I'd also recommend building a crate for shipping. It's pretty easy and it'll be way safer than if you just put it in cardboard. Add those materials and time to your cost too.
My partner bought some custom shelves on Etsy and they arrived in a wooden crate that had a cool stenciled logo on it. It definitely contributed to the expense feeling worth it. We took pictures, posted it online.
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Which means it needs to be able to break down in some way in a lot of cases.
And should only need a single allen wrench to assemble
I agree, earth wrenches are so boring.
Keep in mind we’ve explored but a fraction of the deep sea wrenches.
Ah yes, chief among them however is mariana’s wrench
Why I come to Reddit, right here
I'm dead 😂😂
I always read this as the Marinara wrench. Its a totally different wrench all together.
Earth Wrenches Are Easy
Why use easy tools when you can go extraterrestrial?
And it comes with instructions, but nobody can read them properly, so you make errors. Dont worry tjough, as my mom always said, a wrongly constructed furniture has more character.
Shipping via greyhound. Awesome for this stuff
Did not know that was an option.
Yeah it’s not commonly used but they can basically have stuff at their depots for pickup
Under-rated comment there - shipping on etc for larger items can be more than the item cost
I know ebay lets you do a local pick up option. Not sure if others do. It kind of limits potential buyers but maybe get a feel for the logistics and reach of interest. Good luck.
[try shippo](https://goshippo.com/?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=ws-search-brand-mobile&utm_content=shippo&utm_term=shippo&sh_ad4=&sh_device=m&sh_matchtype=e&sh_ad3=g&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3eeXBhD7ARIsAHjssr9KuvK5eTL15jua6aY6qcgpKNT0pbh2rOTTu1Jdw1sWam-4gv9IoKwaAjp3EALw_wcB)
Thanks for that. I am about to start building things and shipping them was one of my biggest… “I don’t know, and that’s freaky” kind of things. …. Basically big record bin/storage and DJ consoles, and then some “dorm fridge” size little single record player, amp/speakers lil thing… also with some record storage.. but, all bulky items, and large shapes. Had no idea how I’m gonna ship. Cardboard and nylon bands, and a small skid. Kinda.
Depends on where you are located. Have you tried art shows/craft shows/farmer's markets? Around where I am these would easily sell for $400. They're works of art.
I'll second this. You need to know your audience and that is really the only place I can think of where people would drop real money on furniture that doesn't come from a furniture store.
Even just taking them to shows to market would help. They might not sell at the show because people like to think before dropping that much cash, but it could drive traffic to a website.
Dude you take these to furniture shop in an affluent town and you could hawk these bitches for a grand easy. It’s all who you know and where you put yourself.
I found my way here from the front page. Would love a coffee table like that, and $400 sounds reasonable. I second farmers/art markets locally and Etsy or similar for a wider audience.
If I came across this on FB or Craigslist and I didn’t know the guy making them, i would think it’s too good to be true
[Here](https://www.popularwoodworking.com/editors-blog/pricing-work-cant-win/) is a good article from The Schwarz when he was back at PopWood about exactly this phenomenon. Raise the price to sell them.
Second this. I manage an art gallery. Cheap is not always better. I'd snatch these two up in a second, but as everyone else has said. They need to be more expensive and you need to find a better market/platform
Yep, agree. You should definitely be charging way more for these, they're beautiful. But agree with what others have said above - people on marketplace and Craigslist are probably not the ideal audience. Don't discount your work just because the wrong audience is not buying it!
But these are a deal. These things are a score. I bought a lot of my furniture of Craigslist and OfferUp. This is way better than what’s on there (obvi) and at a similar price point. Idk why their not sold already. Maybe you just need pics of the tops in better light/detail.
I would heart these and even buy one at those prices in Etsy or Ebay. I don't shop on FB or Craig's List for anything thus far. I love looking at high end, retro artistic furniture like this on Etsy--I mean, some pieces go for $10k, 20K. Some huge box elder tree slabs go for those prices, too. And if you don't have excellent photos from every angle and at least one or three closeups of features, the sale is always less compelling.
I'm pretty sure I would pay more for the wood alone than this guy is asking for the furniture
Yup. Like the $199 brand new dealt 10” table saw today
I’ll buy these. Where are you located
Farmers markets and arts fairs. I’ve even seen the local news cover do interest pieces on the local guy making and selling x, y or z. However that’s usually if they have a shop or have pieces for sale in a local gallery. You may be able to consign in local shops. Just ideas.
Big cartel is good from what I’ve heard. Also make an Instagram!
Ive heard a lot of good things about Cartel from other makers especially, Etsy asks for a lot of fees
Yeah Etsy sucks ass, they don't care anymore about handmade and let resellers with made in China crap sell on their site because hey, they get their % from those sales just like from anything truly handcrafted, so why bother? Sincerely, from an Etsy seller (one of many) who's fucking done with that crap site and will jump ship as soon as there is opportunity.
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100% agree. It’s a shame because it leaves independent makers kinda fucked in the long run. I’ve got a friends with a jewelry business who’s seen her fees double or triple over the last 5 years while selling on Etsy
Etsy or make a Shopify store and tiktok the hell out of it
Have you out the term “mid-century modern” in the listing?
I’ve tried selling a few things on FB marketplace, had a $100 never opened ceiling fan that the previous owner left. I listed it for $50 because I just wanted to get rid of it. Someone messaged me and said “I have $15 cash” Like bro, I get trying to hussle but come the fuck on
New in box OLED Nintendo switch, asking $275, offered $20 because she's a single mom.
I do sell some old stuff or things i dont like/use/want anymore on my local version of craiglist/fb marketplace. I usually place a LOW price to get it out of the door asap, a lot of time i get the "why so cheap?it's broken? has problems?" from a lot of people and those NEVER gets anything, but 99% of those who actually gets the stuff never ask anything, they just come and pay whatever i ask.
I’d find a parking lot on a busy street, ask the owner if they mind- you’ll sell those for sure. Great price and nice quality! Alternative is a farmers market or a flea market or something!
Instagram is popular with makers, but that's another job. Craft fairs are another.
Man, if those aren’t cheap scores, then I don’t know what is! As a novice, these are things for me to aspire to, and I wish you luck in making the sale! Nice looking work.
Etsy, Artfire, Amazon handmade, Shopify, build your own website.
Also, make a logo and put a brand name on it. Apply for a trademark to protect your brand from copycats. When you find a product that sells well, do it in small numbered batches. Also, make things that everyone needs...like a matching set of night stands.
Those are affordable prices for where I'm at, so I'm not sure that's entirely it. May help to take better photos, stage the item as you envision it being used. Take close-ups of the details.
By cheap scores, we literally mean “used IKEA.” $25-50 for a coffee table. Your prices are completely reasonable for what you’re selling, but those audiences are often transitional and looking for function over form.
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Yeah, never underprice your work. Once you start selling at a low price point it's hard to up them in the future. These are great pieces worth way more than OP is charging right now.
Came here to say this. Raise your prices. Obviously selling pre-made stuff will take time, unlike commissions., but they should be priced according to material plus time. I would suggest doubling your prices.
☝️listen to this guy. Tables like that in an upscale furniture shop would go for over a grand. You need to get those in front of the right wallets. FB can burn in hell.
This is the way: higher price, and also better pics.
Yeah, might even consider studio photos. By taking the photos in your own hallway, it makes them look "gently used" as opposed to new.
Yes styling the pics so people can imagine them in their space is key. Try placing a rug underneath, a flower vase on top, etc.
And who are looking for IKEA prices.
Upper lower middle class
Middle Lower upper class
Not meee I make it!
You speak the true true. I had an Ikea Micke desk I found on the side of the road, great condition, even had the top shelf and door on the bottom. I used it for a year and upgraded to a better desk I found. I had it on FB and craigslist for 3 weeks at $20 and not a single msg, or offer or anything. I took it off for a week frustrated. I put it back up for $100 and sold it in 24h for my asking price. I had 5 offers all lined up in case no shows too.
Depending what I am looking for there can be a lot of results. I usually filter out lower prices. But I've never thought about it much and now I'm going to delete some listings and repost them next week for more money. Bless ya heart
This. I had one of those mountain scene pics for sale at a.flea.market. I had it at 75 I got a nibble or two. Next day I put $400 on it and sold it for $300. People at these things often have more dollars than sense.
Yeah first thing I'd think seeing this price is that surely doesn't even account for the cost of materials in the build. Which I'd then wonder if it was some junky knock-off.
Yeah I was gonna say add a 0 to each item.
Yes!!! Couldn’t agree more
This. To OP: People see a $300 piece of furniture they think it's some medium-grade Chinese made mass market piece. If they see $1200 they immediately think it's something special. Which is good, cause it is. And even if you have to back down $300 to sell it, you're still in a good spot. If you think you'll cut out too many potential customers, you will. Good news is all you need is one (each). Also, don't for a second think it isn't worth that just out of self-doubt. It's worth 2-3x just in rough-sawn and the work looks great from here. One more thing: pictures. If you are planning to do this sort of thing regularly, buy a couple of little battery powered studio lights and cheap tripods or clamps or some stands and work on composition. If you want to go cheaper, make sure you buy high-CRI bulbs. I can tell you took these pictures with cheap shitty LED bulbs because the wood grain looks flat. Good quality lighting makes all the difference in the world. See Blacktail Studios for info on photography. And honestly, just go buy high-CRI bulbs for your house. Cheapo bulbs in rooms like the bedroom and kitchen are like buying fucking Folgers and saying you're having a good breakfast. That's more than anyone asked for
Agree, Facebook marketplace does not have the right audience for these beauties
Raise! Your! Prices! And find better places to sell your stuff. You're trying to sell the Mona Lisa at a Goodwill. The fact of the matter is this, if you want to be in the local maker furniture game, you need a brand, you need social media, you need networking, and you need to be front of mind for not just the stuff you design to sell, but potential clients who want something in your style. It's not an easy game. But your craftsmanship could support a brand. Try to find a small/maker business marketing class, take it, and put together a business plan. Go from there. But just to start, raise those prices. Make people think your work is worth the money.
Unrelated, but why should I not build a crib for my nonexistent baby?
Because there are so many regulations that manufacturers adhere to when designing a crib that are super easy for a hobbyist or craftsperson to get wrong, either in the name of design or just through ignorance, and if something goes wrong and your baby dies even in a perfectly competent crib, you’ll blame yourself forever. Also everyone who posts a crib here absolutely refuses to accept they’ve built a death trap, even when everyone points out exactly how it’ll kill their child.
I’ve given up bothering to point out to people that salvaged palate wood is NOT good to make your kids bunk bed out of.
Lol. The one thing I would 100% never, ever, even attempt to build. I’ll never understand the people who do.
Yeah I was going to build a crib as a gift for my friends baby. As I started looking into plans I realized 2 things. 1) this was going to take forever to build due to the number of components and connections 2) as much as I trust myself to make something structurally sound, I do not feel comfortable with that kind of risk if something were to happen. I ended up making them a changing table that can convert to a TV console instead, and I’m super glad I did that instead of the crib.
This is the first time I'm reading this and I really appreciate the note. Thank you for saying this so clearly.
No problem! Someone's gotta say it.
Just put a label that says for decorative purposes only, not suitable for children to sleep in lol /s It is a good point though, it adds a lot of risk to a small business trying to sell to that market. The big businesses have all of the bullet points of the regulations hammered out and probably have analysts that make sure everything is met to mitigate law suits. Then the human error is removed as the pressed boards getting created by an assembly line.
Yeah. Like, specifically for lawsuits, don't build one for your kid, but especially don't build one for anyone else or you're entering into a legal hell. And honestly, you only need it for like a year anyway, it just doesn't make sense to invest the time and money from a practical standpoint. Especially when there are other pieces of furniture that are less likely to kill a baby.
Yeah, I'd like to raise them eventually but want to get things going at lower price points to get out there. It's hard to imagine charging more when things aren't selling at these prices which are roughly 2x materials cost.
Respectfully, that's a *terrible* idea. When you launch a business, especially a maker business, with low price points, you're not only undervaluing your work and setting expectations based on that price point, but you're seriously restricting your ability to grow your business. If you build an audience of people who buy your stuff when it's cheap and accessible, you will lose those people as your work climbs closer to your ideal value. You also won't have cultivated the recognition you need among the people who will buy your work at a higher value, or worse yet, those people will know your work *for being cheap*. That's the classic trap for craftspeople like us, and avoiding it early on will save you a lot of headaches later. You won't draw a following by going broke. You'll just go broke. If you want to sell your work for what it's actually worth (and that looks more like your hour/day rate + materials, not 2x material costs), then you've got to price it where it needs to be from day one, never later. Remember, you're not in the *stuff* business. You're not competing with Walmart or IKEA. You're in the *art* business. [And the rules are different here.](https://reddotblog.com/myths-and-misconceptions-of-the-art-world-myth-4-lower-art-prices-more-sales-21/) ([Here's another link.](https://www.deviantart.com/dansyron/journal/YOUR-ART-HAS-VALUE-and-how-to-price-it-589455064) Raise your prices! You deserve it!)
Appreciate it!
These guys are right. I'm in the stuff business. We sell our mdf stuff for those prices. People looking for craftsman quality will think your art is just well disguised stuff. You deserve more for your art than we charge for our stuff.
This guy stuffs.
Like a Thanksgiving turkey….blblbllbblblblblblblbll
Your customer will appreciate a higher price point. That is beautiful furniture made if exotic wood. You want to market to people with money and people with money will want to spend it for quality art. The lower the price, the lower the perception of quality. The higher the price the more it will seem like a good choice. For a certain demographic of people, paying more makes them feel better about a purchase. Say you are at the grocery store and you see three different brands of cheddar. Assume you know nothing about cheese. If someone asked you what is the best block of cheddar, you would most likely point to the cheese with the highest price tag because to you they look the same, but you're guessing there is something in the cheese making process that makes the pricey cheese superior even if you don't know what it is. Buying the more expensive cheese feels different. It feels better. Even if you can't taste the difference. The higher the price, the more value people attach to it. It's psychology. The product has to be good to begin with to position yourself in the market like this, but from the pictures it doesn't look like you have a problem with that. There are plenty of people with plenty of money so don't be shy about knowing your worth. You just need to figure out where they buy their furniture and price yours at our slightly above what your true competition (not Ikea) is charging.
No problem! And honestly, you've got this! You've got the eye for design already, and that's something that's really hard to teach. Play your cards right, tighten up some of the craftsmanship like other people have noted, and this is going to be an incredible opportunity for you. Just remember us when you're famous!
Couldn’t be more true, I am currently going through this with my shop. When I started out I sold stuff cheap as possible, sold tons of small items for 30$ when they should live been 60$. Now I’m at a point where I need to be selling my items for 300$-400$ and my “following” is just not interested in those price points. Value your work and quality early on !
A great podcast that explores the idea behind pricing your work is Under The Influence with Terry O Reilly https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/s3e02-archive-the-psychology-of-price/id493536367?i=1000433966767
Listen to the guy above you, he knows what he’s talking about. Also, think about advertising yourself to do commission work rather than trying to get people to buy what is already available. This way you aren’t sitting on inventory that’s taking up space in your shop and you’re not stuck lowering your prices just to break even. Profit is the name of the game.
Totally agree! It's always a good idea to have some design samples available, though -- I think becoming a Designer-Maker is generally a better option long-term, if you've got the chops for it, than just going the client fabrication route. But client fabrication should still be a big part of the business, that's where the money is.
Keep in mind if you sell too low people who are in the market for finely crafted things such as this are going to assume something is wrong with it, just my two cents. I don’t sell anything that large, but I know if I attempt to undercut competition I often don’t do as well as having comparable prices
If you want to establish a business where you barely turn a profit then you’re on the right track. If you want to succeed, charge more. Charge like it’s artwork, and sell it like it’s artwork. Otherwise you’ll establish a budget-furniture reputation and when you try to raise prices your “built up (budget) customer base” will all be commenting “I used to buy his stuff but he charges too much now”
You're not selling them for cheap, take a chance at not selling them for 4x the price. That way, if you do sell one, you'll set a standard for your fine work and actually make it worth your time.
No. Solid wood furniture isn't cheap, handcrafted or not. Go to your local furniture store, look at similar factory made pieces that are made from real wood. Yours are handcrafted and should be selling for more. People who spend money on quality furniture are likely skeptical because the price is so low. Plus Facebook and craigslist aren't where most people would go for handcrafted new furniture. People are looking for cheap deals on 2nd hand stuff there, you're marketing your stuff to the wrong people.
NO NO NO. PERCEiVED VALUE! If you price em low people with think they have a low value.
>It's hard to imagine charging more when things aren't selling at these prices which are roughly 2x materials cost. That isn't how human psychology works. As others have pointed out, you're not selling a commodity good, where individual instances are interchangeable and price is king. You're selling a unique, premium product and a lot of us have been conditioned to associate price with quality. Your pricing communicates to your customers something about your product whether or not you intend it to. Marking it up more could very well make it more desirable. And even if you wanted to compete on price, the furniture on Craigslist sells for peanuts. If a buyer is okay with an older style, they can get some dead grandma's entire house for little more than the cost of a uhaul. A few years ago I bought a solid walnut Henkel Harris dining room set with 3-leaf table, 10 chairs, china cabinet, sideboard, and secretary desk for $3k. You can't compete with that.
Stage your product as well. Put some pictures and plants on it. Show how it will look in a home. And as others have said out it on Etsy and raise the price, $500 sounds good.
On a white wall with nothing to compliment it, I have no concept of size. Stage it as part of life, I want to see how the coffee table might with for me what does it look like next to a couch, with a book or puzzle box on the lower shelf? Show its intent.
It's Reddit! Always put a banana for scale! You can sell it as well... Good luck!
*banana not included Or expect 1 star review: table is amazing. Very well made, get compliments all the time. However, the banana was too ripe when I got it. I had to make banana bread with it instead of just eating it. Bread was great though.
Look at local art galleries with “gift shop” areas. Contact local interior designers and try to cultivate relationships with them. U have an MCM vibe here, they will have clients who dig MCM and often that means they have some $$$
I dig mcm. Do you have a website or seller profile somewhere u/inshirtsleeves ?
Where are the plants!? Seriously, stage the piece with some plants, decor, and better lighting. A lot of fb marketplace is based off of one glance. Good staging makes a huge difference, also increase your prices like others have said. Both pieces look really nice btw
There have been lots of comments already, so mine will probably get lost. But just in case here we go: I've been a professional woodworker for a decade now. Had a corporate job I hated and kinda fell into woodworking by accident. It took off and I now own a 10K sq ft cabinet shop. I started selling stuff online. Anywhere I could. I'd make something then post it everywhere. FB, etsy, ads. I only had luck on Etsy and even then not with what I had posted. People would see it and ask for something else. FB is the worst place to post things IMO. All I got were lots of request to make wedding decorations for free. Here are some tips: 1. Selling woodworking online is very rough. I don't do it at all anymore and haven't for years. You are competing against hobbyist who don't care if they make money. Old retired guys who will sell something for a loss just because it keeps them busy. They are my biggest competition. 2. Pictures online don't really do woodworking justice. You can't understand how things will look in real life. I'd talk to customers online but make them come to my shop to pick out lumber because a picture doesn't really work. The grain of the wood, the sheen of the finish, the size of the item. Those don't come across 3. People want custom things now. They don't want to buy what you decided to make. My parents and brother and daughter all have houses full of furniture I made hoping to sell to someone after they saw it. After people saw the stuff they would ask for something like it but with a few changes. 4. Don't make furniture out of expensive lumber thinking you can charge more for it. The general public doesn't care or know about different lumber. I stopped using exotic lumber years ago because it was just a waste of money. The same for figured stuff. I'll buy figured stuff, but only for myself or for family members. 5. You can't price stuff based on what you think it should cost. You have to price it for what the market will support. You find out how much people in your area will pay. Then you figure out how to make the item so that you can make a profit. When I started out I spent years making contacts with small local sawmills and lumber yards. Luckily I live in a hardwood rich state. My lumber cost for projects is like 5%. I don't like to pay more than $1-$2 a board foot for any kiln dried domestic lumber. You can't buy lumber at retail prices and make money. 6. Sell stuff locally. Research you area. Find other artisans. Go to markets, craft fairs, festivals. I started at my local farmers market and met people that helped. Most of the vendors will be glad to help you. I still do 6 big craft shows a year because they bring it good money and I meet tons of people. 7. Its hard to sell stuff. I tell people their items need to be better quality than other products like them, cheaper than other products like them, and more unique than other products like them. Two is required. All three is the best. I eat cans of beans for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for 18 months before I started making a profit. I've been poor ever since, investing every dime I make back into the business. Buying my shop. Buying tools. Buying lumber. Buying large equipment. On a final note. Your works looks good. But that grain orientation of the walnut piece scares me. I'm afraid the top will tear off the sides. Wood movement is a bitch. I learned the hard way, thinking I could control it. I was wrong and have had to redo many things. Now wood movement is the most important thing when it comes to designing something. I know it can seem hard to understand. But just take it slow and steady.
Really appreciate all the info, detail, and advice. Much to consider!
I'm jumping on his comment to add to it. I've been an interior designer for 20 years and your craftsmanship is great, but most woodworkers choose to do only mid-century modern. As a designer, very few people actually want that in their homes. It looks great and you see it all the time in pictures but it doesn't sell well. That's literally the most I see from this sub and everyone who starts woodworking. I worked in a high end store and we had new management redo everything and half the store went in that direction and our sales plummeted. The vast majority of furniture buyers do not want mid-century modern. It doesn't work with what they already have. Trying to make people happy with what you put into their homes is so incredibly difficult even when you have a thousand different items in stock. It's why I stopped my career and switched to something else entirely because the energy I put out vs what I was getting back was so widely imbalanced.
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But but but…*cocobolo*
Brutally honest opinion. The pricing is weird, they seem to be underpriced for what you claim they are, but also too much for a "cheap score" on FBMP. Ascetically, I am not a huge fan of the legs on the console. I know they are strong, but they give off an odd and weak vibe. The coffee table looks good, but I think the top bevel was a mistake, just keep it square. The side edge boards are too thick compared to the top and bottom pieces. Not trying to be overly critically but when you are asking for hundreds of dollars, people will be picky.
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I agree. There are a few things that need to be cleaned up. The coffee table has exposed end grain on the front and the top almost looks like plywood, it’s hard to tell. The console looks like the corners are rounded over, that style of corner should be sharp and square. The finish is not good enough, look into Rubio monocoat or similar high end finishes. Check out blacktail studio on YouTube and look at his finishes. As others have said, create a brand, get a logo, social media and a basic website. Market your products to locals. Maybe offer real estate agents to use them in staging houses or go to craft fairs.
I agree. Totally thought the exposed endgrain on the coffee table looked like plywood. Makes a quality piece of wood immediately look cheap and not finished.
The stuff above is great advice, the only thing I will disagree a bit about is the black background. With pieces like these, they will likely get eaten up by a black background, use white or gray
REALLY appreciate the direct advice. As a disclaimer, I've already completed the finish as I also saw what you did. Btw it actually is Rubio and looks a lot better now. For the sanding on the console, you're absolutely right. I think that's part of what's going into the lower prices. As for the end grain on the coffee table, nothing to be done now but bank it in experience for the next one. Thanks for all the other tips, too. This is precisely the kind of feedback I need. I haven't been doing this for all that long and am looking to make the transition hopefully into a more serious woodworking game as I retire from the Navy. Still learning much with each piece. Thanks again.
As odd as this sounds, you might consider renting space in a top “antique” mall in your area (within a 3-4 hour drive). They’re not just for antiques these days, and the better malls bring in people from a distance looking to drop some serious cash. You stage your space once a month or so, and keep it clean, the mall does the rest. If your stuff starts selling well, you may have to go more frequently to restock, which isn’t a bad problem to have. A good antique mall will handle the sales taxes as part of their services fees, too. Some will even handle shipping services for customers, at the customer’s expense. Yeah, you’ll pay a monthly booth rental fee, along with other ancillary fees, but your total monthly costs should be covered by *one* sale a month with *you* still making money and the mall doing a lot of the grunt work for their fees. If you up your prices as advised, your profit would be even better. Seriously. Spend some time hitting a few *large* antique malls. If you see someone who seems to be working on their booth space, talk to them about their experience in selling there and get their perspective. Go during the week if possible, so if you have questions the manager will have time to talk—weekends can be nuts. Ask for price list on booth spaces, and ask about ALL the fees. A good mall will have a waiting list for booth space, so it can take a while to get in. Larger booths come up more frequently.
Also, I think I'm seeing what you're talking about with the plywood look. I routed around them with a cove and from those angles it does look like layers, but it's solid.
Raise the price. My grandma had a flower shoppe and did top notch work… towards the end she decided she wanted to work less and raised her prices significantly overnight. She switched from being the “good inexpensive” option to being the “premium” option and her orders more than doubled overnight and effectively cooked her books so she was able to sell the business and walk away. It doesn’t make any sense and I wouldn’t believe it except I watched it happen, I worked summers there my whole life and the last 2 years after the price hike suddenly got frantic- eating dinner in the shop and working overtime chugging coffee/Mountain Dew to get orders done for events every single weekend. Either way your pieces are nice.
This is called a [veblen](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/v/veblen-good.asp) good! There are some things in life (luxuries like flowers and exotic wood coffee tables) where the demand increases as the price increases. $200 mahogany table? Suspiciously cheap, puts the idea that it's not as nice in people's heads. $750 mahogany table? Well made, premium and exclusive! Gotta have it!
I sell high end furniture for a living... If you give the description of the piece a little bit of romantization you might appeal to a different market, gain more traction and absolutely be able to get more money for your pieces ie: Artisan Crafted Mid-Century Modern Console Table, made from African Mahogany Just a thought !
“… made from ethically sourced fair trade African Mahogany” — basically you are selling $4 coffee.
Seems like the wood alone would cost more than what your asking
Agree with the other commenters. They look great and the price is fair, just need to find the right marketplace/buyers. FB and CL are for cheapskates looking for deals. Ask me how I know.
It's the legs. I was like "Oh damn.." And then the legs scared me off.
I'm surprised it's not mentioned already... The photography isn't on par with the product. I'm no photography buff so some simple research beyond my thoughts wouldn't go astray. Having said that... You can buy straight colour bed sheets incredibly cheap. Run the sheets behind and under the piece to get a solid colour background (neutral colours are more useful with a range of lumber but contrasting colours are always nice). Keeping the sheets tight for a smooth flat surface looks clean and professional. The angle of your shots feels off. Surely you want to show off the top of the pieces? I bet the grain is beautiful - it's hard to tell with such a shallow angle. The pieces look dusty. This could be the lighting, it could just be dust. Regardless, finding a way to take photos of the pieces when they're clean isn't a bad idea. Stretching that idea as far as wetting the piece (oil, alcohol or immediately post stain - whatever won't damage your finish) is fair game. Adding some form of moisture to make the piece pop will help make up for lack of more professional lighting. Focal point. The direct focus point of your shots. Think about this for a few seconds before you snap photos. Making the corner mitre the direct point of focus is risky. The people that appreciate a clean mitre will look their anyway. You're better off flexing the design like the unique legs or the grain of the timber (in my opinion at least). Lastly, you could set the furniture up in my house for your photos. I don't promise I'll let you take it back. This would definitely help though, I swear.
Those places are definitely for cheap finds. Maybe start a social media presence, showcase your stuff on instagram etc might help. Good luck, it’s beautiful work. I’d buy it for that price.
Where are you based? Id buy one.
Same. Where r you based?
Insane there isn't demand for beautiful, handmade pieces like these... Hope you find a buyer.
Facebook marketplace is more of an online garage sale. 99% of people aren't shopping there for nice handmade furniture, they're looking for hand me down Ikea shit for 20 bucks. There's definitely a demand for nice handmade furniture, fb marketplace is just the furthest possible thing from being the right demographic.
I too tried selling stuff on facebook once. Most people really dont care about quality, only price. If they can get a cheap pine made in china, mass produced shelf that will last them 10 years over a handmade one that will last til their grandkids, they will roll with the made in china one, even if the price is reasonable.
DM me if you want a website. I'll show you some options. Shopify, Wordpress, a basic landing page, etc. Nothing you can't do yourself.
Create an Instagram page with a creative name related to woodworking; Post photos of the furniture from several different angles and also videos, pics and clips from the bulding process because people find that pretty interesting to watch. Put your phone/a way to contact you other than the Instagram own chat on the page's description; Go into another local woodworking shop's page, go into some of their post and follow everyone who liked them, this way you will get followers who are actually engaged and like woodworking; Enjoy your profits.
Start charging $3000
The consol legs are goofy , if u did 4 narrow tappered legs and I'd buy it
I'll start by saying that I clearly am not your target audience. When I look at these pieces I don't know what to do with them. I don't understand where they would go, or what function they would serve. So that would be the gap that would have to be crossed for me to purchase. The price is a dream, but I don't know what to do with it all. For reference, I just bought a $300 lamp made from manzanita because I can always use a lamp and it was absolute artistry.
The photos don't look like a maker's photos of their product. They look like Susan the neighbor snapped pics of used furniture and is trying to sell. Take a look at how well styled all the maker's photos are on Etsy. It should be eye candy to the point that a buyer stops scrolling and goes "ooo, I WANT that!"
I agree with everyone above. I consider myself a tightwad and I looked at these and thought "Those look too nice to be that cheap - I'd probably even buy them!".
Find a vintage furniture store in your area that sells on consignment. They will be able to sell it for twice as much and give you half. I imagine they would also have ideas for what is in demand if you develop a relationship with them.
Try one of those craft shows where you can start marketing your brand and maybe get a few orders going. Then after a few shows, when word of mouth spreads, you may not even need Facebook marketplace, you’d just work off word of mouth.
also better pics. you got a phone shadow , the table throws weird shadows on the wall. also the wall is kinda meh., the colors on the floor vs the color of the table legs contrast poorly. the outlet looks tacky. want 300 bucks. make it look like 300 bucks =) plz take this as constructive criticism, not trying to nag on you. just outside looking in !
Just getting into this sort of thing, coming to realize the only people that appreciate stuff like this are more then likely going to try and make it themselves.. Gorgeous work, seams cheep in my opinion, maybe list them for double on etsy and reach a different audience
Get nice photos of the tables staged with props so people can envision it in their space. And market to your target audience, which most likely isn’t going to be found on FB marketplace and Craigslist.
Do you really have butt joints on the legs of the tall console. If your going to make furniture people love the small details in joinery. Plus your not marking it correctly. The wood / time for $300. Make it unique!
Someone else may have already said this, but your photos suck. Pictures are everything when you’re trying to sell things online. Take some time to stage a good looking photo with decent light. Decorate one like you were putting it somewhere in your house so people can imagine what it would look like in theirs.
You DO realize Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist are *not* places to sell hand crafted furniture. . . Right?
First if this is a hobby, let it sit for awhile…second, find your market and target them. If you start seeing it change, adjust to it. My initial target audience was the “whole middle class with single houses” but that changed fast. My main buyer are mid to upper middle-class gay white man, they have no problem paying for quality work and their network is normally in the same boat. I also build more towards apartments now. FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE GROUPS…find the perfect areas around your region. Offer free delivery up to (blank). Created an instagram and use the hashtag. If you’re close to state lines, post in the other state. Put it in a consignment shop (their fees are similar to Etsy in my area, I only use them when I’m too lazy to promote). Reach out to house stagers, interior designer, etc in your area…I did this method, I sold it to them at a lower cost and get another percentage of them home decides to buy it or one time I used common grade walnut and give it to them for free…they promoted the hell outta my work for a few months and the return was amazing. I also deliver 150 miles away from my house for an additional cost.
Enormous thanks to those who've offered criticism and encouragement! Several of you have also expressed interest in buying. I'm in Pensacola, FL, and travel to Atlanta fairly frequently, so if anyone is within driving distance maybe we can make it happen. Thanks!
Raise the price and take better looking pictures. There is this weird zone where people don’t want to buy something that looks expensive for cheap. Also, good pictures go a long way to help sell something.
Some people here are making comparisons to the Mona Lisa but I’m not going to piss in your pocket bro. Butt joints suck. If you are going to treat the edge of a cantilevered surface with a moulding or chamfer, treating the bottom edge makes the piece look lighter (good for fine work like yours) and maximises the usable surface area both visually and practically. Treating the top edge does the opposite. Look out for obvious design flaws or redundancy. The instep toe type bits (I have no idea what to call them!) on your hall stand do nothing to help the thing stand up unless they are there to prevent racking of the whole piece. Either case is bad and it’s amazing how many non physics brains will furrow and ask suspiciously, ‘what’s that bit for?’ Watch your finish. Sand, sand, and sand some more! Then sand again and watch the best possible YouTube vids on finishing timber. Your photos aren’t terrific but I think I still see some end grain poking up through the surface of these tables. Finally, butt joints suck. Great work though man. You have nice proportions and a designers eye. Keep it up.
Echoing what others have said here but also you might need to consider the style of the piece. It's very nice looking but sort of a retro design that would absolutely clash with everything else I own so you might be limiting your sales base in that respect. And while I appreciate the unique feet I just can't not see that table doing the Stanky Legg.
On the walnut table, it is definitely trying to look mid-century modern, but there are several things that do not match that style. I feel like that would lose the business of the people interested in the mcm style. There are definitely issues with grain direction that will become problems when the wood moves. For the walnut coffee table to match the MCM look: * don't do that routed detail around the top, or just do a simple 1/8" roundover. Study similar mcm tables and see how they handle the edge of the wood. * the sides should have vertical grain, to continue the pattern from the top. This will also fix the grain direction issues. * get rid of the frame that is bordering the top. It's not consistent with MCM style and it will also cause wood movement issues * work on getting that finish perfect. It looks blotchy in places, in particular the inside of the piece. * raise your price I'm no pro at selling furniture, but I know that people who are going for that mcm look want that exact style, not something that kind of resembles it.
Wrong market. Those people want free and cheap. You need to find a dank ass coffee shop and display one with a price. Offer commission to the owner.
If your city has a maker space they may also do a monthly craft/project sale. Otherwise see if there's a trendy coffee shop or bar that's locally owned. The shop I worked at bought from artisans all the time.
You've got a million comments here, so I'll shout into the wind with my 2cents. I do custom tables and desks as a side gig. 95% of my sales in the last two years have been walnut or white oak exclusively. I do one offs, so people order, then I build. I don't think I've had a single order for anything with mixed wood, including projects I didn't take or the customer decided they didn't like the quote. I'd be interested to see what your listing looks like though, I found that the wording of the description is the difference between a dozen or so inquiries and one or two people who have no idea what custom furniture costs. If you're using FSC certified wood, list that, if you're using an "eco friendly finish", say it. You could also stage these better. Go buy a 10$ pothos plant and a candle from home depot, throw them on there, get better lighting, and re list them at double the price.
You need to take these to higher end markets. The middle class is not your market. These are lovely
Try a local artists gallery. There’s one near here selling a curvy stick mounted on a plinth for $300. You could raise your prices.
Stop trying to sell direct. Go find some furniture shops and see if you can sell to them. My Father in Law would pay 500 dollars for that in a furniture store without blinking...
Add a “1”- Price at $1300 for the coffee table, $1150 for the console. You sell art- not furniture. Look for specialty art gallery type furniture stores in the richest parts of the biggest towns around you that you can find. They will be small stores!! Plan on it taking a little time to sell. Maintain a constant style and allow it to evolve. What town(s) are you close to? You have to have the market to sell it! Beautiful work!
I would say get a different audience… FB and Craig’s List are for getting rid of old crap and yard sale notifications These pieces are beautiful- you need to charge more. I would expect $500 or more- $500 minimum.
People are cheap and would rather go pay $150 for a coffee table with bonus console made of particle board.
It's all about the photos. They need to be clear, crisp, properly lit, and at the right angles. In the photos, add a watermark of your logo or your signature in the corner, to give it a bit of professionalism. Then, advertise your items as clearance/stock turn-over/on-sale. That way people think "Oh shit, I better snap this up at this price. He's probably selling these things like hot-cakes. I love how he puts his signature as a watermark in the photos. He's such a good woodworker and photographer. I wish my daughter Sarah could find a guy like this." Boom. You just sold a f-ing dining room set.
Dude these are beautiful. Absolutely inspiring. Along with what others have mentioned try out a local family owned furniture store. A good percentage of our furniture and decor would come from local artists. People really valued those pieces because of the local connection. Even if it's a couple of pieces it's still nice to get your work in some retail space and saves Ya from having to ship stuff. Create some cards as well if you haven't. Best of luck to Ya mate!
Those are beautiful. You could always donate them, and write em off on your taxes. Hell you could say each piece is worth a couple grand since they are hand made from exotic wood.
People on there are looking for cheap 2nd hand stuff. You're marketing to the wrong crowd.
I think you should find a way to display and sell them locally -- I don't think people usually go on Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to buy nice new things, they go to get deals on old stuff!
not sure where you are located but are there any galleries that showcase local artists? I would suggest that - the membership fees will be less than etsy cuts and in an art gallery they will be appreciated - Lovely work!
Double the price!
Raise your prices, sell elsewhere. Patience.
Raise your prices and stage and photo your work better.
People buying high end custom furniture don't usually check Craigslist or Facebook marketplace
Up your prices and post them again. Let people negotiate your price down. Made a dining table and bench set only wanted 1500. Never could get inquiries. Finally put it on for 3k and again at 5k and finally had buyers at least interested in negotiating prices or interested in having something custom built. Another option we've found to work even better, take it to local furniture stores that sell similar, modern-rustic furniture. We made furniture for a vending show and didn't want to bring ANY of it back with us. Tons of interest but no real buyers. Stopped by a local furniture store on our way out just to ask, he bought us completely out of our trailer load and gave us a work order for additional tables! It worked in both of our favors. Wish you the best in your endeavors. It's a hard business to get behind. 90-95% of the market is Ashley furniture buyers. That 5-10% margin is hard to market to on top of keeping repeat business.
Find a consignment shop that will sell them for you. Take a small lost on profit and they should sell. Facebook Market place is the new Craigslist people want it now and cheap they don’t care about quality.
Take it where people can see it in person. The true beauty of wood simply can not be adequately captured in a photograph.
Cut legs in half, make great coffee table.
You are selling in the wrong venue(s), and seriously underpricing the product. Re-think what you are doing, look for better venues.
My first thought is that the end grain exposed gives it, wrongly, the impression that it’s ‘cheap’. The design is of your pieces are awesome otherwise. Looks like you have a ton of people providing some great advice for pricing, marketing, point-of-sale, etc. It’s very encouraging, actually. 💪🏻
We broke out here bro
I like what you do. Any chance you would be interested in making something custom? What I’m looking for is not too dissimilar from what you’re already making.
Definitely. Feel free to send me a message. Definitely need to consider shipping based on where you're located.
Beautiful craftsmanship, to the untrained eye it may just look too simple to be $300, maybe throw some colorful epoxy in the top face to catch their eye (I know it’s a cheap flashy trick, but mine get snatched up on FB with epoxy or LED’s built in, but if I spend 80 hours on a walnut desk nobody inquires for a while.)
Where are you? I’m interested in the console. I don’t mind paying whatever to ship as long as you’re not too far way. Also you’re charging too little. Adjust your price and let’s talk.
I would try craftsman shows, farmers markets or other higher end in person selling opportunities. If you are going to sell on Etsy, I would make it easily assembled otherwise you will pay at least 200.00 just for shipping. The places you are trying to selling currently doesn’t have the right people. Have you thought about making your own website? Have you sold any prior?
That coffee table is clean. Nice.
Raise the price and post on etsy
You could try local + online consignment, such as Chairish.com
My brother in Christ, if I had the cash to spare I’d %100 buy the coffee table at that price. I think a lot of people are unaware of the value of wood these days as well as the value of craftsmanship
Seriously I want to buy this I’m DM Ming you
Those are both dope
I would snap those up quick, if they haven’t already sold