I have seen a lot of people in Facebook groups and even here that have said when artists price babies too low that it lowers value for others. Then, I hear it said that us newbies that have been doing this less than a year should not price their babies too high. So every time I try to decide on a price I get seriously conflicted. So my question is, do a lot of you all that have been doing this for a longer time think us newbies are lowering value? Or pricing too high? Or is it just a few that think that way? I’m honestly really curious because I think about this every time I finish a baby
I don’t think it should have anything to do with how long you’ve been reborning. Some people are pretty awesome straight out of the gate. And some people who’ve been reborning for years could use work. What would you pay for the doll and be generous. Price it there. And post very detailed photos. Done!
Continue to price your babies as you see fit. Your prices should reflect: time, material, quality and your skill level. Years of experience is only good for measuring your clientele.
And I agree with @katieperry, because I don’t know your work or prices.
If you’re dolls are selling as fast as you are listing them, it’s time to raise the price.
I feel the same as you. I just sold my first doll for $450. I am a newbie as I’ve been painting a year. But it is NOT The first doll I’ve painted. I’ve painted quite a few but they are in a bin to be stripped.
This was the first one with no mistakes that I felt confident in charging for.
So while he was the first doll I’ve sold. He was not the first doll I’ve painted.
He has rooted hair which took forever. Many thin layers of ghsp. Was the first BB kit I paid full price for ie: not on sale. So I had time and $$ invested in him.
If the quality of work is there and quality materials are used I don’t think it should matter how many babies you’ve sold but rather what the market is. I researched reborns.com for the same kit and quality and priced accordingly.
My main issues have been dirty chunky creases especially hands and feet and this guy had none of that so off he goes
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I have been painting since about November but didnt start selling til April of this year. I wander if mine are priced too low.
Some examples. I sold Rosalie for $450. Alma for $300 Ashley for $300 and Dominic for $250. I struggle so much with deciding!
I always look at reborns.com also. Then because I’m “newer” I try to stay below the average a bit.
I would priced Rosalie higher, but the rest were priced accordingly their quality and current prices IMO. A year ago you would not sell them that high.
I could tell you where I see areas for improvement, but not everyone here wants to hear that
Yea, I agree. I learn with every one I do what not to do next time. Or how to do it differently. Which is why I dont want to overprice. I dont want to short myself either so that’s why I get confused.
If they’re selling at the prices you’re charging then you’re good. It’s quality that matters, not how long you’ve been reborning.
I have reborn 4 babies and have sold 3 (The first one I did is mine). They all have gone between $350-$400. That has been my starting point for BB dolls. I’ll go up on my prices once I start doing more expensive kits. Price what you think you’re worth. These dolls take a lot of effort and the materials are not cheap. Don’t underprice your time.
it really doesnt matter what any of us think. I have been reborning since 2007. Your pricing has no effect on what I am doing . However, that being said. Price your babies realistically. I see so many newer people basically paying people to buy their work. That makes no sense to me. If the kit costs $60.00 from BB plus shipping, then body, hair, eyes, glass beads, magnets, paci, diaper, clothes, paints, thinners, electricity and time to do it. and so many other things that cost and someone sells that baby for $200.00 you are loosing money. You are not making any money at all. You are basically giving your work away for free and actually spending your money to do so. So set you a base price then you can move up from there. Figure out what it needs to be so you are turning a profit even if it is only a small one at first. Yes you may have dolls sitting for a while but stick to your guns.
So agree. Why not just give it away for free, if people are going to continually do this? And then I’ve seen some awfully painted and rooted dolls (crusty paint, dirty creases, barely painted in spots, the most pluggy, gross hair) on eBay, probably the artist’s first few dolls ever, and they are asking $350 to $450. To be an artist who can improve, a critical eye toward one’s work is necessary. Seems there are both ends of the spectrum happening a lot.
It does happen a lot, I think. Which is why I’m trying to get an idea of what I should be pricing at. @katieperry said if they are selling as fast as you put them up ,raise the price. Mine have been selling generally within a week. Is that about right, or am I pricing too low?Rosalie sold it literally 30 mins on reborns .com. At the same time, doing this less than a year, I also dont want to price at high quality prices.
Like I already said, things changed this spring and summer when many people spend their stimulus checks and unemployment money. I just hope that this still will be true at Xmas time.
If you will go a read any posts from a year ago, including Xmas time, you’ll see how low prices were just because very few people were buying reborns, market was bad.
So we can talk endlessly how much effort and time, and materials we spend to create those dolls, however when someone have 10 unsold dolls, people want to lower the price to move them out and I can’t blame them for that.
If you are new and selling your dolls for 350 - 400 - good for you, you came in the right time when reborn market suddenly came into a bloom just because of COVID. Will it last? We’ll see…
Honestly doesnt matter all that much to me really. I just do this for fun. My husband works, I stay home and homeschool my kids. Gives me something to do. If the sell prices go down, no big deal. Just generally curious about other people’s pricing preferences. Not looking to get rich so I’ll probably just keep pricing the way I have been anyhow after giving it some thought. I’d rather go ahead and sell for an average price than end up holding onto them for months.
I hope I didn’t offend you as I wasn’t replying directly to you in my last comment, just stated my opinion on a subject overall
Oh no. I wasnt offended! This is just kinda why I was asking around about how and why people price them. Just getting ideas and opinions.
I think that babies should be priced based on skill level and a little on sculpt. LE kits are usually more valuable, really popular ones that are sold out, even more so. This is assuming that the artist has at least a moderate level of skill. I’ve seen some SOLE kits painted so horribly that the person would have been better off selling them blank.
Most artists start off with lower prices, charging enough to be able to buy more supplies. I had to give mine away for a while before even being able to do that. My first doll that I could sell was sold for $250, that was about 4 years ago. Recently I sold one for over $600. Takes time in most cases. I keep an eye on reborns to see what’s selling for what…
It is definitely not necessary to wait this long to charge higher prices. Some people are just really talented and paint like prototype artists right away.
As a customer, reborns will sell quickly when they look better than others in a similar price range. People are forced to shop on a budget, and are comparing what they can get for a certain amount.
So, do some shopping to get a feel for what other reborns look within different price ranges.
As a former seller of crafts, don’t sell less than what you’ve paid for supplies, even if you aren’t trying to make a living off of reborning. If you’re going to bother to sell, you may as well make it sustainable so you can continue.