Adding Pottery, etc?

[sandymc]

This was our first Christmas and we can pay the rent for a few more months! But, I'm thinking of adding some pottery or other art-type items to help pick up the slack. I have a few potters that are willing to put things in on a consignment basis. Any feedback or suggestions?

 

[nona powers]

Pottery gives you something for the customer to look at when your helping a previous customer, it warms up the shop, making it look better with the framed samples or art for sale, and it evens out the cash flow. For consignment keep good records, treat your artists well, pay if you break something and pay the artist right away. Jewelery goes well with pottery and hand crafted greeting cards.

 

[sandymc]

Thanks, Nona for your suggestions! One more question..if I have artist that are willing to display their merchandise in my shop..how do I split the profits???

 

[Marjorie]

Hi Sandymc,

We're an art gallery and custom frame shop and opened on 9/10/2004. We carry original art, Limited Edition prints, and a few open edition prints. We round out with handcrafted upscale pottery, sterling silver jewelry, stained glass lamps and panels and original note cards done by one of our artists. It definitely helps with the cash flow. All of the additional items are on a consignment basis. We charge 60/40 (60% to the artist; 40% to the gallery). That seems to be the norm for this area and the artists seem agreeable to the percentage breakdown.

 

[nona powers]

I did the 40 for me, 60 for artists also. If you do lots of advertising or artist promotion or move lots of merchandise, you can get 50/50.