When to start selling?

[Charl]

In my short little life of pipemaking, I have sold 3 pipes so far. These are pipes that I probably wouldn't have bought myself now, after learning all the intricacies of a good quality pipe here on the forum.
About 90 percent of the pipes that left my hands, were freebies to friends and family. A bit of R&D, I like to say. And I have learned quite a bit from these. Maybe the most shocking for me, was the fact that most pipesmokers in SA don't have a clue what a good quality pipe is about. As long as it smokes, they seem to think that it is fine.
That aside, I have accumulated a bag full of pipes, with various degrees of perfection (mostly not so great ), that are just lying in the cupboard.
For me a pipe shouldn't be somewhere on a mantelpiece as a showpiece, it should be smoked. And pipemaking, however fullfilling a hobby, is still unfortunately very expensive.
I have heard of people that basically start selling their pipes as soon as the bug bite, and I have also heard of people doing it for years before they feel comfortable enough with the idea.
What do you professionals think? Is it OK to start selling even though you know that a certain pipe has quality problems, or should you wait for perfection? Is selling a pipe just in order to get hold of more material justified?
When do you start selling?

[caskwith]

Speaking as a fellow hobbyist this is my view. As you say, pipemaking is an expensive hobby, its a pretty specialist area that requires sometimes unique tooling so therefore unlike similar wood based hobbies, such as pen turning for example, there isnt a cheap way to go about it. For those who just want to make a few pipes every now and then there are the cheaper option such as buying pre drilled blocks, in this way one can get set up very cheaply indeed, but if one wants to drill their own blocks, make their own stems, sandblast etc then you need money, and the logical way to do this is to sell some pipes. If i make a pipe that i think is suitable fo sale then i try my best to sell it, if i didnt then i simply wouldnt be able to afford to buy new tools. In an ideal world i would wait for a few years until i was much happier with my pipes, and then start selling, however this isnt an ideal world and without more tools i will never be able to make better pipes so thats the clincher for me.

[TreverT]

There really is no "waiting for perfection". Some collectors will tell you that you should hold off on selling anything until you can produce what you think is your absolutely best pipe, but really, this is illusion - I've been doing this full-time for ten years and still learn and improve my work. My best today is better than my best five years ago which is way better than my best when I started out. I would suggest it is more a matter of parity - depending on what price level you want to sell at, just wait until you can genuinely look around at lots of other pipes in that price range and honestly consider your work to be on par with the competition at that level, at that time.

(Oh, and ignore everyone who will tell you to, "Start out selling your work for cheap until you build a reputation and can start raising your prices". This is utter BS advice, IMO. All you'll get is a rep as a guy who does good work for cheap, and you'll be perceived as a $100 pipemaker forever - when you raise prices everyone will just think your head's gone big and stop buying. Value perception is welded into people's heads based on what price level they first get to know a brand at - if they encounter a brand at $150, they won't accept it at $500 later on. Collectors will curse you for entering at $300, but it will serve you far better later on than selling cheap to "get known". JMO, IMO, YMMV, etc etc)

[Christopher Brunton]

I have sold a few pipes. I haven't sold anything that I regret selling just to get a little money, and that's the problem. It's just a little money, at this point. No way am I going to recoup what I've invested so far. I look at money spent up to this point as sort of like paying for school. You never really get that money back.

Here's was I was told....make another twenty pipes, then start selling. I think that's good advice for me, though I'll probably shoot for 10-15.

Personally, I try to ask myself....."would I buy this pipe for that much money?" (That's actually a trick question, I don't buy pipes, I buy wood, but you get the point).

The main thing for me is I want to actually make a little money selling a pipe. To do that, I have to get faster And better. Until I have that, I won't sell in any kind of seriousness.

Right now it takes me too long to make a pipe to let it go for nothing, unless it's to 'the right person' (usually my father who has funded a great portion of my pipe endeavors)

Don't know if any of that helps, but, them's my thinkin's.

-chris

[RadDavis]

Hi Trever,

I totally agree with not "waiting for perfection" before beginning to sell. If the price is fair for what you're offering then you can start selling anytime.

However, I disagree about a brand not being accepted later on at $500 if it starts out at $150.

I think that starting out cheap is perfectly ok, if you base any price increases on substantial quality and craftsmanship improvements, .

I agree that increasing prices because, "OK, I've gotten my name out there, and now it's time to raise prices" is a bad idea, unless your work has shown some real improvement.

I think that as a maker's work improves, it begins to get notice from a different set of buyers, and while a price increase may leave some current customers cold, new buyers will magically appear to take up the slack, because they can see the improvements and value in the work being offered.

This is one of the main reasons that makers should go to the major pipe shows and get a table, so people can see their work in person and hold it in their hot little hands.

Rad

[Frank]

Maybe the most shocking for me, was the fact that most pipesmokers in SA don't have a clue what a good quality pipe is about. As long as it smokes, they seem to think that it is fine.

I have refurbished literally dozens and dozens of estate pipes obtained from Europe and USA, and my conclusion is that the majority of pipe smokers worldwide don't have a clue either. Bowls caked to where you can't get a pinky finger in, draught holes almost clogged close. Until I "stumbled" upon this site, I myself was "pipe ignorant".

The subject of "When to Sell" and "Pricing" has been raised here a number of times before. Since there are widely differing opinions from both professionals and hobbyists, it's difficult to form a conclusive opinion. In the end, you'll have to form your own opinion based on the stated facts that seem to have the most merit borne from others' experience.

[Källman]

I havnt been selling any pipes, but from past business experience, its easier to lower a high price than to increase a low price. Just reading that makes it sound obvious, but taking it into practise has made a big difference for my company. If you make a deal for a slightly higher price than what you intended, lowering it later will also make a happier customer. Sometimes its also easier to argue for a higher price in the beginning of a deal compared to when your already in the boat.

[KurtHuhn]

The flip side to lowering a high price later is that any of your customers that bought in at the higher prices will feel shorted if they see your pipes selling for significantly less. It might be easier to sell pipes if you lower the price, but if you tick off your customers at the same time, it's not helpful to your reputation.

[Källman]

The flip side to lowering a high price later is that any of your customers that bought in at the higher prices will feel shorted if they see your pipes selling for significantly less. It might be easier to sell pipes if you lower the price, but if you tick off your customers at the same time, it's not helpful to your reputation.

Yes, thats true. Its not appliable on all deals. It could help someone selling only a few pipes per year to selected customers.