pricing leather work

[TexasToby]

I have had several people ask me about making them a holster or some other leather work. Question: how do you go about setting a price for this kind of work? I used to do saddle repair work by the hour or by the job. That was along time ago and don't want to repair saddles any more but, maybe make a few holsters and things of that nature. But with leather so much higher than it was 25 years ago and other supplies so much higher, I don't know how to figure it and could use some help. Fo course some stuff may be tooled, some not and some with border tooling. Help me out, please. Texas Toby

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy Toby,

For the greater part of my working life I've had to come up with selling prices for the products we manufactured. I've found that pricing one's Leather work is similar. To come up with a basic price I would calculate the total cost of the materials required. This should include leather along with any decorations or hardware such as Concho's, Belt Buckles, Lacing etc. If special dyes or finishes are required, add that in also to the material cost. Then estimate the amount of time you think it will take to do the job and multiply that times what you want to get per hour for your work. Add the material and labor up and this should give you a basic price. You may want to point out to your customers that a piece with hand sewing will be stronger and cost more than a machined sewn piece. Tooling, stamping and decoration will also affect the price.

Another method is to see what the going price is for similar items and charge accordingly. That being said, I use the latter method to come up with a price. I'm pretty slow so If I charged by the hour at minimum wage only an Oil Sheik could buy my work

I'm sure some of the Pard's on the Forum will be able to help you further with this.

[Slowhand Bob]

Unless you have a following, name recognition, I think the going price will be your best guideline for pricing and do keep in mind that the fancy brand name sites have developed a reputation over time.  What is your objective, supporting the family and making the old Lexus payment or just a self supporting fun hobby?  What niche do you want to fit in, one of a kind custom pieces or do you want turn out a dozen basic holsters a day at low-ball competitive prices?  Study the competition and decide who you want to target as your competition and see if you can offer up a better product for one buck less (at least until you develop the recognition that he has built up) and you will be doing it in the old American tradition.  The SASS Wire has a large list of leather workers in their links section for you to look at the work and prices that you will need to compare with.  Local shooters are an extremely small customer base with only occasional needs and always want the close friends discount.     

[Johnny McCrae]

Unless you have a following, name recognition, I think the going price will be your best guideline for pricing and do keep in mind that the fancy brand name sites have developed a reputation over time.  What is your objective, supporting the family and making the old Lexus payment or just a self supporting fun hobby?  What niche do you want to fit in, one of a kind custom pieces or do you want turn out a dozen basic holsters a day at low-ball competitive prices?  Study the competition and decide who you want to target as your competition and see if you can offer up a better product for one buck less (at least until you develop the recognition that he has built up) and you will be doing it in the old American tradition.  The SASS Wire has a large list of leather workers in their links section for you to look at the work and prices that you will need to compare with.  Local shooters are an extremely small customer base with only occasional needs and always want the close friends discount.  

This is great advice!

[KidTerico]

Johnny and Slowhand Bob I think the two of you pretty much covered it unless you figure it the way I do. It is the quickest way with no complaints.  Mine are all free easy to figure. KT

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

Johnny and Slowhand Bob I think the two of you pretty much covered it unless you figure it the way I do. It is the quickest way with no complaints.  Mine are all free easy to figure. KT

Mine is not as easy as yours ... I have to figure how much to pay to have someone wear mine. 

[TexasToby]

  :)Thanks for the input guys. What you have said goes along with the way I was thinking but, since I have not done any work like this for the public I needed a little guidance. I really appreciate the replies. Thanks, Texas Toby

[rickk]

Unless totally unique I typically charge whatever the going price is for an item. I mean the "made in the USA" price, not the "Made in India" price. If I charge more than that, I'm not going to sell anything.

As far as really unique stuff, I usually don't charge enough. I only take those on when there is no set delivery date and I make sure that materials got paid for no matter what.  I work on those kind of jobs when the mood strikes me as being right. I usually wind up working out one or two new techniques on these things  and there is no reason to charge a customer for my learning curve.  They don't make me money usually, but they are a great advertiser thing. People ask the customer where they got it, and that is cool. The second time someone asks me to make something like that, it's not a unique thing any more and I have a better feel for what it it will take to make it and can charge accordingly.