Philisophical Question Regarding Making and Selling Props

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

Do people prefer that a run of props for sale be made/constructed first then solicit interest followed by sales OR solicit interest first followed by construction and sales?

I think if we solicit interest first then begin construction we would be left standing with so much raw materials especially if there is no interest and minimal sales.

Savvy?

 

[Neon Sentry]

This isn't a philosophical question so much as it's a question of logistics.

Whether an accurate potentiometer or not, an interest thread is the only way to gauge, well, interest, otherwise you may end up with boxes of props nobody even wanted in the first place.

I see the ideal situation being: create prop, showoff/gather interest, mold/cast, sell/trade.

 

[defstartrooper]

I think it's a good idea to ask if anyone would be interested first, if you have the means to then produce the run before asking for money that's preferable but not always practicle.

 

[micdavis]

Apply Frank's 50/50 rule.

Example:

You post an interest thread of proposed replica you get say 20 people that say they are interested.

You complete the prototype and post a For Sale thread with price. 50% of the people bail and you got 10 that SAY they are interested.

You start collecting funds and make parts and 50% more bail out. Leaving you with 5 actual buyers.

It's not carved in stone, but it's a good rule of thumb.

 

[darthinvictus]

i make a prop first and foremost because i want one and either cannot find or cannot afford it.
after i make it if people dig it i make more.
but never offer for sale that which i do not have EVER!
seen that one backfire too many times. besides just doing it for the money makes me feel whored out.

 

[weaselflinger]

I only make stuff I really want for myself and many times I've been fortunate to have others interested in owning copies.

 

[modeleers]

Because of my sfx background - I learned to make 2 (or more) of each - I fabricate everything as if it were a master-pattern, so I can cast a Second if the client, commercial or film project requires it. I make the master for Me, then if anyone wants a copy ...It's Always good to go!

 

[GKvfx]

Depends on what you want to do. If you want to be a manufacturer of replica props and set up a side business to offset your cost and give you a bit of "mad money" for other things - then you need to do a bit of market research and see what's popular. An INT thread in the junkyard might be the way to go.

On the other hand, if you are just a hobbyist (albeit a hardcore one), and you're primarily doing this for yourself, you might just want to get started first and then see if there is any interest from others later (before you get beyond the point of not being able to mold or cast......). Or design it from the start for you and the two other guys you know will want one and support you. If you can make a couple of extras and use them for trades - that's gravy.

I've never manufactured anything. I've molded and cast stuff, but never for the purposes of sales or trades.

Gene

 

[Rhett J Martin]

To further add to that, use the prototype (assuming it's going to be a cast item of some kind) to garner accurate measurements of what supplies you'll be using. Then do the math to fit your run . . .twice.

MicDavis is right on the head (as usual!) with the interest numbers, but he forgets about the five or six stragglers who will want an item two months after the run ends.

For those of us who include shipping in the final price, I always enter in an address that's as far away domestically as possible, then backtrack from that point to get a solid average on shipping costs.

Definatly DON'T forget about your shipping supplies costs in the final number . . .boxes cost money too!

 

[exoray]

Apply Frank's 50/50 rule.

Example:

You post an interest thread of proposed replica you get say 20 people that say they are interested.

You complete the prototype and post a For Sale thread with price. 50% of the people bail and you got 10 that SAY they are interested.

You start collecting funds and make parts and 50% more bail out. Leaving you with 5 actual buyers.

It's not carved in stone, but it's a good rule of thumb.

That is worth repeating again...

Truth is if you are depending on an interest thread as a real gauge of buyers that will come through in the end, you will find sadly it doesn't work...

Taking money upfront is pretty much the only way to really gauge solid interest, but that has the negative side where the sellers skip town with the money, or the almost always unavoidable delays that raise concerns and build negativity... It's a real crappy road to go down, even though it's sometimes the only way to get a project off the ground...

 

[modeleers]

. . .boxes cost money too!

Not the case! I use USPS Priority Mail Boxes & they will ship as many as I want & in many, many dfifferent sizes, right to my door - for Free! (that's worth repeating - FREE!)
The minimum cost to ship is a flat rate of $4.85, but above that you can calculate the shipping cost from your own computer (if you have the buyers zip code). A small scale will come in handy (so you know the final box-weight)

 

[exoray]

Not the case! I use USPS Priority Mail Boxes & they will ship as many as I want & in many, many dfifferent sizes, right to my door - for Free! (that's worth repeating - FREE!)
The minimum cost to ship is a flat rate of $4.85, but above that you can calculate the shipping cost from your own computer (if you have the buyers zip code). A small scale will come in handy (so you know the final box-weight)

Yeah if they have a box that works and fits your offering it's great, but it's not always the case also you have to factor in other packing requirements, the box might be free but bubble wrap and peanuts can get surprisingly expensive in small runs...

I love the free boxes and use them all the time but there are limitations, right now I'm shipping out a run that requires me to purchase boxes and packing, it's costing me nearly $10 out of pocket to box the item...

 

[Rhett J Martin]

Both are correct (also as usual!) . . .I looked and look to find USPS boxes that would fit a ROTJ Boba blaster . .nuthin yet:lol

 

[modeleers]

:lolYeah, I'm looking for a USPS box that will fit my Elephant, Nothing yet! :lol
Seriously, If your Boba-blaster comes apart... ship it in a smaller box.
I wasn't aware that people still use plastic peanuts & bubble wrap. Aren't those Eco-Crimes?
I utilize only clean used-newspaper from recycle-bins at my neighboring Apt. complex (again Free!).
Call me simple, ...but why spend (& subsequently - charge) money you don't Really need to???

 

[rollerboi]

That is worth repeating again...

Truth is if you are depending on an interest thread as a real gauge of buyers that will come through in the end, you will find sadly it doesn't work...

I was fortunate with my Sally Jupiter poster that only 3 out of the 12 interested have not returned my PM's. That's only a 25% drop rate. I'm sure a future product will make up for it, heh. :unsure

That's the risk we take, though. My answer is to leave the poster project open - I can print them on demand. Unfortunately, with a resin pour or other type of project there's not always this kind of flexibility.

 

[exoray]

I wasn't aware that people still use plastic peanuts & bubble wrap. Aren't those Eco-Crimes?

Well many new 'peanuts' are simply puffed starch, so no harm in them for the environment...

And bubble wrap has it's uses...

I utilize only clean used-newspaper from recycle-bins at my neighboring Apt. complex (again Free!).

Yeah if you can get it, around me the recycle bins are actually recycle cans, and all the recycle stuff goes into a common can, so the papers are usually mixed with tons of other stuff and usually not 'clean' but full of other stuff like spilled beer/soda/food and soap from the cans/bottles tossed in there... Makes it a real hassle and not worth it IMO... I used to use newspaper when it was easy to obtain but those days are over...

 

[modeleers]

I've heard about the starch peanuts. I'll look into those. Thanx!

 

[steveo]

If you're going to be making a prop solely for the purpose of selling, then asking for interest first is a great idea. If you're making the prop for yourself and then hopes of selling in the future, I think the interest could come at either time.

Now, if you're looking to make money on this prop and you ask for interest first, I don't think it's ethical or even fair to ask for money up front without some sort of "progress". I think it's up to the artist to acquire, with their own funds, the materials needed to construct said prop. I've seen it a lot on some forums that money is asked for up front and things fall through and then the people funding the project never see any money back.

There can also be interest in a prop and then when it's finally completed, some of that interest may wane depending on length project took, final outcome of project, price of project or other economic hardships.

The best way in my opinion is to start the part and show it off in a progress thread and guage interest that way and that no money should accepted/asked for until project is actually cast and ready to ship. But who am I?

 

[Capn_Jack_Savvy]

I really don't think I would want to make any of these except by custom order. It would be such a waste of leather. So I guess it also varies at what item is being made or whether or not you can do a limited run.

Free boxes are always good but try shipping a scabbard!!! Poster shipping tube.

 

[Rhett J Martin]

Dude, your leather work is stunning!!!