Price for picnic bench

[simon369]

i started making picnic benches out of 4 x 2 wood which are really solid and good quality however i have been selling them on ebay for £45 each plus delivery and feel that im under cutting myself a bit. Although i am making money from each one which costs me about £25 each plus time. Im not making enough to make a business from it.

What price would you guys be willing to pay for a solid picnic table that will last for years. The type you see in pub gardens. That price is to advertise in local shop windows and leaflets etc as i cant raise the ebay price much otherwise i cant compete with other ebay members.

Secondly i plan to approach some garden centers and was wondering what sort of price i would market them to the garden centers for.

Thanks

 

[*Lexxy*]

this site might give you some ideas

good luck

 

[simon369]

Thanks,

I had a look and they are pretty similar to the ones im selling.

Do you reckon around the £100 mark would get sales advertising in shop windows or is that a bit steep for that type of sale. I know the best way is to try or do research but its hard asking friends cos they come up with random answers like one mate said £300 which is just stupid.

Would around £75 be more suitable do you reckon for shop window sales

also what percentage do people buying to sell on usually expect to make. e.g. if the garden center was going to advertise them around £100 each etc how much would they expect to pay for them

Thanks

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

Price depends on quality. You can buy picnic benches & garden furniture in Tescos, dirt cheap throw it in the bin in October, buy new next year.

Or, You can pay £300-£400 for a piece of furniture that expect to maintain and protect, and you know that you'll still be using it in ten years time.

The thing here is to make sure that your price and quality match. If you sell cheap stuff too expensive then you'll do yourself out of the customers, if you sell quality stuff too cheap you'll do yourself out of your potential.

People looking for high quality garden furniture do not look at items priced below £100 - because a £45 price says "disposable - won't last the winter".

Go do proper market research, walk around the garden centres, get familiarity with the main manufacturers names, is your product FSC standard - people paying good money for furniture will be looking to see this. Go sit on it, kick it, lift it, and see how the quality feeds into the prices. This will give you the price bracket for your quality of product.

Then look at your costs. And set your price/profit. But be clear what segment of the market you are selling to. (People looking to buy a BMW may end up with a Mercedes or a Jaguar, but they never decide to buy a Ford Mondeao instead, even if it does give the same performance).

 

[i234i]

Agree 100% with Sandra, either way £45 is a little cheap even if it is not a expensive classic piece of garden furniture.

Those crap ones Tesco and Focus sell are normally around £80-100 (£99 last week in Focus!) and they look it... the display one was wobbly.

My dad and I made a 4 x 2 Garden Bench and its lasted around 5 years and is just needing a few repairs with a yearly paint. Its solid, with strong bolts holding it. All screwed and filled and painted.. Looks the part and solid with kids jumping all over it.

Price + Quality match and your sorted, get them wrong and there is problems.

Good quality at a good price will get you recommendations

 

[KidsBeeHappy]

Generally, when shopping for any garden furniture, i take my two children with me. There is nothing like young children to show up the weaknesses in display furniture

But then, I now have confidence when i've my daughters and neighbours kids, all standing on top of said picnic bench, doing a High School Musical show for me, that at least I can enjoy it safe in the knowledge that the picnic bench isn't going to collapse.

 

[Senior]

I make bespoke furniture as a business, post a picture of the table and I'll tell you what i think it is worth.

 

[simon369]

Thanks for all the information thats all very helpful. Regarding the picture i only have a picture of one of my first version i built as i have been busy and not had time to get a new one. The new ones are double bolted at each joint, have rounded corners and are made of better quality wood and have bracing

http://i24.ebayimg.com/07/i/001/40/50/c982_2.JPG

The price of £45 is a bit low but needs to be to compete with ebay. I was thinking around £70 - £80 for shop windows and offer delivery anywhere in the town i live in free.

And the quality side of things they are as solid as. I weigh 13 stone and i can jump up and down on the top of it with no problem.

Also do you guys reckon i could sell enough of the these through the summer months to cover the down fall in them over the winter months.

Thanks

 

[i234i]

In the long run you may find that Ebay is not the correct place to offer the product but if its working and you can increase the price a bit, its worth the extra sales if if you have the time to make the benches and sell them to the locals aswell as the ebay ones.. you would need to make 2 benches and sell them on ebay as to what you would need to do with the locals only 1.

its worth a shot, have a demo one maybe they can view.. tell them you will build bespoke at this cost and extras at an added cost? I would like the appeal of that rather than just having another bench out a box like others... could be a good angle to sell from

 

[An Oasis]

What type of wood are you using?
Is it tanalised?
...

Will help to show how you fit into the market place.

 

[simon369]

ebay was just for while i have nothing to do.

The idea about bespoke items is very good. I intended to sell the basic bench for say x amount of pounds and then offer staining to a specific colour for a extra £10 etc and then also offer bigger sizes for extra amount.

Also the benches was just meant to start my business and i would idealy like to build custom play areas for people houses like play forts and tree houses etc.

thanks

 

[simon369]

What type of wood are you using?
Is it tanalised?
...

Will help to show how you fit into the market place.

It is 2 x 4 planed and rounded tanalised pine and carrys the fsc label.

thanks

 

[Tej]

FWIW..
Approach Golf Clubs.. there are so many that have members wanting to commission benches to be parked by a particular tee. The benches have a plaque.. in memory of a loved one. My golf club alone has about 12 of these benches!
Go see the pro shop/manager.. show them a decent brochure, and they will pass it on to the members committee. Don't undersell yourself. !00-150 for a decent bench would be the norm.

Good luck

 

[simon369]

Thats a good idea about the gold clubs. I was also thinking places like cricket clubs, bowls clubs, pubs, bars etc.

My plan was to spend a day phoning around everybody then people who are interested offer to come around with a fully aseembled one to show them the quality etc and take orders.

Thanks

 

[Tej]

Thats a good idea about the gold clubs. I was also thinking places like cricket clubs, bowls clubs, pubs, bars etc.

My plan was to spend a day phoning around everybody then people who are interested offer to come around with a fully aseembled one to show them the quality etc and take orders.

Thanks

If I were you.. I would mark out all the golf clubs in your area. Plan a route.. and go and see them.. without phoning first. There is always someone in the pro shop and more likely there will be admin/manager there. Doesn't take long to introduce yourself. Spiel your spiel and leave a few brochures for the committees to look at... mens committee, ladies committee and the main committee. They always have funds available, and memories of a friend/loved one having passed away.. . make sure you have some good designs for the plaques. If you do a good job.. it could be a very good business.

Good luck

 

[Tej]

PS: Make sure that the golf clubs are not the public/pay and play ones

 

[craigyboy]

Simon, Im after a bench

can you email me craigyboy at bigfoot dot com