Puppet Pattern and Materials

[shtick]

What about that pattern for 50 bucks!! Jeez! I know its a pattern and all but it would be nice if it was a little more forgiving as far as price is concerned. I'd pay 20 or even 30 bucks for a good pattern, but 50 bucks is asking for alot!

 

[Jinx]

In a free-market economy, an entrepreneur is entitled to charge what he sees fit for his product. And as with different grades of foam, so too there are different grades of patterns. $50 for a good pattern is in no way out of line. $50 for a lousy pattern will put the pattern maker out of business in a hurry!

Remember that when you buy a pattern you are not merely paying for the paper pattern, photos, instructions, etc., you are also paying for the access to talent, the engineering and the costs of marketing to make said pattern(s) available.

I understand that for some $50 is a drop in the bucket and for others it is a small fortune, but neither situation really speaks to the issue of the quaity of the product. But just because I can't afford a BMW it doesn't mean that they should charge less for them!

Note too that the pattern comes with a piece of reticulated foam which by itself is a $20 value. When you stop to consider all that you get with this offer, its really quite reasonable!

 

[Buck-Beaver]

Well, technically, in a free-market economy an entrepreneur is actually supposed to charge as much as the market will bear...but yeah you're right. Even if it was $100 or more if people are willing to pay it's fair game. The market votes with it's wallet.

It is a very good deal. For those who disagree, think of it this way...if you work without patterns it might take you three, four, six months or more to develop a similar pattern of your own. I don't know about anyone else but I think six months of my time is worth a lot more than $50 ($30 really when you deduct the cost of the foam as Jinx pointed out).

 

[shtick]

It comes with the foam to make the puppet?!

Now THATS a deal, okeh!

 

[Jinx]

Well, technically, in a free-market economy an entrepreneur is actually supposed to charge as much as the market will bear...

Well Buck, as usual you're dead on right. The smart entrepreneur won't charge more than the market will bear or frog. (Sorry, it's my favorite Muppet Movie joke! "Bear left! Right frog!")

I have seen people who overcharge for junk, so it is by no means a "given", but it doesn't take a lot of analysis to see that this particular package is really a very good deal!

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I'm going off topic here, but not knowing that distinction is where I think that a lot of small businesses (especially puppet-related ones) go wrong. They charge what they think they can get rather than what people will actually pay which is often much higher (well, if you're dealing with the right people anyways).

That's why so many creative types are poor, they sell themselves short.

 

[ravagefrackle]

well said and on top of that , once you have the pattern you are free to use it again and again, and change it as you see fit

 

[Fozzie Bear]

well said and on top of that , once you have the pattern you are free to use it again and again, and change it as you see fit

That's how my mom made me!

 

[Buck-Beaver]

well said and on top of that , once you have the pattern you are free to use it again and again, and change it as you see fit

Unless of course you're using David P's patterns. He doesn't let you do that (commercially at least).

 

[ravagefrackle]

didnt mean comercially, but for your own, use, (or private shows )

just that your paying for a pattern that you will learn from, and always have to refer back to, so it is a good deal, just bugs me when people get something that they are always asking for, and then go, well i think thats to much to charge, not understanding all the work that goes into developing the product