Thread by @HunterHammersen, Let's talk about why this isn't a great thing to do.But before [...]

Let's talk about why this isn't a great thing to do.

But before we start, rule 1 is no piling on the commenter. Their comment isn't unique, and I'm not calling them out specifically.

But it is representative of a larger trend that I find...exasperating.

Let's talk about why.

Someone commented on the ig post about this pattern saying that they were "kinda shocked" by the price & that it was "too expensive."

The pattern is $10, $9 if you use the discount code in the post, $8 if you're on my mailing list or buy it with the other patterns in the set.

I'm totally comfortable with that price.

It's a heck of a pattern (24 pages, lots of step-by-step photos, printouts to make lighthouse innards & sketch out your embroidery, a worksheet to change your gauge, lots of size/yarn options, hugely detailed).

It's absolutely worth it.

But even if it were a lousy pattern, it would be perfectly fine for me to price it as I wanted. And it would be ok for people to decide whether or not they wanted to buy it at that price.

It is fine to look at something and think 'that's not in my budget.' I do that every day.

But taking time to write to someone and complain that you don't like their prices is, um, a bit odd. I don't understand the intended outcome.

Do they think I'll lower the price?

Do they think I'll give it to them for free?

Do they just want to make me feel bad?

More importantly, I wonder when folks feel that it's appropriate to make these comments & when they don't.

Do they leave messages like that on a post by a car company about a new car? Or a furniture store about a new chair? Or a kitchen store about a new pan?

I suspect not.

I suspect folks are more likely to make comments like that to individuals than corporations (especially to women, because good grief are women socialized to be nice & polite & accommodating & to avoid conflict at any cost, even if it means tolerating to unreasonable things).

And I suspect folks are more likely to make comments like that about things in the creative sphere (because really, aren't we all supposed to be doing this for the joy of it and for the love of our craft? Isn't it kinda tacky to also be trying to pay our bills with it?).

So, I want to encourage you to think about how you'd feel if a stranger walked up to you at your job and said the thing you do is too expensive.

Would that rub you the wrong way?

Would you feel like they were dismissing your time & expertise?

Would you find it odd or awkward?

If you'd be upset if someone said it to you about your work, maybe don't say the equivalent to someone else about their work.

And again, it's fine to think 'huh, not in my budget.' We all do that! But taking time out to complain about it to the person selling it is different.

Complaining to the seller is starting a conversation where there's not really a reasonable response the seller can make.

They're not likely to change their price. They didn't make a mistake. All they can really do is say 'yup, it's a damn good product & I charge a fair price.'

And if you're a fellow designer (or dyer or whatever), & you get these comments, please know that you didn't do anything wrong.

Some people are just like that.

Make your product. Be proud of your work. And set your prices accordingly.

We all thrive when we value our work.

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