Market Farming

["jay gee" <JayGee AT jghelp.com>]

Marcie Rosenzweig wrote:

> For those who wish to look at the archives, you can read my previous 
> diatribes on pricing.  Bottomline- you must sell for what it costs 
> you to produce and market your products to break even and you must 
> include a margin to have a profit. Anything else and you are simply 
> not economically sustainable.  It doesn't matter what other people 
> are pricing their products for - period.

I agree wholeheartedly with Marcie about pricing
your products based on your cost of production,
plus profit, instead of pricing bases on what other
farmers at market are selling the same item for.

I disagree that all products must be sold for a
product in all circumstances, especially when
you are trying to encourage testing by prospects
at the market.  If you are an aggressive marketer
your market pricing might include weekly markdowns
of a different item (just like the supermarket) to get
people to your booth.

You don't owe other farmers relief from competition.

If your market has an anti-dumping rule, make sure it
allows for occasional promotional pricing.  If it does
not, contact your local state attorney general's office
and ask to speak to the anti-trust enforcement division.

Of course, the best way to get good prices is to build
a brand and promote it, making it desired more than
your competition...  but that's another story and the
archive is full of my diatribes on that subject.

Regards all,


jay gee
not a farmer  --  but interested in farming



Free marketing aids for farmers at:
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