Sometimes it really IS too expensive … but there are also other times when something’s value is higher even than its price point. Let me try to explain my thinking ….
Value and Cost are not Always Equal
A great example is Amazon Prime shopping. Although I know the prices are inflated I find the reduced stress of not having to navigate busy shops to maybe find what I’m looking for is often worth it. Sometimes cost might be far too high for the value you might place on an item for example, for me designer shoes cost the earth but do not have as much value as arch supports. Another example is the cost of a good holiday. If it rejuvenates you and helps you cope better with your day to day then its value is probably higher than its cost to you. Travel insurance is another good case in point.
Some Items Might Become More Valuable After Purchase
The best example I have of this is when buying gifts. A well chosen gift from a near and dear one will become more valuable than it’s cost to the recipient because of the sentimental attachment that is transferred to the item. Other things become more financially valuable as well such as art, limited edition prints, signed items, collectors items, …
Hidden Costs of Production
This is especially relevant to art which can often be expensive. There are many other costs involved in selling art including training the artist, buying the materials, trial and error costs, marketing costs e.g. for a website, to run an art gallery, insurance costs. And these costs are often multiplied the fewer paintings that are sold.
Getting Around the Cost Barrier
There are a few diffwerent schemes around to enable the purchase of art. One is the Own Art UK initiative which provides interest free loans for the purchase of art in the UK. They have a few criteria for buyers applying for a loan but it is a straightforward process on their website.
Another organisation offering assistance is Affirm through the ArtFinder website. You simply must add $200 worth to your basket including postage and your application will be considered at the checkout.
Introducing new pay by installments
I have been looking in to options for making my art more easily purchased and have arrived at a solution using the Stripe gateway. The option is being trialled on my course ‘Pets & Emotions’ and my painting Blue, Blue Bells.
On those pages there is an option to pay by instalments which, if selected, will show up at the checkout stage where you will be required to authorise repeat payments according to the schedule shown. The first payment will be taken immediately and you will receive emails to inform you about future payments. The ownership of painting or access to the course will depend on the remaining payments being made. In the case of paintings I will create a contract of ownership on completion of payments that I will email with the last payment.
I hope you will think about owning some art with the above purchase options. Hugs, Ceri xx
