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Meet the Maker: Working with retailers

Ceramic designer and maker, Reiko Kaneko, shares her experience of how retail can help to develop your craft business


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Reiko Kaneko, ceramic designer and maker shares her experience of working with retailers

We've summarised some of Reiko Kaneko's key recommendations for working with retailers

Benefits

  • Adds diversity to a business and a sense of community of belonging to certain brands
  • Expand your learning by working with others
  • Increase your exposure to other markets and raise your profile
  • Gives scope for outsourcing production
  • Keeps your collection ranges evolving

Business to business considerations

  • Some retailers expect you to have training days with store staff about your products
  • Some independent stores have a more community focus and run events with their clients
  • Some retailers will issue fines if agreements are not met
  • Working with galleries tends to be SOR (sale or return) to mitigate their risk. SOR is common with galleries. Taking this option depends on your situation and in particular the price point of your work. Higher priced works tend to be SOR.
  • Interior companies could give you scope to offer a more bespoke service.
  • Hospitality (working with high end restaurants and bars) – at this time, this is a challenge; but there is future potential.

  • Ceramic designer and maker Reiko Kaneko

Research

  • Aligning your business and values with an organisation that does not fit your own could lead to negative outcomes
  • How do you find out an organisation's values? Talk to your peers, look for their mission statement, and their social media will give an indication of the personality of a business.
  • Trade shows are good for networking and seeing what is on trend. Great to get to know other exhibitors leading to partnerships and other opportunities. Worth viewing or attending in person before you commit.

Planning

  • Business planning helps you stick to your objectives
  • Creating a catalogue is essential
  • Have good quality photographs of the products that are relevant to the company you are approaching.
  • Price list (trade price is usually 50% discount on List Price – the recommended retail price).
  • Make sure you know the delivery charges and include in the price.
  • Have an awareness and plan of the production lead time.
  • Are your products compliant? Such as dishwasher proof if ceramics; useful to have care for instructions.
  • Need to work out your minimum and maximum order quantities and be flexible if trying to close a deal. Have figures worked out in advance
  • Federation of Small Businesses may be able to negotiate a discount on shipping
  • Payment terms – Reiko has a pro forma for all first time clients. Pro forma is payment terms before shipping.
  • Protect your work from copying - ACID (Anti Copying in Design) or and IP law firm

About our speaker

Reiko Kaneko is ceramicist, designer and educator based in London. She works at various scales, designing both products for manufacture and bespoke pieces for commissioned projects. The focus of her working practice is on mastery of material and form. After graduating from Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design, she founded a creative studio in London in 2007.

Initially building up a client base for her small batch production ceramic designs, she began to take on bespoke commissions from 2009 onwards, creating tableware, glassware and tea ware for prestigious restaurants and galleries. Reiko is a passionate advocate of both creativity in education and industry. Her personal focus has been on developing the skills needed to be a thoughtful and productive creative practitioner. Her approach is open, her knowledge is just beginning and like many of her generation, she feels it is time to affect change.

Reiko Kaneko Instagram

reikokaneko.co.uk

Links to associated resources:

  • Running a crowdfunding campaign with Heather Corcoran from Kickstarter (aired on 27th May)
  • Search Engine Optimization with Toyin Laketu (aired 24th June)
  • Legal factors for your business with Briffa legal (aired 8th July)
  • Visibility vs Invisibility on Social Media with Karen Patel and Arati Devasher (aired 22nd July)
  • How to work with retailers with Reiko Kaneko (aired 5th August)

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