It was hot and the sunflowers weren't at their best due to severe lack of rain, but the Rutledge Georgia Sunflower Farm Festival was in high gear when I visited yesterday. But something happened there that I need to comment about...

I had barely walked into a booth when the owner came over to me and said "Anything that you see here, just ask me the price of. They are marked for what I sell them through a gallery. I have to pay a big commission there. Here, I don't. So I can do better on anything at all!"

The booth owner knew nothing about my interest level. She didn't know if I were a festival visitor, a gallery owner or a fellow exhibitor. But she freely imparted disturbing information on any level... She'd give me a better price? She'd undercut her "gallery"? Why didn't she tear off the masking tape price tags and put up the prices she wanted to sell the pieces for?

Festivals are NOT garage sales. And, if you have work in shops and galleries, do not undercut yourself.

This new economy is a different market from the past. FREE is a good thing. What about offering something (a sunflower, a cold bottle of water, a sample of your newest product) when someone makes a purchase? Added Value is a good thing. Cutting your price without provocation isn't. It never has been, though.

Another exhibitor at the Festival had a better idea. She offered a huge range of prices - $1 postcards to a $1200 original acrylic painting. Coincidentally, she is a gallery owner. Imagine her surprise when she popped into the other exhibitor's booth and was told all prices were subject to change!