Reduction in cost

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 11:50 am

Hi Everyone,

First of all, let me offer a heartfelt apology. I did some thinking over the last few weeks regarding the amount of money I was charging for making whips. I realized that I was going down the same path as others, and continually ratcheting up the price, thinking that I was worth it, that people would pay for the quality that I produce, etc. If folks were willing to pay, I was willing to charge. In other words, I was starting to believe my own press. Besides, I do this as a hobby, not as a fulltime job. I have a fulltime job which pays my bills.

So, effective immediately, I reduced the prices of my work back down to a level at which I hope most people will appreciate, or at least, keep them from steering clear of buying one. I got into whipmaking shortly after buying a whip, because like the cheap Scotsman in me, I didn't want to pay the high price for them. Ratcheting up the price caused me to put others in the same boat which I didn't want to be in, in the first place. I'd really like people who want to have a whip, to have one, and not have to pay $400-$500 for one. Hence, my decision to cut prices.

After all, it's really only braided leather. It's not magic. Anyone with some patience, and the resources to learn from, be it book or by person, can learn how to make a whip that will crack.

Again, my apologies to everyone for what I've done, and I'd also like to thank you all for the great things you've said about my work. I truly do feel guilty about it. I'll still turn out the same level as I did before, too.

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

PS. No, this isn't a ploy to drum up business, but I'm sure that will happen. I've got a daughter on the way this October, as well as several hobbies which keep me well occupied.

twatson · Post by **twatson** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:43 pm

hey Paul, I, speaking for myself, didn't think your whips were overpriced in the least. The whip you made for me, that my wife bought me for my birthday in december, is awesome. I love it!! It's beautifully made and, again just my opion, worth every penny. Just my thought on that.

p.s. not sure if i thanked you for all the work you put into my whip so here it is. Paul, thank you so much. I really love my whip. You do great work.

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 12:58 pm

Dear twatson,

Glad that you like it, and that was the whole idea, to please you. I do feel a lot better about what I've implemented. Less guilt on my part!

I'm not saying that what I make isn't worth it, but I don't think it should be worth that much.

I guess I really just want people to have a well made whip (my opinion, of course) that won't kill their budget.

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:16 pm

Wow, Paul! Honestly, that makes a difference and will greatly factor my choice when I can (eventually) buy my first whip! That takes a lot of humility to make a call like that. We're glad you're around. Honest people like you make this hobby so much more enjoyable. Thanks!

bink

Fedoraman · Post by **Fedoraman** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:29 pm

Paul - your site is down and I would like to check out your work.

MaxPlague · Post by **MaxPlague** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:31 pm

That's great news, Paul! Well, great in that it'll make my whip purchase easier to explain to my wife

. No need for guilt, craftsmanship is hard to gauge in dollars. If you feel more comfortable with your new pricing, that's what's important. However, be careful not to sell yourself short, don't forget the time and talent a good whip takes.

Best regards,
Jace

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:31 pm

Dear Binkmeister Rick,

Thanks for the confirmation that I did the right thing.

One thing for you to do is your homework when you come to making the decision. I stress that for everyone. Check up on the maker, the quality, how it holds up over time, etc. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I say that because I don't make whips that everyone likes. Folks have their own preference for what they prefer, and while I make whips that I believe will last and be of a good standard, some people may not like them for their own personal preference, not because I made an inferior whip. Best to know as much as possible before shelling out considerable dough.

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:34 pm

Sorry about the site being down. It should come back up shortly. I would like to upgrade it's bandwidth, but can't figure out a way to do so without having to redo the entire site. In other words, I don't know how to transfer it. Computers aren't my specialty!

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

McFly · Post by **McFly** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:35 pm

I think you did a good thing... it showed me that you weren't as interested in money as you were in giving people a good whip. I had planned on buying an EC Whip, but I think yours are better, and now they're not as expensive, too! That's great news for me... I look forward to buying one from you.

In Christ,
Shane

binkmeisterRick · Post by **binkmeisterRick** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 1:36 pm

Paul, I've been doing my homework here and there so I'll be ready to buy wisely when the day comes. Ideally, I'd love to be able to meet up with some whip owners and try out various whips ahead of time to see how I take to them. But if I never get that chance, based on my inquiries and such so far, your whips are definitely on my short list.

Post by **Ken** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:08 pm

Paul

I look forward to giving a full review of your first 'speciality' whip when it arrives. I am not sure how it will crack (I REALLY dont want to hit myself with this whip!!!) but I am certainly looking forward to testing it out!!

All the best and its heart warming to have such giving people like yourself in the hobby!! If I can ever do anything to help you just say the word!!

Ken

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:43 pm

Indiana Ken,

It won't crack at all, since there'll be a thimble and two cable clamps at the end. Thanks for the offer, I'll keep it in mind!

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 3:44 pm

Dear Shane,

Thanks for the feedback. Jim still has me on the budget Indy for price!

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

Post by **Michaelson** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 4:04 pm

You're a good man, Paul. What more can we say?

Highest regards. Michaelson

Post by **Ken** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 4:28 pm

Paul_Stenhouse wrote:
It won't crack at all,

Thats probably just as well!!

Ken

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Thu Jun 24, 2004 5:50 pm

Yeah, imagine wrapping that around your head accidentally!

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

thefish · Post by **thefish** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 11:36 am

Paul,

Before I begin, let me just say that I don't make or sell whips, nor have I been influenced by anyone who makes or sells whips to write this. And I in no way shape or form would profit from you raising your rates to their previous status, (quite the opposite, actually.) Anyway...

I for one respect and applaud your decision. I can also tell by your post that you have spent considerable time considering this decision. However, one should never sell their abilities and craftsmanship short. I'm in the market for a whip, and do my research before making purchases. Consequently, I have read many reports from your satisfied customers who seemed quite happy to pay the already good prices you offer on your whips..

I do realize that it is a hobby for you, and that you started to enable others to enjoy the sport of whip cracking without killing their pocketbooks. That is great. But you're already doing that. Your prices are already fantastic for what you offer. Perhaps consider keeping your prices stationary rather than lowering them. They're still more than competitive, and you could set up a college fund for the impending addition to your family, (congratulations, by the way!)

I work in the video production industry, and used to be a freelancer before my current teaching gig, and it never ceased to amaze or nauseate me how production houses would inflate their rates for the sole reason that they could. I always tried to be reasonable in my work, because I loved to do it. I wasn't in it for the profit, and as long as I broke even, I was happy. Video production isn't rocket science either, and I got into it because I enjoyed it. But it is craftsmanship, and it takes a lot of time, effort, and cognitive ability to do it right. I had to learn to not sell myself short. I didn't jack my rates sky-high, but I had to be more conscious of what I quoted for a project so I didn't end up either going in the hole financially, or having absolutely NO TIME to spend with my family, (if you have good products for less than the other guy, you're going to be far more busy.)

I'm sure that no one on this forum would fault you for reconsidering your decision. You are a craftsman, and your time, training, and dedication to quality is important. Good customers will respect that.

And now that I have played devils advocate.

Let me finish by saying that my decision on who to get my first nice Indy whip from has been changed to Paul Stenhouse, not because you lowered your prices, but WHY you lowered your prices. I respect humility in the face of constant praise.

Thanks

Dan

thefish · Post by **thefish** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 11:43 am

Oh, and I forgot...

If you want to move your site from Geocities to another host, I should be able to help you, (haven't messed with GC, and they have a weird way of doing things, but I see no reason we couldn't move your content.)

I teach multimedia and web design. That's not rocket science either, and I'll be glad to give you a hand in the transfer of stuff from one Web provider to another. Just drop me a line, and we'll talk ;-)

Dan

Robert Duke · Post by **Robert Duke** » Fri Jun 25, 2004 3:58 pm

Good advertising makes good business.

Good move. I hope you get plenty of whip orders.

Robert Duke Making great whips that are faster than the speed of sound at http://www.DukeWhips.com

Paul_Stenhouse · Post by **Paul_Stenhouse** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 11:03 am

Right now, the hardest thing is getting skins. Seems as though Australia is having some tough times with a drought and moratorium on hunting in certain parts.

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

ecwhips · Post by **ecwhips** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 11:28 am

Paul_Stenhouse wrote:Right now, the hardest thing is getting skins. Seems as though Australia is having some tough times with a drought and moratorium on hunting in certain parts.

Best Regards,

Paul Stenhouse

Yes, I had a terrible experience with skins this year. I couldn't get any natural tan for a few months, and the stock that I did have was useless as it would practically fall apart if the strands were anything less than 3/4 inch wide.

Jim

P.S. Congrats on the upcoming addition to the family!

Robert Duke · Post by **Robert Duke** » Sun Jun 27, 2004 3:07 pm

I put in an order for 20 roo skins in natural tan. I requested around November 2003 and they said absolutley nothing and wait about two months. Figuring January or so, but they weren't ready with some grade 1 roo skins until late March. I finally got my 20 natural rooskins in mid-April. That's a long wait. I am glad that I had several other hides to keep me thru the wait.
They have been killed by the terrible drought. The lack of water for kangaroos in the wild was a big factor for so many dying and also for their lack of size. No water, meant no vegetation to grow for them to eat. So whatever ones they "harvested" under licensed permits were a lot smaller. In the state of Victoria they are not allowed to harvest kangaroos. The state doesn't want to get involved for whatever reason, yet they kills hundreds of thousands of them to protect the public from harming children, etc when encroachoing upon schoolgrounds, parks and near towns where people live. So when they are given the order to destroy a couple of hundred thousand kangaroos, they dig a deep pit and dump them into it.
Supply and demand pushes the price way up doubling quickly. When you have no supply or little thereof, and more and more shoe, glove and other manufacturers ordering rooskins, the little whipmaker gets pushed down in priority compared to Nike and other sport manufacturers.

Nothing kinky, just LOUD.
Robert Duke
www.DukeWhips.com

Scandinavia Jones · Post by **Scandinavia Jones** » Mon Jun 28, 2004 5:15 am

Paul,
now I know who I'll turn to for my next 10-footer. Thanks!

/SJ

Indiana Joe · Post by **Indiana Joe** » Fri Jul 02, 2004 2:22 am

Wow! That's some price cut--especially the 8 and 9 footers. When I visit Indydawg I always like to handle and crack the whip you made him (if we're able to get outside to crack). I've always ranted and raved about Stenhouse whips and I love your work. Your whip business is now extremely competitive.

I.J.