Puzzle - vs - Non-Puzzle

[Iguanadon]

As I've always been into puzzles, that's what I chose to cut and sell the past 18 months.  I've tried putting them in shops/stores but they haven't done well and that's because they need to be shrinkwrapped as the stores of course don't want to have pieces of wood getting scattered around.  But what happens is people don't grasp the concept of them being puzzles since they can't handle them, take them apart, etc. and sales have always sucked versus when I sell them at craft events and everyone can handle them and I can make my pitch.

I finally had a brainstorm... I'm slow sometimes... What about doing them as non-puzzles and they can be displayed unwrapped and ready to go.  I cut 2 of them today and will be showing them to my "focus group" (friends) and get their feed back.  One of them is a shopowner that has some of my puzzles on display (2 of them unwrapped).

This may be a new avenue to go down and be able to put them in various gift shops here in town.  We'll see... Maybe it's my sales pitch that actually sells them.  ;-)

Iggy

Edited February 7, 2018 by Iguanadon

[new2woodwrk]

Works for me!

The other thing I can think of is what about a puzzle display - you could take the puzzle, run a wire through the pieces so kids and customers can "play" with it without having pieces all over the store?

Just a thought...

[tonylumps]

Exactly what I did and sold more non cut puzzles.Mounted them on a base with  or without a clock face.What really went over big at the animal shelter was the Rescue Cat and Dog mounted on a base.

 

[Rob]

For what it's worth, I cut all of the patterns I have brought from you as single pieces.  Easier to transport and display and no getting pieces mixed up between puzzles etc.  People still seem to like them.

Rob

 

[meflick]

I had tried it both ways but I wasn't selling mine so can't give you any real feedback.  I thought - still same "cute" look and most people I was going to give them too wouldn't really work the puzzle anyway so save the time and effort cutting.  But, then hubby thought they looked better and easier to "read" when they were cut fully. Looking at the ones you showed above though and I am not sure that is true.  I guess you can try both ways and see how they go for a bit. Let us know.

[kmmcrafts]

I bought a bunch of puzzle patterns and intend to make clocks and ornaments out of them.. I may also make a few puzzles.. but I want to change up my business from a DBA to a LLC before I take the risk of doing the puzzles.. I just feel there is a little more risk going from clocks to puzzles.. and kid type toys etc.. LOL 

I posted the Rescue dog you passed as a sample cut.. I cut as a clock last year in the bragging section...

 

Edited February 7, 2018 by kmmcrafts

[Iguanadon]

2 hours ago, meflick said:

I had tried it both ways but I wasn't selling mine so can't give you any real feedback.  I thought - still same "cute" look and most people I was going to give them too wouldn't really work the puzzle anyway so save the time and effort cutting.  But, then hubby thought they looked better and easier to "read" when they were cut fully. Looking at the ones you showed above though and I am not sure that is true.  I guess you can try both ways and see how they go for a bit. Let us know.

I'm having Harvey modify my Carolina Beach and Kure Beach custom puzzles to non-puzzle format and I'll make a bunch of them strictly for retail stores.  I'll continue making and selling the puzzle versions only at all events as that's my "thing".  I actually don't like making the non-puzzle versions... way too many inside cuts.  The Carolina Beach Sea Turtle is over 20 inside cuts... but it was much easier to paint the BEACH base with it being one piece instead of 7.  So, it's a trade-off.  I plan on gluing the animal to the base so it is a single piece.  If there are 3 Carolina Beach sea turtles on the shelf and someone likes the shade of blue from one and the wood grain of the turtle on another they might try to swap and they won't lineup right since they're "hand cut" and not exactly the same.

[wombatie]

I especially like the Carolina Beach and Kure Beach un puzzled.    So I think they would sell better than the puzzle version.

Marg

[NC Scroller]

I agree that the beach items are better as non-puzzles. I prefer the animals as puzzles.

[Brianr24]

13 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

I bought a bunch of puzzle patterns and intend to make clocks and ornaments out of them.. I may also make a few puzzles.. but I want to change up my business from a DBA to a LLC before I take the risk of doing the puzzles.. I just feel there is a little more risk going from clocks to puzzles.. and kid type toys etc.. LOL 

I posted the Rescue dog you passed as a sample cut.. I cut as a clock last year in the bragging section...

 

I like the non puzzle versions. I really love this idea . Like anything else ur going to have some like one over the other or some with like both. Either way I think non puzzle cut is definitely a viable option.

[Lucky2]

Personally Scott, I like the puzzle cuts better, the solid pieces don't show the same way as the puzzle ones do. I do realize why your looking to do them in a different format, but it's just not one I like.

Len

[Iguanadon]

22 hours ago, Lucky2 said:

Personally Scott, I like the puzzle cuts better, the solid pieces don't show the same way as the puzzle ones do. I do realize why your looking to do them in a different format, but it's just not one I like.

Len

I'm with ya Len, I prefer the puzzles and the fact that they're "unique". That's all I'll offer at events.   I'll only be doing the non-puzzles for gift shops.