[MR] linen shirt pricing

[Beiskaldi at aol.com]

In a message dated 1/4/02 8:58:09 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
TychoandBert at aol.com writes:

<< 
 Now that's nit-picking, to include site fees, hotel costs exc.... Into your 
 cost per unit is taking advantage of the consumer. These count as loses yes, 
 but you would probably be there regardless that you were merchanting or not, 
 and to include car maintenance? Oh I see, I should have to pay 10 or so 
 dollars extra because a merchant from the other side of the known world 
 wishes to road trip it all the way to a local event? >>

You pay it for all your everyday consumer goods--stores, restaurants, etc. 
Plus some others I didn't mention, like goodwill (reputation of the company), 
advertising, etc. In fact, looking at it from an accounting standpoint, they 
all hit the 1040C as deductions from income, but if you are operating as a 
business, then it is an essential part of running that business.  Any first 
year business student who has a rudimentary knowlede of economics can tell 
you that.  And I can say from personal experience that if I was not 
merchanting I would not have gone to a lot of events.

I was not suggesting that a merchant charge an extra amount because they like 
to travel; in fact the more extensively travelled merchants I see charge less 
for the same products than some others.  I was merely pointing out that a lot 
more goes into the pricing of an item than just material cost.  The cost of 
the lady's labor may not be a quantifiable dollar amount.  You have to take 
into consideration the time it takes her away from other activities, friends, 
family, whatever, and the use, and subsequent wear and tear, of any equipment 
or tools that go into that sewing. 

And I will take the nitpicking comment as a compliment, thank you.  I am a 
tax auditor, so it is what I do, and it's nice to see that others think I'm 
doing my job.  :)

dawn/thyra

Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you 
have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be 
careful lest you let other people spend it for you.
 - Carl Sandburg (1878-1967)