Rate? What's the price? Why is it costly? Any discount? Pp? Why so expensive?
These are some of the queries which come to us and we do answer most of them, logically and patiently. Also, somehow these questions mostly end up at small brands engaged in craft-based products.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to know how much one needs to pay for a certain product, but is that the only deciding factor? Bear in mind, we have a functioning e-commerce website with all the information built-in already.
Is there a reason why we use the words Price, Rate, Expensive, Cost, and not Value? A simple understanding of these words is Price- the amount of money required to pay something, Rate - A measure, typically a measurement against another quantity, Cost - An estimated transaction to acquire, and Expensive - Involves costing a lot of money and sacrifice.
Value - principles or standards of behaviour of one's judgement on what is important in life.
We do understand the context at which these words pricey, costly, expensive is used and it's very relative to that of an individual. It's also a matter of priority and affordability of a craft-based product which is somehow considered as non-essential.
But at the 'Rate' at which we have consumed illogically, haven't we paid a heavy 'Price' on our surroundings which has proved to be 'Expensive' for us now and is going to 'Cost' our future generation heavily? Or do we bring a 'Value' in how and what we sell and consume?
What could be the price of a prayer of a cotton farmer or an artisan's traditional skill? and at what expense are the small social enterprises working with rural craftspeople existing? Are these people, processes, and products essential and valuable for our Indian green economy?
When we buy a handmade product, we become the 'beneficiary' of its goodness, and many a time, this benefit outweighs the profit of a seller. Hence, there is always an inherent 'value' in how we live, what we do, and what we consume. Isn't that idea of meaningful living by in itself priceless?
In picture: A fabric measuring scale at a co-operative society in north Karnataka.
