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We all ask favors of our friends at times–and this is a wonderful thing; I need not illustrate why.
But I’ve noticed something interesting recently.
When folks have friends that provide a service or product–perhaps carpentry, art, food, whatever–they tend to ask if they can get that for a discount.
It’s what a friend would do, right? It seems a widely-accepted practice that if you provide a service or good, it’s polite to give a friend discount.
Here’s something to consider: why shouldn’t it be the other way around? That is, why wouldn’t a good friend offer to pay above market rates for a product or service? Why does the provider and producer bear all of the burden of this aspect of the friendship?
Does it indicate anything broader about how we think about economic relationships between producers and consumers?
Something to consider.
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I've tried paying more. A friend does hand-sewn costuming, and she undervalues her time (significantly, I think) and wouldn't even consider taking more.
To answer the question, it seems, based on experience, that the friend giving you the business, rather than choosing some bigger name, feels they have done you a favor already (whether that's accurate or not, I suppose, depends on how busy the service provider is).
I personally never ask for discounts. I generally tell people they aren't necessary if they're offered, but when someone insists, I accept because they are trying to be nice to me, and one should accept that. OTOH, I have also done an assortment of things for people without charge over the decades that I might otherwise charge for (tax prep and minor accounting consulting, back when I was current.)
I think it really comes down to 1) How good you are at it, and 2) Whether it is your primary source of income. If you're an established pro, and you make your living that way, you shouldn't offer or be expected to give one. If you're doing it as a hobby, or just trying to get started, maybe it IS a mutual favor situation.
Definitely agreed that sometimes the "hobby" context means not charging the "typical" rate--but I also think that given the fact that you're a hobbyist, you wouldn't be able to charge a typical rate on the market anyway :)