What should I charge for my crafts? As the owner of an online craft mall, I often get asked this question. Correctly pricing your items is an important factor in determining how successful you will be as a professional crafter. There is no single answer but there are some key points to consider when you set your prices.
It is very critical to cover your costs. First you need to calculate what it costs you to make the item. For example, say you create fabric checkbook covers, take the price of a yard of fabric and divide it by the number of covers that you can create from one yard of fabric. There may be other costs involved beside your raw materials. You probably have a good idea what those costs are but don’t forget to add a little for things like electricity if you use power tools, computers or sewing machines and general supplies like glue or thread or paint. Another major cost is labor, the time it takes you to create the item. Everyone likes to think their labor as being very valuable. However when crafting, you need to consider the fact we live in a global marketplace and you are competing with very low labor costs of other countries. Another consideration is why you craft in the first place; does it relax you, entertain you or satisfy your basic need to create? Would you be crafting even if you were not selling your items? We all would like to make big bucks for our work, but in reality, if you can make a couple of dollars an hour you are doing pretty well.
Next add the right amount of profit so the item does not appear overly expensive or too cheap. Do your homework. Find similar items for sale on the Internet, at craft shows and gift shops. Unless your crafts are very unique use the similar items as a guideline to setting your prices. Make note of the items with the highest prices and the lowest prices then price yours somewhere in the middle.
Do not ignore the psychological aspect of pricing either, it will cost you sales. Ever noticed how almost everything you buy ends in .99 or .95? Many studies have been done by big corporations to arrive at just the right price point. Price your items in a similar fashion. It just makes buyers feel more comfortable. If you feel your item is worth $25.00, set the price at $24.95. Stay away from odd figures like $12.17 and even numbers, it drives buyers away. With a little thought you will be able to come up with the most popular prices like the ones you see regularly on television, at gas stations and grocery stores. The big companies do it because it works.
Remember, you are the manufacture of your crafts and you can make price changes when you need to. If something is selling out very quickly then raise your price just a little until you find it selling at a rate you can keep up with. If an item is selling too slowly, put it on sale. If you see a big increase in sales at this price, that just might be the perfect price for your item.
Pamela Wylie, Craft Site Owner
HandmadeCatalog.com – The Online Place to Buy and Sell Crafts Since 2002
Owner of HandmadeCatalog.com, one of the top Craft Malls on the net since 2002. A crafter, business women and Internet marketing guru.
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