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A couple friends at work want to buy cards from me, but I don't know what to ask for them. Don't want to make them too "cheap" but don't want to de-value myself either.
I don't know how to figure out what to charge for a card. When I (very obsessively) added up what the supplies cost me to make the card, I figured out it cost me about $1.25 in supplies.
Is $2.50 too much for a hand-made card, or am I shorting myself? $3.00? I don't know what people are willing to pay for hand-made cards.
Thanks for any input!!
__________________ Jeni in PA, proud SCS Fan Club member My BlogMy Gallery wife, mom, nurse case manager, crafter, SU! demo and Sr. Supervisor - Cross Country Crafty Chicks
"You're gonna need a bigger boat" ~ Chief Brody, Jaws
That's a tough question! After I read your post, my 1st reaction was to double the cost of supplies and sell each card for $2.50. I, personally, don't think that's too much for a handmade card (work of art). There's also the convenience factor in that if you have the cards at work and your co-workers purchase them there, it saves them a trip to a store.
When you stop and think about what "store bought" cards which are mass produced cost, I think $2.50 is very reasonable.
I've never sold any cards, so I really don't know what people are willing to pay. I think I'd also factor in whether or not you really enjoy making the cards. If you're going to make them anyway, maybe doubling your money is enough. If someone makes a special request, I see no reason why you can't charge $3.00 for the card as it's then custom made.
As I said, tough question!
Good luck and bask in the glow of your friends admiration of your cards!
I really think price of handmade cards varies by the area of the country. I sell my cards for $2.00 (I'm in MN). I have heard of other people selling their cards for closer to $5.00. I think your price of $2.50 is a good start. You can see how it goes and maybe raise your price later if needed.
Update:
I got an email today from a former classmate who requests cards from me every few months. She gets 10 from me each time so I only charge her $18 instead of $20. She thinks i should charge $3.00 a piece for my cards, but when i go to craft sales, many people think $2.00 is too much. It just varies so much.
Trish
Last edited by mouseprints; 04-13-2011 at 06:25 AM..
Reason: added more
How fun that they want to buy your cards! I think I would charge $3.00. I've seen that lots of people charge that much for single cards. Then you don't have to fool with making change.
And, with gas costing almost $4.00 a gallon, that's a bargain over having to drive to a store and buy a card.
__________________ Bugga in OK
"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." Dalai Lama
If my card is JUST paper or just paper and stamps, I usually charge between $2.50 and $3. If, however, I've used ribbon, rhinestones, brads, or any other more expensive embellishment, I charge more like $3.50-$4.50.
I'm not getting rich off of them, by any means, but people are willing to pay that price!
I would vote for $3.00 over $2.50 so you don't have to monkey around with change. Makes the whole process (if they buy more than one, especially) more streamlined.
I'm in the Christmas Card Challenge and a friend was admiring my gallery of cards. She asked if she could buy some. She wants a dozen. Because I've only been at this a year and feel my work isn't perfect, I thought $20 for 12 including envelopes was reasonable. My cards are not very detailed though and more along the lines of clean and simple which makes them less expensive to create. I'm not getting anything for my time but I enjoy my time making them as my "me time". I also buy a lot of supplies on sale too. I'm probably charging too low but being the tightwad I am, I know I wouldn't pay $24 for a dozen cards LOL!
__________________ Leslie Harnish
Sambro, Nova Scotia
Canada
I was going to post here earlier, but ran out of time. I was thinking $3 too, although I know that what people will pay depends a lot on the area. But as the others have said, then it's easier to drop to a *special* price, or do a deal on multiples. And looking at the cards you have in your gallery, I'm sure they're worth $3 to anybody who wants a handmade card and isn't equating handmade with cheap.
I charge $2 a card. But I don't really use embellishments, generally just stamps, inks, markers, colored pencils & a little embossing powder.
In general, for pricing food and crafts I go for double the price of supplies= price of item (round up or down to get an even dollar amount).
When pricing art, I was taught to consider your time spent making it. Do you want minimum wage? $10 an hour? What is your time worth?
I guess it depends on whether your cards are "art" or "craft" items. Are they unique? Limited edition? (If they are limited edition, you need numbers, like 5/20 showing the size of the edition.) I believe in giving people a break if they buy a large volume from you. I know people may feel differently, but I would not charge more for "custom" work unless I had to buy supplies specifically for that project, or if it took much longer than "standard" work.
I like to price on the conservative side so I vote for $2.50. Reason being - I like making cards so whether or not I sell them I'll continue making them. By making them price attractive I'm trying to sell more so that I can recover cost of my supplies as well as reduce my stash.
Also, I'm a believer of everyday low price in my regular shopping so that's how I want to price too.
My goal in selling cards has been to be able to buy more stamps, etc. My simple, unembellished cards sell for $1.75 and I charge $3.00-$4.00 if they are more complicated technique wise (ie water colored, embossed, polished stone paper, etc) or have lots of extras (ribbons, die cuts, brads, etc ). I'm one who started stamping my own cards to save $ and it would kill me to spend >$3 for a card myself...however, when I add up my time and materials I'm sure I could charge more.
I sometimes buy a simply scrapbooking kit and use a template from here to create a bunch of cards at once...for the price of a kit (~$20) a roll or two of ribbon ($5) and enough white cs to make the bases ($7.95) I've created as many as 80-100 cards. I can easily mass produce them which cuts down on my labor time and at $1.50-$2.00 a card still make a nice profit.
Good luck and hopefully they'll become steady customers for you as 3 ladies have been for me. Gail
I sell mine for 2.00 it seams when I go higher then they don"t sell but then I also dont but alot of bling on it because it's better to mail and cheaper with out the bling if they special order with flowers and blind then I charge 3.00
I normally sell my cards at $3 each or 4 for $10. For the more basic/simple cards that I would put on a "specials category", I would sell for $2 or 3 for $5.
I think if you are happy getting $2.50 a card, why not try 1/$3 and 2/$5. That way the change issue would be cleared up and you would still be getting at least $2.50/card. Also, I find that people are more likely to but more if they feel they are getting a bargain!
__________________ Patricia Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy craft supplies, and that's close enough!
I sell mine for $3.00 each. We normally sell between $75.00 and $125.00 out of the basket on hubbys desk per week. This number can go up during holidays.
blessings.
In my experience with craft shows - people do not want to pay for what it's really worth. That being said, the saying "something is only worth what a willing buyer is willing to pay" is also true. You also have a lot of lookielous at craft shows and with them are their "friend" "I can make that myself for less". That is why I stoped doing craft shows, too much work and expense for what you get for it. Your time is worth something also but it is rarely recouped in the price of the cards.
If you are making them for a friend or family it is nice to be able to get back the expense of the supplies so you can make more. If you are doing it as a business to make money - I would also like to know the magic for pricing and actually MAKING money on it (with considerations of time involved).
I'm in the Los Angeles area and just began to sell my cards in the office. I sell them for $5.00 with a sign that this donation supports Relay for Life and Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. No one balked. Next I will attempt the same thing in my DH's store (packaging and shipping). I will find out if my $5.00 price will hold up in this setting. You can always reduce your price as needed, you can't raise them. After all, Hallmark is selling mass-produced cards and no one hesitates to purchase these. I do Relay for Life every year and this year will have a big fat donation for them!
When I sold my cards I charged $2 each. Everyone used to tell me that I should charge more but then I figured no one would buy them if they were more. I did custom invitations too and started telling people they could choose a design already in my gallery for the $2 each or they could have me design a few custom cards for them to choose from and I would add in $25 for the design fee on top of the $2 each. No one ever took me up on the custom and that was fine for me since I was not having enough time as it was to do a lot of stamping and if I was going to make time for it I didn't want to short change myself. I don't sell any cards now except maybe to my aunts once a year when they visit. I just don't have time to do it anymore. Maybe someday I'll have time and might test the waters at $3 each. Good luck with whatever you decide to charge!
I made 8 cards over the weekend. 4 are "plainer" - no ribbon or embellies - I priced those at $3 each. 4 had ribbon & a resin embellishment - I priced those at $3.50 each. If someone would want 2 of the $3 ones, I'm going to tell them they could have them 2/$5 & if they wanted 1 of each ($3 & $3.50) or 2 of the $3.50, I'd say 2/$6 so they'd think they were getting a deal.
On a "boy, am I disgusted note", I took the cards in to work with me last night (I work night shift) and left them in the break room for people to look at. When I left this morning, someone had taken one of each card and DID NOT PAY ME FOR THEM - sneak thief. I'm hoping for the best, that one of my co-workers took them with plans to pay me next time they see me, but boy, that made me angry. Usually the folks I work with are very trustworthy, but this makes the 2nd time someone has taken something I'd made, on the sly. If it happens again, 3rd time's the "charm" and I won't leave things out any more.
I guess I'm a little too trusting!
__________________ Jeni in PA, proud SCS Fan Club member My BlogMy Gallery wife, mom, nurse case manager, crafter, SU! demo and Sr. Supervisor - Cross Country Crafty Chicks
"You're gonna need a bigger boat" ~ Chief Brody, Jaws
I sell my cards at work and charge $3.00. Most are very detailed with lots of embellisments and each card normally takes at least an hour to make. If I wasn't such a slow stamper, it would probably not take that long I have quite a few people who buy them that will give me $5.00 a card. Like others have said, I think it depends on the area you are in as to what people will pay.
The first couple of orders I did for work I sold for $3.00. My co-workes told me that I was cheating myself and should charge at least $4.00, That's what I've started doing. A couple of buyers ended up giving my $5.00 for the ones i made them. It just depends on whose buying I guess.
A good friend of mine, and a student in my stamp camps sells hers for ...now sit down for this....$14 EACH!!! They are RARELY more than 3 layers...no extras....
I'm totally serious about this, too! And, she made BABY SHOWER thank yous for a lady for $12 each!!!!2 layers!!!
I feel badly that someone took some of your cards without paying. I hope they are planning on coming back to you to pay! That has to be discouraging.
It reminds me of a story about my Grandpa. When I was in grade school (back in the ice age - lol) I went with my Grandparents to the local cemetery where there were family members buried. We always went on Memorial Day (the oldsters called it "Decoration Day"). Anyway, we would leave flowers on the graves. Well, my Grandma forgot 1 bouquet. I tell you what, that was a trauma - lol! So, the next day we went back to the cemetery to take the forgotten bouquet and someone had stolen all the flowers we had left the day before. I was so mad, so was my Grandma! I seem to recall a few choice words being spoken.
My Grandpa just looked at Grandma and me & said "Well, I guess somebody needed those more than we did". An important lesson for me to learn and a classic family funny story!
Anyway, goodluck with your card sales.
A good friend of mine, and a student in my stamp camps sells hers for ...now sit down for this....$14 EACH!!! They are RARELY more than 3 layers...no extras....
I'm totally serious about this, too! And, she made BABY SHOWER thank yous for a lady for $12 each!!!!2 layers!!!
That is unbelievable! Where do you live? I'm sure with you as their teacher the cards are great but that is about what people pay for a small gift here.
Thanks Loretia I know, that's what I keep thinking - or maybe someone just liked it a lot LOL One mysteriously "returned" last night, but one is still AWOL. Who knows? It was an Easter card, so maybe someone just "had" to have it ;)
I too am in shock over people paying $12 or $14 for cards!! Holy cow!!!! Nice market
__________________ Jeni in PA, proud SCS Fan Club member My BlogMy Gallery wife, mom, nurse case manager, crafter, SU! demo and Sr. Supervisor - Cross Country Crafty Chicks
"You're gonna need a bigger boat" ~ Chief Brody, Jaws
My friends tell me I should start selling my cards, but I have wanted to keep it a hobby and not a job. I enjoy giving my cards to friends and family. I have only sold 3 cards because the two women insisted on paying for them. When they asked me a price I said $5 because there was a lot of detail and bling. They both told me that was too cheap and they each paid me $10 a piece. They came up with the price. I thought it was extreme, but secretly very proud they valued my work enough to pay that price. I used the proceeds to buy more crafting supplies of course! When I asked one of the lady's if she mailed her card she said, " Of course not, it was for me, it's sitting on my mantle." lol
I just sold my first 2 cards. My uncle had asked me to print up a sentiment and frame it for his mother for mothers day and i decided to surprise him and make a card to go with it. When his friend saw it he asked about getting one for his wife and one for his mother. I was so surprised when he called me and asked a price. I told him $5 cause i layered the image to make it dimensional plus decorated the inside and added a sentiment so all he had to do was sign it. But anyway he told the guy $10 each and he didn't bat an eye!! I was shocked and I hope he keeps coming to me for his cards!
No matter what I make, cards, scrapbooks, baby blankets, fairy dolls, I charge one and a half times the cost of materials. No matter who I sell to, family, friends or coworkers I tell them up front how much I charge and how I come to that amount. Every single time they say - you aren't charging enough for your time and talent. I've been using this formula since 2004 and it works for me.
Good luck and have fun. Materials have a cost but FUN is PRICELESS!
I used to sell my cards at work and got anywhere from $2.50 to $4.50 depending on details. The person above that said people at craft fairs saying they can make that same card for less? Well when they get home and realize to make that card they have to buy the stamp or stamp set in many cases, all the materials to cut, shape, rolls of ribbon etc. well they will wish they had just paid the 4.00 or whatever was being charged. They will end up with a store bought card...
Somewhere on SCS there have been many other discussions on this topic. On one discussion someone said that you should figure your costs and mark it up times three. I've been using that rule of thumb, more or less. I sell my cards to a local chocolatier who then marks them up a bit for her shop. They sell in the shop for between $3 for a very simple card to up to $8 for a very ornate embellished one. My DH suggested that I have a chart where I assess the cost of materials, time, special techniques on a low, medium and high scale and then price accordingly. HTH. Good luck with this. Don't expect to get rich, but you can at least support the habit!
__________________ Rediscovering the simple joy of stamping and exploring my art! Stamp your ART out! Share your thoughts. Let your heart sing.
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FS465
That is unbelievable! Where do you live? I'm sure with you as their teacher the cards are great but that is about what people pay for a small gift here.
We live in Jacksonville, FL...She's a new stamper...And, the people she works with are not "crafty." So, they will pay for something if they REALLY want it...
Oh, and I have NEVER sold a card...NEVER! I had some in a shop for about $3 each...Not ONE sold!
I am saddened for you that someone took your cards without paying. I hope they come back to pay. I would like to think they will. I had a coworker steal my umbrella yesterday from my desk....My fault for not locking it, but still it hurts. It was my favorite Thomas Kincaid one.. Crap.
I sell cards at work, but they must come to me for them and I hand them the box and they come back and pay me what they take. It works well for me as I can't leave them out in my type of office. I charge 3-5 dollars a card. I have some customers who give me ten (not my price, but they do) when I make a special personalized card (with names or special info etc...children loooove to have their names on cards for example..)
Most important thing is to enjoy the art and the creative process.
For those who say "figure out the cost of supplies" then double (or triple or whatever) that # to figure out how to price your cards. How do you figure out how much your supplies actually cost??
I mean, you buy a pack of paper for about $10, but you only use a little. Then you add in some other paper from another source, plus a few embellies from a pack, some ink, a stamp or 2, maybe a computer-printed sentiment, some adhesive a + some dies + the machine, and so on.
My point is - you use some of this, some of that and not all of any one thing. How do you figure out the actual cost of the fraction that you used? Sounds awfully complicated (or lots of guesswork).
I haven't ever sold a card, although I give a lot away to charities. But I figure my hobby cache is worth insuring b/c of how much I have invested in it.
If I were to sell, I think I'd start from a different approach. I'd look at how much cards sell for at the store (I bought one last week for $7, for example) and go from there. After all, store-bought prices are common knowledge (vs. hobby supplies). If a person is going to pay $7 for a Hallmark, how much will they value a handmade card? At least, that's what I ask myself when people query me about purchasing mine (I've always insisted on them not paying me, though - at least thus far).
So, is there a trick to figuring how much $ you spent to make a card?
I feel badly that someone took some of your cards without paying. I hope they are planning on coming back to you to pay! That has to be discouraging.
It reminds me of a story about my Grandpa. When I was in grade school (back in the ice age - lol) I went with my Grandparents to the local cemetery where there were family members buried. We always went on Memorial Day (the oldsters called it "Decoration Day"). Anyway, we would leave flowers on the graves. Well, my Grandma forgot 1 bouquet. I tell you what, that was a trauma - lol! So, the next day we went back to the cemetery to take the forgotten bouquet and someone had stolen all the flowers we had left the day before. I was so mad, so was my Grandma! I seem to recall a few choice words being spoken.
My Grandpa just looked at Grandma and me & said "Well, I guess somebody needed those more than we did". An important lesson for me to learn and a classic family funny story!
Anyway, goodluck with your card sales.
I was reminded about my Grandpa too!
He always used to say "Don't loan (or leave) anything you can't afford to give away. If it is returned (or still there) than trust is earned, and if it isn't you aren't out anything you were not willing to loose." It is a trade off: you are betting that item (given or left) that another person or people are trust worthy. We hope that they are, but if we are wrong we risk loosing the item we bet. I think of it often and it reminds me not to get worked up over somethings. I could have prevented it if I had not trusted, but it is not that persons fault that I was too trusting (they obviously could not resist). I still usually trust, but it helps me keep my head when it doesn't work out the way I hope.
Personally, I can't see how anyone would pay $5 or more for a handmade card no matter how much embellishment was on it. Remember they are cards and should be able to be put in a regular envelopment. You don't want people to purchase a card only to find out they can't put it in a regular envelope and use normal postage. To me that's not fair and deceiving to the buyer.
I also think you have to price the card to what people will pay in your area. I doubt that at a smaller Craft Fair that a person is going to purchase a card for $5-7 or more. People are just not looking to spend that much.
Keep the embellishments to a reasonable amount. You don't have to have everything on one card. Remember it's just a card, it's not the present.
For those who say "figure out the cost of supplies" then double (or triple or whatever) that # to figure out how to price your cards. How do you figure out how much your supplies actually cost??
I mean, you buy a pack of paper for about $10, but you only use a little. Then you add in some other paper from another source, plus a few embellies from a pack, some ink, a stamp or 2, maybe a computer-printed sentiment, some adhesive a + some dies + the machine, and so on.
My point is - you use some of this, some of that and not all of any one thing. How do you figure out the actual cost of the fraction that you used? Sounds awfully complicated (or lots of guesswork).
I haven't ever sold a card, although I give a lot away to charities. But I figure my hobby cache is worth insuring b/c of how much I have invested in it.
If I were to sell, I think I'd start from a different approach. I'd look at how much cards sell for at the store (I bought one last week for $7, for example) and go from there. After all, store-bought prices are common knowledge (vs. hobby supplies). If a person is going to pay $7 for a Hallmark, how much will they value a handmade card? At least, that's what I ask myself when people query me about purchasing mine (I've always insisted on them not paying me, though - at least thus far).
So, is there a trick to figuring how much $ you spent to make a card?
Be a math geek
Paper cost can be divided down to per page. Then you can divide that down to 1/4 page or 1/16th ( 4 pieces to every quarter). If I use small pieces of paper of similar cost( say 4 small pieces), you could visually see that together they equal 1/8th (2/16 or a 2.75" by 4.25") and account for it in that way. Embellishments could be relatively easily calculated ( 2$ for 100 brads equal out to 2 cents/brad). Glue can be calculated by cost/ inch if using roller adhesive. For example, I get the pink atg refills for 6.42 after taxes with a 40% off coupon. By dividing that down, I know that a foot of adhesive is about 3 cents so 4" is about 1 cent. Sounds really cheap but figure to secure a 4.24" by 5.5" mat you will use approximately 14 inches of adhesive (one strip on each side). You only really need to get the math done once, and store for reference. After you get all the actual cost done, you can move to the non quantifiable costs such as a dot of white glue that is only 1$ for the bottle, or ink from ink pad, ext. For those types of things you could just add say 2-5 cents depending on the card and how much of each product was used.
I personally really wouldn't worry too much about usage of tools such as die cuts and emboss machine, but you could if you wanted to. You could either toss those into consideration for the non-quantifiable or do the long math on it. The cost of the machine stretched out over its useful life, and divided by how many cards/products could be/ would be made during that life expectancy. Then divided down to how many times or in what amounts were used for that specific card.
It sounds long and complicated, but really isn't bad. I personally love figuring out things like that. I do agree comparing the cost you would like to charge against similar mass produced cards/products to make sure your price is in line with the competition.
What to charge for a card??
