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Why handmade is “so expensive”

August 16, 2011 by  
Filed under Articles + Reviews, Selling Handmade

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“$70 for a t-shirt?!”

“I love your website, but everything on it is overpriced!”

“Your stuff is too expensive.”

“Are you rich or something?”

“I could make that for $5.”

“Sorry, but that’s a rip-off.”

“$80 for a hoodie? You’re not Gucci.”

I’ve heard it all. At first it hurt my feelings and made me worry that my prices were too high. Now it only baffles me that someone would say something so rude. This is my job. It may not be like your job. I don’t have a boss or regular hours, and I don’t have to drive to work or even get dressed for it (heh), but this is how I pay the bills.

I’m always tempted to asked these people, “How about I come down to where you work and tell your boss you’re overpaid?” Because that’s essentially what they’re saying.

But I’m too polite to do that.

Instead I decided to write this article to shed some light on the work that all of us that run a handmade business are doing… including all the behind-the-scenes stuff you probably never even think about. (And that some of us don’t charge for.)

Sure, some people will still be rude doucheballoons. That’s life. But maybe I can just make a few people think, “Oh, I hadn’t realized how much work goes into that!”

[Note: If you are a handmade seller looking for guidelines on how to price your items, please don't use this article as a model for your own pricing. As you'll see below, I'm a hypocrite when it comes to not underpricing. Please do as I say and not as I do. Read this guide for pricing instead, if that's what you're looking for.]

 

Step 1: The design phase

I sketch most of my ideas before I start cutting. Sometimes it’s completely spontaneous. I just start doodling and see where it takes me. Other times I have exactly what it will look like all planned out, and I want to get it down on paper so I don’t forget anything.

It’s usually just a quick scribble of pen or pencil on paper. Other times I take more time. I’ll add color with colored pencils or do the sketch 4 or 5 times before nailing down a particular design.

Since most of my sketches are quick, we’ll say the total time spent sketching one piece is 5 minutes.

As you can see, my sewing skills do not translate to pencil and paper skills.

 

Sketching: 5 minutes

 

Step 2: The drafting phase

Unlike a commercial outfit, I don’t have each of my patterns drawn up in every single size.  For custom orders, I redraft my pattern each time to match the customer’s measurements, because I’m not a fan of “standard” sizing.

Likewise, even for non-custom pieces, I don’t have patterns for each possible combination of styles I make. I get bored easily, so I prefer to make one of a kind designs.  For example, I have a single t-shirt pattern that I customize depending on whether or not I’m making a tank top, a hoodie, or a tee. I don’t have one scoopneck pattern, one v-neck pattern, and one crewneck pattern. I have one pattern for a t-shirt that I change each time I use it, depending on what I’m making.

Random tip: I like using old Tyvek envelopes for patterns because it won't rip!

 

This shirt is pretty simple, so it only took about 15 minutes

Step 3: The cutting phase

This is another step that varies from piece to piece. My fairytale coats take at least 2 hours to cut because there are so many pieces. A simple tube top might take me 20 minutes. A zip-up hoodie takes an hour or more.

Start snipping!

 

Again, this one is pretty simple, so it only took 30 minutes

 

Step 4: The sewing phase

The most time consuming of all the steps, but one that also varies depending on an item. The formal dresses on my site, like the Nightshade dress, can take more than a full day to assemble. Same with the coats. A tube top takes 30 minutes, but a hoodie takes 3 hours.

 

This one took about an hour and 15 minutes. 75 minutes


Step 5: The photo phase

I usually make a big batch of items and photograph them all at once to make it easier. Because photos are The Most Important part of selling an item online, I like to be thorough. I generally take a modeled photo, a photo on the dressform, and a detail shot of the item laying flat.

This is one of the few steps that pretty much takes the same time, no matter what. I spend about 20 minutes on hair and makeup. Photographing 15 clothing items takes about 3 hours. Dividing the whole 3 hours and 20 minutes by 15 gives us 13 minutes per item.

Photographing the item: 13 minutes

 

Step 6: The measuring, weighing, and inspection phase

Before I put the completed items on the garment racks to wait to be sold, I measure and weigh each piece. I also take this time to inspect each one for any detail I might have missed before: stray threads, a skipped stitch, etc. Then they get a good going over with the lint roller and are put away.

Measuring, weighing, double-checking: 5 minutes

 

Step 7: The photo editing phase

The most tedious phase of all. I have to pick through all the modeled shots I take and find the ones where I’m not making a stupid face, blinking, or blurry. I adjust the light and color balance, crop, resize, and I add my watermark.

Editing the photos for one piece takes 30 minutes.

 

Step 8: The listing phase

When I add an item to my website, I have to upload the photos, write the listing description, and decide on a price. If I also list the item in my Artfire and Etsy shop, I can copy most of that information, but it still takes time. It probably takes about 10-15 minutes to complete the original listing and 5-10 more minutes each time I relist in one of my other venues. But for simplicity’s sake, let’s just say 15 minutes.

Listing an item: 15 minutes

 

Step 9: The marketing phase

Listing isn’t enough. The second most important component of selling an item online (photos being most important, as I mentioned before) is promotion. If you don’t get the word out, no one will know your stuff is there! For the time it takes me to promote one item on the various social networking sites, 20 minutes is a conservative estimate. (This doesn’t even take into account if I actually purchase advertising.)

Marketing an item: 20 minutes

 

Step 10: The shipping phase

Once an item sells, I have to get it packed up and ready to ship. I spend about 5 minutes tagging and folding and another 5 minutes packaging and labeling. Then I email a shipping notification to the customer.

Note: Most sellers actually drive your package all the way to the post office and stand in line. They’re not only spending time doing that, but they’re spending money on gas. I didn’t figure that into my calculations because I print my labels at home and have the post office pick my packages up, but for some sellers, this is a big Time Hog.

Packing and shipping: 10 minutes

 

Grand total
Sketching: 5 minutes
Drafting: 15 minutes
Cutting: 30 minutes
Sewing: 75 minutes
Photographing: 13 minutes
Measuring: 5 minutes
Photo-editing: 30 minutes
Listing: 15 minutes
Marketing: 20 minutes
Shipping: 10 minutes

 

218 minutes or 3 hours and 38 minutes.

My “goal” wage right now is $20 an hour. I used to use $10 as my goal, and then I realized one day that I could go get quite a few entry level jobs at that rate, and I’m not doing an entry level job. I have 8 years of experience and skill. $20 is a much more appropriate wage for skilled labor.

(And for those that think $20 is a huge wage, a full time job at that wage is equivalent to a salary of a little over $40,000 a year before taxes. Middle class in the US by every standard. On top of that, there’s no sick pay, vacation time, retirement or health insurance. After all of those expenses, it’s quite a bit closer to a lower middle class salary.)

At $20 an hour, this top cost $73 to make. That’s only time/labor, of course. Materials for this top cost $18, bringing our total to $91. Now go see what it’s actually listed for on my website.

Yep… $75. Less if it sells during a sale. With materials and overhead, I’m not actually making my goal wage, as you can see. With just materials taken out, I’m actually making about $17 an hour.

Now I’m busted. Those of you who know me will have no doubt heard me preaching about the evils of undercharging, yet here I am committing the cardinal sin myself. For shame!

I mentioned overhead: there’s a TON of time I spend doing extraneous things not counted on this list. Responding to customer emails is a huge one. Every time someone asks a question about an item, it’s another 5 minutes, at least. For the average custom order, I spend at least an hour emailing back and forth with a customer. Probably more like two or three usually.

I have to order fabric and supplies. I have to clean and oil my machines. I have to vacuum all the little bits of thread and lint off the carpet in my studio. None of my overhead is ever counted into my prices (cost of machines, computers, utility bills, seller fees, rent and utilities). If I counted all that, I probably am making more like $10 an hour.

When you buy a top at Walmart, someone was paid a decent wage to design the top ONCE, and then a person halfway across the world was paid a few cents an hour to make 1000 of them. Total time and materials for a single top at Walmart is maybe $3. If they sell it for $15, they’re marking it up FIVE TIMES the cost.

My stuff isn’t marked up at all, and neither are most handmade artisan goods. Even so, our time is more expensive than a sweatshop worker. But when you buy handmade instead of buying from a corporate giant, you’re getting a lot of things from us that they can’t offer. Handmade means we care about quality and attention to detail. Sweatshop workers care about one thing: make it as fast as possible. Handmade means we care about customer service. All corporations care about is that green stuff in your wallet. Handmade means you’re helping the local economy. Corporations mean you’re helping some rich greedy jerk get even richer.

So the next time you’re going to open your yapper about the price of someone’s handmade goods, think before you speak. (And if you’re still tempted to be a jackass, then at least remember the Golden Rule and keep it to yourself.)

*** I’d like to take a moment to thank all of my kickass customers, who are NOT the people that make the comments at the beginning of this post. With their support and appreciation, I am able to do something I love.

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Comments

272 Comments on "Why handmade is “so expensive”"

  1. Maureen on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 6:24 pm 

    Your work is fantastic! I am glad you no longer care what others think. You clearly make a phenomenal product, well-made, unique, creative, and beautiful. I think sometimes people who don’t craft and sell their crafts understand exactly how much time, energy, and money goes into the entire process. Great post! Keep up the incredibly amazing work :)

  2. Pili on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 6:40 pm 

    I do give this post of yours a standing ovation! So true!!

  3. bonita on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 6:42 pm 

    ~ * ? * ~

    This is a very well thought out and insightful post. I must confess I am one of the “$80.00 ~ that’s way to expensive!” people, but after reading your post I have a better understanding of why the price seems so high in comparison to shop bought items.

    I think the modern consumers are spoiled by sweatshop = low prices and because we often over~consume instead of saving to buy quality pieces you get this everything needs to be cheap mentality. And I know that I struggle with this allll the time!!

    Thank you for writing this Lex, it is a needed wake up call. :D

    xox,
    bonita of Depict This!
    ~ * ? * ~

  4. Bridget on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 6:47 pm 

    This is absolutely one of the best articles I’ve read on this subject – and a great way to break it all down! Saving this as a link if I ever get that question! Thank you.

  5. K.D. on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 7:12 pm 

    great break-down on the process, … you would have to have experience with running a small business to even have a clue how much of a time commitment and all of the steps that are involved in making it happen… people who have made unkind comments are likely just uninformed.. maybe less so now :)

  6. Rachael on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 7:43 pm 

    Oh my gosh, YES!!! You are so super fab for taking the time to write this. Every point is true true true.

  7. Lynne Rose on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 8:49 pm 

    I LOVE YOU! I will be linking this every-time I hear $15 for a pillowcase dress is too much <3

  8. Lex on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 9:37 pm 

    Thank you for the comments, everyone!

  9. Sylvia on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 9:37 pm 

    Thank you for writing this and getting it out there for all to see! You’ve no idea how many times a week I have to explain this exact same thing to my clients when they complain about my prices. It’s hard to remain civil and not just boot them out the door.
    Anyway, I hope that your bit of education will clarify this issue for as many as possible.
    Thumbs up for the handmade revolution!

  10. Mara on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 10:09 pm 

    Great post, Lex! All that time, plus the gas we use driving to get supplies, shipping costs we pay for supplies, machine maintenance, hosting fees for websites…but we do it because we love it!

  11. Gothic Charm School on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 10:10 pm 

    Thank you for writing this. I’m a big advocate of people buying handmade and custom clothing, and I’m a HUGE advocate of paying the artisans for their time and labor. I get into a lot of discussions with people about “No, that price isn’t a rip-off. Think about what goes into making that item.”

  12. julia on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 10:18 pm 

    i love this! let’s add in the time it took you to break it all down and write about it here….there are countless moments that don’t get added into a sale! dreams & wake alike, this is the life of working for yourself. :)

  13. Impish DIY on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 10:33 pm 

    Thanks SOOOOO much for writing this, Lex! It’s hard not to want to buy handmade goods for the price you find at Wal Mart, but it’s just not realistic. Heck, I even have to tell myself that every time I price my items. Handmade goods aren’t mass produced and that’s what makes them worth the extra money.

  14. cate on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 11:02 pm 

    Good for you hun! Handmade anything is an art form as far as I am concerned.

  15. Denelle on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 11:16 pm 

    You missed income taxes. They takes a nice chunk of profits too :(

  16. Hurley on Wed, 17th Aug 2011 11:48 pm 

    Thank you for writing this!! I agree 100%.

  17. aNGrYLiTTLeDeAdGiRL on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 1:15 am 

    Also Etsy fees, Paypal fees…

    Thank you for writing this. I think its going to be the most shared link on the interwebz eventually…

  18. Gorgillis on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 1:54 am 

    Absolutely spot on!
    I have long maintained that almost everything is way too cheap and, as a result, not valued or cared for by anyone.
    Long ago ordinary people owned very few things, and what they had they saved up for years to pay for or they made it themselves, and they probably took a lot more care of their things and repaired them. Things had value.
    Great post, and great photos. Also you are very cute!
    :)

  19. Paula-Jane on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 3:10 am 

    WOW! This is a wonderful article! All the things i have thought of, and you have written down. I run a small clothing company in Australia and even though there are some differences in our production and patternmaking etc, at the end of the day SPOT ON! And hats off to you to letting people know how you feel and how hard you work.
    Thanks, Paula-Jane :)

  20. Jennifer Adams on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 5:34 am 

    WOW…thanks so much…I do custom work ONLY at the moment…meaning I too adjust, and measure and size…and it frustrates people when I have to get back with them on how much an item will be…..because I have a LOT of factors to put into place…this was an AWESOME article…thanks so much!

  21. Joanne on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 7:56 am 

    WELL SAID! Excellent response. I don’t sell things I make but have a friend who does and this is a source of much frustration to her too. Great points, well made.

  22. Tanya (Strikk Handknits) on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 8:55 am 

    Great article indeed.
    I believe each one of us as makers has a duty to educate buyers as to the value of handmade. It breaks my heart to see other handmakers who do not sell at the reasonable (and justifiable) price of a handmade item – its disingenous and does no one any favours.
    Keep preaching it.
    We’re all handmakers and as such, all on the same side.

  23. Xandy on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 9:19 am 

    I think this should be required reading for anyone who is about to buy on etsy. The only thing that bothers me more than people who expect industrial prices for handmade goods are people who under price themselves. They don’t realize that they are the ones losing out (and losing money) and they make people think that other crafters are overpriced.

    On another note, I would like to mention that the cost of goods relative to average income is very low. If everyone were to buy only handmade, they would still be able to survive, but the economy would be more like it was in medieval times. Back then, a carpenter would pay the equivalent of 2 weeks salary for a pair of shoes. He probably only had one pair of shoes, but he was still able to survive with a low income and only handmade belongings.

    This is definitely something to think about when buying crafts. You are getting something that you cannot find at the mall, doesn’t that alone make my crafts more valuable?

  24. Michel Belisle on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 9:20 am 

    Your post is very interesting. I go about similar steps too when creating something.

    Here is another example about pricing that many people can also relate to:

    Let’s pick up a secretary that earns about $38K/year. She (or he, cause I was a secretary some time ago) can buy a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, maybe tempted for a pair of shoes, all that for let’s say $150.

    To be able to afford that, she’s been working on some letters. Let’s pick one letter. her boss had made a draft, she made a first review. Letter has been commented by other people, client sees draft, comments back, boss makes changes… simple 1-page letter can easy cost $1,000 if you add all the hourly wages and other overheads.

    For sure our proficient secretary can’t afford to buy that letter, but she worked on it for sure, and she did a good job!

    Everything is way more expensive than it first appear! As consumers, we have been lured into thinking that things are in some low-end price range because they are mostly made by people that are paid way less than we are, and that industries constantly adapt and automate manufacturing processes.

  25. Jennifer Schmidt on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 11:20 am 

    Thank you for presenting this information! You’ve broken it all down! While I know I am always going to spend hours and hours pattern making, grading, cutting and sewing, I am always stunned at how long it takes to write listings, ship packages and to take the photos. Photos are so labor intensive!

  26. amy ford on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 1:11 pm 

    Thank you for speaking the truth, I do not turn much of a profit, I try to stay competitive. But am really rethinking my pricing after this. Your clothing is beautiful. I shared this on my page.

  27. Heather on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 1:23 pm 

    Yep! I totally agree! And if they want Gucci, well, they can go get it, but realize they will be like everyone else that has one (real or fake)! At least with “handmade,” it’s unique which means one of a kind! Besides, how do you think Gucci got started and Louis and Chanel and every other designer??? A big “Hmph” to all you haters!!!

  28. Marie Young on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 1:53 pm 

    Well said! Go handcrafted! btw: That outfit is totally cute!

  29. Jane on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 1:55 pm 

    Fabulous article! Thank you so much for sharing it – very well said. And I just checked out your Etsy shop, you’re in Kalamazoo, too! :)

  30. Molly on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 1:57 pm 

    Excellent read! I think every time I want to under price an item, I’ll have to re-read this article to stop myself!

  31. Jane on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 1:57 pm 

    Fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing this with everyone – very well said. And I just checked out your Etsy shop and was excited to see you’re in Kalamazoo, too! :)

  32. Tatiana on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 2:08 pm 

    Amen to that, sister!

  33. Liz Ottaway on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 2:14 pm 

    My daughter forwarded your post. I have had many customs and other orders done for my grandsons and my daughters. They are the most cherished gifts I can give. They take my time and thought and the incredible talents and time of the creators of the projects. I value everything they do – and you laid out the steps perfectly. Except for the custom – there are hours of email communication to make it all work. They take my ideas and turn them into I product that I can’t do. I can never thank them enough or ever regret the fee that they charge.

  34. Amanda aka AbsintheDragonfly on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 2:21 pm 

    THank you sooo much! I appreciate the time you took out of your day to write this up, and to point out that our time is valuable as well.

    Best,
    Amanda

  35. Stacy Payne on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 2:24 pm 

    Thank you! I always feel so bad for listing my items for what I do. I always think, “No one will buy this, it’s so expensive!” but I know that I pay a lot of attention to detail and quality–I wear my “prototypes” in extreme situations just to make sure they’ll never break. After reading this, I can safely say now that I won’t think my prices are too high anymore!

  36. Kerry Cutler on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 2:46 pm 

    I found this post (and blog) through a friend. As an artist and sculpture, I appreciate every step of the process because I go through the same steps. I was actually taught this process method in art school and can tell you that it is used universally, regardless of what type of art or handmade product you produce. The sad part is that this same kind of devaluation happened to me in the Corporate world too as I was once a web designer. Bravo to you for sticking to your guns!

  37. Mindy on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 3:35 pm 

    This excellent article is being linked to like crazy on fb today, so I decided to check it out. I appreciate reading about the real cost of handmade items. I would love to purchase everything this way, but the cost is prohibitive. If I review something and mention the high cost of a WAHM item, I am always torn. I don’t want to indicate that I don’t value their work, but I also want to be honest about how something realistically fits into a budget. I don’t purchase clothes at Walmart, but I also cannot afford $75 shirts. So I save handmade for special occasions or specific items I can save up for. I don’t think artisans should undersell their work, but they should also be realistic about the market. You clearly make unique boutique items that people pay premium prices for. That rocks! Some people make items that are time consuming, but cost too much when their real costs are calculated. I might spend $100 on an annual amazing one of a kind dress, but $30 for a wipes case? Not so much, no matter how well crafted.

  38. Lucy on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 3:48 pm 

    Spot on!
    I, like many other commenters, will have to look at this frequently to remind myself it is ok to charge a decent amount for something I have worked hard on! I always feel guilty and think things like “it only took a few hours” or “I got the fabric really cheap” and want to charge far less than I should.

    I recently decided upon making slippers for christmas gifts (ha ha I like to start early!) and thought it might come accross as cheap or thoughtless. Then I worked out that a pair of crochet slippers takes 3 hours to make and if I charged for labour what I get paid at work it would cost £20.01 without materials or anything else added – far more than I would spend on some people anyway!

  39. Daisies & Damsels on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 3:50 pm 

    Well said! I think there’s 2 kinds of people, 1. The ones who can look at something and say ” wow that’s a lot of work”, and 2. the people who say ” You charge that much for that”?

  40. Mary on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 4:44 pm 

    Thank you ever so much for this article. I have experience that very same thing! As a matter of fact I had one lady tell how much she was going to pay me for one of my hair pieces I make. And trust me the price she quoted me didn’t even cover the cost of the supplies! I never even thought about all the time that gets consumed with other things like prep work or even clean up and answering emails. So I really appreciate it.

  41. Susan on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 5:01 pm 

    I, certainly, understand and respect the point you’re trying to make. As a consumer, I expect to pay more for custom items (and I do), but I still expect them to be a reasonable amount. While I understand the point you are trying to make, there should be a way for you to streamline your business and cut down on costs. If you do that, your pieces are more affordable to everyone and you won’t have to spend so much time on one item. I guess it’s all about finding a balance. I’m not sure who you are marketing yourself to or how you do it. That all plays into how people respond too. For instance, if you are claiming to be affordable while charging $225 for a simple infant’s A-line dress, you are not accurately representing your business.

    On the other hand, it is rude for potential customers to email you that. I’d be offended. If you are out of their price range, it is very simple to scroll right past your listing. I hope you don’t take my post the wrong way. I just thought I’d put a different perspective on things. Best of luck to you.

  42. VIP Beads & Jewelry (@vipbeads) on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 5:41 pm 

    Wow,it is so true,see everybody agreed,because not made in China but in USA,damn it!!!!

  43. earthegy on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 5:51 pm 

    I think you should raise your prices, honestly. Sure, you have materials and a minimal labor cost covered, but there nothing built in for overhead or profit margin. If a sewing machine breaks, or you want to advertise, or pay for decent packaging materials, you’ve got to factor in those expenses.

    And sure, sometimes handmade can seem expensive. But the customer is often getting a one of kind product that they’re not going to see on someone else…

  44. Selina on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 6:38 pm 

    Thank you for this article! I’ll admit, I was one of the â??$70 for a t-shirt?!â?? type of people. But I’d honestly never given thought to all of the time and materials put into homemade things. Your article really helped explain everything better, and now I can see prices on things and have a much better mindset about it. :)

  45. Lex on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 6:55 pm 

    I know… I badger my friends to raise their prices all the time, but it’s hard to take my own advice!

    I like to think my custom pricing is better than my ready to wear, but in reality, with the extra time it takes to make custom items, it’s probably about the same.

  46. Patty on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 7:58 pm 

    Fantastic article and very well said I posted this to my facebook page and I hope everyone reads it!

  47. Rayna Ehlert on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 9:05 pm 

    Great article. I am also a handcrafter with an online shop, and I totally agree with your assessment. When you buy handmade, you’re buying personally handcrafted good quality stuff that was lovingly made one piece at a time! I also love that shirt… Thanks for the wonderful words! <3

  48. Rayna Ehlert on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 9:06 pm 

    Love it! I am also a handcrafter with an online shop, and I totally agree with your assessment. When you buy handmade, you’re buying personally handcrafted good quality stuff that was lovingly made one piece at a time! I also love that shirt… Thanks for the wonderful words! <3

  49. Mel on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 10:00 pm 

    Are you selling your products regularly? If not, I’d agree with Susan above, who suggested trying to find ways to lower your supply costs or streamline some of your steps somehow. I love looking through things on Etsy for my little girl, but I will absolutely scroll past things that don’t fit into my budget unless it’s a super special occasion. If people bypass you because your prices are high, you aren’t earning anything. And if you are selling a lot, you still may benefit from doing so – you could keep your prices the same and earn a better profit.
    Also, while I totally understand charging enough to cover your costs and make yourself some profit, I don’t really like the reasoning that it’s your job and this is how you pay your bills. You don’t have to do this for a living. You do it because you love it. And that’s wonderful! But you can’t say, “I’m charging this much because I need to earn X this month”. That’s like selling a house for $300,000 just because that’s how much you need to be able to afford your next house. The consumer will pay what they feel a product is worth. They’re not going to pay $300,000 for a $250,000 house just to help out the seller.
    Custom items can be really cool, especially if you’re looking for something very specific, but on the other hand, I also agree with Mindy about not wanting to pay high prices for ordinary or extravagant things like wipes cases. The few things I have bought on Etsy I’ve been super excited about and happy to shell out the money for. And I made sure to let the people who made them know that I loved the items. But I bypassed sooo many other items that quite similar because they cost too much. I guess you just have to be careful not to price yourself out of your market. People may pay for quality, but most will shop around and compare prices.

  50. Stacey Jean on Thu, 18th Aug 2011 10:09 pm 

    This is a WONDERFUL insight into some of what goes into being a one-woman [or man] handmade business. GREAT WRITING! I think people just don’t realize all the other things that go into running a business. They are so used to paying factory-line prices. When I rattle off all the jobs I do, it opens people’s eyes. It’s nice to see someone write it all out so well. :)

  51. Nevarsong on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 12:16 am 

    I do $10 an hour, plus expenses and 5% for over head…(probably still low, but more than I make at my day job. I ask any of the critical posters on this post to try there hand at bending stainless steel into anything. And don’t stop when your hands get sore.

    Most of the other artist that make things in my style charge $20-$35 an hour plus double materials and 5% over head.

  52. Deborah on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 12:59 am 

    Thanks for your response! I am so happy for your reply to that rude monkey! I crochet hats and am so offended when someone tells me they can get one “just like it” for $5 at some no name store! It’s just insulting to think that someone doesn’t appreciate hand-crafted items. Sure you can probably buy cheaper from China, India or so many other places but do you really know what conditions those factories (workers) are kept in to keep prices so low?

  53. Mariah on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 1:27 am 

    Lexi–Thanks so much for sharing. As someone who doesn’t know the first thing about crafting, this really put things into perspective for me. I plan to bookmark this on my computer and refer to it often as well as share it with others.
    Thanks so much for your time in putting this together!!!

  54. Stephen Jack Cullen on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 2:38 am 

    I fully agree with charging cost of materials plus money per hour.
    I charge the same whenever I do commission work.

  55. Deinera on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 2:38 am 

    I always feel guilty when it comes to making handmade items for commission or for sale. I always felt like I was being a bit of an ass for wanting to make a little money off of the items. Thank you for this. I feel less guilty about feeling as though I need to charge more for handmade items. Bravo!

  56. Rocky on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 3:17 am 

    Everyone has a budget, I know I do!
    I also sell on etsy, and am also accused of over-pricing… despite spending up to 50 hours sometimes working on the design side of something, and not counting the cost of materials, chemicals and time spent cleaning up… Just like Lex I don’t pay myself for those hours, because adding the price of all of that on to a screen printed t-shirt would put it in the Alexander McQueen price range (his printed t-shirts sell for £200)

    Crafters working from home don’t arrive at work each day and find the place has been cleaned up over night, they pay their own electricity bills, they pay their own rent on the place where they are working.

    Anyone who still thinks the charge of $20 p/h is too high should ask their boss to take a cut from their pay check each month to go towards rent, electricity, cleaning, and general maintenance… and see how much you have left for yourself.

    If you can’t afford something, then save up.. or don’t buy it. Or better still, buy those materials yourself and make it yourself… and then see how much it cost you ;)

  57. Heather aka Niftyknits on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 5:27 am 

    EXCELLENT! I knit (to my own patterns) and if I had a pound for everyone who’s told me their granny is going to make them one of my creations, I’d be a rich woman. I’ve also been told that people can “get one of those” from a charity shop, confusing my original designs with secondhand run-of-the-mill commercial pattern knits. *sigh* off to share your article now!

  58. GalleriaLinda on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 7:59 am 

    I am so glad you posted this. What a great drill-down of what it takes to create something by hand and then sell it.

    I am amazed that there is no markup on your gorgeous clothes. Maybe it is time to start adding something ongoing? Basically, you are a couturier. That should be on your signature and business cards! :-D

  59. Jackie Cardy on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 8:23 am 

    Excellent post. I make wool felt, dye velvet and then make brooches. It takes a long time!

  60. Cute And Creepy on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 8:53 am 

    Hooray! Wonderful article. I’m often asked to reduce my prices or am told things like “I could make that easy” and some of my items are very reasonable for what they are!
    I spend so much time and painful finger sewing, photo taking, the networking, there’s a price to pay for not buying corporate but isn’t it worth it? YES!

  61. Jeannie on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 9:02 am 

    Awesome post. I recently started selling my hand knit items on Etsy. At the moment, I’m only trying to earn enough to support my yarn habit. My pricing consists of deciding what amount would gag me if I had to pay it & adding $20. I figure I’m earning about 23 cents an hour.

  62. Andreanna on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 10:53 am 

    I totally agree. One of the most rude things a customer can say is oh that is too expensive especially when they have no idea how much goes into it. Even packing orders takes time and people don’t account for any of that.

  63. Lauren on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 11:27 am 

    Ok justified on everything you said EXCEPT.. YOUR TIME IS WORTH MORE THAN A SWEATSHOP WORKER.

    you need to think before YOU speak.
    to think your time or anyone elses time is greater than someone elses is just ridiculous. Yes they are working for a big corporation who is your enemy here, but the worker? As if they have a choice? They are only doing so to provide for their family. The sweatshop worker deserves more than that.

  64. Lex on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 1:30 pm 

    I think you misread that sentence. I actually wrote, “My time is more expensive than a sweatshop worker.” It’s a factual statement. I pay myself $20/hr. A sweatshop worker might make 20 CENTS an hour. I am a more expensive worker.

    I’m of the opinion that all workers (no matter where they live) should be paid a living wage. Sweatshops are disgusting and degrading. That’s why I don’t shop at Walmart, and I try as often as possible to buy products made in the US.

  65. Lex on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 2:23 pm 

    “Also, while I totally understand charging enough to cover your costs and make yourself some profit, I don’t really like the reasoning that it’s your job and this is how you pay your bills.”

    What reasoning for determining a wage would be more satisfactory than what is required to eat and pay the rent, at the very least?

    You say I choose to do this for a living. (And yes, there are plenty of days when I love what I do, but there are also days when I would rather do anything else than look at a sewing machine, believe me.)

    Doesn’t everyone choose their job? If I decided to quit sewing and become a nurse, aren’t I choosing that also? And don’t I have the right then to determine what wage I want to work for? (Obviously, no one has to pay me that wage, but then I also have the right to not take the job.)

    With your house example, I think many people have probably priced the home they’re selling exactly like that. And why shouldn’t they? The market determines the price of the house. A home that sells for $250,000 one year might very well sell for $300,000 or even $500,000 another year. The way things are now, though, it’s probably more likely the opposite. :( I should hope that a seller would at the very least price their home so they won’t be losing money if they sell it. And if they can’t sell it for that, then they’re probably better off not selling it at all.

    Which brings me to my final point, which is that obviously if no one was willing to pay my prices, then I’d better find another line of work, or make some changes. But that isn’t the point of my article, nor is it the case with my business. I’ve been in business for 8 years, and it’s only occasionally that I’ve heard the comments that inspired this article. The point of writing it was not only to vent a little at the rudeness, but also to put some perspective into the work that goes into my pieces. I think some people are under the mistaken impression that I’m spending 5 minutes frankensteining a t-shirt and then slapping an $80 price tag on it.

    I absolutely understand not being able to afford my stuff. Heck, I can’t afford my stuff! But I’m not my target market, in terms of income level. Everyone has different circumstances and thus different budgets. That’s why there are new cars for $15,000 and new cars for $150,000.

  66. Lex on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 2:30 pm 

    Not at all, Susan.

    I know my prices don’t fit everyone’s budget, and I don’t blame anyone for being unable to afford my pieces. I’d love to be able to support all of the amazing artists and crafters I see, but my budget simple doesn’t allow it. As the Rolling Stones say, “We can’t always get what we want.”

    And it’s like you said, it takes no effort to not be rude, but some people choose to do so anyway. (And some of them probably don’t intend it that way, but it is nonetheless.)

  67. Lex on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 2:36 pm 

    You bring up a good point, Mindy. The reality of what people will pay absolutely does matter. I can put a $1000 price tag on an item, but if no one buys it, I get $0, and I’m in trouble.

    If you’re trying to support yourself with a small business, and you aren’t making enough to do so, it’s time for change. It might be the fault of pricing. It could be not enough marketing. Or maybe people just aren’t interested in buying what you’re selling. The bottom line is, zero sales is zero sales, no matter the reason.

  68. Mel on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 5:31 pm 

    “Doesn’t everyone choose their job? If I decided to quit sewing and become a nurse, aren’t I choosing that also? And don’t I have the right then to determine what wage I want to work for? (Obviously, no one has to pay me that wage, but then I also have the right to not take the job.)”

    Exactly, no one has to pay you that wage. When people apply for jobs, they can take what the offered salary is or don’t take the job (and get no income). There’s only so far you can negotiate. You can only demand your preferred income if you are an expert in super high demand.

    “With your house example, I think many people have probably priced the home they’re selling exactly like that. And why shouldn’t they? The market determines the price of the house. A home that sells for $250,000 one year might very well sell for $300,000 or even $500,000 another year. The way things are now, though, it’s probably more likely the opposite. :( I should hope that a seller would at the very least price their home so they won’t be losing money if they sell it. And if they can’t sell it for that, then they’re probably better off not selling it at all.”

    This is unfortunately a buyers’ market. A house will sell only for what a buyer is willing to pay. The buyer doesn’t take into account what the seller needs for their next house. But you’re right, if they can’t sell if for enough to not lose money in the deal, they shouldn’t sell it. Pricing it too high is just a guarantee the house will sit on the market for a long time, just like the house across the street from me.

    I think as long as you’re within the range of pricing of comparable items on Etsy or wherever, you’re good. I think people expect to have to pay more for a custom item. The problem only comes in when you’re priced well above your competition.

  69. Maria on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 5:48 pm 

    Very true. A former co- worker would always make comments on my knitting projects and how I should sell etc. But I imagined her thinking that I just whip up whole sweaters on weekends. It was not until I started knitting at work ( lunch and breaks) that she saw how much time and effort when into one project alone. She had said outloud that I would have to sell it for alot of money just to come out even on the hours of labor!

  70. Aislinn Marie on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 6:54 pm 

    An excellent post!!

    I completely agree. What i do IS my job and how i support my family. It’s easy to forget how much time it takes to make items when so many don’t make anything anymore. It’s all store bought. We have become such a consumer economy that the true value of things has been lost.

  71. Jennifer Wolfe on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 7:40 pm 

    Yes! I run into the same rude comments about photography! Some do not consider the fact that we are trying to feed our kids, pay our bills and have shelter. There is so much in photography as well as hand-made clothing, that are not taken into consideration. I spent 25 hours editing a 3 hour wedding and still got grief about my price even after she had a discount! Keep up the good work! And don’t settle! ;)

  72. Theresa Grant on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 8:17 pm 

    Well said! Thank you for speaking your mind, this is so true! For those who think items are overpriced, imagine for a MOMENT if everyone were following this philosophy of charging what the item is actually worth instead of what they think people might want to pay, what would happen? Charge what it is worth, bottom line. You will get a following. There are those that appreciate the effort and time involved. Those are the customers I want. If they want Walmart, they can go to Walmart.

  73. Laura P on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 9:32 pm 

    This has to be one of the best articles EVER about handmade pricing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone break it down this way! Thank you for taking the time to break it all down so people might understand what goes into handmade items a little better!

  74. Connie Cooper on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 9:57 pm 

    Brilliant, informative and thank you! I’ve never “retweeted” anything…until now. I’ve wanted to explain this to SOOOOO many customers…I gotta figure out how to get a link to this on my Google+ and Facebook. Thank you again!

    Oh… and your clothes are fabulous. I want one of the fairy coats…..one of these days!

  75. Brandi on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 10:03 pm 

    I have never heard of you or your product. Your work is AMAZING. It is not something I personally can afford, and I wouldnt look good in it anyways. But I would NEVER tell someone that their work is too expensive.Especially when you are starting from scratch. I think this is a great blog! Oh, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE doucheballoon hehe

  76. Thannaree C. on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 10:04 pm 

    Great article Lex! And … “When you buy a top at Walmart, someone was paid a decent wage to design the top ONCE, and then a person halfway across the world was paid a few cents an hour to make 1000 of them.” … sadly so true. Keep up the good work!

  77. Tonya M on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 10:56 pm 

    I am a huge Etsy fan. I love buying handmade. I buy what I can afford. Sure I can get a 3 pack of blankets at walmart for $10 but they are no where near the awesomeness of the ones I buy on Etsy.

    I can make my daughters pillowcase dresses for next to nothing but that doesn’t stop me from buying one on Etsy for $20 because I don’t have that fabric.

    I like to think that things are not too expensive but they may be out of my price range. It definitely doesn’t mean it isn’t worth the price someone is charging.

  78. Kay on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 10:59 pm 

    Thank you so much for this great piece. You put it so well.

  79. Lissa on Fri, 19th Aug 2011 11:17 pm 

    I love how you presented this! I make cards and have been wanting to sell them, but have been feeling guilty for wanting to charge $7-$8 per card (even though I can spend 10+ hours on a card). This is an awesome break down of what actually goes into your work. People forget about the background costs.

    Would you mind if I use part of your post in a sign I would use on my selling table at events?

    HUGS & Thanks!

  80. Rana Wilson on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 3:24 am 

    Thanks for a great article. I struggle with pricing myself (fortunately, I’m not selling to support myself, but to make extra money for fun stuff) because I’m always afraid someone will look at one of my designs and have the “You’re charging how much!?!” reaction. It wasn’t until I started beadweaving that I really started thinking clearly about how much time I put into my work.

    Thanks again! I’ll be looking at this again as I price future items!

  81. pip on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 4:22 am 

    A great blog post…. and a beautiful outfit :)

  82. Dotty Delightful on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 5:13 am 

    Brilliant, so articulate, I couldn’t have expressed this better, I hate the costing part, trying to get a balance between earning a living and what people are willing to pay is hard, I find thins like patchwork quilts and big crochet blankets the biggest moans on price from customers and sorry to say but old ladies at craft fairs drive me mad “I can do that”, “isn’t it expensive, you can get one just like it at blah blah shop”, I would love to say ” well, p**s off and go and make one/buy one elsewhere but I don’t. Im sharing this post because I know lots of people who will relate to it, thanks for taking time and sharing x

  83. Jenny Karlsson on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 8:17 am 

    Thank you so much for this post! (Yay!)
    I am telling people to read it, to understand.
    And thank you also for making me feel that I do so much more than I think I do.
    Keep up the brilliant work!
    /Jenny :)

  84. Holly on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 8:31 am 

    Fabulous article! I’m glad I’m not the only one who values their time and expects to get payed for it. Some people expect you to only charge the cost of materials. Thanks! :D

  85. Janice on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 12:24 pm 

    Well said! Thank you very very much for taking the time to put together this article! For all those whiners, she didn’t even add in the time she spent for putting this article together either! Your things are beautiful, keep up the fantastic work!

  86. Suzannah on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 12:38 pm 

    Great!!! My great friend makes herbal things and asked me to help her cost it out (I’m an accountant) and you did just that! You NEED to do this!! I would much rather have hand made/local made/unique clothes and jewelry then a ton of cloths…Quality over Quantity…. You Rock. Keep it up!

  87. Fer on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 1:06 pm 

    Thank you for this–I’ve done leatherwork and sculpted art (mainly pipes) but usually as gifts or for barter (for other handmade goods), largely because I’ve had a very difficult time figuring out “ok, how much does it cost to make this, and how much should I be charging for this including labour?”

    I have given thought to beginning sales of leatherwork on Etsy, and this does put things in perspective–I’m the sort who does feel guilty for charging $80-100 (or more) for handtooled and handmade leather goods, but keeping hours of labour in mind is useful here.

    (And as an aside–probably a good thing to note here is if there are freely available tools for stuff like monitoring how much time you’ve put into something so one could charge appropriately…when I get into working, I tend to lose track of this :D )

  88. Ravan Asteris on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 4:02 pm 

    I make handmade stuff, have for years. I sell it so it doesn’t bury me, but I price it so I’m not giving it away.

    I stopped doing flea markets when people would tell me they could buy my stuff for less at WalMart. Not in the materials and craftsmanship that mine had, they couldn’t. But I wasn’t going to get up at 4 am on a weekend to be insulted any more.

    You didn’t include all the time spent buying material or doing tax and business paperwork. It’s not much per item, but it ads up too.

    Well written article, I’ve bookmarked it.

  89. Kristine on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 4:09 pm 

    AMEN!!! I’ve had FRIENDS not buy my items because I was going to charge them too much….and they were offered a deal!

  90. Jade on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 7:16 pm 

    Anyone even arguing this matter should stop because she clearly has not over priced her items, hense the whole reason she laid out her process for you to see. Over opinionated dramatic women need to find better things to do with their time then complain about and argue with someones well thought out, legit blog article.

  91. Brandi on Sat, 20th Aug 2011 7:56 pm 

    Great post! Thanks also for the Tyvek envelope tip. I only sew for my own kids for the most part, but I usually make my own patterns and that will make them last much longer!

  92. Zoe on Sun, 21st Aug 2011 7:10 am 

    What a brilliant article! As a hand knitter and spinner I sell some of my produce and some people are surprised by my prices which are still far cheaper than others I’ve seen. They don’t appreciate the process from washing raw fleece, the hours spinning and hours knitting to get to an often unique and one off piece. Hands up to all you fellow handmade sellers out there. We live in a culture of mass and cheaply produced garments that may cost less but last a fraction of the time of slower made but higher quality goods like yours. Well said and keep up the good work!

  93. Lunaessence on Sun, 21st Aug 2011 4:34 pm 

    Great article ! Thanks for this !! Sharing it !!

  94. Kimberly on Sun, 21st Aug 2011 4:42 pm 

    Amen! Nuff said

  95. Dina on Sun, 21st Aug 2011 7:00 pm 

    I totally agree with your article. You make very valid points. I also sell on etsy and other venues including craft shows, and one of my biggest gripes is the other crafters who totally UNDER PRICE their items. They obviously have not really thought about each aspect of creating and selling that you have addressed. They would do themselves and the other competative vendors a big favor by really figuring out their costs and give themselves a living wage!

  96. Amelie Jo on Sun, 21st Aug 2011 9:47 pm 

    Great post! I have always said that if I can’t make a decent amount of money for my sewing that I would hang it up!

  97. Angela Osborn on Sun, 21st Aug 2011 10:23 pm 

    Wonderful article! Thanks so much for sharing it. I have received criticism for how much I charge for my handmade work, and it really hurts. How can someone who’s completely ignorant of the work and processes involved tell me what my time and my skills are worth? It’s so rude. Hopefully your article will help people realise the value in handmade goods!

  98. Sara on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 12:38 am 

    Oh so true!

  99. Claire Brockbank on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 12:42 am 

    I don’t make clothes, I make hand made cards, they are hand cut and layered and time consuming. And I still understand completely, its very hard when people comment on my cards being too expensive and that they can buy cards for $2. Well they are cheap and made in china folks, as are cheap clothes.
    I really do find you get what you pay for. save up for one good skirt or top. It will last ten times as long as a cheap item. It will be well made, of better materials and hang well and be more flattering. congratulations on an informative and well written piece

  100. Kooky on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 3:29 am 

    I think you have a very valid point and agree you wrote it in a way that hopefully all can understand, but unfortunately I don’t think you can write on behalf of all handmade crafters when you say handmade items are of good quality. I have bought handmade online and been very disappointed with the quality I received, but the seller felt that the quality was there so who wins there? Many hand makers out in the cyber world are unfortunately not qualified at what they do but appear to have the mark up or higher pricing anyway or the opposite ( low prices cos they are crap)and give the qualified hand maker an unreasonable pricing view by consumers….I am happy to pay for handmade when I can trust that it is well made and genuine….Thanks for sharing your insight :)

  101. Tess (planettreasures) on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 4:20 am 

    What a great article.
    Oh, that all designers could be so realistic about the true cost of their items and not undersell themselves.

  102. Maggi on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 10:25 am 

    What a great article. You have articulated so well what I am sure that many people would like to be able to say. Your parting comment is wonderful.

  103. Brig on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 11:12 am 

    Great article…

    My only problem with it is that you actually miss out great chunks of cost!!! And I have huge admiration for your efficiency, your timings are amazing, I would struggle to do those tasks in that amount of time (but that’s my problem, hehe).

    Yes, I handmake things too… but I also sell handmade items from other designers, and spent a long time importing clothes into the UK from a Canadian designer. The problem there is that our governments and the shipping agencies take a massive cut, which used to hurt me even more when people said the prices were a rip off. It upset me that they thought that the designers were making a fortune, and that as ‘middle man’ I was somehow creaming off a great cut. If only they knew. The only person getting rich was Fedex and Customs.

    Small batch production or single item manufacture is always going to be a tough way to make a living, but those with the insight, creativity and determination will succeed.

    I seem to spend half my life on my ‘don’t buy sweatshop stuff’ soapbox, so it’s nice to see someone else online supporting the cause. I don’t buy the ‘I can’t afford it’ line – media has educated us that we need to buy 3 t-shirts at a time, and we need ‘this seasons’ colours, and we need big tvs in order that they can keep telling us we ‘need’ all these things. We might ‘want’ them, but we don’t ‘need’ them. I would rather buy only one new garment a year but purchase it from someone I know designs and makes it.

  104. tweal on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 11:24 am 

    Great article! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and breakdown of pricing – it’s pretty amazing how much ‘extra’ stuff needs to happen with handmade. If you’ve never experienced it, I guess it’s easy to be ignorant. Not excusable but understandable.

    When people say things like “Oh I could make that,” I usually answer “Yes but do you?” That normally shuts them up!

  105. Maria on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 11:38 am 

    Great article and about time someone spoke out for us handmade independant designers. I’m really fed up with it too… even friends… who look at me with mouths wide open when I tell them prices of my designs… guess it’s not their fault as they just don’t understand at all….everyone expects cheap ass Asian made prices these days.

  106. Mandy P on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 12:20 pm 

    I appreciate your post. I have seen it repeated by several friends on Facebook. Yes, your items are more expensive but typically handcrafted items like yours are much better quality so they last longer and therefore you buy less items. It is a sacrifice of quantity for quality. Something that we Americans don’t always keep in mind or even see the value of.
    Keep up your great work!

  107. Carol on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 12:33 pm 

    Love the article I shared it on my facebook…since most people do not understand our “handmade ways” I prefer handmade to anything you can buy in any store….and think that we could do so much more for this cottage industry if people would just pay attention to us! Thanks for the great article!

  108. sibel on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 1:50 pm 

    Totally agree. Always feel guilty when pricing stuff. Addition to all that (for me anyway) is going and queing at the post office as well, and much more..
    Thanks for bringing it up

  109. Jane on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 7:14 pm 

    What an excellent article! I know I’m told by some that my pieces are underpriced and others the exact opposite. I don’t know about others but one thing that I know takes too much unwelcome time for me is the admin involved in running a business too and I know I don’t factor it in. Sorting out my insurance, looking for events to trade at and going through their booking process, recording all my income and expenditure, making sure I file accurate returns on time. It irks me most, I think, because it takes me away from what I love doing which is the beadweaving and designing. I think if I had the chance to employ someone else to take care of all that, I’d be a very happy bunny!

  110. tisha on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 9:08 pm 

    Thank you! You broke it down and really highlighted how many of us operate.

  111. michelle on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 10:23 pm 

    Wow! Well Said!!!

  112. Dawnmarie on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 10:38 pm 

    Oh my gosh! You nailed it! Love this article and will be sharing it on my facebook page. Thank you so much.

  113. Kristina S on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 11:09 pm 

    Loved this. Well said. Shared it on my Facebook!

  114. Kerry Ortiz on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 11:12 pm 

    OMG! I LOVE this post!! I am also a designer/seamstress and used to underprice my items as I was afraid no one would but them at the price that was deserved. But then I started to realize just how much time and effort I was spending, for sweatshop wages!!
    I totally agree with the Quality issues as well! I recently bought my daughter some South Pole pants, $40 reg. price, they were on sale of course! Anyway I laundered them, and was checking the tag for instructions and it read: “washing may dislodge the studs” these are little square studs on the legs, the pants are a cotton/spandex!!
    I wouldn’t have bought them had I seen this!!
    Being “small business” I would NEVER design anything that would not last through a washing!! It would ruin my reputation!!

  115. Jen on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 11:16 pm 

    Ah, fabulous article! I *know* I under-sell my work, because I usually feel guilty charging what I think it’s worth. I make decorated cakes, and the prices I charge probably cover ingredients and a few hours of my time – I say “probably,” because the price is more based on what I think people are willing to pay, and not on any real calculation. “$60 for a child’s birthday cake?! That’s crazy!” At least, that’s what’s happening in my head, because it sounds crazy to me to pay that for a birthday cake when I can make one myself. But see… I make those $60 cakes, which is why it’s no problem for me to make one… but someone without awesome-cake-baking-prowess would be willing to pay it, and maybe more, if I weren’t afraid to ask for it. And who wouldn’t pay $60 or more for a custom-designed, totally-from-scratch, morsel from heaven that is the envy of every upwardly-mobile yuppie-toddler parent?? :) Thank you for giving me courage!

  116. Cheryl Allison on Mon, 22nd Aug 2011 11:18 pm 

    Thank you so much for taking the time to write this article. Sometimes I am floored by the comments people make about handmade pricing. My philosophy: You want cheap? Go to Wal-Mart.

    When I started selling fabrics on Etsy, I was surprised at how high wholesale prices are for designer fabrics. But just last week I laundered some fabrics for my own quilting project, and mixed designer prints with a few yards I had bought from Wal-Mart. All the designer prints came out of the wash looking and feeling beautiful, but the other fabrics fell to pieces and had to be thrown out. Ugh. What a waste of money!

  117. kris on Tue, 23rd Aug 2011 2:16 am 

    Love this post! Surely we should all want to pay handmade prices, because if we don’t how can we possible say we deserve our current wage (standard of living)? If you don’t want the standard of living that the average sweat shop worker has, don’t pay sweat shop prices for goods. It is greedy consumerism that has brought us to this point. Support local (that’s where you work!) and support a wage you want to earn!

  118. Jules on Tue, 23rd Aug 2011 4:59 am 

    Love this post – what really winds me up is when people just assume that because it’s handmade it must have been cheap to make….why???? Fabric isn’t that cheap in the UK I’ve had requests for bags and when I tell them there will be a total of 2.5 m of fabric, 1 m of stiffening/interfacing, metal hardware i.e. zips, buckles fasteners and materials alone come to approx £40 plus the 3 hours to make the bag, never mind the overheads and wear and tear or maintenance on my machine and they balk at the price of £60………forgetting they are getting something unique!!!!!
    Well done you for taking the time to explain it all and highlighting what we all know about making handmade items, but the customer is usually unaware of :)

  119. Karen on Tue, 23rd Aug 2011 5:44 am 

    Overall I agree with what you are saying the skills & experinece of a true artisan are very undervalued these days but it is something that is changing… slowly.
    I also think Susan made a great point. One thing that keeps ringing in my head is a lecturers comments from over 10yrs ago, ‘when someone is paying you for your time, experience & skill you have a responsibilty to be respectful of that & manage your time effectively’.
    In my own business I am always thinking of that, I have a huge library of blocks drafted to elimate wasted time redrafting necklines etc, this has taken some years to build but it hasn’t cost me any extra time.
    There are some expenses you mention that are legimate business expenses that a formally run business can claim on tax so in the long run don’t actually cost anything out of pocket so I don’t pass those onto the customer. They are accounted for when I do my taxes.
    I try to buy handmade where I can but it continually frustrates me to see substandard work being done but the creator expecting top dollar for it. I can certianly understand that if people are continually seeing these how they would question the ‘expensiveness’ of handmade.

    @Jen, I made a rainbow cake for my son’s 3rd birthday, a proper one with 7 colours not the 6 people are getting away with lately, it took me ages, did look amazing but its not something I want to revisit any time soon so $60 would look very, very cheap :)

  120. Natasha Burns on Tue, 23rd Aug 2011 7:52 am 

    Look at the response you’ve gotten! I’m giving you a standing ovation here. BRAVO! And beautiful work too, by the way :) THANK YOU FOR THIS POST! I’m going to share it now

  121. MasterWeaver on Tue, 23rd Aug 2011 8:54 am 

    Everything you said here is why I am now a cost accountant, and don’t weave for a living anymore. I had to add another 30 to 100 hours for the loom set-up and weaving time.

    That said, when I started making jewelry I could get my price including overhead. $300 shirt = sticker shock. $300 necklace = reasonable.

  122. Miriam on Tue, 23rd Aug 2011 9:32 am 

    I agree with your points that there is a huge time factor in making custom items and time is valuable. Not only that, but unique designs and the care and attention to detail that goes into them have value as well.

    Having said that, in my opinion, $20/hr is a pretty hefty rate. As a mother of three who is working from home, I cannot afford to spend $70 on a T -shirt or $80 on a hoodie, as much as I may love the unique design or the handmade quality. It is simply not reasonable for my budget. Some of the comments you receive may come from a place of disappointment – someone might love an item that you’ve made but are unhappy to be unable to afford it. While I don’t think you should be giving your stuff away or not taking your time into consideration, you also need to keep in mind to whom you’d like to sell your items. Most of the general population aren’t going to be able to afford them unless they save up for a special occasion or something.

    Also, your last paragraph ruined the tone of your post for me.

  123. Dawn Stewart-Lookkin on Tue, 23rd Aug 2011 12:15 pm 

    Omg, thank you THANK YOU for writing and posting this! And in fact, the world needs to know about this so I’m posting it to my 3 etsy teams and on my blog. Totally feel you girl!

    xox dawn xox

  124. Lex on Tue, 23rd Aug 2011 2:51 pm 

    A full time job (40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year) at $20 an hour is equivalent to a yearly salary of $41,600, before taxes. Where I live, that’s a very modest middle class income. In some parts of the country, it’s a very low middle class income. Add in the fact that I don’t get benefits, vacations, sick pay, retirement, etc. and a $20/hr wage for a self employed person is much closer to lower middle class.

    I fully understand that many comments come from a place of disappointment, but I would echo the sentiment that several other posters have expressed: my items are unique and one of a kind. They are precisely the kind of items you save up for or buy for special occasions. I’ve had people comment about the pricing of my formal dresses and that really baffles me, because they would spend the same amount on a dress made in China without blinking an eye!

  125. Lex on Tue, 23rd Aug 2011 3:02 pm 

    I think a lot of small businesses make the mistake of thinking that business expense tax write-offs are the the equivalent to “not costing anything”. It’s simply not true.

    Example: I buy $3000 worth of fabric. That is $3000 I no longer have.
    For simplicity’s sake, let’s say my annual sales are $10.000. If I pay taxes on the full $10,000 at a tax rate of 25% (again, just for simplicity’s sake), I would owe $2500 in taxes.

    When I write off the $3000 in fabric expenses, my taxable income goes down to $7000 instead of $10,000. So I now owe $1750 instead. The point I’m making is that I don’t get $3000 in freebies come tax time. I get 25% of that. In this case $750, and that’s quite a difference. You spend $3000 but you only save $750.

  126. Victory Garden Yarn on Tue, 23rd Aug 2011 3:46 pm 

    Oh.My.God. I’m so glad to have found your article! I was just having a conversation with a friend last week about working my behind off for upcoming Winter craft shows and the subject of snarky shoppers came up and she was HORRIFIED at some of the things I’ve heard people say! One thing those snarky shoppers need to remember is that even though they think their quiet whisper to their friend will go unheard…um, we can still hear you most of the time! And it hurts. It really does.

    There are so many things I could rant about on this topic, but instead I shall re-post this as much as I possibly can, such a good reminder for snarky shoppers out there!!!

  127. Elaine Gordon on Wed, 24th Aug 2011 12:06 am 

    OMG….that dress is awesome..and I would so buy it if it was my size..Im slightly larger….and its way underpriced for a handmade garment…but I hear you on the whole thing…..I have noticed that its other people in the handmade community that but without question of price….People who say its too expensive or they could make it for cheaper I say well go and bloody do it then!!!!

  128. kathleen crowley on Wed, 24th Aug 2011 4:24 pm 

    DO NOT listen to anyone who tells you that a mere $20 an hour for your skills and talent are too high or hefty. If someone cannot afford you, then they are not your target customer. I cant afford Prada, but I do not complain to them because my income is nowhere near their target market.

    You have to factor in your skill level, your region, your education, your materials, your electricity – EVERYTHING that goes into giving you a decent living. Pattern makers make – or should make at least $45 an hour if they are trained. A good dressmaker/designer/costumer should not make less than $25 an hour. More if your market and expertise can handle it. The public has to learn to respect what you do.

    This is an excellent article and Im so happy to have found someone break it down so nicely! Thank you!!

  129. Marci on Wed, 24th Aug 2011 6:27 pm 

    Thank you. From the bottom of my thread covered heart.

    And to those saying that $20/hr is unreasonable. I understand that it may be out of your affordable price range. I sympathize. I really do. Right now it’s out of my purchasing price range as well.

    You are not only paying for my time *at this moment*, you are paying for the lifetime of sewing experience and design degree. You are paying for my expertise. Like other self employed professionals, I have bills and student loans to pay. You wouldn’t suggest that an accountant should take $10/hr, why on earth would you suggest that I should? I have invested many years and lots of money to be able to do my job, and do it well.

  130. Lauren on Wed, 24th Aug 2011 6:28 pm 

    Thank you so much for writing this. I am a stay at home mom with 2 kids UNDER 2 years old and i’ve attempted to start my own business making baby and childrens products. I get so upset when someone tells me that something i’ve made is too expensive. I had a girl tell me that I should be charging $15 for my tooth fairy pillow intead of $30! I took me an HOUR to embroider just that pattern itself! Add another hour for the sewing, stuffing, checking and just picking out the fabrics. This doesn’t even include what I spent on product. I’m sorry, i’m venting a little bit but I think what i’m getting at is – you are NOT overcharging. Your items are one of a kind and not one person will be able to find something similar in a store…let alone walmart. All in all, we need to keep in mind that most people honestly don’t know the extensive work that goes into making these things. Thanks again!

  131. Sandra Gerdes on Wed, 24th Aug 2011 8:56 pm 

    Thank you so much for this I would like to link back to it.
    I feel you forgot one thing though…. you didn’t mention, driving to the Post Office to actually post the item, this takes a lot of time out of our day especially when you live a long way from the P.O. not to mention fuel cost and wear and tear on the car….

  132. Jennifer Graham on Wed, 24th Aug 2011 11:49 pm 

    Amen sister. If you can I would recommend batch sewing a few at a time. It will save you alot of time. If you could make 5 of the same or similar shirts and batch sew them you can get your cutting and sewing time way down. Also PLEASE invest in an electric rotary cutter ($200-$350). Cutting by hand is torture and you don’t need to. It will save you HOURS of work. That shirt would take me 5 minutes to cut with a electric rotary cutter (I copy my patterns to hard manilla and use paper weights and chalk to trace them with iron away chalk, very fast!!).

    When I started batching my hoodies together instead of making them one at a time I go my sewing time down to 30 minutes a hoodie!! (making 20 at a time, sewing each seam of the whole batch all at once, ie sew all the sideseams, then the sleeves, etc, I use standard sizing not custom though). Also you can hire a pattern gradder to grade your hot selling patterns for $2-5 a piece.

    Love your stuff!!!! Love the pics. Your beautiful!

    xoxo

    Jenny
    Designer

    http://www.Salts.etsy.com

  133. Francesca on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 5:32 am 

    This is so true. I always wish I could afford handmade stuff (sadly only once in a blue moon) but people just don’t realise the effort that goes into something. Someone asked me to make them a dress recently, for free. Do you realise how long it takes to make a dress? She thought it was just an hour or something, it would’ve probably taken me a good few afternoons.

  134. chris on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 5:57 am 

    At the end of the day you only get what you pay for, if you want cheap then shop at the market, hand made goods are always far more superior to shop bought,and last a lot longer too in my experience. You have missed some things out in your calculations, such as travelling to post them, electricity ect, and most of all the LOVE that goes into each piece, I do hand knits, and have been told my aran wear is a bit pricey a couple of times (” i can buy the wool for £10″) yeah but when you count the hours that go into it, think again. Your designs are beautiful, keep up the good work and ignore the idiots. x

  135. Ru on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 7:52 am 

    I totally agree with this article, and it’s really well written. One thing you missed though is the time spent queuing at the Post Office! I can be there for 15mins to post a £3.50 ebay item, plus I have to rush home from work to get there before it closes.

    I’m studying ceramic design at university at the moment and having a hard time getting to grips with pricing. People don’t want to pay good money for handmade functional pieces, because they can go to Ikea and get 6 mugs for £3 that all stack and are dishwasher safe etc. There are art students at my university swanning around in £200 shoes, who refuse to pay £10 for a single bowl because they might break it. If you’re careful with a bowl, it will last you a lifetime, but if you wear the same pair of shoes every day, they’ll fall apart one day.

    I think a good way of justifying a price is to explain how much it would cost the person to wear each day. Say you’re selling a great winter coat for $100. Now lets say that winter lasts 3 months- Nov, Dec, Jan. That’s 92 days. The customer is paying just over a dollar a day to wear that coat. That’s not much at all!

  136. paula on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 9:30 am 

    and dont forget the % that etsy and paypal or wherever/whoever else gets! good post, thank you

  137. Edith on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 10:26 am 

    Most businesses are not as profitable as you seem to think they are. Seeing “crafters” complain about customers like this makes not want to buy homemade crafts. Items should be priced on quality, not general ideas. “It’s handmade, so it’s expensive” doesn’t tell me anything. “I charge $45 for a shirt because they last forever and I’ve never had a customer tell me it falls apart.” That makes me want to buy your item. I am a personal shopper, my expertise is in buying things and being a customer. I will gladly spend $100 on a shirt for myself or one of my clients if I know it’s something that is high quality, regardless of who made it.
    “I’ve had people comment about the pricing of my formal dresses and that really baffles me, because they would spend the same amount on a dress made in China without blinking an eye!” So you’re allowed to make judgements about what your potential CUSTOMERS would do, but no-one’s allowed to assume what your job is like? Please. I’m so glad you’re so much better than everyone else.

  138. Johanna on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 10:55 am 

    While I’m not in the same business, there are similar elements. I’m a hairdresser. One day as I hemmed and hawed about being terrified to raise my prices my wise old boss said, “They aren’t paying you for how long it took you to do it, they are paying you for how long it took you to learn to do it well.”
    You’re worth it.

  139. sheri turner on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 12:18 pm 

    Thanks so much for speaking up for so many artists,who spend many hours doing research and all of the little things that can be so time consuming,that the consumer does not think about! Your work is great,and I hope you do well.My husband and I are both artists,and I have always been the marketing person.He wants to sit draw,which he is a genius at,but that doesn’t sell the product,which takes as much time as making it.Hang in there sister! Even if one person will rethink this,you have accomplished much! Keep creating!

  140. Lex on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 3:36 pm 

    I’ve never heard anyone state that they think my stuff is overpriced because it’s not quality. I should clarify that none of my customers have ever questioned my pricing nor have they complained about quality, as evidenced by the fact that most of them come back to me again and again.

    I also don’t understand how my comment about formal dresses is a judgment. It’s the truth in my experience. Most girls that go to prom/homecoming/etc. get their dress at a department store. I did when I was in high school, and so did all of my friends. We paid $150+ for dresses that were made overseas, and I don’t remember anyone complaining about the price, because it was accepted that this was a normal price for a formal dress. I was merely pointing out that I’ve received criticism about my prices, while similar items that sell for similar prices but are made in sweatshops seem to get less/no criticism.

  141. Kyrena on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 4:46 pm 

    Your article makes me laugh. I believe handmade is better quality. Nuff said!

  142. Carrie (Punky*Fae) on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 5:48 pm 

    BRAVO!!!! Thank you for putting into words what every designer thinks on a daily basis!!

  143. Melissa on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 8:25 pm 

    Great post!! Kristen posted your link at http://www.facebook.com/kreativestudios and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

    Great job :)

  144. swimmiesofdoom on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 8:57 pm 

    oh a wonderful article! we will link it to our tumblr!

  145. Sandra Goodman on Thu, 25th Aug 2011 9:58 pm 

    Thank you! I am sending this to my sister, who is a potter.

  146. Valerie on Fri, 26th Aug 2011 9:36 am 

    While I personally cannot afford your items they are beautiful and I know how a homemade item can last. I personally never had a store bought dress until I went to college and trust me I have never had to repair any of the clothes my mother so lovingly sewed for me.

    I cross stitch and I love to give gifts of my work but I only give it to friends and family that understand the work and love I put into each stitch. Right now I am working on a piece that a friend picked up and realized it was too much work for her, she will probably give me a little money for doing it but it will not be equal to the number of hours I have spent on it. Since she is a friend that will not hurt my feelings BUT if I didn’t know her and was spending the kind of time this pattern requires I would be charging $20-$30 an hour for my work.

    I work at a job that requires me to type up drafts for customers and my boss charges $30 dollars an hour for my time. Most of the time it doesn’t take that long since I can type pretty quickly but that is what it costs.

    For those that think you are overcharging just ignore them they aren’t worth the hassle.

  147. Shantell Androschuk on Fri, 26th Aug 2011 2:56 pm 

    You forgot a big point in quality; the well-made items last forever. See the clothes in museums that were worn by three generations? How many Walmart clothes could do that? I buy handmade for my oldest girl, it goes through all three, then is gifted to a lucky friend. What is that worth then?

  148. Angelina on Fri, 26th Aug 2011 4:18 pm 

    I am not a crafter. I am a photographer. But, I applaud you taking the time to break this down for your customers. Truly, we face similar dilemmas with pricing. (Some)customers wonder where we “get off” charging what we do. The fact is, I make LESS than minimum wage, with no health insurance or paid benefits. People have NO idea what it takes to run a business and offer a custom service…

  149. Jacy on Sat, 27th Aug 2011 1:46 pm 

    Awesome job!!! love this :)

  150. Donna on Sat, 27th Aug 2011 2:03 pm 

    I love it!! Your items are gorgeous! Thank you so much for taking time to write this important article full of information!

  151. KT on Sat, 27th Aug 2011 4:43 pm 

    Thank you for writing this article!

    A lot of people also forget that there are listing fees for Etsy and Artfire. There are paypal and Etsy fees we have to pay everytime an item sells. There is all the time we spend ordering or shopping for our supplies and materials. There is all the time we spend filing out applications and the payments we have to send to attend festivals. There are costs like our tents, tables, display units, etc. There is all the gas, time and energy in loading all of our festival gear and inventory into our cars, navigating to a show, setting up, spending the day and then tearing down again. If you think about it, when we price our items for our time to make them, then we go and spend 8 hours at a show, we are basically working that day of the show for free. I generally have to make 3-5 sales just to pay for the table space. That means I practically gave away those sales. I try to offset some of these costs by sewing in between customers.

  152. eydie on Sat, 27th Aug 2011 5:10 pm 

    i used to walk through our local fair and wonder why the handmade quilts and blankets were so expensive. then i met a lady who quilts. now i know why. the work that goes into them is amazing! she is truly an artist. instead of using paint, she uses material. she gifted me with a handmade quilt that i will treasure forever. unfortunately, unless someone gives me a handmade item as a gift, i can’t afford it, but she has given me several handmade items. the best part, is she makes quilts for st. jude children’s research hospital and gives them away. but she could sell them for a lot of money.

    i think the crappy economy is mostly to blame. most people can only afford the bargains. i myself am a thrift store junky. you can really find some incredible stuff there. but i do understand what you are saying and i definitely agree.

  153. Bonnie Sandy on Sun, 28th Aug 2011 12:36 am 

    interesting article! Yes handmade is more expensive! Yet the you are slightly off on your pricing guide! Two notes because you are handmade is no excuse not to streamline your operations to cut cost! In Business profit is an equation… cut cost increase income even for creative handmade! Secondly overhead professional expenses etc omitted! So while you are selling … you may NOT be making a profit1 especially granted that your break even point depends on sales completed! So unless you’re is selling your entire inventory and you’re at maximum production… Lastly in order to earn $40,000 a year as a profit you will need to sell $120-160,000 in sales! deduct overheads, materials, taxes salaries… If by chance you needed to pay someone to put together that item… what would you earn for yourself! Also from your figures it may be cheaper to hire clerical staff at $20 an hour you’re charging your business a pretty steep price! yes you run a BUSINESS and from your numbers your business does not have a profit strategy!

    BTW most “sweatshop” workers create by hand and some are extremely skilled! Do not make the mistake that many do… they are simply underpaid and exploited … because of circumstance! To be Honest as a Master dressmaker… Not all handmade is worth $20 and hour, some more some less, and not at sewing or production processes should be priced at the same level! I run A program that is geared towards artist designers and creative! Specializing in taking creative goods to the marketplace, we do a pricing , costing and operation workshops and consulting! http://www.282ac.com/contact/ (form) or 1-646 736 2984

  154. Littlebugjewelry- Jane on Sun, 28th Aug 2011 6:36 am 

    Thank you! After an absolutely dismal art show yesterday, I needed to read this!

  155. Angler Fish Studio on Sun, 28th Aug 2011 9:18 pm 

    Very nice! I loved reposting this on Facebook!

  156. Beth on Mon, 29th Aug 2011 5:42 am 

    People don’t realize how much homemade is actually. I made quilts. They typically cost me around $80 or more to make. I’m on disability so I worry about making a profit. Anyway I give them for free. Generally the response I get is confusion :( . I’ve made over 20. (Every once in a while some one is touched like a person bought a quilt rack for it which made me happy.) If you want to make a living off something homemade it’s going to cost a bit. Anyway it’s quality. I just came upon this website. Nice stuff.

  157. Nicole on Mon, 29th Aug 2011 9:17 pm 

    Thank-you for a great read.
    Thanks for your honesty!
    “It’s true, you cover your expenses but with handmade you rarely cover ALL the time you put into a handmade item. That’s why you have to love what you do to make it worthwhile”.
    I have mentioned your acticle on my fb page.
    http://www.facebook.com/MerryGoRoundHandMade2

  158. Ange on Tue, 30th Aug 2011 6:14 am 

    Thank you for your post.. I sooo needed it! The last couple of markets I’ve either been next to a hobby-crafter (selling for next to nothing) or I’ve had the ‘too expensive’ whispered-under-their-breath comments… though I make beautiful things that people buy, those remarks can get you down at times.
    Thanks again!

  159. Corine on Tue, 30th Aug 2011 9:37 pm 

    I think the problem nowadays; especially in the U.S. is that we are just used to cheap products made in China. It’ not that what you are making isn’t ‘worth’ $75 an item or more (as the case may be) it’s just that Americans are not used to paying that much for a shirt. I don’t think too many people are intentionally trying to be rude, so hopefully your article will help people to understand a little better. Good luck!

  160. Angie on Tue, 30th Aug 2011 10:03 pm 

    I’m not saying anything new here, but I had to say something. I could stand up and cheer, and I’m going to share this with all my crafter friends.
    By the way, the coats are gorgeous and if I had it to spend I’d gladly pay twice what you ask. I will presently start saving my pennies. Onya.

  161. Grace Alexander on Tue, 30th Aug 2011 11:43 pm 

    This article is excellent, and translates to so many industries. I’m a freelance copywriter, and my industry has been all but ruined by the fact that people think they can go to Fiver.com or ODesk or Elance and buy offshore written content for less than a penny a word. I am usually priced far ahead of my competition – but I can actually write, ya know, with, like, sentence structure and grammar and um, totes awesome spelling and punctuation and stuff like that, ya know? :)

    Anyway. I shared your link on my FB wall, and wanted to comment to say how inspiring, well thought out and perfectly articulated your article was – and how it can mean something even to those outside your specific niche.

  162. Julie Q on Tue, 30th Aug 2011 11:57 pm 

    Great article! Great comments. I have been hearing similar things for years. People saying, “I would pay $10 for that” almost like it’s a compliment, when the materials cost more than $10! The part that is most annoying to me is these same people think nothing of paying $6 for a latte every day or $5 for a pint of ice cream. Not only do we put our creativity and our sweat into a project, I daresay we put love into it, too! That’s the part that money can’t buy.

  163. LD Johnson on Wed, 31st Aug 2011 12:01 am 

    I applaud you speaking out about this. I have had people ask me to make them a quilt who do not have any true appreciation of what it takes to create something “homemade”. The last person to request I make them a quilt, I asked them to purchase the pattern and material for the project. The subject of me making a quilt has not come up again and we talk at least once of week.

  164. Anntoinette on Wed, 31st Aug 2011 7:42 am 

    Lex,

    Thankyou so very much for taking the time and effort to actually break this down for people and give a full garment example, rather than just a costing list that might be haded out in schools and learning facilities.

    With regards to the comments that have been made about cost and time stream lining I would just like to point out to all the people that either may not know, or may not understand, that the examples here which have been offered by lex are in point of fact already quite good, most likely due to experiance, and that the only real way to reduce it further would be to reduce the quality of the garments being constructed, (as speciallised machinery which might help with this is -very- expensive to purchace in good working condition and to maintain in that state).

    To give a comparison I have been producing garments for little over 3 years now, and while my times have gotten better with experiance and knowledge, it would still take myself, and at least 3 other people I know, of various skill levels, at least 2-3 times what Lex has quoted here to create the garment, in some areas it may be less, due to various strengths or past experiance, but in many it is more, and I would like to applaud Lex for being able to work so efficiently at something that she obviously loves.

    I would also like to ask why it is that people have the notion that working for ones self is in any way easier or less of an option than going out and working for a supermarket chain or a department store, or a corporate office? Is it because people are so set in the mass consumer mentality that they fail to see the use and value in hand crafted quality goods? Or is it just plain old jealousy, that they wish they had the guts to make something that they enjoy into something that can provide them with a living?

    Just a thought..

  165. Linda Rouillard on Wed, 31st Aug 2011 11:14 am 

    I shared your article on Facebook. It is excellent. I used to craft for gift giving but I got tired of the lack of appreciation. Thank you for your writing efforts. Great piece!

  166. Molly on Wed, 31st Aug 2011 11:49 am 

    Thank you for wording this so succinctly! As a small business woman, I have seen the same social issues you have and agree completely with you.

  167. Irene on Wed, 31st Aug 2011 3:39 pm 

    Lex, I admire your comments and your reasoning. And it makes me smile to see that a lot of comments from customer side still are just thinly veiled “that’s too expensive” (they never add “expensive for me”) statement.
    They never wore your shoes, but they assume they know what shoes YOU should buy and how you should wear them.
    Once I go an order to design a line of dog sweaters and matching sweaters for their owners ( womens sweaters). I am a knitter.
    I resourced the appropriate yarns, swatched them, created color boards, designed and graded a line of a dozen separate styles, made prototypes for all the styles. When the bill came my buyer responded that it was too high. I send her a spreadsheet with timing and prices. Her response was “I never thought it takes that much time and work!”

    Frankly, I think at the root of it all is plain and simple ignorance.

  168. Rhunya on Wed, 31st Aug 2011 5:34 pm 

    This is a wonderful article. I know there are already 5 billion comments saying that, but it’s true! I actually ran into this myself the other day making a cloak for a customer. I bought the fabric and gave them a quote at a substantially reduced price, since it was for a friend of a friend (slap me, I’m never doing it again!!), and they immediately backed out, though the next best thing they were looking at buying was about $150 more. I managed to get another interested buyer who didn’t scream and run from the price ($90), and I believe I’m making about $5/hr on it. Nowhere near where I’d like to be, but at least I’m not in the hole… lul.
    People just don’t realize how much fabric can go into a cloak, and how much nice fabric costs, sadly. :(

  169. Nancy Black on Wed, 31st Aug 2011 7:27 pm 

    Handmade is one of a kind; it’s unique; that is why it is more expensive than pieces that are mass produced. If an individual doesn’t want an item that stands out from the rest; he or she should buy items that are mass produced. If an individual wants to stand out, then he or she should consider handmade items.

  170. Former Dressmaker on Wed, 31st Aug 2011 9:38 pm 

    Great article! :)

    If you ‘streamlined’ your time (batch sewing, set sizes, etc. – like.. Walmart?) to reduce your costs, you would be making mass production items, so what would be the point? ;)

    And if you want to beef up your post a little, throw in next to each time estimate what the usual wage range for each of those jobs is, including hiring the model and photographer, answering emails, everything. If, for example, you wanted to grow your business, you would have to eventually hire someone to do some of the work. If you paid others to do the work, would you not then be *losing* money at your current prices? If you sold through retailers who took their cut, the price would then be double or more to allow for their share.

    Do these people who complain about your prices being too high because they are not ‘affordable’ go into high end retailers and complain about their prices? Who says people who earn less than $20 an hour or are single parents (and I am one) SHOULD be able to afford your garments? Do they feel entitled to diamonds and expensive sports cars? No.. and just like there is cheap jewelery and moderately priced cars, there is cheap clothing out there that has them in mind as a customer.

    And as far as loving your job, what a ridiculous idea that you shouldn’t be compensated fairly if you love your work. Quick go tell all the doctors and lawyers and accountants and programmers who love their job that they don’t deserve more than minimum wage!

    Keep up the good work :) People need to be informed.

  171. Kristin B on Thu, 1st Sep 2011 12:34 pm 

    Thank you for posting this, I run into this all the time being a handmade soap maker. Yes, our bars of soap are around $5.00, and true you can get a two pack of ivory for that- but all it takes is a quick comparison of the label to understand why.
    Even buying in bulk (10,20,or 50 pounds at a time) Butters and oils we use in our products are expensive and the price is always fluctuating, because its directly affected by supply. Golden Jojoba oil, for example, has TRIPLED in price in the past few years, but its in many of my products because of its wonderful qualities. And there comes the dilema for all handmade artisans. Sacrifice quality to keep low prices? Raise the price and hope you dont lose customers? Or absorb the cost and make even less money.

    The profits on a bar of soap are tiny to begin with, sometimes as little as $1.00 per bar… so the frustration is large when you’re told you’re product is too much, but people continue to happily pay $70 for a tube of foundation from lancome.

    The best we can do is know our product, know ourselves, and ignore the negative!

  172. awsumgal on Thu, 1st Sep 2011 2:32 pm 

    Great article Lex! Thanks for educating the wider world a little in this regard. Talent, originality, quality and scarcity all have value along with all of the other things you have pointed out. I make handmade too, and explain some of my processes on my blog so that potential buyers can see a little of what goes into a piece. Takes a lot of extra time, but I think it’s worth it. I still get people expecting me to price things like I’m a factory, but it’s never gonna happen, lol. Keep up the great work!

  173. gina c in al on Thu, 1st Sep 2011 3:15 pm 

    Love this article. You should factor in the time and cost it took to find and procure your materials, gas to get to the store, postage if bought on line etc. Sorry if it was mentioned above in the comments.

    I do needlepoint but only as gifts for friends and family, no one would buy it if i priced it realistically. its just too expensive! I must do it for love then.

  174. Nic Ransley on Sat, 3rd Sep 2011 11:12 pm 

    I found the link to your blog in an Artfire forum and I am so glad I came to check it out. I have tweeted and shared this post on Facebook because I think anyone who makes and sells handmade would benefit from reading this. This is even more true for those brave souls who sell at markets where people blatantly make these sorts of comments all the time. I have politely suggested to some shoppers that there is no way I could or would try to compete with the $1 cards from the discount stores, that our product is an original design, printed by us before being cut and folded by hand and that every card has taken hours from original concept to final product. I find this explanation often makes little difference to these folks. Luckily for every two or three of them there is someone who loves our work, appreciates the design, artwork and originality and gladly purchases one for a special friend or family member. This makes it worth it but my goodness, my skin has to get way thicker before I can learn to shake off the rude and ignorant comments completely. Well done and thank you for a very well written and enjoyable post.

  175. Tanith on Sun, 4th Sep 2011 10:13 pm 

    I couldn’t agree more. I make cakes. I don’t charge nearly enough for them. If you bought what I make at a bakery, you would pay 5 times more than I charge. It takes me 2 days to make a cake that I am only selling for $80. That means for a days work I am making a mere $40. It sucks that people just don’t get it.

  176. Teri Mix on Mon, 5th Sep 2011 8:11 pm 

    Excellent topic! As someone who is apprehensively considering (emphasis on “apprehensively!”) to sell her handmade dresses at some point, I truly appreciate your article. I’d like to share it on facebook and see how people feel about it, if that is alright with you.
    Thanks again!
    Teri

  177. Paul Chappel on Tue, 6th Sep 2011 4:23 pm 

    Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! I’m a composer and hymn-writer, so when I quote $300-500 for a finished small work (for which I should charge three times the amount, I actually feel guilty. Then I do something odd like say, “Oh, let’s take fifty bucks off” when I can ill afford that. Thank you for the courage you’ve given me and obviously many others to stick to our guns and take the time to explain what goes into work done privately. No one knows what work it takes until it’s laid out for them, so once more, THANK YOU for doing that. Best of luck to you!

  178. Nicthalon on Wed, 7th Sep 2011 11:30 pm 

    I am definitely a person who sees an $80 price tag and says, “Too much!” Sadly, I simply can’t afford to.

    However, I definitely agree that local, artisan, handmade items SHOULD cost more than their mass-produced counterparts, and if people aren’t willing to pay for that, then they get what they pay for, which is all too often poorly fitting and low quality.

  179. Maggie on Wed, 7th Sep 2011 11:42 pm 

    I was so glad to read your article. I am a hand knitter who has had enough of these kind of comments. it can take me over five hours to knit a baby or toddler hat – more for some – and there is no way I can charge properly for this time and still have a saleable item. And as you pointed out, I also have the design process, the buying wool, the sewing up, the labelling, promotion, posting etc etc etc…you already listed it all very well. I am aware that i undercharge and am not complaining about that as I can see there is no way i can expect to charge for every hour I put into these hats, but for goodness sake, if people would stop telling me my hats are too expensive at $12 – $25 each!
    Thanks for writing what so many of us are thinking xx

  180. Nøhr on Thu, 8th Sep 2011 4:36 am 

    Jolly good idea to break down the process that we may understand how much work goes into things.
    Thumbs up :)

  181. Al McLeary on Thu, 8th Sep 2011 8:31 am 

    My favorite comment is – I can get that same, exact thing at WalMart

  182. Amanda on Thu, 8th Sep 2011 12:39 pm 

    I loved this article! I’ve read the other article you have about pricing garments but this also helps and definately going to save this whenever myself or someone else complains about handmade items being high in price. Your right though about everything! But a plus to handmade garments is usually there isnt a whole lot of the same thing so therefore you have unique pieces that either you or only a few people have in the entire world! Your an awesome fashion designer, fashionista, seamstress whatever you want to call yourself, your a freakin bad-ass!!

  183. DB on Thu, 8th Sep 2011 1:37 pm 

    Indeed. I’m a freelance graphic designer; I hang out with artists who accept commissions. This is a huge problem, aided and abetted by too many artists grossly undercharging for their work.

    Most of my work is business-to-business, but occasionally I deal with a member of the public—a self-publishing author, usually—or someone who doesn’t have a background in design or publishing. They’re always shocked by my hourly rate. For the authors, my usual response is a more polite version of “this book may be a hobby for you, but I’m paying my rent.”

  184. dl on Thu, 8th Sep 2011 5:33 pm 

    Awesome. Great post. I had written a similar one here http://www.thatcuriouscat.com/dont-sell-yourself-short/ but yours is more detailed. Good work :) Love your stuff. Very quirky and original.

    dl
    http://www.thatcuriouscat.com

  185. Sandy on Thu, 8th Sep 2011 9:08 pm 

    Something is worth what someone is willing to pay for it, and that something’s worth will be different for each person. By showing the process of something beautifully handmade you have made some people more aware of the love that goes into it.
    Its sad but a fact that there will always be cheaper versions and too many sellers out there making substandard items, handmade and commercial. I know that if I buy something I expect it to be well made, especially if I save to buy a piece of clothing etc as an investment. I have been disappointed in the past with handmade items not being made well for the amount I have paid for them, in comparison to a commercially made one. I would love to buy handmade more and am happy to pay more, but quality has been an issue for me in the past.

  186. mel @ loved on Thu, 8th Sep 2011 10:44 pm 

    thanks for sharing this, it’s my greatest dilema. I don’t think we ever truly get back what we put in with our handmade pieces..

  187. Robin Gage on Thu, 8th Sep 2011 11:27 pm 

    Sing it sister! Brilliant article. I am so glad Kelly from i love pretty things shared this or I never would have found you. Your clothes are so yummy!

  188. Joan Flynn on Fri, 9th Sep 2011 1:00 am 

    Thanks for a great article. Your work is fabulous and should be valued the same as any other art work.

    The comment that makes my blood boil and my fingers curl up into fists is “$45.00 for that? But its ONLY home made.” It never seems to occur to these people that we have (a)spent many years perfecting what we do (b) even though we work from home we still have overheads and (c) our nett earnings are probably on a level with sweat shop labour for a much superior product.

    Keep up the good work and follow your dreams.

  189. Tina B on Fri, 9th Sep 2011 6:30 am 

    People who DESIGN their own items deserve to charge a bit more beyond the cost of materials and labour. Your creations rock, they are pieces of wearable art. I think you have accurately chosen a target market and price range that suits your designs. Well done!

  190. Patty Hicks on Fri, 9th Sep 2011 10:11 am 

    Thank you for writing this post! I just saw the link posted on Facebook by a fellow craft person and I have to say I’m glad I clicked on it!

    I am just getting into this whole “creating for a living” thing out of necessity and it was so encouraging hear your voice on this subject. I’ve read other posts that tried to speak to this issue but this was one of the better ones on pricing I’ve seen to date. It gives a lot of credence to the value/”true cost” of hand crafted items and I was chuckling at your hypocrisy by the way as I think we all suffer from it to some extent. I have a neighbor who needs to read this! Nicely done!

  191. Suzie on Sat, 10th Sep 2011 12:44 am 

    Well said!! I wish everyone could read AND understand this!!

    The simple fact is that creating handmade is in a sense stepping back in time – BEFORE sweatshops, BEFORE discount stores, BEFORE mass produced – to a time when virtually EVERYTHING was made by hand in some way.

    Yes, it’s true; the workers back then didn’t always have the best work conditions, especially during the 1800′s. However for the most part they were VALUED as an integral part of the community. They didn’t need to complete with all that artisans do nowadays.

    So, when a person buys a handcrafted product today, they not only say ‘I love your work and support you in what you’re doing’, but ‘You’re a VALUED member of my community’

    Isn’t that after all what we all want?

  192. Kandipandi on Sat, 10th Sep 2011 3:17 am 

    Brilliant, good point, well made!
    When it’s your living you must do this and people must understand. To be honest many people who buy handmade do appreciate this fact but you always get the ignorant ones. I would rather my lovingly crafted stuff didn’t end up in their hands anyway :0)
    Kandi x

  193. Lea on Sat, 10th Sep 2011 6:52 am 

    So very true! Thanks for the article :)
    I not only design invitation, birthday, wedding cards, but also cut an fold and print them. But still a lot of people don’t get it. But I love what I am doing. Go on, your clothes are great, funny lovely!
    Lea

  194. Tikkitiboo + Ahka on Sat, 10th Sep 2011 7:10 am 

    Thank you thank you thank you thank you – about 3 million times over!! So many people DO NOT UNDERSTAND the time it takes to go into your online business – and for us we don’t even MAKE it – we just source it! We have had customers emailing saying we are too expensive when they don’t realise it take TWO people an HOUR to have a piece up from start to finish – and that doesn’t include sourcing time – which takes days sometimes weeks! I’m totally retweeting this!

    Tikkitiboo + Ahka Vintage

  195. Minnie on Sat, 10th Sep 2011 8:53 am 

    I cannot believe anyone on this site, or even more so the article writer themselves believes this hasn’t been said already.

    “But I spent so much TIME on it!”

    Alright. Where do you think the time came from in the other person’s product? A bottle?

    No matter what you want to believe about handmade items vs “everything else”, someone, somewhere, is always working, or working on the work. Even if each stitch was lovingly sown by Riverson#245, the machine-sowing-machine, someone is watching Riverson#245, drinking coffee, making sure it all comes out alright in the end. Maybe they didn’t have to get dressed for job, either, as nobody seems to care. Maybe that’s the selling point, maybe it’s not.

    At the end of the day, you don’t get something from nothing, but everyone wants to get paid, and people want something, not nothing. So nobody wants to not get paid, and when they stop getting paid, they start to cut that something as close to nothing as they can, in hopes someone will pick it up. It’s called competition. It’s why we try to stamp out monopolies. Because that keeps things healthy.

    But the thing that tears me up. The thing I look upon and feel this needs some kind of wake-up call… is that ‘my-worth-from-my-ass’ number. 20 bucks an hour. Because why? I know a man. He works for a living. He is a skilled laborer. He’s learned his trade from professional schools. (where did you learn sowing again?) He has worked for 25 years at one company, at one profession, and is always in demand. He just now this year broke 20 bucks an hour. 25 years experience at just one place. And plenty prior. He TEACHES others, and they learn. (has you given lessons to anyone, other than on economy?) Here’s the kicker. He goes out every other Saturday or so, pulls out his guitar and makes 1600 dollars in three hours. For a gig he loves. That’s over 500 dollars an hour. (why isn’t your goal that high?) But I still see him go back to his 20$ an hour job every morning, and I hear him nonchalantly cuss’n'complain every day, and he gets up the next one and goes again.

    Basically, you already knew what you make on each product. You set yourself up to fail, mathematically, and then, as a result, believe yourself worthy of pity. If you’d said you were worth 15 bucks an hour, we could say you’re doing better than expected! … but no. We just take it on your word that 20 bucks an hour (which, I feel, the photo editing is the longest, most unnecessary, and vainglorious part of the process, yet it’s ‘tedious’ and necessary) is the right price, and we should feel sorry you’re not making that ludicrous goal, which you offer no backing of, other than 8 years experience. My mother sowed for 50 years. She should be worth her weight in gold, if that was the case.

    And before the flaming starts – this article wouldn’t be in existence if not for someone questioning her similarly before. We just see the less-than-eloquent examples. I’m not attacking anyone. I just want to point out what some other people might be thinking.

  196. AlikiBags on Sat, 10th Sep 2011 11:38 am 

    WOW, so glad I spotted you and your blog !
    You really got me thinking about my pricing again…..
    People who want to buy cheaply ( usually exploitatively ) produced fashion should first visit a landfill site, then go to a BIG chain store…..if they still dare….
    Kiki ( AlikiBags )x

  197. ashleydollmeow on Sat, 10th Sep 2011 5:13 pm 

    Wow, I can’t believe someone would say that to you! I hope you told them to go to Walmart! A lot of people can’t seem to appreciate the quality of a well-made garment; especially one that isn’t made in bulk or from a commercial pattern! I once read about how Chanel suits were made, and to me that embodied WHY we sew–it’s artwork!

  198. Louise Parkes on Sat, 10th Sep 2011 5:21 pm 

    I totally agree with your comments about people commenting on pricing. Sewing appears to be one of the most underated skill of all. When infact it takes years to become truly proficient and you never stop learning as new elements to the craft come out all the time. It really annoys me that people seem to think they can sew when infact they make a horrible botch of it but think that its simple. It is if your not very good at it but it takes a lot more skill than that. I have several pet hates, the 1st is why is that a person who cannot sew think that they can make curtains and then go on to ask me how to do it. The other thing is friends who want bridesmaid dresses want me to make them to a very high standard and unique but then go on to think that they are too expensive when i give the price but they wouldn’t work for the price they expect me to work for. The same goes for alterations, but they would pay a shop but change their mind when given the price. My work is top standard but they think it can be done in the blink of an eye. I’ve decided to produce a price list for curtains blinds, alterations and to stop being a busy fool and turn down those who simply do not want to pay….

  199. Terryl Fendley on Sat, 10th Sep 2011 11:53 pm 

    I am lovin’ this post! Anyone who has never tried to make something from scratch has no clue how difficult and time consuming and MESSY it can be! I do not have an actual craft/sewing space in my home so when I make things it ends up messing up 3 rooms in my house! I hope to one day be able to turn a bedroom into my sewing room, but for now they are all occupied…when I make a quilt, I stand for hours hand sewing because it is laid out on a queen size bed and I have to move it each night and drag it back out the next day…it’s very hard on my back and I KNOW for a fact I don’t charge enough to cover that! LOL…THANK YOU for speaking your mind and, at least for me, saying exactly what I would love to be able to say so wonderfully! I’m going to refer the next person who says anything to me about pricing to this page..LOL…You do WONDERFUL work by the way!!! LOVE IT!

  200. Bianca Timm on Mon, 12th Sep 2011 12:30 pm 

    You are soo right!!!!
    I really do understand your situation, because it´s the same as mine. I often had to discount prices, because people are not willing to pay more than the have to pay for fabric-made goods..thats why i´m not able to live from my work.

  201. IneS. on Tue, 13th Sep 2011 4:10 am 

    SO true and so damn good written dopwn, that I have to share it on my fanpage at Facebook! THANK you for this articel!

    Greetings from Hungary,
    IneS.

  202. Tanja on Tue, 13th Sep 2011 5:43 am 

    Very interesting article (and the comments, too). I posted a link on fb: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wollhuhn/185683078158244

    Greetings from Germany
    Tanja

  203. angela on Tue, 13th Sep 2011 3:23 pm 

    Awesome article!! :)

  204. cynthia anderson on Tue, 13th Sep 2011 4:52 pm 

    So AWESOME!!! U said it all…and thank you for laying it all out there….u said what I think ALL THE TIME!!! Way to go!

  205. Ashley on Tue, 13th Sep 2011 4:55 pm 

    Wow, Minnie has it all wrong.

    I’m self employed as well, I do face and body painting for a living. What we do is a specialized skill. I can sew as well, but I can’t come up with garments and designs like Lex. Using the example of a guy that JUST started making 20 an hour is completely bogus. He is also working full time, is guaranteed hours, insurance, vacation/sick time.. Lex and I, as self employed small businesses do not get those things.

    I for one, can attest to the fact that I am marketer, designer, secretary, accountant, driver/deliverer, stock person, inventory manager, website manager, painter, etc… Does Minnie’s friend work as a one-man operation? Probably not. He is doing the work which he is paid to do.

    If someone can not afford Lexs’ product, then they are not her target audience. Just like if a family can not afford for me to come and paint at their kid’s birthday party, then they are not my target customer, I don’t want them to hire me.. They can go and hire the cheap clown person down the street. I want the clients that can afford my going rate, and tell their friends, who will also most likely be able to afford my services. Just because everyone can’t afford Gucci, doesn’t mean that Gucci should lower their prices to cater to everyone. No way! When you are paying a premium for something(especially handmade) then you are paying for the name/label of that product, and the quality/time that went into making/learning to make that product.

    Anywho.. My point is that people are allowed to charge whatever they want to charge, it’s capitalism.

  206. SilverSmack on Tue, 13th Sep 2011 8:20 pm 

    I say if you build it, they will come. . .

  207. WyldAngelz on Tue, 13th Sep 2011 9:27 pm 

    Thank you for posting this! You are so right. There are people I know who think it is ridiculous that I charge what I do for light switch covers! They have no idea the time and energy that goes into them. I am definitely sharing this article.

  208. LNCyree on Tue, 13th Sep 2011 9:36 pm 

    GREAT article! Thank you for sharing!

  209. Jill on Tue, 13th Sep 2011 10:36 pm 

    A-MEN sister!!

  210. Marilyn on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 12:04 am 

    Thanks for putting up this post. I’m a glass artist, and sometimes I see listings where I know they’re not even covering the cost of materials. It takes me a very long time to do the cleanup between the multiple firings and to prepare the firings, and each item is fired one at a time, so not an assembly line at all-next person who says,”so you put a bit of blue on clear…..” will refer them to this LOL

  211. madebymada - handmade designs on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 3:08 am 

    great article ! Things are exaclty the way you write about it! and becouse people are buying things so cheap in shops they do not even realize why they are so cheap ? and they schould not be!
    have you heard about http://www.storyofstuff.com/ ?

    xoxo Mada
    and good luck with your business :)

  212. Natalie on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 3:57 am 

    I don’t think I could have put it better myself. I make sleep masks and I know mine are a little more expensive than other products I have seen on the market, including handmade stuff. But I know how much work and detail I put into it. I have a clear idea of my target market though, adn the consumer who is looking for a cheaper product with less of the frills will go elsewhere. Whereas a customer who is looking for a bit more frill will come to my store. Thanks for your article!

  213. Amy on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 4:28 am 

    THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! Thank you for writing this and making it so clear how much work it takes! I will be sharing this on my personal and my business page!

  214. Jane Ennis on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 4:46 am 

    So glad you posted this! How many of us have experienced this problem….I sell at craft markets in London and the Home Counties, and I get really upset at people’s attitude and – sometimes – behaviour. I make Shetland Lace scarves and shawls, Fair-Isle berets, and crochet flower brooches. Sometimes people come and pull the stuff around with their sticky fingers when they’ve been eating, say how nice it is, and then demand to have one for half-price…..
    No-one would ask a jeweller, furniture-maker, glass-blower, whatever, if they can have something on the cheap, so why do they make the same demand of textile artists? The MATERIALS aren’t cheap, for a start…I always use either Shetland or Manos del Uruguay yarn. Then there is the time I devote to making the stuff!
    No, my stuff isn’t cheap, this is because i’s GOOD, actually!

  215. Ula on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 5:00 am 

    You forgot about PayPal and Etsy provision, they take a lot from the income.

    I once heard “I’d like you to take 10 EUR (which was about 1/3 of the price then) off the price for me because it’s supposed to be a gift and I’m not sure if she will like it”. Seriously.

  216. Ula on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 5:15 am 

    Minnie, explain please why you think that photo editing is not necessary? I find this statement baffling.

  217. Ula on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 6:28 am 

    Jane Ennis: Actually they do (as a jeweller for cheaper price ;) ).

  218. HollyCraft Originals on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 8:49 am 

    Thank you for this post…:D Love it.

  219. Tiffany (As For My House) on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 9:52 am 

    I have just “discovered” you through finding this post shared on Facebook, but I wanted to stop by and thank you.

    My husband builds custom furniture as a “side job”, and would love to do it full-time, but of course we hear the same comments a lot – they can, after all, buy a chair at Wal-Mart for $20, so why is he charging $150? *sigh*

    I even find this theory applies to many service providers. Most people don’t care to think about what it costs their hairdresser, masseuse, therapist, chiropractor, or whomever to keep the doors to the office open every day (utilities, rent, marketing, and on and on), not to mention amortizing the cost of their education, and paying for their skill and experience.

    Bah!

    Thank you for saying it so well!

  220. asmallcontempt on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 10:00 am 

    Thanks for the wonderful article! I was in the camp of unbelievers before who scoff at clothing that tops $50 a pop, but this breakdown of time and expenses makes SO MUCH SENSE.

    It’s still too rich for my blood at this point in my life, but someday when I’m making $20/hour I’ll make sure to purchase something from your shop. :) (That top is ADORBZ.)

  221. sara on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 10:03 am 

    L-O-V-E this post! As someone who used to have an Etsy shop and was constantly asked if I could offer discounts on incredibly customized and detailed cake pops, this is sooo refreshing! Thanks for helping educate the masses!

  222. Kris on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 11:42 am 

    Thank you! Great article. We all need to hear this often. Most importantly I feel it’s important to remind myself of the yuckiness of buying from big companies that underpay and mark way up. I find myself often making that choice due to less funds than I would like but do we need 4 shirts for our children or ourselves or would 1 or 2 quality shirts do the job.

  223. Pagan on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 12:41 pm 

    I love this article! It is truly inspiring. I had been worrying that my items were being priced too high, but here I realize that I’m actually undercharging! Thank you for writing this, you are rad as hell!!
    ~Pagan

  224. Nancy Lea on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 1:33 pm 

    don’t know about you, but, where I live, generations have gotten used to “women who take in sewing” and expect it to be priced accordingly: as in, CHEAP! THe strangest attitude I ran across was when I was living in New Orleans and making costumes to keep things together between real jobs: they’d pay through the NOSE for costumes, but, when I quoted the going price for sewing up a garment, I’d get a SHOCKED look! (I didn’t really want to do it, so that was fine with me LOL) I based my prices on what sample-makers in the NY industry charge. It IS baffling to me that they’d pay whatever I asked for a costume, which is a totally lower standard of sewing to, say, a nice blouse, then balk at paying a fair price for a higher standard. It really goes back to that whole “women who take in sewing” and were grateful for whatever they could get for it.

    best come-back to “I can make that for $5″ is “Go ahead!!!”
    I once had somebody call me about a drawing, pen-and-ink, I had in a gallery. She really just LOVED it but just thought that the $150 price-tag was just too high. She’d be “glad” to offer me FIVE DOLLARS!!! I hung up on her….there were just no words available to me at the time, since my jaw was on the floor. Another one was somebody whose daughter wanted to attend my classes and insisted that I supply her with my resume, five references and be INTERVIEWED by her, and I forget what else…I told THAT one off-politely, which made it even more humiliating for her. It has a lot to do with the “bourgoisie” mind-set. Guess what…the gal showed up and took my class anyway! LOL

  225. Ally on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 2:05 pm 

    I stopped calling my items “handmade” and started calling them “custom made” years ago.
    In reality, when they contract you, they ARE getting a custom made piece. Whether you draft the pattern yourself, or are using a commercial one (I’ve sewn dancers dresses where they bring me a commercial pattern and want it made so that they can dance in it).
    I would get a shocked look when I would tell them how much it was going to be “But you’re not a professional”.
    Umm, excuse me?
    So I agree with you, “handmade” pieces do need to be priced accordingly. If you want cheap, go shop at Walmart or find a home ec student (one with no training).

  226. Lex on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 2:39 pm 

    I think you’re right. What’s funny is that while people don’t seem to value sewing work, we now live in a time where VERY FEW people actually know how to do it. I had 60 year old instructors in college that asked, “Where did you learn to do that?!” when they found out I sewed.

    Your costume example made me laugh, because I always say the same about bridal wear. Sure, I’ll pay thousands of dollars for a dress I’ll wear once! But $50 for a custom made shirt I’ll wear for years? Ridiculous!

    I’ve seen the other side of costume requests, as well. When Etsy still had their custom Alchemy section, I couldn’t count the number of requests around Halloween for custom costumes that went like this: They’d link to a five piece $250 costume made by someone else on Etsy and want the same costume made for $50. Their reasoning was always, “Well, I’m only going to wear it for one night.” As if that changes how much work goes into it, not to mention that $50 wouldn’t even have covered materials for the elaborate costumes they were asking for. To top it off, they would complain about the custom made costume they bought last year being of poor quality (I WONDER WHY), so they expect this one to be made with high quality fabrics and not crappy costume fabrics. It got to the point that I had to stop looking at the Alchemy section for my sanity’s sake.

  227. Lex on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 3:14 pm 

    Oh this is by no means meant to be a pricing guide. I’m merely pointing out that while some might assume that I’m “overcharging”, I’m actually doing the opposite. I’m quite away of the fact that I have no profit, and I certainly wouldn’t suggest that anyone follow my example. :)
    Likewise I wouldn’t suggest that every artisan should be charging $20/hr. I can promise you I wasn’t using that as my goal wage when I first started out.

    And no, handmade certainly doesn’t negate streamlining, but when you’re making one of a kind custom pieces, there’s only so much streamlining to be done.

    I have no doubts about the skill of a sweatshop worker. If they didn’t have the skill, they’d most likely be out of a job, as their employment is generally contingent on making their quota as fast as possible, and every mistake is another minute they won’t be paid for. My point is that when people compare handmade to Walmart, they’re comparing apples to oranges. Walmart actually forces manufacturers to use cheaper materials so they can offer their “Lowest Prices”. When I make a garment, I choose quality over quantity. I may spend 3 times more on a high quality fabric and thread, but that means it will probably last more than 3 times as long as something produced by a corporation that was only looking to create it as cheaply as possible.

  228. Lynsey (The Country Crafter) on Wed, 14th Sep 2011 3:41 pm 

    Well done for putting this so eloquently… I get soooo frustrated when I hear any of those comments about pricing etc. (I’ve had some people really challenged me on this subject and be really rude) I just feel like screaming at them!
    Thank you for making me feel my worth again, I will remember your wise words next time I’m confronted by one of those “clients”!!

  229. John on Thu, 15th Sep 2011 1:00 am 

    Very well written article. While I am not a crafty person or even able to comprehend how you make such cool stuff, I am a purchaser of all things local and/or handmade. It’s so hard for me to understand how people fail to understand the externalities of the low cost or cheaply made items junk they buy every day. I wish more folks would understand what it means to actually make something with their own two hands. “I could make that for $5″. Yeah right, I’d love to see you try.

  230. Yvette on Thu, 15th Sep 2011 5:12 am 

    Good on you for such a fantastic, well written article.
    A lot of the general public don’t appreciate the time and effort that goes into a handmade item as they are so used to buying cheap, mass produced articles from china and other such countries, not to mention, and don’t get me started on the exploitation of child labour sweat shops.

    Again well done and may you have much success and happiness !!!

    Cheers Yvette (MikiMoo designs)

  231. Jane Ennis on Thu, 15th Sep 2011 5:47 am 

    Adding more comments, hope this is OK. Totally agree with
    @Louise Parks that
    “Sewing appears to be one of the most underated skill of all. It really annoys me that people seem to think they can sew when infact they make a horrible botch of it but think that its simple”.

    It’s probably true that all little girls are (or were) taught to knit and sew, as a sort of hobby, but doing it PROFESSIONALLY is very different…years of practice, learning to do things like ‘dressing’ the knitwear; how many amateurs, saying ‘I could do that’ when they see a Shetland Lace scarf, know what do do when you’ve finished the actual knitting??!!! And that all takes time, if not a superior level of skill….

    Actually, if people want cheap tat, why do they go to craft markets in the first place??!!!

    My last point, a bit of a problem for me…I can’t buy stuff from other stall holders unless I sell mine!

  232. Little Lost Soul on Thu, 15th Sep 2011 7:27 am 

    Bravo!!!

    This whole subject makes my blood boil! I am thoroughly sick of being told that I charge too much for my work – it feels like a punch in the guts every time! There’s been lots of times I’ve felt so trampled that I’ve almost given up and I’m sure many talented people do. It also makes me angry to see artisans pricing their work down to try and compete with highstreet prices – if you don’t value your own work then nobody else will!

    Thanks so much for writing this article. I’m going to tweet the hell out of this! :)

  233. Patsie on Thu, 15th Sep 2011 8:06 am 

    My heartfelt appreciation to you for stating so clearly why items that are sewn by hand, finished, by hand, thought of and drawn first and so on are not cheap, they are invariably one offs and/or limited editions.

    As a one time spinner and weaver and maker I could never get enough money to live on and now am, again, a secretary. Keep going do not give up – you are right.

  234. MaryFaithPeace on Thu, 15th Sep 2011 9:39 am 

    Thank you for the article. It’s gratifying to know I’m not the only one who struggles with this. It takes me 2 weeks to make a Book Bead and because of that, I simply cannot mass produce them! My customers recognize the difference in the quality & artistry of my products and are happy to shop & linger. In addition, while it takes awhile to make a book bead, it takes me even longer to design them (months), as I am constantly looking for innovative ways to string them along. I am about to introduce a new line in the shop soon, borne out of playing around with several ideas in the workshop. I thank people for buying and appreciating “hand made”.

  235. Amanda on Fri, 16th Sep 2011 10:47 am 

    wow, so many comments! loved the article – clear, concise, well written. I’m a photographer, not a maker of handmade goods per se, but so much of this rings true. Most people are not the slightest bit aware of all the work that goes into even the most straightforward shoot. You’d be amazed at how many people expect to get work for free, and shocked at how many photographers agree to. sigh :) to make matters worse, anyone with a camera can technically take photos, making it even harder to justify charging for what we do. But, as a photog friend of mine says, we’re providing *service* as well as quality photography. now, stop pricing your work so low, lady! :)

  236. Angie K. on Sat, 17th Sep 2011 4:08 am 

    I think it’s great that you have an ‘accessories’ section for your shop. So if someone absolutely loves your designs but can’t afford a dress, they can go out the front door in style wearing your fingerless gloves.

    One thing I recently noticed-fabric is very expensive. I mean, I always knew it wasn’t cheap, especially the nicer stuff, but I was used to the local fabric chain having stuff on sale all the time. My local fabric store doesn’t have those kinds of sales and weekly coupons.

  237. Michelle Parratt on Sat, 17th Sep 2011 9:43 am 

    This is a great Article!
    I am glad it’s not just me that get’s comments like that.
    I put so much time and love into my work ,it’s very hard not to take it personal when someone complains at the price.
    I have just had a 6 month shop in my town centre and the amount of people that came in and said…”oh I could make that” or “oh that’s nice but not at that price it isn’t”.
    People should realise how difficult it is to try and make a living from Arts and Crafts.We don’t do it for the money,we do it because we love it.
    Good luck with everything you do!
    Michelle x

  238. Gina R. on Sat, 17th Sep 2011 2:08 pm 

    Thank You, Thank You for this!! As artisans, we are not in the same category as big business. More people need to read this and start shopping handmade!! Thanks Again!

  239. Suzanne on Sun, 18th Sep 2011 9:39 pm 

    Thank you for being so open and truthful. I also handmake items and struggle with pricing.
    And I just want to say that that dress pictured here is amazing! So much detail!

  240. Wenona on Mon, 19th Sep 2011 3:21 am 

    A great article. Thanks for writing. I’ve been told the same. I do fume I feel like saying the same as you. Or say I don’t even get minimum wage for the work I do could you work my wages. Us handamde and crafters have about 50+ jobs.
    As well as our craft, accountant, web designer, researcher, sales person, photographer, designer and much more and we have to keep ontop of it all just to survive. There is no guranteed cheque at the end of the month x

  241. Louise Giordano on Mon, 19th Sep 2011 6:52 am 

    SO right on!!! Thank you for speaking for all of us who create and sell our work!

  242. Ariana Elise on Mon, 19th Sep 2011 10:07 am 

    Great post! I don’t think your items are over priced. No, they aren’t cheap, but neither is their quality. I have ordered from you in the past, and am currently planning a couple of orders for the future! Keep up the awesome work!

  243. Brenda Abdullah on Mon, 19th Sep 2011 11:07 am 

    Great article!! So so true. Thanks for writing it!!

  244. jess on Tue, 20th Sep 2011 11:36 pm 

    Thank-you! I have been struggling with my pricing of handmade quilts, and am about to read your pricing article. I think I need to do the same thing you did and figure out time taken per quilt. Thanks!

  245. Jon Boyd on Sun, 25th Sep 2011 11:57 am 

    I think what you’ve identified here is that there is a difference between art and clothing.

    The Walmart clothing will keep you covered and warm, but most people desire more than that from what they put on their bodies.

    Art, or a unique handmade, is a canvas you put on to look and feel a certain way. And in its highest form it is unique. (Handmade)

    Just like live music, or live theater. Or like the difference between driving a Yugo and driving a Jaguar.

    What you are is an artist, not just a person who sews.

  246. cara codd on Mon, 26th Sep 2011 5:14 am 

    Fantastic article, you should charge even more, you are a contemporary fashion designer, making bespoke one-off items, totally unique to the wearer. If you asked a more well known designer to create something similar, you would be charged hundreds- thousands. If your item was in a physical shop, they would pay it. Its crazy that branding means so much to people. What happened to setting trends and not following them? Good luck, dont change, your creativity is great!

  247. Bob Edwards on Mon, 26th Sep 2011 9:09 am 

    I always get email messages asking me … why is your handmade jewelry so much more expensive than the jewelry from Italy or Thailand? You said it all here, and I couldn’t agree more. It really is funny – and sad at the same time – how people want everything at the lowest price, but complain when it comes to what THEY get paid for what they do. If they tried walking in our shoes they really WOULD cry … Thanks so much for writing this!

  248. pinkindus on Sat, 1st Oct 2011 5:19 am 

    It did good to read this ! I am a designer myself and have this all the time. I do patiently explain each time that each piece is made one by one in London (uk) , explain also the process. People think sewing is easy !
    It is a great idea to have a tutorial to just send this link :) .
    Your clothing are really cute :) . x

  249. Joanna on Tue, 4th Oct 2011 1:02 pm 

    I really appreciate you posting this article! I couldn’t agree with you more, especially on #9, marketing. I put over 40 hours of time into marketing over the past two weeks – redesigning and reformatting promotional graphics, writing and designing new promotional content (email, blog, social media) – had I put the same amount of time into a regular day job, I’d have had a pretty nice paycheck – but all I can do is hope that all of the unpaid time with self-marketing will pay off. When selling handmade products, especially with an online storefront, there are dozens upon dozens of back end hours put into the product beyond the “fun part” of actually creating it. I too struggle with underpricing my work, and it’s good to reminded of just how valuable, special and unique our products really are.

  250. Denise Beverly / db visual arts on Tue, 4th Oct 2011 3:17 pm 

    Great article! I was talking to someone this morning about this. I am a photographer and digital artist. I have never been able to get the pricing thing down, and I too undercut myself drastically, and even then I get comments. Never mind that cameras are outrageous,a good lens can cost thousands,I use professional print houses and am very picky about my finished product. Never mind that it took days to get the right light, or conditions in the area, post processing to give you the very best result possible and delivered it to you. Never mind that a good digital art program can cost $2000.00 and you have to upgrade when they roll out a new feature, learn to use it, create the design, customize and order. No I have never come out ahead. Thanks for helping get the word out.

  251. Stephanie Rountree of EdenSong Essentials on Tue, 4th Oct 2011 4:36 pm 

    I’m SO glad someone turned me on to this blog posting! Though I am in a different industry (skin care), the basic principles apply, and I couldn’t have said it better. Thank you!

  252. Cathy on Tue, 4th Oct 2011 11:04 pm 

    Wow! Thank you for all your hard work for setting us all straight! I’m one of those that sometimes thinks folks charge to much, but with your wake up call, I guess I’m the one not charging enough for all the time and effort that goes into my work. This article really woke me up, but I do have one question, how do we compete with someone that does charge to little? I have been one of those folks for along time now and after reading this I really feel bad, because this really makes it tough on the folks that need to make the money that they deserve to make to support themselves and their Families.

  253. Lex on Wed, 5th Oct 2011 3:22 pm 

    I think people that undercharge generally wind up NOT being the competition in more than one way.
    1. Assuming their work is high quality, their business will eventually fail. They are working way too hard for too little money, which they will quickly get tired of. They’ll quit or raise their prices. I’ve seen most of my “competition” over the years quit, probably out of necessity.
    2. Assuming their prices are lower because their quality is not as high as your own, they aren’t truly your competition.

  254. liset on Wed, 19th Oct 2011 7:36 am 

    Well said!!!!

  255. B HaRMS on Wed, 19th Oct 2011 1:41 pm 

    It’s not out of maaliciousness that some say or think “that’s way too expensive.” They just don’t know or think of the hours and hours it takes to create a handmade item.
    If we got paid by the hour to create say a quilt, that takes a HUGE block of time, weeks even. There’s no way we’re making anything per hour.
    Then consider the cost of supplies, are they aware that cotton fabric has had a jump in price to around $11.00 a yard? Or the ourageous cost of thread or batting? Probably they are unaware of these things, I’m lucky if I cover the cost of my materials.
    Some are working for free, cause people won’t pay what it is actually worth.
    Then many sellers are selling items at a huge loss, I have no idea why they would do this, but it hurts the rest of us trying to make a living.$130.00 for a king sized bed quilt is IMPOSSIBLE to make at that cost. Yet people see that and say ‘You’re over priced. I could buy a quilt for $130.00, why would I pay $800.00?’. It really is a slap in the face when people do that, harmful really to us all.
    So it’s hard to blame buyers, lack of information and other hugely under prices goods set up the situation.

  256. Susi Matthews on Wed, 19th Oct 2011 7:36 pm 

    This article rocks! I came here via a link from LiveJournal. I’ve made my living by designing and sewing for over 30 years and must continuously educate people as to why it does not cost LESS to have something made than buying it in a store.

    Excellent breaking down of the process. And your work is lovely!

  257. Katie on Sun, 23rd Oct 2011 12:07 am 

    I’m so glad you posted this little article – and I hope more people see it. I love handmade items. They’re always just amazing.
    (I’d buy more often if I were currently employed!!)

  258. Shannon Chapman on Sun, 23rd Oct 2011 12:57 pm 

    Thank you so much for this article! I am a working music educator and performer with 10 years of playing experience and a university degree in music. So many folks don’t understand why private music lessons are so “expensive”. Folks often turn down the opportunity to have a live band at their event because they think the price is too high. My colleagues and I often are approached about playing events FOR FREE!

    I hope people reading this article consider not only handmade products, but working musicians and performers as well.

  259. MegansBeadedDesigns on Wed, 26th Oct 2011 2:21 pm 

    Thanks for the fabulously illustrated article. I admit, I undercharge on a lot of my items. It’s easy to forget the time it takes to DESIGN the item before making it, to PHOTOGRAPH it (and edit that photograph in Photoshop), and then also the time it takes to list and promote. I so often forget all of these factors,and they really do add up to a lot of time. Time = money and I should be paying myself for it.

  260. Deirdre on Fri, 4th Nov 2011 2:49 pm 

    Great Post! I had once lowered my rates for this reason and a friend told me “WHAT ARE YOU CRAZY?”

    Now I do like you do, time and mterials (plus demand) – Hey that’s what retail does right. Why should handmade be any different. If anything handmade SHOULD be higher becuase there is a tremendous amount of care put into hand crafted goods. Designer or not I guarantee there isn’t a GUCCI out there crafting their own stuff!

    Thanks for this!
    I SUPPORT HANDMADE

  261. MissMazy on Sat, 5th Nov 2011 7:15 pm 

    I will definitely be linking to this post from now on! I am for sure under pricing my stuff! But that doesn’t bother me right at this moment as I’m still working on designs.

  262. Wild Cat leather co on Mon, 21st Nov 2011 12:29 pm 

    People have no idea how much it takes to get a hand crafted item made and marketed. And we all have been insulted, way to many times… loved your article!

  263. Designsbytonyagoudy on Mon, 21st Nov 2011 4:43 pm 

    Thank you for taking the time to write this. It is amazing how we undercharge for our work because of people who don’t think it is worth it. I personally feel like a sweat shop most day but love what I do. Now to go re-figure my price points and say this is what I’m worth, well atleast closer to what I’m worth.

  264. Lauren on Mon, 21st Nov 2011 5:37 pm 

    Comments like those made me shut down my repurposing and just focus on jewelry. I used to get books that the local library was throwing out (most had missing pages or water damage and they always tore the covers off before tossing them) and use the pages to make wreaths, origami, ect.

    A wreath would take me maybe 7 hours to make – planning, cutting, glueing, painting, decorating, sealing – and at the time I knew nothing about pricing, so I put them up for $70.

    I must have gotten at least one e-mail a week saying “It’s nice, but how can you charge that much? It cost you nothing!” I got so frustrated the one day that I actually flat out asked someone what their hourly wage was, and if they could expect anyone to work for less than minimum wage. That person bought the wreath they’d been looking at – the only one I ever sold for $70. The rest have slowly been given away as gifts or sold for ridiculously low prices.

  265. Janette Cremeans on Sun, 27th Nov 2011 8:28 pm 

    I understand why you would want to make 90 dollars from your handmade shirt, which more technically is probably home made instead of handmade, but a lot of the stuff you added to your time is stuff you need to do to run your business, not to create the product. Also, I have a four year degree and four years experience as a teacher and make about 20 dollars an hour, not counting any of the work I do at home like grading, write tests and worksheets, planning, and answering emails from parents. I just think your justification is flawed.

  266. Maggie on Sun, 27th Nov 2011 11:03 pm 

    As someone who sews, who has made products to sell for profit, etc. You have to think of your audience and how much they can pay. That is number one. Most of the people in your audience cannot afford the prices you’re doling out. I doesn’t matter how many sales you have made–the fact is the audience: average fashionable women from 15-25 cannot afford this stuff, or they are paying for higher quality stuff.

    Number two: You are just serging at least on the outfit up there (I don’t know about other ones). Anyone can serge up an outfit and pow they’re done. This isn’t an insult but honestly I’m not paying 91 bucks for something I could do myself in 1 hour after cutting and measuring for probably $40 cheaper.

    Number three: I know how much time it takes to do marketing. It’s a load of work and only pays off about 1/3 of the time. BUT this is free time. Sorry, but you don’t get paid for this time. It’s basically shit work you gotta do while you’re climbing to the top.

    Number four: Again, no one, and I mean no one cares how much time you put into your work. No one is paying for time. They are paying for what it looks like. And while you are actually very innovative, although I might say you need to fine tune as constructive criticism, time is not something you will ever get paid for. Everyone gets paid by their work–when we get paid by the day, 8 hours, we’re actually getting paid to work for that amount of time, not to sit there for that amount of time. And if that quality of work during that amount of time blows, then we are fired. The employer does not care if you sit there all night and spend so much time doing this work.

    Number five: Shipping and handling is not added into a the item’s amount. It’s added into shipping and handling. And no designer worth their salt adds the time it takes them to write a name on the label into their cost. I mean really?

    Just remember:

    1. Time is free. No one will pay you for it.
    2. People will pay more only if your quality of product deserves it, not because you put more time into it (time is free).
    3. Always remember the most important people–your audience–and what they can afford. Don’t think of your dream audience, think of your real time audience.

  267. Sara O. on Sun, 4th Dec 2011 2:39 pm 

    You’ve said everything I wish I’d had the foresight to say when questioned about my knitting prices in the past. Thank you. :)

  268. Sara on Thu, 15th Dec 2011 1:29 pm 

    Wonderful article! Thank you :)

  269. EBlalock on Sat, 24th Dec 2011 9:05 pm 

    I’d like your permission to add a link from my blog to this page on yours. last Wednesday I just wrote a piece on how women who HAD to do their own sewing, and knitting, and cooking, and child care before the industrial age were phenomenal. I included a comment about hand-knit scarves that I make, and that there’s no way I could charge enough to make money. Please feel free to email me at epenniman99@gmail.com if you would not mind. Thank you. Please also take a look at my site if you’d like to familiarize yourself with the content before giving me permission. Thank you.

  270. Budiman Sutrisno on Mon, 16th Jan 2012 2:14 am 

    Most of the hand-made stuffs are getting expensive not just because of the “hand-made” or the materials itself, but also for the idea, design concept, etc….

  271. FEDRA on Fri, 27th Jan 2012 6:50 pm 

    Great article!I absolutely agree with you, and I am entitled to say that after 25 years of handmade work!All the best!

  272. Kimberly on Fri, 27th Jan 2012 7:08 pm 

    I design/sell Elizabethan embroidery and I wish more people understood how much goes into it. Hand embroidery takes even more time.

    Thank you so much for saying this on behalf of all textile artists!

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