The subject of pricing is very common in crochet forums and groups. “How much should I charge?” is the daily question, but the answers vary – from giving advice on the techniques of pricing, to searching etsy so you can follow the lead of someone else.
There are four things to consider when setting your price.
Do you have all the supplies?
Sometimes people order items that take special supplies we have never used. When this happens there are two possible scenarios. Will you be able to use the extra supply again? If not, then charge for the extra item! If it is something that you keep for future use, think of it as an investment in your own company.
How much do your supplies cost?
Even if you have made an item 100 times, the cost of that item could be different each time! You have to consider the cost of your supplies. While one beanie may be made with value yarn, the other may be made with high quality art yarn. This will change your pricing dramatically!
Will you be shipping?
Sometimes shipping can cost an arm and a leg, but sometimes it is as simple as a trip to the local park to meet up with the customer. You can either have a set amount for shipping included in your original price, or you can add it on once you find out the cost, location, or if you are even shipping the item at all.
How much time have you put into the item?
Some crochet items can be worked up in no time, but others can take days, weeks, or even months of all day crochet! Some of us crochet to pass the time or even for therapeutic reasons. Some of us crochet for a living, while others crochet for donations and smiles.
These things play a factor in how you price for your time. So, unless you are crocheting for a cause…
Don't rip yourself off!
I am here to tell you that you're asking the wrong question! The real question you need to ask yourself is:
“Why should I over price?”
I have 5 simple answers to your question!
2. To gain new costumers! Not only do higher prices show what you are truly worth, but you can also have better sales and specials for all of your customers and followers.
3. If, once you are finished with your order, you feel like you may have really over priced, you can always throw something extra in to make sure they know you appreciate them as a customer.
5. Buying a nice scarf at the mall will cost you at least $15, so why wouldn't a handmade scarf cost more? I have seen simple crochet leg warmers in the stores for over $25… if people want handmade, they are usually more than happy to pay for the quality of handmade.
Thank you for this. I have considered selling my work but pricing has always been a stopping point. I still crochet for the smile on the face of the recipient. I’ve done so for more years than I care to talk about. Some of my relatives and friends treasure my work. Those who don’t are less likely to receive more because it is not fun creating something when I know it will not be treated as a work of love. I like to see my work used, not hidden on a shelf. Those who tell me they have worn something out and would like a replacement always go to the top of my to do list.
Thank you for the informative article! I have a small Etsy store, and have only been able to sell a few things, but I do not think I overcharge for my work. It seems to be very difficult to even get noticed on Etsy since there are way too many sellers, so for now I am only selling at craft shows. Even so, if using a really expensive yarn, people don’t seem to want to pay for it, one woman told me she could get a hat at Walmart for under $10, so why pay for my hat! Apparently she didn’t understand the value of getting something handmade!!
Not only will she get a cheap hat (probably made overseas), so will 50 million other people, as opposed to a beautifully crafted work of art.
I find myself under pricing. I sold a few items, mainly baby hats, A couple of the women I sold to actually told me I needed to charge more and gave me more than I had asked. I usually make slippers for The Pink Slipper Project, we give the slippers and wash cloths too, to organizatons around the United States, for victims of domestic violence.
Pricing is definitely a struggle! I sell crocheted hats based out of Facebook, mainly, and I’m considering a slight pricing rise starting in the new year. It makes me so nervous though! I’m worried that if I raise my prices, business will drop. I suppose that I could always lower them later if it doesn’t go well. 🙂 Thanks for the advice!
Thanks for your reminder. I have the definate tendency to under charge. I have been told many, many times how beautiful my work is and my prices are too low. My problem is I just enjoy crocheting SO MUCH and as earier comments, feel so good seeing my customers so happy with their purchase. Happy Hooking to all!
All of comments were useful, but I think if you are crocheting for a fair, then you should consider where it is located.
In our town we have under 15,000 population, and you can’t charge $15.00 for a scarf, you won’t sell them. I saw at our last one a few months ago, that one lady had crocheted those animal baby sets of the hat and diaper cover. She had also put a diaper in it. She was charging $8.00 a set. I thought that was a fair price for our area, but many thought that it was too high.
Pat
I really enjoyed this article and I wanted to first say thanks and then explain an interesting conversation I had with a retailer here interested in showcasing my items. When I was asked what my wholesaled cost is for one of my items she was shocked when I said $30.00 and she then calculated that she would need to charge $85.00 to cover her overhead which I can totally understand. The funny part for me was when she told me that isn’t how retail works, I said well that is most likely a good thing as I don’t make things for retail I am a handmade artist. So I wasn’t shocked when I wasn’t contacted again. I hope that makes a few of you smile when you read this!
More people need to read this, not just those that make things, but customers as well. Sadly we live in a world where people want the world but only want to pay 5 bucks for it. Resellers have taken over etsy, and many of us handmade folks have left because we just can’t compete. I stopped selling handmade all together. I do direct sales now.
But recently I received a request for my beaded scarves, priced it out, and it was priced high, but still lower than I should be pricing them. The girl came back saying it was too high, and said she got a quote for half what I quoted and was wondering if I would come in lower than that. I have no clue how anyone can make those scarves for $200, they clearly aren’t factoring their time into it. The scarves are all handmade and hand beaded, there is no way to sell them for $200.
I am so glad I found this! I just wish I found it sooner. I made a huge caterpillar amigurumi for a friend to give as a gift. It was the first thing I ever made to sell and the yarn cost $35 alone. I sold it to her for $45…not even thinking about the filler or how long it was actually going to take. By the time I got halfway through it, I realized just how much I under priced it. Now I know better for next time.
I would not price anything with the thought of marking it down later. Once customers see that happen they only want to pay “sale” price and that the beginning of a game you don’t want to play. Find a price you’re happy with and stick to it.
What you’re selling in made by hand and … one of a kind.
I would respond to the Walmart comments that “if you want Walmart prices you should shop at Walmart. I am selling pieces made by hand that are one of a kind.”
(:
Im about to make a twin size afghan for my mom friend and i have to options. She can give me the money to buy yarn which she might do or i can go pay 60 to 100 dollars in yarn. I feel like if she buys the yarn then i have to charge her less or i will feel bad. At the same time it’s going to take about a.month maybe more and Im going to have to ship it to her. if she.buys the yarn then I will charge her about 130 to 150 dollars. If i buy the yarn then i will chrage her 160 to about 200 because the yarn i want to buy is 60 dollars for 24 skeins and the.tax on it is more.
Thanks for the info. I had a photographer order a flower bonnet from me and thought they should only pay $1 shipping for Priority Mail… After I gave a discount of 30% I exchange for a photo. The hat came to under $11! After she used it, she sent me a picture of what she REALLY wanted, one done in bulky yarn. I had offered her the bulky, but she chose the organic cotton. Now I am frustrated and she feels like she was ripped off!
I really needed to see this post!
Thanks,
R.A.
I liked your article. I learned this years ago when one day after finishing an item I made five cents an hour. So I restructured all my pricing and now a days I make a comfortable profit. Sometimes I get a customer who bawks at the price of a custom order but I do not defend my pricing, I just state that is what it is and they are welcome to go elsewhere. I have been knitting for 50 years and crocheting for 33. I am not a rookie, I do not crochet or knit like a rookie and I am not working for free; I need the money for my own survival. If someone says your price is too high I always come back with, How much do you make an hour? Because even with my prices I still make nothing like anyone who even gets minimum wage! And I will not,, do not apologize for making a living to anyone.
And I would like to reply to Patricia who said she lived in a town of 15000 and the price for a hat and diaper cover set was $8.00 and customers thought that too high. Are you kidding?? I live in a town of 1400 and get $50 for the same thing and NO ONE ever quibbles about the price! They know the quality they are getting and they are willing to pay for it.
An excellent article, thank you. People often suggest I make and sell items to make some extra money, even small things like coffee cozies. They know I make those from leftover yarn, and tell me I could probably get a buck each for them. When I reply that even though the yarn is “free”, it takes me two or three hours to make one. Then it’s ” Oh… oh yeah!” People generally don’t realize how much time it takes unless they themselves are an artist or craftsperson. At this’d point, I only create out of love. 🙂
I only get a couple of hours an evening to crochet, so it takes me a while to finish my work…I don’t feel like I should charge for my time in that case, and I would be sitting there anyway watching TV if I wasn’t crocheting. I usually only charge 3 times the cost of yarn for my items. I have also been told I charge too little, but I don’t see people paying $50 for a slouch hat just because I took too long to crochet it…you know what I’m saying?