How much should I charge for a card?
 

Greetings!!!

I would like to be able to make cards to sell online.

Obviously, I will need to start out slowly and less expensive.

I plan on giving family a "better" deal.

How much should I charge???

Thanks,
~Lee Uhrig

That's a hard question! I have never sold any of my cards, however when you think of what cards that are mass produced cost..... I would easily pay $2.00 - $5.00 for a handmade creation if I didn't make cards myself. Maybe try to figure out the cost to make each card and then add $ for your time? Another idea might be to check out ebay or Etsy to see what cards seem to be selling for.
Good luck in your new endeavor!

I was going to suggest looking on Etsy, too. I look there sometimes just to get ideas for cards. You can get a feel for what people are willing to pay for handmade cards.

Just bought some from a demo at a craft sale. She did $1 each. Personally, I thought she underpriced them. They were layered, embellishments, glitter, etc. Would have done at least $2-3. The more work, layering, embellishments, ribbon, etc. the higher the price (seems reasonable).

I've seen others at craft sales. Simple. Not much layer, embellishments, etc. Maybe $1 is better then.

My friends say (seriously, not bragging here) that mine are as nice as Papyrus, and I noticed in the coffee shop the other day they are doing $5-7 per card. :(
Wow!!!

Etsy is a good place to check out. You can try other online marketplace too. However, I think it is better to do consignment to shops.

Most of the gals I know that sell successfully have their best luck in consignment shops (also consider beauty shops, gift shops, small 'main street' type stores). I also know 1 gal who always sells out at crafting events. Most haven't done as well on Etsy unless they already have a faithful following.

Charging ~ are you doing it for the joy of cardmaking, to make $, to support your habit ... ??? Know the cost of your supplies and start figuring out how much you have in each card. Consider whether or not you'll be charging for your time and labor. Depending on WHY you're selling may help determine how you figure this one out.

If it's for the pure joy of cardmaking ... you already have it made!

Make sure you stamp the back of EVERY card with your contact information ... if you want reorders!

Good luck and enjoy!

I'm obviously undercharging - since I am very slow at making them, minimum wage is $10.65/hr, and it takes at least 2 hours to think it up and create it, throw that in the trash because I dropped my stamp on it by accident, take another hour to re-create it, add in the cost of the supplies - mine should be $50 each!

In all seriousness, setting a price is such a difficult question. Most of the time, it is not about how much you have invested in it, but how much the market you are selling in will bear. I sell my A4 (4.25 X 5.5) for $2 each, and a slightly larger one for $3. No distinction is made for how much or little they are embellished. That being said, I don't tend to do too much embellishment - usually some dp matted in a complementary colour, a focal image (sometimes a stamped image, sometimes a die cut), an accent stripe/ribbon, and they are usually blank inside. When all is said and done, I am sure I am either losing money, or just breaking even, but I make cards for the love of it, so if I can recoup any of my costs, that is just a bonus. I recently sold around $60 worth, which then helped me justify the purchase of several new stamp sets (which cost more than the $60 but we won't go there!).

I tried selling them for $3 and $4, and they just wouldn't sell, so I had to lower my price. However, there are a lot of people out there that easily sell their card creations for $4 and $5 and people will buy without batting an eye. You might try setting your price at the higher end and see how they do. If they are moving well, great. If not, you can always lower your prices. Increasing your prices usually won't fly.

Hope that helps.

I don't know if this will help you, but I charge $3 per card, no matter how much or how little work goes into them. That doesn't begin to cover time and materials (probably because I can't stop buying beautiful dies, etc) but it seems to be the amount that people don't mind paying for a card that is so different from the "Hallmark" style. The people who buy and appreciate my cards usually buy 5- 15 at a time and a few have almost made me cry when telling me who they will be sent to.

Most people have no idea how much work goes into making a card and treat them very casually, but those who do appreciate them really love them.

The crazy thing is that I have a hard time convincing myself to offer them for sale to people I don't know. I put so much of myself into them that I don't like "strangers" touching them. I do put them in clear card covers so they don't get messed up , but if I really like a card I want to keep it or have to make copies so I have one. So........... I have dozens of cards sitting around here and always new ideas floating around in my head. I feel fortunate to be so obsessed by something that always feels new & interesting ! Now, if I could just let more of them go !

I charge 5 dollars a card if I don't have to ship it and if I do have to ship it, then I'll charge 5.50 and people are pretty much always content with the price. But they are really detailed and larger, about 5 1/2x 5 1/2.

I have had some success selling cards. I sold to a few stores. One was a florist shop. I made mostly valentines and Mother's Day cards sold there. Men bought them as impulse items at the cash register. I sold those to the store owner for $3-$4.5 a piece. I made four of each card which made me more efficient and she usually took 2 and bought the 2 latter as refills. I also sold to a realty company a bunch of new home cards to send out to families that had bought a home from them. The other store was a high end antique store. I sold her vintage style cards to accompany gifts. Hers were one of a kind so I charged $4.5. Both these stores marked up the cards. Perhaps not full retail mark up but I believe they sold them for at least $6. You need to find the right audience. Go to shops in higher end neighborhoods where the clientele is going to think of your card as artwork. Pick your best work and put it in a portfolio and bring it around to a few of these stores for the owner to see. Pick astore that matches your design style. If you work cute don't bring it to a funky vintage shop. Bring it to a high end children's store.
I have also gone the route of selling at work. I had a basket on my desk. I sold about 3 -4 a week and it paid for lunch. I mostly got men who wanted something special for their wives or mom.
Most of all it remember have fun. When it stops being fun, stop selling.

Great advice !

I sold a bunch of Christmas cards with envelopes for $1.50 per card.
I did see a lady selling hers in a place called Bailwick here in Billings for $3.50.
Good Luck and I hope you have fun stamping!

I think the area you live will be a factor in the price. I live in NYC and work in Manhattan and sell to my office mates and charge $5 a card. I do personalize them when requested and never had anyone flinch at the price. My brother asks me to give him some to sell for a fun raiser where he lives and his going rate is $3 a card. I use the money I make for supplies and have save enough this year to make a stamp room with the earnings. Have fun!!!

I think a lot of it has to do with where you live and where you will be selling your cards as well as how much layers and embellishments you used. During my last craft fair I sold the most cards at the $2.50 price level. I sold some for $2.00, $3.00 and $4.00 but $2.50 was the popular amount that that particular craft fair.

I usually do $3.00 per card...and I sell a lot. Since I can buy things wholesale I don't need to charge as much. I just love having so many outlets for the finished cards.
blessings.

I've been selling cards for a about seven years. I charge between $3 and $5.50 per card, mainly depending on the time to create, although sometimes if I use a costly embellishment, I'll take that into account. I strongly believe that our time is valuable and that it shouldn't be undervalued. That's my 2 cents' worth. :-)

The answer is how long is a piece of string.

I'm not proliferate enough to sell my cards but these threads come up from time to time and I think if you are selling you have to know your market and how much time and supplies you are willing to use to meet the demands of your market.

I think the key to selling is not let your card worth/self worth be connected to the sale price of your cards.

Secondarily you have to assess, are you trying to make money or just recoup some costs? TBH I think 99.9% of cardmakers do NOT make money selling cards. The market just doesn't support.

Selling even on the internet is a big job and there are additional costs involved. I know a lot of threads before this one has suggested selling to local boutiques, flower shops, etc. and advised against placing cards anywhere for sale. They tend to go missing. Sell to the shop owner then it becomes their stock/their risk.

From what I have witnessed on the internet you have to develop a following (publications/networking) and be persistent at self promotion to get any sustained joy. And also set out what you can and can't do, because anyone that sees someone does handcrafted items may want personalization.

Best of luck with what you decide. There are very talented cardmakers and scrapbookers out there that seem to be doing well at this.

ETA - I know Amber replied earlier and she keeps it short and sweet because she really works at cardmaking for charities for sale and really does get a bulk of cards moving. That isn't for everyone. I admire her output and her persistence.

Thanks for the kind words Kristen. My hubby has a basket of cards on his desk and sells between $75.00 and$125.00 on a normal week. I love supporting the people who need the cards most...our troops.
blessings.

Wow, Amber, I just read your above notes and realized that YOU are the one who runs Chicandsavvycrafters ! I placed my first order with your company last week after reading something on SCS, checking your prices for the Memory Box dies that I love so much, and I was totally OVERWHELMED when there was no shipping cost (which is what usually deters me from ordering stuff online) and then when I got an e-mail AN HOUR LATER that my order was shipped, I couldn't believe it ! I am extremely happy with the customer service and you will be my go-to person from now on. Blessings to YOU !