Pricing is, by far, one of the most daunting parts of running your own art business. There are so many variables at play that it’s hard to know with certainty whether you’ve priced your work correctly. You want your prices to feel fair to your buyers, but you also need to make sure you’re paying yourself for the time, skill, and effort that goes into every piece.
Let’s start with this: there is no single “right” way to price your work. Pricing depends on your location, your skill level, your audience, and your personal comfort level. However, there is an important distinction between pricing products and pricing art—and understanding that difference can make a huge impact.
What to Consider When Pricing Products
When pricing products, you need to think about your target audience. Products are typically home goods, accessories, or smaller items—things like cutting boards, coasters, bookmarks, or earrings in the world of pyrography.
With these items, your customers are often comparing your work to mass-produced alternatives. They’re weighing your handmade piece against something they could buy at a big-box store or from a vendor using machines.
When I price my products, I consider three core factors:
- Cost of materials
- Time to create (including prep and finishing)
- Overhead (markets, travel, equipment, etc.)
However, when comparing your work to mass-produced items, two key differences come into play:
1. Time Investment
Mass production allows creators to scale. While there is upfront time spent designing and setting up machines, once that’s done, items can be produced quickly and repeatedly with minimal effort. Handmade work doesn’t have that advantage—every piece requires your time and attention.
2. Material Quality
Mass-produced items often use materials selected to meet a specific price point. As a handmade artist, you’re more likely choosing higher-quality materials, which increases your cost.
Because of these factors, your prices will naturally be higher—and that’s okay. The key is finding the balance between paying yourself fairly and staying within a range your audience is willing to pay.
Here are a few strategies to help:
1. Sell the Perceived Value
Customers are buying something handmade and unique. If that matters to them, they’ll pay more—but there’s still a limit. Understanding how much more they’re willing to pay is critical.
2. Offer Upsells
Personalization is a powerful tool. Small additions—like custom names, upgraded materials (sterling silver hardware), added color, or decorative details—can justify higher prices with minimal additional effort.
3. Tell a Story
People connect with stories. Sharing the inspiration, process, or meaning behind a piece reinforces its value and gives customers something to share when they show it off.
4. Choose the Right Markets
Not every market attracts buyers willing to pay for handmade goods. Instead of lowering your prices, focus on finding venues where your work—and your pricing—are appreciated.
And most importantly: don’t get discouraged. Competing with mass-produced items is tough, but there are customers who value handmade work. Your job is to find them and understand what motivates them.
What to Consider When Pricing Your Art
Pricing your art is a completely different mindset.
Here, you’re no longer competing with mass production—you’re operating within the art market. Your buyers understand and value handmade work, and your pricing should reflect that.
Pricing your art too low can actually work against you. It may signal lower quality or attract buyers who are more likely to haggle. Serious art collectors want to feel confident that you understand the value of your work.
Start with the same baseline:
- Materials
- Time
- Overhead
But this is where flexibility comes in.
Because your product line often operates on tighter margins, your art can carry higher margins to balance your overall income. Art pieces typically require more time, higher-quality materials, and a greater level of skill—and your pricing should reflect that.
Here are a few ways to approach it:
1. Emphasize Limited Editions
Scarcity drives urgency. If buyers know a piece is one-of-a-kind or part of a limited run, they’re more likely to commit before it’s gone. Consider adding a Certificate of Authenticity to enhance the perceived value. I burn mine into the back of my larger pieces, but offering it in paper form is also acceptable and sometimes preferable.
2. Offer Limited Prints
Limited Prints allow you to generate additional revenue from a single design without the time investment of creating multiple originals, but still drives urgency. Again, consider adding a numbered Certificate of Authenticity to enhance the perceived value.
3. Be Selective About Shows
If a show consistently results in low sales, it may not be the right audience. Don’t lower your prices to fit the market—find markets that fit your work.
Final Thoughts
If you’re pricing your work based on materials, overhead, and a fair hourly rate—and people aren’t buying—that doesn’t mean you should lower your prices or undervalue yourself.
It means you need to better connect with your audience.
Once you find the right people—those who value your work and your process—you’ll be able to succeed with both your products and your art.
What are your tips for pricing your work? Tag us at @bz_furfur—and, as always, stay unique.
