Craft professionals labor in many areas from teaching and demonstrating to crafting and designing projects. Each of these areas have different labor considerations. To start off this discussion about labor, I’m going to cover the basic hourly income.
I’m sure most of us would love to earn $50, $100, or even $1,000 per hour, but we need to be practical and realistic when we consider our hourly wage. The Federal Minimum Wage in the United States is $7.25 per hour as of 2009. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics those of us in the Art, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media occupations average between $13.92-15.90 an hour. Specialty floral designers average $12 per hour, graphic artists average $23 per hour, writers average $21 per hour, and photographers average $18 per hour.
When you start out, it’s rare that you will be paid top dollar when selling product or services. Over time — as your skill, reputation, and body of work expand — you can begin to move your prices higher. I started consulting just over 8 years ago with a starting hourly fee of $20 and raised that fee to $30-50. I just got a note from my accountant to raise that fee considerably. I do consider my market, I tend to like to work with small manufacturers who don’t have the budgets of biggercompanies. Thus my fees tend to stay on the conservative side.
We do deserve to get paid a fair wage or fee for our work. We don’t often get the same respect for our work as a doctor, lawyer or even the local big-box employee, but we need to set labor costs and not give our labor away for free. We just need to be realistic.
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I have found that knowing your audience is truly important, especially in this current depressed economic environment. However, many folk come to craft shows with the same state of mind they have when going to a flea market or garage sale – my response to remarks about high-prices is that I would like to earn at least what the third-world country workers who supply the big box stores do. Sometimes I do adjust my prices up or down depending of the location of the show.
This has happened to me so many times, Jeanne. Having to explain to people who ask me if I could lower my prices that the discount is reflected in the piece itself, and that I’d like to be paid at least what third-world country workers make. Some people ‘get’ where I’m coming from, but many don’t. And the thing is, my prices are already extremely reasonably priced as it is. I’ve had other traders come to me and tell me I’m underpricing myself, and that I should raise my prices – even if it’s just a little bit. But I know that for most people, money is tight and harder to hold on to and even harder to let go of for things like crafts. Again, it’s a constant dilemma. I don’t know what the answer or solution is – other than to keep trying, and be on the look out for better craft fairs and markets, where potential customers really do ‘get’ the definition of the words ‘hand made’ and ‘craft’.
I crochet & knit & occassionally sell outside of my “gifting” relm. I often find many expect to pay garage-sale prices for items that may have cost $45 in materials + time spent creating. As a favor to someone I agreed to make an afghan for a 2 yr old boy & asked for $35 for materials (not someone I know well). She was flabergasted!! I find it difficult to explain reasonalbe costs to most.
I understand that Peggy. It can be really hard especially when you can buy a knit scarf at H&M for $10. However, there are people out there that do understand the value of handmade items and the time it took to make them. You just have to keep trying and not under-valuing yourself. Maybe trying making a few things at lowest prices using less expensive materials and see how those sell?
Yes, Peggy. I feel your pain completely! I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had people come to craft fairs, ‘fall in love’ with my pieces, then ask the price (even though each item is marked on the back with a handmade, watercoloured price tag!) and I see ‘that look’ that says, ‘Oh…my…that’s so much more than I’ve seen something similar at the dollar store” and then they quickly put it down on the table.
It’s as you’ve said – I too find it difficult and I’ve noticed i’ve become increassingly frustrated when having to ‘defend’ the already almost too low prices and explain to people who don’t understand and don’t appreciate the time and labour and costs of each piece.
Peggy – I totally sympathize with you. $35. for materials for an afghan is very reasonable. People have no idea of what yarn costs these days – even Lily’s Sugar n’ Cream yarn – probably the cheapest on the market, has seen a dramatic increase in price in the last year – as have all natural and “worthy” fibers.
The problem is that people have become spoiled with cheap imports and Dollar Store mentality – totally clueless as to quality. Find yourself better clientele – do shows in better areas, or that have developed attendees educated in the crafts.
Whatever you do, I do not recommend lowering the quality of your work with cheaper materials – you do no one any service by doing that as the labor is truly the biggest factor in the kind of work you do. Cheaper materials won’t pay you for your time – find people who understand and appreciate what you do, and educate those who don’t “get it”. You may also want to consider bartering on occasion.
Since I collect & make the material from which I create my bags for my Etsy.com shop, merlinMN, putting a price on each one has been difficult. Comparing them to others on Etsy, mine are on the high side.
Maybe I am a slow crafter?
I have wondered if selling thru’ a commission shop would be a better solution for my handmade items, but being online is cheap advertising.
i have found that selling through a commission shop i have had to raise my prices above and beyond what i would normally sell them for just to break even on my materials because the shop takes a percentage too. it is a great way to get your crafts “out there” for people to actually see your crafts . so i have taken a loss in order for my stuff to actually sell.
I LOVE to craft. It is my hobby and gives me great pleasure. I have friends and family who practically run when they see me with a new bag of goodies. People can only use so many dish clothes and scarves.
So when I go to a show, I don’t care if I get paid for my time. Without selling items I wouldn’t have more $ for more fabric and yarn. I sell my items much less than other people at the shows. The thing is though, I never have to pack up and take everything back home. I sell it all. I try to make the money back for the supplies so I can make more stuff. And I get to have people tell me how wonderful my items are.
Linda, did you read the topic of this article? Get PAID for our labor! You are undercutting others in the most under-handed way you can. If this were a union shop, you would be a SCAB. If you are comfortable with that description or are working from that grand collective called CHINA, blessings on your head. If you would like to craft for actual money, start charging at least $10/hr. for the time it takes for you to make the item. I won’t even mention the costs of listing fees, show fees, postage, packaging, and many other fees that legitimate sellersmust pay before they actually make a living.
I’ve been dealing with this ‘problem’ for years with my crafts, and it has become increasingly frustrating, especially with the worldwide economic downturn we’re all seeing and experiencing to one degree or another.
While there are many lovely people out there who come to craft shows and craft markets, and ‘get’ that it takes a lot of time and money for materials, there are far too many people who pay lip service to their ‘loving handmade’ but won’t buy anything if they feel it’s ‘over priced’ compared to the mass-produced rubbish they see in shops.
It’s a dilemma for pretty much every crafter I’ve ever chatted with about the subject. Especially crafters like myself, where selling crafts is no longer just a hobby, but how I earn a living and pay my bills.
linda Mechel you are doing a disservice to yourself & to the other crafters. I crochet & I don’t skimp on my materials nor do I have the lowest prices. Many times people will comment on how some of my prices are higher than other crafters yet they still buy from me since you get what you pay for. Meaning if you de-value your products by pricing them to low shoppers will think you make cheap, disposable goods. I also always bring a yarn catalog with me to show the true skeptics what yarn sells for (of course I do my best to only purchase yarn when it is on sale). Unfortunately it is impossible to compete with big industry on knitted scarves & hats but clearly those items aren’t handmade.
I have been crocheting and selling my “Pieces” for 4 years now. I’m not getting rich but I am making a little extra money. It took me a while to figure out how to price my items for the market but I finally came up with a good formula. I have a list of types of items and a set amount of labor for each of those items. I add in the price of the yarn, shipping and tax where applicable. Then I add 4-5%. It has worked well for me. I still make something on each piece and continue to get orders from previous clients.