How to Price Crafts and Things You Make to Sell [Paperback] by Dillehay, James

Despite its slimness, How to Price Crafts and Things You Make to Sell is packed with examples and good advice. I sell my fine art pieces at shows and have found this book incredibly helpful.Chapters 1 and 2 discuss the customers motivation for buying, how to make your craft and art pieces standout from other offerings, how to present your work for maximum appeal, and how to convey the value of your work. The list of ways to increase the perceived value of your work is invaluable.Chapters 3 and 4 cover how to price your work competitively and profitably, while Chapter 5 goes into detail about pricing unique items.Charter 6 covers recordkeeping for the customer transaction...bills of sale, description of the piece sold, valuations, etc.Chapters 7 & 10 go into detail about bookkeeping, calculating profitability, and requirements for business taxes, and so forth.Chapters 8 & 9 give tips on how to lower the cost of materials and how to set up your workspace for maximum productivity.If you are new to selling your art and craft work, this book is a great introduction to getting started.

The book gave me a lot of good ideas and suggestions. But I was looking for more info on a way to calculate how much my items should be worth. Do I take my cost of supplies and my labor time and some way come up with a price or is there a formula somewhere?

I know I've read a good book when it ends up full of highlights and I'm taking notes at nearly the same pace I'm reading. The author did a fantasic job of including all the aspects and providing the detail necessary to set your actions in motion. From a business standpoint it answers all the questions on how to you where you stand and what you need to do; how to evaluate your business before and after you start. Although I consider myself above average when it comes to business management and finances, I have very little experience with selling handmade items and this book put it together for me and offered more than expected.It is truly a step by step guide to not only pricing products, but getting a full understanding of business costs and how to be profitable now and in the future. It is well worth the price and in my eyes the author has proven himself as an expert in selling handmade items and running a business. That's certainly adding value to his products, as he teaches, because I actually feel this book is under priced! My advice is get it now!This book was quality work; a few typos here and there but no more than any other book I've read. It was well written, organized, and flowed from one section to the next, which really aided in fully understanding the material so your mind can work through the necessary steps easily. The author is either very talented at writing or put a lot of work into the book (or both) and it shows.I'm eagerly looking foward to purchasing another of his books even though I have so much to do after reading this one (and will refer to it constantly). I just feel after learning so much here, and feeling so motivated, that I can only benefit from reading the next.

Not a bad book and not a great one either. Just runs middle of the road. While it seems to give some good suggestions it really doesn't have a whole lot of advice for beginners or online marketplaces other than look at competitors.

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK. It's OK but nothing unique enough to spend your money on. All of the information is just a simple regurgitation of basics that can be found all over the internet for free. I bought it based on the description and author's credentials. Shows how hype sales. I bought "Craft Business Power" by J. G. Miles at the same time and it was so fantastic it blew me away. Check out my review of that book.

Your crafts are worth more than you think.Even if you're inexperienced in selling, if you've got something beautiful to offer, be honest about your price. Under-selling makes your products less appealing. It's true. I applied some of the principles from this book to my most recent craft display at our local coffee shop. I've already sold twice as many items as last year, and my profit is far greater. Book is definitely worth the reading, both for the practical "how to price" info and also a kick in the pants for the less confident among us.

This is a good book for my wife and I because we are very similar to the authors in talents. My wife makes doll clothes, but we don't compete with the authors. It turned out we were already doing some of the steps they recommend. It had good info about how to go further. My only reservation was some of the marketing that they were doing in the book. But, they are in business, so they are entitled to do that. It would be nice to meet them sometime. Maybe attend one of their seminars. Good Luck!!

Great book for a beginner like me. It makes a nice addition to my library. No problems with the seller, item, nor shipping. Book arrived in great condition.

Good ideas

This is the tried and true formula for getting a fair price for your handmade products. It cleared up some mysterious stuff for me that I've fallen victim to over the years. I've sold at flea markets and such, and every person who comes into your booth thinks you're there to haggle; I got tired of flea markets and I got very tired of haggling, i.e. basically giving my stuff away simply to make a sale, and coddle buyers so they'd like me. I've shortchanged myself for a very long time. This book is very helpful in the respect that it reinforces the business aspect of handcrafting, and that in order to keep producing, you have to develop a formula that will get you a fair price, keep the customer coming back, and most importantly, get you to the position where you can keep your business going and growing. The book's been around a little while now, and it's a good old standby.