Pricing your work as an artist or small business owner can feel like walking a tightrope. You want your prices to be fair both for your customers and for yourself. But if you set them too low, you risk running a business that isn’t sustainable. So how do you find that balance?

At ArtVend, we see artists pricing their stickers, enamel pins, prints, jewelry, and other small products every day, especially for vending. Pricing for impulse buys while still ensuring a profit is key. Whether you're selling through your ArtVend machine, at craft fairs, or online, here’s how to price your products the right way.

💡 Want a free pricing calculator? Scroll down and sign up for our email list and get a free product pricing calculator to make sure your prices cover your costs and bring in profit!

 

1. Start With Your Costs (All of Them!)

Before setting your prices, make sure you’ve accounted for every expense that goes into making and selling your products:

• Materials – Paper, ink, paint, metal, packaging; everything you use to make your product.
• Production Time – Your time is valuable! Even if you enjoy the process, you should pay yourself for your work.
• Overhead Costs – Think about rent, utilities, software, marketing, website fees; any cost that keeps your business running.
• Market & Shipping Fees – Whether it’s a vendor booth or shipping materials, these costs add up.
• Transaction Fees – If you sell online or use card readers, platforms like Etsy, Stripe, and Square take a cut.

💡 Example: If your enamel pin costs $5 to produce, pricing it at $10 isn’t enough—you still need to account for overhead, labor, and profit. A better range is $15-$20.

2. Always Factor in Profit

You’re not just covering your costs, you’re running a business! A simple formula to follow is:

(Materials + Labor + Overhead) × Markup = Retail Price

Your markup depends on how you plan to sell:

• 2x markup – If you’re selling directly to customers only
• 3x-4x markup – If you plan to wholesale to retailers and sell to customers. Wholesale discounts your products 50% to retailers in bulk and you still want to make a profit!

💡 Example: If your sticker pack costs $2 to make, you’d price it at $6-$8 for retail and $4 for wholesale to stores.

✅ Pro Tip: Even if you’re not wholesaling yet, price in a way that leaves room for it. If stores start reaching out, you don’t want to realize your prices are too low to make it work!

3. Research Industry Standard Pricing

Before finalizing your prices, look at what others in your industry are charging.

• Check Etsy, Instagram, and online marketplaces for similar products.
• Visit local art markets, pop-ups, and conventions to see real-world pricing.

💡 Example: Many ArtVend users price their stickers at $3-$5, enamel pins at $10-$20, and small prints at $10-$25. This balances impulse-buy pricing with solid profit margins.

4. Learn From Pricing Mistakes (Like I Did!)

When I first started ArtVend, I took pre-orders at a price that was way too low. At the time, I didn’t fully understand the costs involved. Once I started manufacturing, I realized I would have to sell 66% of my inventory just to break even, and that was unsustainable, especially since I was funding the business with my own savings.

Once I recalculated my costs and adjusted my pricing, I was finally able to grow ArtVend. That price shift allowed me to:

✅ Get a warehouse to house inventory
✅ Hire a full-time employee
✅ Keep the business running sustainably

If you don’t price for growth, you’ll end up struggling to keep up. Learn from my mistake and price smart from the start!

5. Don’t Undervalue Your Work

It’s tempting to keep prices low to attract more customers, but here’s the reality:

✅ Your work has value. People buy from you because they connect with your art.
✅ The right customers will pay. If someone says your price is “too high,” they may not be your audience.
✅ Underpricing hurts all artists. When creatives undercharge, it devalues handmade work across the board.

💡 Example: If every artist selling enamel pins prices them at $15-$20, but you list yours for $10, you’re leaving money on the table and setting unrealistic expectations for others.

6. Test, Adjust, and Stick to Your Prices

Pricing isn’t set in stone. Try different price points, track sales, and adjust as needed.

• If you sell out too quickly, your prices might be too low.
• If sales are slow, tweak your marketing first before lowering prices.
• If people say it’s “too expensive,” they may not be your target customer.

💡 Example: One ArtVend user started selling stickers at $3 each and kept selling out too fast. When they raised the price to $5, sales stayed strong, and they made more money per sale without doing extra work.

7. Consider Passive Income & Wholesale Pricing

If you want to scale your business, think beyond one-off sales:

• Selling digital downloads (printable art, sticker designs, etc.)
• Wholesale to boutiques, gift shops, and other retailers
• Stocking an ArtVend machine locally to generate passive income

💡 Example: One ArtVend user placed a vending machine in a local retail shop and now sells prints, stickers, and pins daily without having to be there!

Get a Free Pricing Calculator!

Want to make sure your pricing is right from the start? Sign up for our email list and get a free product pricing calculator to take the guesswork out of pricing!

Final Thoughts

Pricing your products isn’t just about covering costs, it’s about valuing your time, effort, and creativity. When you set prices that reflect your true costs and allow for growth, your business becomes sustainable.

Looking for a unique way to sell your art and test pricing? An ArtVend vending machine lets you reach customers in new, exciting ways. Check out the ArtVend and start vending your art today!

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