How much should you charge for your work? The 3-layer method
Most makers price too low and burn out. This simple three-layer method gives you a number you can defend — and still grow on.
Underpricing is the fastest way to quit. If your price only covers materials, every sale costs you your own time. Build your price in three layers and you will never sell at a loss again.
Layer 1 — Materials and hard costs
Add up everything the piece physically consumes: clay, glaze, metal, thread, packaging, the shop fee, and the payment processing cut. Track this per piece, even roughly. This is the floor — you never sell below it.
Layer 2 — Your time, paid like a job
Decide an hourly rate you would accept for skilled work (be honest — not minimum wage). Multiply by the real hours the piece takes, including drying, firing supervision, finishing and the photo. This is the layer makers skip, and it is why they burn out.
Layer 3 — Value and margin
Materials + time is your cost, not your price. Add a margin (start around 2x cost for retail) that pays for the pieces that break, the slow months, and reinvesting in tools. Rare, one-of-a-kind or highly detailed work earns a higher multiple — buyers pay for what they cannot get anywhere else.
A worked example
- Materials + fees: $9
- Time: 1.5 h × $20 = $30
- Cost = $39
- Retail (2×) = $78
Round to a confident number ($78, not $77.40). If that feels high, the fix is better photos and story — not a lower price.
Two rules to keep
- Never compete on being the cheapest — there is always someone willing to undervalue themselves. Compete on being clearly worth it.
- Raise prices as your skill and reviews grow. Your first prices are a starting point, not a promise.