BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Selling Your Photos

Photography Question 

Angie M. Nemanic
 

How to Price Holiday Greeting Cards


I am trying to set price points for my Holiday Greeting Cards. I don't design any of the cards, I simply drop a photo into a design provided by my lab. I was going to charge $2 from 1-49 cards and $1.50 for cards over 50. My lab charges .84 and .50 respectfully. Am I charging too much?
I am also taking photos at an open house for a day care on Saturday offering free sitting fees (also not getting paid for my time), so I'm trying to get my holiday pricing down. I am getting differing opinions on this ... some say I'm too high and others say it's okay. Comments? Thanks!


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November 02, 2006

 

Danielle E. Rutter
  It's not the highest I've seen. What do other photogs in your area charge? I personally charge $1 each, which is probably too low. But then my lab only costs $.45 each so it's more than double profit.
I think doing free sitting fees for an event like that is fine. It's really just a way to get business. It's not as much about the money you'll make that day but more about the customers you'll get. That's how I look at it anyway.


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November 03, 2006

 

Angie M. Nemanic
  Hi Danielle,

Thanks for your comments...I agree...it's about making connections.
Thanks!


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November 03, 2006

 

Wanda Poteet
  Danielle....
Who is you lab? .45 is a great price!
Wanda


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November 07, 2006

 

Mike Carlson
  What you should charge should be based on your cost of doing business. How much is your time worth? How much wear/tear depreciation on your camera(s)? How much gas?...you get the idea.

Your cost should make you money...isn't that why you're in the business? Under-valuing or giving away your product won't necessarily mean repeat customers, but rather people who come back because you're free/cheap. It's difficult to give something away once and then expect to charge people a proper price the next.

Value yourself and your talent/product and price it accordingly. People do pay for quality.

So count my vote for too low.


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November 07, 2006

 

Danielle E. Rutter
  MPix


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November 07, 2006

 

Courtney Lawyer
  I was wondering about the .45 too! When you mentioned Mpix I realized I might not be thinking of the same kind. Angie are you talking about folded greeting cards or the 4 x 8 standard christmas greeting cards? just wondering. Danielle how do you like Mpix? I printed from them once and thought that it seemed like the quality especially in color wasn't too good. It may just have been my calaboration too. what do you think?


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November 07, 2006

 

Wanda Poteet
  Courtney,
I just check MPix prices and you are right it's the 4x8 "postcard" greeting cards that are .45. The folded cards are 1.10 (4x5.5) and 1.45 (5x7) each for the first set of 24, then drop a little with larger quantities. Not cost effective for my work. However I do like MPix. Until I started using Millers, MPix was my staple for customer orders and still use them quite a bit. Have never been dissatisfied with the quality at all.


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November 07, 2006

 

Jerry Frazier
  I agree with all of you that you can make very little for your effort, but make it up in volume.

Calculate all of your costs in making the cards, including your time, whatever that might be. I charge $100/hr to make a print. So, maybe it would take me 15 min. to prep it for proper printing and get it ready for the card, so cost plus $25, plus, the value of that art work on that card. If all people want is a card, then they can have it blank. But, it has that very special image on it, what's that worth?

If you do cost plus a little bit, you are ripping yourselves off, and devaluing what photographers do. You had to buy cameras, computers, monitors, cards, software, and have expertise to do what you do. Why are you selling your expertise so cheap?


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November 07, 2006

 

Mandy Humphrey
  Hi Angie,

If you go into any stationary store, coffee shop, book shop etc that sells photo greeting cards, you'll find that they are selling them for around $2.50 up to $4.00 . Even if it only costs 45cents to get the print processed you should be charging for your craft-photography as well as the card stock etc.


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November 07, 2006

 

Robert Wagner
  One thing that I do is to add an address and logo of a local shop that has my cards on sale. Of course I have "photography by....." on the back of the card. This entices the shop to carry my cards. I charge them $1.50 per card and they are usually charging $2.00 or more. It seems to be working out well for all of us.


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November 07, 2006

 

Courtney Lawyer
  Robert- Where do you print your cards? I want to make cards and I havn't found a good place.


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November 07, 2006

 

Robert Wagner
  If it is a folding greeting card usually print them myself. I have a canon printer that does a great job. Postcards I use MPIX.


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November 07, 2006

 

Angie M. Nemanic
  Thanks for all the comments. I got really good sales at the daycare for those prices, but I do think that I could have charged more.

I've recently taken pictures for friends, which I've found out is difficult even when I tell them upfront what I charge, because they seem to want want to pay walmart prices for my prints.

I am just staring my business so I feel I'm pricing fairly but once I perfect my style more, I will be increasing my prices.

Thanks for your help. You are definitely correct in stating that you have to charge for your time, etc.! However, I find some people don't really think your time is valuable.

AGain...Thanks!!


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November 07, 2006

 

Robert Wagner
  I have printed a copy of a picture at Wal-Mart and at my lab. Once I show them the difference they usually order the prints from me.
Bob Wagner


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November 09, 2006

 

Mandy Humphrey
  Angi,
I've been making my own photo greeting cards for a few years now as gifts for teachers, employers, family etc. I started selling them a couple of years ago. I charge $2.25 each because I am doing all the work; printing pasting, cost of stock etc. Like I said in one of the earlier posts, any stationsary store that sells photo greeting cards with the blank cards will easily charge 3-4 dollars and that is mark up because they bought them from a local photographer. Take away the mark up and you get 2-3 dollars. Even if you go to the grocery store and buy premade with word cards it's easy to spend $15.-$20 for Hallmark. Definitely charge for your craft, expertise, and your time. You are a photographer whicch is an art. Artists charge a nice price for their artwork and that is what your photography is. Don't sell yourself short. I also put a label on the back indicating who I am and where and how they can contact me whether it is a website or email address & phone number.


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November 09, 2006

 
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