PRICING handmade jewelry - my VERY BAD old prices! How to price jewelry  

I made earrings and a bracelet set and asked my uncle what he thought I price it. He took a look at everything and said nothing under $50. He said this is your time, your art and people can only get it from you. Not to mention he said it was something he would buy from a department store. So I’m learning to charge my worth and not to lowball myself. ❤

One time I found an incredible sculpture online. I messaged the artist to ask what the cost of their work was, expecting it to be thirty or forty thousand dollars. He said it depends on the time it took and the material etc. Then he said he would ask for more but typically pays himself forty cents per hour. This was an American person paying himself a tiny fraction of minimum wage to make remarkable art. It put things into perspective for every job I have worked since.

It is always a relief to me as a beginner to find out that someone as good as you are, in the beginning also made pricing mistakes. I really appreciate your honesty....it helps.Thank you.

I feel this so hard, still 😂 I sold a small painting to my friend for $50 CAD, and she came back and paid be 3X because she realized I was undercutting myself. Big eye opener for me

Basia, the fact that you were setting stones in what you describe as your “beginner’s phase” has motivated me not to be so tentative about stone setting…! Thank you ☺️

Loving this video. I am a gem cutter. My stones can take many hours to cut. I want to learn metal smithing so I can complete my pieces.

Imposter syndrome and I are unfortunately very well acquainted, especially when it comes to pricing. I use a pricing formula and I still knock a few dollars off bc I feel my work isn’t worth it. It’s comforting to hear that others deal with this too, and that it’s something you can grow past! Thanks for being so honest and genuine in this video 🥰

Wow!! Such a relief to hear you guys talk about realistic pricing!! I have been really struggling to price my work and its now clear to me I have also been suffering with imposter syndrome whilst trying to compete with etsy pricing 🤦‍♀️Thankyou again for your honesty and creative insight 💕

This vid popped up in my recommended for some reason, ended up watching all the way through! I'm a professional illustrator and oh my goodness, this is SO REALATEABLE! Everyone and I mean EVERYONE in the illustrator/painting community heavily underprices themselves at first (some still do, years later!) I still remember my first commission... $10 dollars. For a CUSTOM piece of art! And I was hesitant on it too.🤦‍ It is madness but understandable madness. We artists/artisans are so focused on our craft and learning that we forget our own value. We forget that all those years of honing our skills must be reflected in our prices. And the way we sell ourselves will attract different types of buyers. If you sell cheap, you'll attract buyers who do not value what you do. But if you show the world that you know your worth and value, you will attract buyers who have great respect for you and will treat your products with the care and love they deserve.💖 Your jewelry is gorgeous btw, that amethyst ring was incredible.😍

Oh man! The guilt of over pricing and the feel of taking advantage of people by doing so. That's one of reasons why many creators down price their pieces. I know this cause I have done it. 💚thank you for such informative video. I will head to your friend's channel to subscribe. 💚

Wow...this brings me back to when I was first starting and pricing and my husband constantly telling me that my prices were too low. Even now over 20 years later, when I show him new pieces his first question is how much am I charging and how long did it take me, lol

Watch Megan lose her mind in this very fun video, where she reacts to my old (ridiculously) BAD prices of my jewelry! I DID NOT know how to price my handmade jewelry back then... So using these as examples, we will share tips and advice on how to correctly price your jewelry! ⭐ Want to see more? Here are videos you might be interested in: - How to SELL your jewelry, things you need to know: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ImSUYYtTmYM.html - Things to do to REACH your clients: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-kq_BxSrcfYQ.html - How I make a themed JEWELRY COLLECTION for my shop: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TwIu0UvHgnc.html

It was so much fun doing this video with you and spending time with you in Poland! Look forward to welcoming you in Belgium sometime soon! ps: Watch part 2 here : ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-01Pk3kLszOU.html

I think this is a struggle for all new silver smiths. The first things I sold only covered my materials - I was so worried about my craftsmanship, that I struggled to pay myself.

This helps so much with the Impostor Syndrome that’s been popping it’s head around lately 😂 (what I hear as well is that Beginner Basia was all, “It’s me, hi, I’m the problem it’s me” 😂)

this is so relieving to hear, thank you so so much for this video. It’s exhausting when people react so shocked to the price you tell them and expected something about 20$ and you just end up becoming more and more confused if you are pricing it right or not when you don’t have that much experience yet. This is a very important video 🙏🏻

You both are such fun to listen to! I feel like I'm getting good friend time and great advice. Thank you!

I'm getting ready to sell my stuff for the first time and I needed to see this video. Between this and asking friends and family how much they think something costs, I would have been under selling myself by a lot. Very eye opening video - entertaining too!

Thank you soooo much. Your video hit me just in time. Just started creating and struggle a lot when it comes to pricing. Feels good knowing that I'm not the only one. 🙏🏻❤️

Such a great video and collaboration between the two of you! Thank you!

Kudos to you for doing this video! I know your honestly and sense of humor will help others. You are not the only gal to underestimate the worth of your talent.

I absolutely loved this!!! I have learned so much from you. You are always full of so much information and show us all of your mistakes. It’s so helpful. Keep doing what your doing. Just please raise your prices my dear. Your worth so much more. ❤

I just love seeing you two in the same room! Love you ladies, always enjoy both of your valuable opinions on best business practices.

Wow what a great subject. Tea is ready, I'm so excited!

Thank you for this vid. The fact that you have solid numbers and even explaining your mindset at the time etc, is very helpful for new jewelry makers

SO HELPFUL! Just hearing that you went through the same doubt and low pricing because you didn't want to be seen as an imposter, has really opened my eyes to the fact that I'm not alone in that feeling, thank you so very much for sharing Basia! Heading over to Megan's now to learn the formula 😁🙏💖

I really appreciate this video because I do this ALL THE TIME. As a beginner, I feel like I should be practically giving something away because it isn't "professional" enough (even though its just a simple gem set ring). As makers, We really do need to stand by our work and charge our own worth. Thanks for the reminder. (I just recently started following Megan as well on RU-vid. I love watching both of your channels!!! 🥰 ❤

This was a delight, and very informative thank you so much.

Im so glad you made this video together. I'm going through this myself I really love you two ❤

Very helpful, thank you both.

Love this video! Thanks for sharing it! Can you explain how you made the leaves come over the Amazonite ring? Would love to see a video of something like that!

Wonderful video! I subscribe to Megan's channel as well and loved seeing you both discuss a very important topic. I've lost out with pricing as well. Thank you both🕊🕊💖💖

I am fortunate to know fellow creators that will honesty tell I'm pricing too low. I have been creating off and on I recently started again. I call it experimental mode 😂 but I am learning new things. One of the reasons I enjoy your content. As far as I'm concerned creating is a never ending learning experience.

wow this really resonates with me. great video

I'm just loving seeing two of "my faves" discussing pricing! Although you are both among "my faves", I have never "analyzed" your pricing....but Basia, I have definitely felt the "ultra-nice people pleaser" in you, and it doesn't surprise me in the least that you were significantly undercharging. I know a little something about this "syndrome" because I was the same way when I was younger. For me it took some deep self examination into the reasons I was thinking in this way. Thank you Megan for helping to recalibrate this lovely lady's sense of value! And Bascia, I'm so glad to see you making this "correction" to the true value of your work! Love you both!

Oh my goodness, I went through the same thing in my beginnings stages, but that was cut very short. I appreciate your candor. I think we've all been there before. Your jewelry is beautiful. Hope you have learned from this and are making what you are worth now.

Two of my favorite channels united!

Great video. Brings back memories of when I started and keeping my prices "reasonable." Still working on the pricing, but better. How do you handle people asking for me selling at a lower price versus not making a sale.

Notifications on. Thanks Basia.

When you said “I will show myself out” I lost it! 😂

Basia, when you see Super busy Megan again, please ask her about her consignment experiences (“stocking 3 shops…)”. This would be a great topic and I still can’t get an answer anywhere, and she’s so busy. I’m so glad you are charging better, you are worth it - Megan is right!!!

I totally made this mistake starting out (I only started selling in the last year) and still make this mistake, but I trying to price better and the true value of my labor and the materials. It's so tough to feel confident about selling it at the correct price, especially since many of my clients are friends! Thank you so much for this great information!!! Love you girls!!!

It would be so awesome to be able to watch you two work together on a couple of designs and pieces you create !!!

This is such a helpful video!

Wow I really found this extremely interesting and super helpful.. my friends tell me I charge too much sometimes, especially for my woodworking projects, so I always try to come down a little from what I price my jewelry pieces at 🙈.. pricing, is difficult, you want to make your money back and a little profit but you don't want to be so high that you alienate people from buying also lol . Great video Basia, I hope you are doing great 😃👍🏼

thank you yall helped me so much

Lol “I will show myself out” 😂 I have a movement therapy practice & when I look at my old rates I feel the same way!

I'm not actively making or selling my jewelry right now but this video helped so much with what I struggle with in my creative life. I charge people very cheaply for tattoos and the people close to me spent a lot of time trying to convince me that I deserve more. I just have faced many potential clients who don't want to pay for a good tattoo and it makes me wonder if I shouldn't just lower my prices. But now I know I shouldn't let those people who are unwilling to pay for quality art get to me. This will also be very helpful when I pick up metalsmithing again! Thank you.

Love your videos 😊

I really enjoyed this collaboration! Thanks for the pep talk ❤️ I really needed this reminder for the 1 millionth time 😅 Stop. Underpricing. Your. Work. 📝 👏🏻

This is so amazing! I feel the exact same way and my husband constantly tells me I price to low. So shhhhh but he's right 🤷‍♀️

Haha seems i am not the only one that loved low on pieces that took 3 hours and more to make... I am now stating to understand that it's quit hard to find THE formula. Think a to you two for the video 😊

Warning: The brutal honesty of this comment may blow you away. I must absolutely comment on this video and will continue on Megan's channel in part two. Brace yourself, because I can be long-winded but must make several statements and points to ponder from and learn. Let me begin, by revealing myself. I am from the US. I do not have a youtube channel, I only have an account for the purposes of subscribing to individuals for inspiration and to learn. I subscribe to both Megan and Basia. Statement #1: Knowledge is everything. Being of the mindset to be flexible enough to change on a "dime" when necessary is key. Kudos to Basia for knowing this. I am in my 60s and have made jewelry for many years since childhood. I have changed on many different "dimes" and have reinvented myself numerous times. I have made mistakes, but I have succeeded many more times than not. Transparency is important, so a side note: I have recurring brain tumors and have had 3 in the last twenty years. God spared my fine motor skills and I was still able to make jewelry after some very hard work in physical therapy. I have been a successful Jewelry Artist for many reasons, and pricing is one of the reasons. Certainly, I know some will go directly to my website to view what I make. My website is not up currently because I am once again changing on the "dime" that has presented itself and reinventing myself as an artist to continue to not be a "Starving Artist". You can see a statement of explanation on my site. I am on Shopify, not Etsy. I teach classes at the University and other locations about the business side of jewelry making including pricing as well as completely separate classes on jewelry-making techniques. In order to be prepared for my pricing class, one must ONLY attend if they have the following in place, not to be deviated from, for purposes of the class: Critical Assumptions to not confuse the watcher: 1. Determine Your target market. Retail demographics and Wholesale demographics. Women / Men or both who purchase quality jewelry or costume jewelry. Which are you? What is your target market? 2. Assume Handmade Jewelry with some factory findings. 3. Determined Costume jewelry or Fine jewelry? The caliber of the quality is tied to your target market. 4. Developed relationships with vendor accounts for the best pricing of materials and stones. ie: Rio Grande, Amazon, and many others. 5. Home studio or off-site studio. 6. Software affiliation for payments, For Example, if you sell fine jewelry, then it might make better sense for your brand to be tied to Shopify rather than Etsy or Square. Your branding. 7. Assume you are a jewelry business for profitability to make a living and not just a hobby. In this video, these factors should have been stated in the beginning clearly as assumptions to clarify in a serious matter rather than in a laughable way. Pricing is not a laughing matter. Statement #2: If you don't have these factors in place, then you are not ready to discuss pricing. If you feel confused or perplexed after watching this video, then it could be for the reason that you haven't yet clarified the above factors for your jewelry business. I have followed Basia since the beginning. She doesn't know me, but I feel that I know her very well from her channel and the latest changes to her name and reinventing her channel. Kudos! I also subscribe to Megan's channel and feel like I have gotten to know her as well. Statement #3: exercise Statement #4: Jewelry making is an art and a business. Yes, we are Artist and Jewelry makers, but must do what we can to avoid the term, "Starving Artist" which exists for a reason. Be careful to not have your mind in a lock position forcing you to become a "Starving Artist". absolutely

I love this video. When I was making jewelry, my goodness I had the exact same thoughts. No wonder the profit margin was non existent. Lmao. Great video, and incredibly entertaining too!

This was very enjoyable while also being very educational. It also makes me feel better about how low prices on Etsy are.

my 2 favorite influencer in my silversmithing journey, thank you for been so unique and awesome from San Diego California USA

That was amazing! Going over there now!

I've never laughed so much watching a jewellery video lol - laughing with you, not at you. What a great video & collab. Imposter syndrome, so real.

Such a good video this makes me feel so much less self conscious about the stress of pricing

I think we could all relate to this. One other thing I would suggest for custom work is to get the estimated cost of materials up front and have the customer sign acknowledgement that deposit is non refundable.

I’m an apprentice jeweler right now still learning at a company but plan to work t words selling my own stuff on Etsy and eventually have my own business! This is really great info expeciallt for a beginner like me ty!

Such a fun video, you ladies are hilarious! ❤ yet such a typical sad story. Also there is time spent on finding supplies and shipping them or going by transport to get them (here is where buying wholesale makes sense but it can also mean if you use a credit card higher interest rate depending when you manage to pay that money back). Let alone other business costs and paying for rented housing, internet, utilities etc. In reality Asian market with their lower prices and super affordable cost of production crossed the road to local designers in North America and Europe where cost of living and cost of materials and services is much more. I think this video should be shown in every design school :).

I havent started working with silver but i do lapidary and make lots of turqouise beads and necklaces. I felt the exact same way with the prices haha Great video, very relatable!

Thank you so much for this video I feel like you pricing my jewelry I don't want to over do it but my family says I don't charge enough

I LOVE THAT POINT!!!! THEY VERY WELL MAY THINK SOMETHING IS OFF WITH LOWER "us trying to be fair" PRICING!!! I love you both so much!!!!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THESE VIDEOS!!! Thank you both so much for tackling this NERVE RACKING, yet make or break topic!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

This ring is gorgeous 😊 What was the ring made off silver I make some costume jewellery now n again ❤

Wow I can definitely relate thank you.

That 2nd Rose quartz ring was my favorite. I would die if I got that for 23$!! I love both of your channels 😍 ♥️

This is great to hear, I think pricing your own work is incredibly difficult, only you know what you put into it. And it isn't always about the materials, whatever you use, you need the skill and the knowledge to make the materials do what you want them to. Asking someone else to price it up for you (not your best friend) can help. But this video misses out the crucial info - WHEN were those sales made, we don't know what the material costs were at the time, turquoise jumped up in price when several mines were closed, also, how good was the quality of the work - it takes time to build good skills. You need to be critical, realistic and confident.

Interesting video, I love the labradorite, so iridescent. I have never bought a ring in these styles before, but now looking to… would love to get a moss agate, lapis lazuli and chariote. I found a silver rutilated quartz ring priced at 350 cad, the stone was beautiful with threads forming an x, but the setting was really really cheap, and only held on by jewelry glue and four prongs that went halfway up the gem. I passed on it, but do think of it from time to time.

I am a silversmith and I do make a lot of jewellery. Pricing has always been a concern of mine. With that said I have always known I don't want to build a reputation for selling cheap jewellery. I want a reputation for selling the best materials and workmanship I can put into each piece I make. I came to an understanding with myself that folks who buy jewellery are not buying their main staples in life. Jewellery is a luxury product and should be something to cherish and the customer should be proud to wear it and it should cost more. Anything of real value does. Because I don't have a real formula for pricing I tend to do the opposite I think. I tend to price pieces to high. I am not really sure. I do sell pieces now and again usually by word of mouth and to folks that know me. I am not sure how if I would sell anything in a store or online. So your video here is very helpful and I will look at your guest video about pricing formulas. Thank you.

An interesting perspective. I am wary of "pricing formulae" for several reasons - primarily because there are a LOT of amateur jewelers out there and the market is incredibly saturated. Ultimately, people in the US and Europe will never be able to compete against .800 silver and fake stones manufactured in Asia, but some people are very unrealistic with their prices.

I am glad I am not alone! I have a hard time pricing my work. It’s partly because I am extremely judgmental about my jewelry and I make it, then pick it apart. I guess it’s imposter syndrome. Can’t wait to hear what Megan has to help. I’m on my way there now. Thanks ladies!!

when i do pricing on customs the base price is 40.00 per hour base cost. i then ask them how much they have to spend and then I get back to them with what I can do within their budget. most people do compare us handmade jewelers to Walmart or things they see on amazon or cheep sites.

I really want that amethyst ring it's gorgeous...

I’ve had two jewellery exhibitions here in Japan. Both times I had to change all my prices. The two ladies I was sharing the space with advised me on the new prices. I try to use all sterling silver for my findings but that isn’t important for Japanese customers. Clip on earrings are the winners. I’m glad I’ve had people to make suggestions for the Japanese market. Great video, thank you 💜

You're awesome!

I don't know if you were talking about already flatened underside for the first amerhyst ring with the two crystals but this is a pretty common shape for natural amethyst points so you should be able to find more :)

Wauw I underpriced too I think... going to part 2...

Im making wire rings and a few other things, they sell pretty good locally but not so well online. Kinda feel like my prices are too high at times but I'm offering free shipping as well as my time that's put in and still barely able to make even.

I wire wrap jewelry and seem to be pricing your pieces the same as you did lol I also feel I have imposter syndrome and am constantly being told I price my pieces too low 😅 thank you for this video! It’s making me consider my time on my work a lot more❤

Oh my lanta, I feel so seen 😅 I’ve been pricing my art so low from the beginning & now that I’ve taken some Time Off , i understand that my original art is worth much more than my imposter system tells me.

Nice video. You were pricing low, but it seems the guest's estimates were a bit to high considering the market and the types of similar pieces/stones available at lower prices. I was wondering if the much larger mark up has moved your pieces at the same or a higher rate, especially if you are selling on a site like Etsy, which has a large selection of crafted pieces?

🇿🇦 thank you for the video ☺️

I'm selling 14k gold plated chains and charms at Target prices, like 14 to 20 dollars lol. I'm trying to get enough money to give my kids a Christmas, so I'm looking to sell quickly. I wonder if I could get more for them and still sell them in time?

I have been searching for jewelry like yours & not the costume cheaper quality jewelry? You have beautiful jewelry & I’d love to know where to look for it? Being I can buy it it at the infamous sale prices,lol? I’m kidding as clearly you are very talented & you make exquisite jewelry. 😉

I have been silversmithing for about 10 years and I feel like my brain is on the same level with you on pricing lol. I now mainly cut turquoise instead of silversmithing, because price of cabochons is very easy to track and categorize based of where the material comes from.

The thing is: it takes times also & the eye of an expert to go & find the stone !

Megan introduced me to your channel via the great video that you both made together for Megan's Channel. Wow 23 dollars for the first piece. I looked up Jade and top of the list on Ebay was almost 30 pounds each. There must be some discrepancy regarding the type of Jade in my search perhaps? Sub'd. Another really good point is the more someone pays for a piece, possibly the more they value it, AND LOOK AFTER IT. So there is less damage, repairs etc. Amelanite? ring. This is Beautiful. Love it. If I could afford it, Id pay twice your selling price, plus airfares and accommodation for you and your partner to drop it off over dinner somewhere nice. Unfortunately, I cant afford it (yet). BUT, maybe with what Zina, my partner and I, do with this information and the part two video on Megans Channel, who knows. Thank you so much both. I am going to play these to Zina now. She used to make Jewellery many years ago.

The problem with Etsy I've found is that there are so many cheap pieces, (especially rings) from India, that are priced so, so low! They look great in photos, but if you look at the reviews, you find that people are complaining that the item doesn't look like the one in the photos, is much smaller than it looks in photos, the quality is bad, and took months to arrive, etc. I wish people would check the reviews before they purchase these cheap items....If it looks too good to be true, it usually is!

Holy crap those rings!! I can't believe you sold those so cheap

Omg I need to take down all my listings and reprice them. I made handmade sterling silver and 14k gold one-of-a-kind pieces. Used to make mostly beaded jewelry, but now I hand make rings, pendants, and necklaces. It seems I’m pricing my items way too low. It’s just difficult to complete with other sellers, especially the sellers who claim their jewelry is handmade, but it’s not.

So in my opinion you should at minimum triple the cost of materials plus your hourly labor. So if materials cost twenty five dollars and you charge twenty dollars an hour for two hours of labor then it would be one hundred fifteen dollars. This is a basic starting point. More expensive stones may not be able to be marked up as much. Also you may be able to mark items higher because they are exclusive one of a kind or custom. Figure out what your time is worth and keep track of ALL material costs.

I love this video, I'm also from Belgium, where does mrs Collin get her materials here in Belgium? I know Herens&Herens and Bijou Moderne, but or there other deliverers? Thank you.

I used to (an still struggle with) price my art works really low when I first started out my little shop. Always had an awful problem with my self worth and own pricing my works, feeling like they couldn't or flat would never sell due to overall costs. An THEN Id get those folks that will walk up look at my jewelry/art for sale an either say "Oh I cant make that myself a home, an better" or call it costume jewelry trash. Took me a while to appreciate my self worth an set my prices accordingly. The only thing I still struggle with now though are folks selling similar or the same thing as I but at SUPER low slave labor prices.

👍🏻👏🏻💯 true....

I would be priced out of buying jewellery if the spreadsheet was used by most jewellers. Also, there is no way anyone would buy from me if I tried those prices. I also have a small knitwear business and I cannot include time in pricing at all for that business so I feel lucky to be able to include some time in my jewellery work

Love this Video. Even as a Master craftsman in goldsmithing i feel uncomfortable to price my jewellery right…it feels Kind of wrong, but is absolutely not in comparison. Exatly what i experienced as a beginner and what colleagues of me also have big difficulties with. It still feels odd to see the big K, no matter how much work and material went into the piece. So stupid. This is why we don’t earn enough money to buy our own handmade jewellery.

always ask for 50% deposit

I've always had problems pricing what it's worth. I feel like nobody will spend much for my stuff. I spend hours carving but I still undercut myself