How do I price my handmade items for a craft fair?
Your prices should cover every cost, pay you for your time, and leave room for profit and market fees—without relying on guesswork.
The Narrative (Left Column)
The Empathy
You're lining up items on your table, staring at blank tags, and wondering if the price feels too high or too low. Customers love the work, but you know they compare it to mass-produced options. You're trying to be fair to shoppers while also respecting the hours you spent making each piece. It's easy to feel torn between affordability and the real cost of your craft.
The Education
Start with a standard pricing formula: materials + labor + overhead = base cost. Add profit by multiplying the base cost by your target margin (for example, base cost × 1.3 for a 30% margin). Another quick check is the retail multiplier many makers use: (materials + packaging + overhead) × 2 to 2.5, then add labor separately so your time is always paid. Don't forget considerations like booth fees, card processing, shipping supplies, display wear-and-tear, and the time spent on admin and setup. Pricing needs to cover both the item and the cost of showing up to sell it.
The Solution
Build a repeatable pricing sheet that tracks every input: material cost per unit, minutes to make, hourly rate, overhead percentage, and target margin. When you know your base cost and margin, you can confidently adjust for event fees, run bundles, or offer small-item price points without eroding profit. A consistent system turns pricing into a simple decision instead of a last-minute scramble before a market.
