How do I price small vs. large products fairly?
Scaling prices by size only works when your time, materials, and perceived value scale with it.
The Narrative
The Empathy
You have a small version and a large version of the same product, but the pricing never feels quite fair. The small one takes nearly as long as the large one, yet customers expect a big price gap. When you try to scale just by size, you either undercharge for your time or overprice the larger piece.
The Education
The fairest pricing uses a weighted scale that blends materials, time, and complexity. Materials usually grow in a predictable way with size, so track the cost per inch, ounce, or square foot. Labor rarely scales linearly, so log time by size tier and add a complexity multiplier for steps like sanding, glazing, or finishing. For example, if a small print costs $6 in materials and 35 minutes of work, while a large print costs $14 in materials and 50 minutes of work, your pricing gap should reflect both the extra materials and the extra time— not just the size increase. A simple method is to set a baseline price for the smallest size, then add incremental price steps tied to each size tier's actual material usage and average labor.
The Solution
Create a size-tier matrix with three columns: materials cost, average minutes, and target margin. Calculate a minimum price for each tier, then round to clean price points that still preserve your margins. Share the logic in your signage—"Small, medium, and large based on time and materials"—so customers understand why the difference isn't just about inches. When the tiers are grounded in data, you can stay fair to your labor and transparent to your buyers.
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