Hi to everyone! A little introduction before we get down to business. My name is Alyona, and I’ve been crafting for as long as I can remember — since childhood, really. For the past 20 years (yes, two decades!), I’ve been right here in the crafting and sewing business.
I started out with a local shop where I sold supplies for handmade people. We (Me and my Mom 👇) also provided a service where customers could pick what they wanted, and we’d create it right in front of them. Then, when I moved to the UK, I shifted gears. I opened a website and started selling handmade things online.
I went from selling ready – made handmade products (like brooches, earrings and bracelets), then moved all out to supplies for crafters, and now I’m focused on digital sewing patterns only. That’s my story. So, you know who I am and that I have all this experience behind me.
Because I’ve been through it all, I want to share how to price your handmade creation in a few simple steps. Pricing can feel like trying to solve a maths equation while juggling flaming torches, but it doesn’t have to be that hard.
Stop Thinking Like a Seller (And Start Thinking Like a Buyer)
First of all, you need to look at pricing from the perspective of the customer, not the seller.
We all do this — because we are creating these things, we are crazy in love with them. To us, it’s a gold bar. It’s a masterpiece. But here’s the harsh reality check: the customer doesn’t see it that way.
They see 10,000 other people. They see 10,000 competitors. You are just one person in a sea of options. And you need to price your creation not only correctly but also convincingly. You have to prove that for the price you put on your creation, they are going to get back a specific benefit or solution.
The “Made with Love” Trap (A Cautionary Tale 🍰)
Last Christmas I went to Lidl to buy my usual Christmas treat. I love Stollen with marzipan, the classic one. In Lidl the price is somewhere between £3 and £4. If you go for the deluxe brand it is £5 or £6. Still below £10.
Then I found a girl when I was browsing on my Instagram, who bakes the same Stollen. Beautiful page, very aesthetic. So of course I was curious. Her price? Between £20 and £25. That is around 26$ to 33$.
And let me tell you the truth: the first reflex of any normal customer is exactly what fired in my head too.
Swipe.
Too expensive.
Next.
End of story.
But because I am a creative person myself, I always try to justify other creators’ prices. So I reached out to her and asked: “What ingredients do you use?”
My logic was simple. If Lidl charges so little, Lidl probably uses their own cheap eggs, non-organic ingredients, processed things. So maybe she uses farm eggs, organic flour, proper milk, healthy oils. If she told me “Yes, everything I use is from an organic shop and farm”, I would happily pay her 25 pounds. Same product, same taste, but better for my health.
So I asked her where she buys her ingredients.
And she said… Tesco. Lidl. Sainsbury’s.
Exactly the same supermarkets I’m going every week.
And that is where the whole thing collapsed.
Lidl can create the same Stollen for £5 using the same ingredients.
She uses the same supplies but charges 4 or 5 times more.
What for?
Is she a big brand? No.
Is she special? Not really.
What makes her product worth that price?
When I asked, she said: “I make it with love.”
Listen… I am sorry but “love” does not justify an extra £20 on my receipt. It does not benefit my health. And it does not explain the difference. It just sounds like a scam. She lost me as a customer that second. I unsubscribed. I had a very bad feeling that she was simply overpricing to make money, without being honest.
And here is another important point. If someone close to me, like my cousin, asks me about this person, I will give an honest review. And people always trust the opinion of someone close more than a stranger online. So this girl not only lost me but lost everyone around me as well. That is how customer psychology works.
This story is the perfect example of why pricing must make sense.
Keep this in mind. You cannot just price things high because of “love”.
Speaking of things you’ll love: If you want to start creating right now without the headache, you can download the free panty pattern and get sewing immediately! 🧵
STEP 1 – Look At The Market Before You Set Your Price
The first step is checking what the market offers. I am not saying you need to chase the race to the bottom and price your items so low you go into the minus. No, absolutely not.
I am saying you need to look at the market. If your price is higher, you must sit down and think: What makes my price justified?
If your price is higher, you must have a reason and you must explain that reason clearly.
People pay for justified value.
Not for your feelings.
Not for “made with love”.
Your price must hit the customer’s pain point.
You need to find the customer’s pain point. If you find this, they will pay you any money you ask, even if the shop next door is half the price!
STEP 2 – Find The Customer’s Pain Point And Use It Honestly
Let’s look at some examples of how to flip a feature into a solution for a pain point:
- The Bakery Example: If that girl had said, “I drive to a specific farm for these eggs and use organic flour,” I would have paid. My pain point? I want to live longer and be healthier. I want to treat my body well.
- Soap & Candles: Most shop – bought soaps are full of chemicals. If you make soap with natural olive oils or real oats, say that! For candles, don’t just use cheap aromas. Use organic oils. Tell the customer: “Do you feel stressed or overwhelmed?” (That’s the pain point). “My candles use organic oils to help you relax and relieve the stress of the day.”
- See? They aren’t paying for a candle; they are paying for stress relief.
- Sewing & Clothes: If you are selling underwear or clothes, explain the materials. “I use high – quality stabilizers and interfacing.”
- Tell them: “This material sustains longer. You spend less on fast fashion because this won’t stretch out of shape after one wash.”
People need to understand the benefit for them.
STEP 3 – The Math, The Actual Pricing Formula (Very Simple, I Promise)
A few days ago, my cousin contacted me. She is a sewing person and is getting into the business of sporty ballet dancewear for girls. My little niece, Nona, does dancing, and my cousin creates all her costumes.
She realised it’s a big market. Other mums see Nona’s jewellery, dresses, or hair decorations and ask, “Can I get the same?” So, she wants to sell earrings, bracelets, and hair clips to the class. But she panicked: “I don’t know how to price!”
Since I’ve had my local shop and website, I broke it down for her in 2 simple steps. It depends entirely on where you buy your supplies.
Scenario A: You Buy Wholesale (The Retailer Route)
If you buy supplies from a big retailer or warehouse, the price is usually very low.
- The Rule: You need to multiply this cost by at least 2 or 3.
- My Experience: In my shop, my margin was 3-5 times. If I bought one bead for £1, I sold it for £5. If I bought felt for £1, I sold it for £3.
- Why? This covers buying the stock again, paying tax, and paying yourself a salary.
Scenario B: You Buy Retail (The Hobbycraft Route)
Let’s say you don’t have access to a factory. You go to a local craft shop (like Hobbycraft in the UK).
- The Problem: Hobbycraft has already put their margin on top. You are buying it at a higher price.
- The Rule: Count how much the supplies cost you and multiply by 2. Simple 👇
The Labour Calculation I did for my Cousin
Let’s say you are making a bracelet.
- Supplies: You used 10 beads. If each bead cost you £1 (after your margin logic), the materials cost £10.
- The Work: You spent time creating it.
- The Formula: Multiply the supplies cost by 2.
- £10 (Supplies) x 2 = £20 (Final Price).
That is exactly how I was doing it in my business for handmade jewellery, brooches, rings, and necklaces.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. Pricing doesn’t need to be a nightmare. Just follow these three steps:
- Check the competition: Know what the market is doing.
- Find the pain point: Justify your price (don’t just say “made with love”).
- Do the simple maths: Multiply your costs based on where you sourced your materials.
It wasn’t a big difference for me whether it was a physical shop or online — the logic remains the same.
If this article was useful for you, I am glad I could help! Now, if you are in the handmade business world, you probably need customers to actually see these perfectly priced items.
Between 85% and 90% of the traffic and sales on my website come from Pinterest. In my opinion, it is the best platform so far to bring customers to your shop.
Would you like to know how to get those eyes on your products? If YESSSSS then…
You might also like: How to Use Pinterest to Drive Traffic to Your Handmade Shop
P.S. For more tips and tutorials (and maybe a little bit of sass), don’t forget to check out my YouTube channel as well! 🎥
