My question
Original artwork on greeting cards
I have seen quite a few amazing pieces of original art being sold for under £3 on here. I just wondered how or why it’s priced so low. Do you take copies and sell reprints to make some money back?
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Some people paint cards as a hobby and so don’t want/ need to make a large profit on them - they just want to recoup their costs. Some people accept a low profit margin on their cards (ie don’t fully charge for their time) so they can achieve regular sales and ‘stock churn’ to keep their shop looking fresh. Some might have their cards as a ‘loss leader’ to bring people into their shop. It’s going to depend on the shop keeper.
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I figured that if I was going to stand a chance selling my own hand painted cards here then I had to take the hit and sell for pretty much cost price, I don’t like it because it feels totally wrong to spend hours creating something but not charge for my time, but, I guess if it brings people to my shop they might then buy a painting, so a loss leader if you like.
I’m thinking of removing my hand painted cards in the near future though and just sell prints instead.
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The pricing is very varied across the board. I must admit that I sell more at local fairs than I do in my Folksy shop. I can’t compete with the pricing as I’d spend more on my supplies than on sales. Just doesn’t work for me. So I stick to my pricing and then reap the rewards at fairs. I love this platform though for all the support and chats so will keep my Folksy shop open.
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I sell my cards a 2.95. I’ve scrupulously worked out my costs, and this gives me a little profit, but I don’t think any art pays for the time you spend doing it, unless you’re extremely fortunate.
My hope is that people will also look at my paintings and buy one… it does happen.
And there’s the enjoyment of making the cards and the thrill of selling them!
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I dont paint cards but I do paint. My paintings are usually sold at £25 to £30 . I make enough to replenish naterials and maybe a pint. If I incorporated time to paint they would be in the hundreds. I rarely sell now, I’d never sell if i did that. 
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I have the same dilemma with my painted glass suncatchers and pictures. The paint is expensive, the glass is expensive, packaging to protect them is expensive and then there is the time making them. It is a fine line between being seen as ‘cheap’ and being seen as ‘expensive’. I make very little on my suncatchers but still think people may be being put off by the price. Hey ho as long as I enjoy it I will keep painting them 
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@GINGERPINEAPPLECRAFTS I have been questioning my pricing for ages as I don’t seem to sell much. Yet at a craft fair recently people didn’t hesitate with the cost.
Maybe it’s the mindset of finding a cheap product online 
I bet your P&P costs quite a lot!!
@GeorginaCrawfordArt I think I might drop my prices down to £2.95 as you say it’s a small profit but doesn’t cover the cost of your time. I love your cards btw 
I’ve noticed the same, craft fairs people will happily pay more for the exact same thing, I do wonder, certainly in my case though, if it is that people see them in the flesh and they look much better than they do on my photos.
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Yes that’s a valid point! @PaintedHorseArt I hadn’t thought of that. I am rubbish at photos! I haven’t worked out how to take a photo of the cards where they look decent
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I also think that when people buy on line they expect to pay less.
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I think people do want to pay less online. I have to say that when I find something I would like online I then look at the postage and think oooh that is going to make it quite expensive. I have to really tell myself that I want it and cannot get it anywhere else so paying for postage is a small price to pay. Unfortunately people are used to having no postage to pay as they buy from large companies like Amazon which can absorb their postage costs as they sell so much. I can only dream of being in that position 
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I think you’re probably right, you’ve got to really want something to spend almost as much on postage as the card.
I have considered offering free postage but then I’d have to increase the price, plus folksy fees would be taken off the postage too. Maybe I need to re think the whole thing …… 
As a curiosity Jo, who do you use for postage? Ive got a couple of paintings in glass box frames but RM want over £10 to post (signed for and insured) so would love to find another carrier who could do it cheaper.
I’m the same with my hand knits. I recently timed how long it took to make a hot water bottle cover - 9 hours (I’m not the fastest knitter 
) If I can make enough to cover my costs and fund the next project that’ll have to do. I think the comments about fairs vs online are spot on. I don’t have space to build enough stock for a craft fair but a small space in a local craft shop may be a way forward - or learn to knit faster 
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I use royal mail 2nd class and Royal Mail tracked and signed when sending to the USA
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Many of the hand painted original cards are lovely but are also quite quick to do for an experienced painter so they can be profitable. I print my cards from my original paintings but I don’t sell many as the cost of postage has to be included. I try to keep prices in line with local art gallery card prices but there’s not much profit in them - I like to think that they are affordable art for all and make sure my contact details are on the back so they act as little adverts as well.
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Thank you for your reply. Don’t you worry about things getting broken? I may be worrying too much but the glass worries me. I am a worrier.
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It is well worth checking the full details on the Royal Mail website about compensation and insurance for damage to parcel contents. As far as I am aware it does not cover damage to ceramics and glass items, and thus it is pointless paying extra for insurance, or filling in claim forms for damage. At the post office I have often been asked whether I want to insure the contents and have told them that the service does not cover damage to ceramics - some counter staff seem unaware of that fact. I have had a couple of breakages when sending to galleries, but fortunately none when sending direct to customers. Packing ultra-protectively adds to weight, size and ultimately cost, so all this needs to be borne in mind when pricing or setting postage charges.
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