price candle tarts

[country bee]

Hi,I make the hot fudge brown sundayswith cherry on top,weight 1.2 ounces,I need to know what prices is correct for these,I don't want to be under priceing.Thanks a lot.

[Vicky_CO]

General rule of thumb cost times 4 some time the market can only bear cost times 3.

I figure my cost and what I need to market up then I do searches to see what everyone elses is charging. I then decide if my price is also fair market value. If my price is way low I raise it if my price is way high then I lower it but never go below 3X cost.

[Candybee]

What Vicki said. You need to determine the actual cost to you of making each tart then use that cost and multipy by 3-4 for a ball park sale price. Then test your market out and see what they are selling for locally and figure that into your pricing. Just be careful to not undersell yourself so you don't lose money.

Packaging and branding is important too. If your tarts are new people won't know them and you may not be able to sell them at the price you want at first. I usually test the market out by taking my new products to the craft shows and seeing how well they do. Then I adjust my price accordingly.

[jonsie]

This is helpful for me as well.

Does this rule of thumb apply to pretty much any product you make, or just tarts?

And does cost calculation include an estimate for labor (assuming I had to hire someone to help me), or is it just materials?

Thanks in advance,

Susan

[Candybee]

Susan you figure everything that goes into the cost of making your product no matter what the product. Eg.; if it costs me $2 to make a candle then I should be selling it in the range of $6-$8. My wholesale would be $4.

[country bee]

thanks everyone!That helped alot.

[BruceCarvesWax]

Im a fan of the 4x your money but I also give quantity discounts that could bring my profit down to the 3x range... but it puts more cash in my pocket.

Bruce

[BeckyW]

I agree-

I figure out what it costs me to make them, then double for wholesale and then double again for retail. Sometimes I am a little higher than others- and other times I am a bit lower.

It also depends on your audience and what the "pricing" is in your area etc. I don't feel you ever can get "enough" for your time-especially in the first few years of business.