# Pricing for prints



## LBPhotog (Mar 24, 2010)

Just a general question for all of you guys; when you sell prints what is your profit margin, mark-up on your prints?  I'm just kinda wondering what a reasonable mark-up for prints is.

thanks


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## astrostu (Mar 24, 2010)

Well, mine for a wedding I just did was 25% above cost because it was friends.  I was planning for the next one to do 5x cost.  When I posted that here a few months ago, people told me I needed to multiply that by 10x again.


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## KmH (Mar 25, 2010)

LBPhotog said:


> Just a general question for all of you guys; when you sell prints what is your profit margin, mark-up on your prints? I'm just kinda wondering what a reasonable mark-up for prints is.
> 
> thanks


Bear in mind you are selling an image, not a piece of paper with some ink on it.

Places like Wal-Mart sell prints cheap because they *ARE* only selling paper and ink, the customer has to provide the images.

A reasonable markup pays for your time, talent, and non-reimbursed business expenses. (including your regular retirement fund payments.)

The markup is usually highest on desktop sized prints (up to and including 8x10) and gets smaller as the print sizes increase through the wall sizes.

Most print sales are desktop sizes. I markup desksize prints 2500% over my print cost.


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## LBPhotog (Mar 25, 2010)

KmH I have heard this theory before, "You are selling a piece of art" and I agree with that ... I just have a hard time selling, let's say, a 5X7 for like $12 when I know what I paid for it ... *LOL* ... but I guess this isn't an obscene thing ... infact, at a 2500% markup seems as like I'm really missing the mark as to the price I should be charging.

as to the comment you made about the "contributing to a regular retirement fund" that's something I have never thought of.  I have a regular 401k with my full time employer; but, I guess I should be contributing out of my photography business too ... thanks for the tip.

Anyone else out there have anything else they can contribute?


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## Christie Photo (Mar 25, 2010)

KmH said:


> Bear in mind you are selling an image, not a piece of paper...



^^^This bears repeating^^^

We're NOT SELLING PRINTS.  Folks can by a whole box of 8x0s from B&H...  but if you want one of my images printed on them, it will be more.

It used to be there was a substantial difference in the cost of smaller prints from a pro lab.  The first 8x10 from a neg, mounted and sprayed might cost $10&#8211;$12, while a 5x7 would be $6&#8211;$7.

These days, you can get any size print for under $2 (plus mounting and spray).

I'm considering one price for any print up to 8x10.  Do you suppose when Renoir was commissioned to do a portrait, he made a dozen to choose from and then bargained about the price in relation to the size?  "If you go 16x20 instead of 20x24, I could drop my fee."

But we do it.  Why?

So, to answer your question, I no longer base my small print prices on lab costs.  Heck, the shipping can be as much or more.  I'm still using my old pricing from the film days.

-Pete


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## gsgary (Mar 25, 2010)

When i'm shooting events and printing on site it is 900%, print with mount £0.80 sell for £10 :mrgreen:


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## templatephotoshop (Mar 26, 2010)

We do the one price for any size 4x6-8x10. I just heard an anology that made complete sense. When you shop for a sweater they come in a multitude of sizes. S M L, You don't pay any less for the small sweater do you?

That really hit it home for me.

The other comment I wanted to make was that when pricing, do not underestimate how much post production time you spend on your images. We shoot raw, then convert, then do some effects and retouching on our favorites. It all adds up, so when you hear 2500% markup, that is not that unbelieveable. Good Luck!


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