How to Price Handmade Jewelry
Handmade jewelry is chronically underpriced because makers count the beads but forget their own time. A defensible price starts from true cost — materials, packaging, and labor at a real hourly rate — then applies a markup that covers fees, marketing, and profit.
Include your labor
If you don't pay yourself, you can never scale, because every extra sale costs you unpaid hours. Pick an hourly rate you'd accept from an employer and count real hands-on time. This single change usually reveals why a piece that 'felt' profitable was quietly losing money.
Markup, not guesswork
A common structure is wholesale at 2x true cost and retail at 2.2-4x. The higher end covers marketplace fees, the occasional refund, and slow seasons. If your markup dips below 2x, there's no cushion for reality.
Frequently asked questions
- How much should I charge for handmade jewelry?
- Start with materials plus packaging plus your labor, then multiply by 2.2-4 for retail depending on your market and fees.
- Should I count my time?
- Yes — unpaid labor caps your business at hobby size and hides real losses.
- What's a good markup?
- Retail is commonly 2.2-4x true cost; wholesale about 2x.