Pricing Your Stained Glass Art

(Download your Stained Glass Art Pricing Spreadsheet Here)

You make beautiful stained glass art, and everyone says you should sell it.  But how much should you ask for your work?  One of the most common questions I receive is, “How do I price my stained glass art?”

 Maybe you’ve taken some stained glass panels and sun catchers to craft fairs and have had people haggle prices.  You’ve found then that random numbers aren’t easy to defend in that situation, mostly because you’re not confident in your own price.  After explaining how connected you feel to the item, listing the materials used in your work, presenting an overview of how stained glass is made, and providing a brief lecture on art appreciation - you’re likely to fold quickly and give your hard work away, or your customer is bored, annoyed, and long gone.

 You need a basis for estimating your work that gives you confidence in your numbers (and your own value) when you’re presenting it for sale.  A consistent pricing structure shows potential customers that, no matter what your costs are or how long a piece takes to make, you charge the same prices to everyone, and that others value your work at this price and gladly pay it.  Keep in mind that if they weren’t interested in your work to begin with, they wouldn’t be asking – they just need to be assured they are not being overcharged (because, honestly, they don’t know either).  A consistent pricing formula for stained glass art provides that confidence to both parties – you can be sure you’re not losing on the transaction, and your customer is assured they are getting a good value. Win-Win.

 Charging a flat square footage doesn’t provide this solution, because some designs are more intricate than others, but without fail you’ll continuously hear, “Why is this one so much more than that one?”   Well, there is a formula that accounts for materials and labor without risk, and prices each piece on a fair scale – no matter how big or small, or intricate or minimal.  It’s very simple, and when you use it to price your work, you’ll be able to quickly answer your customers’ pricing questions with confidence, deflecting haggling in a matter of seconds. 

The formula is basically this:  

Price per Piece of Glass + Price per Sq Ft + Embellishments + Overhead + Profit + POS Fees

You can download the full spreadsheet with formulas and instructions HERE. Then just fill in the shaded green areas.  The spreadsheet computes your overhead rate, your price per Sq Foot rate and your Point of Sale (POS) fees, and then prices all of your work for you.

When you enter the length, width, and number of pieces in your design, the spreadsheet calculates the price based on your own rates.  The rates shown in the spreadsheet are examples based on an hourly rate of $13/hour, material costs including glass, foil, solder, flux, etc., and an overhead rate considering indirect supplies, sales and marketing costs.  When you download your own copy of the spreadsheet, change these rates in the yellow box to reflect YOUR costs. I’ve provided instructions to help you figure out your own rates HERE:

Once you enter your costs (examples are listed to get you started!), the spreadsheet will populate itself with your own rates.   Following the instructions on the spreadsheet, you’ll be able to provide a custom quote in seconds, not minutes.  You’ll know what discount you can afford to give without stressing about it.  And best of all when someone asks, “Why does this cost so much?” you can confidently respond, without hesitation, referring them to your printed price list.

If you have any comments or questions about using your Stained Glass Pricing Spreadsheet, you can either post in the comments below, or email us directly at Jodeliece@BradstreetGlass.com.

Thank you!