re:custom pricing

Tak

A long time ago…
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Dec 26, 2015
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I've got three fakies I want to get rid of, but I know absolutely nothing about them. Please excuse the poor quality of the photos. Discord tends to compress images I send with my phone.
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Also, while I'm here, I didn't want to make a whole new thread just to ask this, but any tips on how I should go about pricing my customs? I want to get rid of a couple of those as well.
I would price customs based on the cost of creat them plus some for the amount of time it took. For instance $1 bait, plus left over or recycled hair and other supplies (paint?) that makes infinitesimal dent in what you have, but you spent 20 hours working on it? Maybe start at $50? It’s very dependent on what people are willing to pay, but for a good custom $50+ is very reasonable.
 
Sorry I have little info about the fakies, myself!

As for customizing, I think prices get higher the more "desirable" one's work gets, so when you're starting out and still learning to paint eyelashes on straight and how to do a clean paint job, it's wise to charge less, and try to make sure your materials are covered. When your ideas are drool-inducing and your execution is amazing, you'll get closer to charging what your time is worth (though unfortunately I don't think most customizers will ever make a "living wage" compared to time spent on their work). Prices can always be adjusted though! And sometimes people are just able to spend more or less, so desirability isn't the only factor. I used to do a lot of customs in trade for ponies I wanted, which helped remove a lot of the guess-work about value. As long as we were both happy with the exchange, it was great!
 
I am sorry I responded wrongly on your other post.
I think your rehairs, for instance, could go for $15-$25 depending on the desirability of the pony itself.
As I said for customs, at least get back what you put into them cost wise.
 
Be sure to include the value of the pony itself, if it's an alt color rehair, I think it should cost more than the base value of the original pony, with flaws considered.
If all trace of the original pony is hidden, then its original value shouldn't factor, obviously.

I would say take a look around, see what other customizers successfully charge for their work (not just what they ask, but what it actually sells for). Try not to get caught up in comparisons, because that's a trap, but do see if you can objectively compare the quality of work, and if you think you're doing a similar quality level, try asking similar prices. (Try to also factor in whether their sale venue is going to charge them fees that they may be factoring in, such as the high fees eBay charges.) You can always start a little on the low end and increase prices as you gain confidence, too. I slowly increased my custom prices as I got better at painting and rehairing and there still seemed to be demand. If it's not selling, try a markdown? Just be patient with it. It's artwork, and that means there is a huge variable in the equation: the whims of the audience.
 
I know this is an older post but OMG I struggle with pricing my work. I always try to think along the lines of what @Jellybean said factoring in materials and time, but I feel like people are so used to "Big box" prices that I just can't compete. :poop:
 
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