This past week I made 24 teacup/teapot cookies for a co-worker, for her daughters' little tea party. She never asked price, but I chaged her $20 for these cookies, decorated and packaged (see my photos). Was that out of line? These cookies are only about 3" tall.

deb

WOW....less than $1 per cookie....I would say you sold yourself down the river! I would have charged AT LEAST $2.50/ea (probably $3) for them! BUT, as others have mentioned here....they will sell for what you can get for them in your region! Cookies are very time consuming detailed work, so if I couldn't get what i do for them (I charge $4.50 each for large 5" cookies), then I wouldn't do them at all!
By the way....they're beautiful! I bet she loved them!

That doesn't sound out of line at all. I charge $.75 each or $9 per dozen & that's a deal around my area. So your $20 for detailed work on cookies is not too much to ask. Be proud of your work & don't undersell yourself.

I don't think that sounds out of line at all!! I just did some Holiday cookies for my MIL and I went out the the website of the bakery she normally uses and looked at their prices. I charged her $1.50/cookie ($18/dozen). They are time consuming so I really think you have to take that into account when pricing.

If anything you under charged. I live in the middle of nowhere, high unemployment, low income and I would have charged at least $1.25 a cookie for that.

Thanks for the encouragement.............I was sort of feeling guilty because they are not very large cookies.

deb

I often wonder if I am over- or under-pricing myself on cookies, especially, but sometimes on my cakes, too. I have found it's kind of like selling houses: the market will bear what the market will bear. If mom was happy with the results and thrilled to pay you with no complaints, then you did just fine. You might have been able to get a little more for them, but why? Better to start in a ballpark the client is comfortable in than to take them to Yankee Stadium with pricing and have them upset with you forever (and the negative word-of-mouth publicity that goes with it). And, ultimately, was the little girl happy, too? If so, then I think you've got a winning combination there.

Your cookies are very cute and nicely executed. I would expect that in NJ you could get more for the cookies, but then again, I don't exactly know what the economy is like there. Here in Mid-Michigan, you would have had an extremely happy customer who would come back time and again. I hope the same for you.

Nice job!

Odessa

I have to disagree with you aobodessa! Why should MomLittr have charged more for her work? - because the cookies and her talents are worth more! I would rather be known for quality work at reasonable, not cheap, prices, than be known as 'that cheap cake woman'. Why should anyone work for less than they are worth??? The time will come when resentment will begin to creep in at being continually underpaid for your time and skills - then your passion will turn to hate. Who wants that?! Value your time and your skills - period! If other people don't, well then let them go elsewhere. Sorry for the rant, but the number of high-quality bakers and cake artists I see on this site that sell themselves short always amazes me, and we shouldn't encourage that - jmo!

you charged .83 cents per cookie. Even the bakeries charge 1.25 to 1.50 for those break your mouth cookies!

Check your prices...I always do...

but if you're like me...I always underprice my prototype...and go accordingly from there...

Adorable cookies. You definitely undercharged - no matter what region you're in - but are you licensed? When you become licensed, you HAVE to charge more to cover insurance, overhead, taxes, kitchen equipment, etc, etc. Keep up the hobby - looks like you have talent and might be able to turn it into a professional business someday.

Bottom line....if you're doing this as a hobby and your customers are satisfied, that's all that really matters, HOWEVER, I do this with the intent to always have satisfied customers, but more importantly, to be sure my costs are covered and I'm making a profit. Years ago when I first started my business with primarily cookie bouquets, I underpriced and it was such a HUGE mistake! I received call-after-call for more cookies and my pricing spread by word-of-mouth....so it made it difficult to raise them later and I lost some customers because I could not longer work for next to no profit! Now, I primarily do cakes with cookies on the side, and I have NO problem sharing my pricing, as I know my talent....I know what the competition offers and I know my confections are worth it! I think one of the worst things you can do it start out underpricing....I'm with bonjovibabe....I would rather be know as the "lady that's a little high, with DELICIOUS product that's worth every penny" rather than "hey, call this lady because she's really cheap with DELICIOUS product"! You're worth it!

If you need to know if you undercharged than I suggest you call around your area and check prices....

I have a sinking feeling you way UNDERCHARGED but here are my thoughts.....First quote your price prior to your client receiving the product.....it should not come as a shock when they get it.

Second, if they were my cookies why bother doing them at all if you only charged $.83 cents a cookie? Especially when they were worth lots more.........

If ya do them again, ask yourself, is it worth dirtying a bowl for $.83, if no then you must raise your price!

I remember you saying they were tiny cookeis.....well so are most gemstones are ya gonna tell me they aren't worth the price! My point is - tiny does not matter........quality does.

I started out by quoting 1.50 per gingerbread cookie. Then, I felt guilty, so I said $10/baker's dozen, thats .77 each - doh! But I think I'll raise it back to $1.25 each and $12/baker's dozen.

See my cookies.

That was a bargain.

I charge $18 a dozen for 3" cookies in a box. I charge $25 a dozen if they are to be individually packaged. Cookies are very time consuming...did you figure your cost and per hour wage when figuring the price?? Your cookies turn out really cute, BTW!

I would say you undercharged. I charge minimum $2.00 per decorated cookie. So for a dozen minimum is $24.00.

Remember cakes and cookies are a LUXURY not a necessity ( a wise woman keeps reminding us on another board). They are paying for your talent and time.

I love doing cakes and cookies, but it does take time to give them that WOW factor.

Wow, my question has received alot of interesting responses. No, not licensed but as a hobby right now - most of the folks who buy from me are co-workers and know that (I am a bank secretary). I would normally charge $1 per cookie for these, but being it was a first order, thought would give her a small break. I normally make cakes for folks here, and do charge well. BTW, the cookies were a big hit, which made me feel good.

I do agree with those who say if you charge cheap the product is deemed as cheap. Being I am starting out and just doing this for a little side money for myself (no, banks don't pay the greatest) prices are on the low side. Next year, once folks start liking my products, will raise them, especially my cake rolls that have just exploded orderwise. I do have a price list, which after today will have the words "prices subject to change", as suggested by another CC'r on another post, put on it.

Thanks again for all your responses, and the compliments!

deb

Gotta love this thread- I've been more of a cake person until this past year and never knew quite what to charge, but knew that they took a lot of time and patience to complete be it that they're so much smaller than cakes and there are always so many. Thanks for the info you all

you know i just started doing cookied in oct...and i thought that i was charging too much for the area that i live in 1.00 for my small cookies...about 1.5-2.5 in and 2.00 for my large cookies about 4in-5in...well 2 of my last orders that went out ..when thye paid gave me more than what i had told them the price was...and when it was brought to their attention the response was this...that it takes so much time and talent to do them that they are well worth more than what i was asking....so...and they were both repeat customers...so i have to agree..people will be willing to pay more for a great tasting work of art like everyones cookies on here...so...my suggestion would be to do like i am...make yourself a new pricing chart for the new year, that way it will be an easy transition.

Oh My Gosh...you guys must think I am out of my mind!!!! I charge $5.00 a dozen for decorated sugar cookies!!

I charge $20 a dozen - People seem ok with that price. I agree that tons of time goes into the cookie (LOTS of dirty bowls for sure!!) So sometimes I feel bad charging that but SHESH, I will feel worse making them for nothing. And BTW I just had someone order 5 dozen today! Don't sell yourself short.

Just my 2 cents

I charge $1.50 per cookie and mine are 4" cookies.

I charge $1.25 per cookie, wrapped with a bow. I charge the same rpice across the line regardless of the size of the cookie - easier for me. Some are smaller and some are larger. Repeat customers don't mind!

I started out charging $8.00 a dozen for 3" cookies and $10.00 a dozen for 4"cookies... what an idiot.

After decorating my very first dozen 4" cookies (all different designs, I might add), I nearly cried over the check I received.

I agree with the "don't sell yourself short" posts and above all MAKE IT WORTH your time, effort and artistic ability, your cookies are an art... not just another sweet to munch on!

Yes, I made 99.5 dozen cookies for Valentine's day. Actually only about 99 dozen went out the door, cuz a few of them broke and I HAD to eat them!!

Some of my customers choke on $5 a dozen. I know that I am cheap, and I hope that my work doesn't show my "cheapness"...I figure that if I am happy with the money that I am making and the people that buy from me are happy, that I should leave well enough alone...I feel awful now that I am not getting more, but I don't feel like I can go up right now. I might start charging $6 in a couple of months.

when I do Easter eggs I put five different pastel colors on EACH egg and I still get $5...no wonder people are standing in line at my door!!

At Christmas I make 12 different shapes. That way I can put one character in each box and I don't have to think, or count!! So right there are a lot of different colors too. I make candy cane, snowman, trees, wreaths, rudolph, angels, bells, Santa, gingerbread men, and three more that I can't think of. Needless to say I have frosting all over the kitchen!! By Christmas I will be up to $6 a dozen...that will get me $300 more...I know I am still crazy, huh?

Ok, I'm trying to hold back because I don't want to upset any of my dear friends at CC - but please, please don't undersell yourself! Your work, time and creativity is worth every penny and you deserve it! Underpricing not only burns you out, but it hurts people like myself and others who are licensed and are doing this as our full-time primary jobs ... it's not extra cash for us that we make when we get home from our day jobs - it IS our much needed daytime paycheck. Ok, if I've upset anyone, please PM me directly. Like I said, I didn't mean to upset anyone and I definitely don't want to change the direction of this thread, but I just couldn't help sharing my angle on the 'other' hazards of underselling oneself ... that it lessens people's expectations of what they will/should expect to pay for hand-decorated sugar cookies.

I didn't take offense to your response. We don't have any bakeries in our town so I don't feel like I am stealing away from them. We do have a little store that sells cakes and cookies but her primary business is her stuff in the front of the store. As a matter of fact, when she gets too many orders and can't get them all done, she tells people to call me. So I think she is keeping as busy as she wants to be. The only other place that sells cookies is Walmart and we all know what those taste like. I bought some one time after a holiday for 50 cents a dozen just to taste them...wasted my 50 cents!!! If there was a bakery here in town I would probably work there!!

denver has a lot of the grocery store chain bakeries, where everything comes in frozen and tastes like cardboard. we have one specialty bakery (i mean cookies and cakes and all that stuff that doesn't mean just wedding cakes) and i know they make lots of money because they're on the ritzy foofoo street where the uppity people shop. so i don't feel bad. i mostly do cakes and cookies for dh's co-workers, who pay whatever i ask and don't question me. and i usually charge at least .50 per inch, and it goes up from there depending on how intricate they want it and fondant and other sutff. i don't advertise because i bake at home, and i'm happy with the amazing word of mouth i get from the people i do bake for.

so yeah. charge more. you're worth it, and if you don't, you'll grow to hate it.