Custom Greeting Card Pricing: How to Price Handmade and Printed Cards
How to price greeting cards: cardstock, envelopes, printing, layering and embellishments, with printed, layered and pop-up card examples.
In this guide
Greeting cards are a popular paper craft product, from simple printed cards to layered and pop-up cards. Low prices mean small costs matter. This guide shows how to price greeting cards with three examples.
- Card price = cardstock + envelope + print or cut + embellishments + sleeve + labor, then overhead, profit and fees.
- A printed card costs about $1.79 to make and sells for about $3.
- Layered and pop-up cards take more cutting and assembly. Price them higher.
- Card packs and boxed sets raise order size.
Why card pricing needs care
Cards sell at low prices, so packaging and fees take a big share.
Layered cards may take 15 to 30 minutes each. Price that time.
The steps
1. Cost cardstock and envelope
Divide pack prices.
2. Add print or cut
Ink or cutting machine time.
3. Add embellishments
Foil, ribbon, gems.
4. Add sleeve
Clear sleeve.
5. Add labor
Folding, layering and assembly.
6. Add overhead, profit and fees
Use 10% overhead, 30% profit and fees.
Worked example: printed, layered and pop-up cards
$20 an hour, 10% overhead, 30% profit and 10% fees.
| Printed A2 card | Layered handmade card | Pop-up card | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardstock and envelope | $0.35 | $0.60 | $0.80 |
| Print, foil or embellishments | $0.20 | $0.60 | $0.40 |
| Sleeve | $0.08 | $0.08 | $0.10 |
| Labor at $20.00/hr | 0.05 hr = $1.00 | 0.3 hr = $6.00 | 0.4 hr = $8.00 |
| Overhead (10%) | $0.16 | $0.73 | $0.93 |
| Cost to make | $1.79 | $8.01 | $10.23 |
| Plus 30% profit | $2.33 | $10.41 | $13.30 |
| Cover 10% selling fees (divide by 0.90) | $2.59 | $11.57 | $14.78 |
| Suggested price | $3 | $12 | $15 |
Printed cards are fast to make. Handmade cards need higher prices for the time.
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- Pricing handmade cards like printed cards. Layering takes time.
- No sleeves. Sleeves protect cards and look professional.
- Single cards only. Packs raise order size.
- Ignoring fees. Fees take a big share of small sales.
What you keep on each sales channel
The same printed greeting card at $3.00 leaves different money in your pocket depending on where it sells. This uses the $1.79 cost to make from the example above, with Etsy's current transaction, processing and listing fees and Square's in-person card rate. Shipping, sales tax and ads are left out.
| Where it sells | Buyer pays | Fees | You keep | Profit over cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy (6.5% + 3% + $0.25 + $0.20 listing) | $3.00 | $0.74 | $2.26 | $0.47 |
| Your own website (about 2.9% + $0.30) | $3.00 | $0.39 | $2.61 | $0.82 |
| Craft fair, card reader (2.6% + $0.15) | $3.00 | $0.23 | $2.77 | $0.98 |
| Craft fair, cash | $3.00 | $0.00 | $3.00 | $1.21 |
| Wholesale to a shop (50% of retail) | $1.50 | $0.00 | $1.50 | -$0.29 |
On Etsy, fees take about 25% of a $3.00 sale. The fixed $0.45 per order hits small items hardest, so bundles and multi-packs keep more of each sale. If a sale comes through Etsy Offsite Ads, add another 15% (12% for shops over $10,000 a year), so build that into your price if you're enrolled. Wholesale at half of retail loses $0.29 per piece here. Either raise retail, lower your cost, or set a separate wholesale price with a case minimum.
Bulk and custom order pricing
For a business order of custom holiday cards, design, proof and a test print takes about 0.75 hr at $20.00/hr. Charge that once per order, then spread it across the pieces. Materials are $0.60 per piece and hands-on time is 2.4 minutes, which drops when you batch the same design. Overhead is 10%, profit 30%, and 3% covers card or invoice fees.
| Quantity | Setup share per piece | Cost per piece | Price per piece | Order total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | $0.60 | $2.20 | $2.95 | $73.71 |
| 50 | $0.30 | $1.87 | $2.51 | $125.31 |
| 100 | $0.15 | $1.57 | $2.11 | $210.81 |
| 250 | $0.06 | $1.39 | $1.86 | $464.38 |
The price per piece falls from $2.95 to $1.86 because the setup is shared, not because you cut your rate. Quote the tier the customer actually orders, ask for a 50% deposit before you buy blanks, and set a minimum order size for custom work.
Greeting card checklist
- Cardstock and envelope.
- Print or cut.
- Embellishments.
- Sleeve.
- Labor.
- Overhead, profit and fees.
- Packs.
Price paper crafts
Type your paper, embellishments and time into the peach cells. The calculator shows cost and price.
Get the Paper Craft Pricing CalculatorCalculators that help
- Cardstock yield: See cards per sheet. Use the Cardstock and Sheet Yield Calculator.
- Paper bundles: Price card sets. Use the Paper Craft Bundle and Set Pricing Calculator.
- Invitations: Price invitations. Use the Invitation and Stationery Pricing Calculator.
- Labor: Track assembly time. Use the Paper Craft Labor and Assembly Calculator.
Common questions
How much should I charge for greeting cards?
Printed cards often sell for $3 to $7, and handmade cards for $8 to $15 or more. In this guide a printed card prices at about $3.
How much does it cost to make a card?
Often under $1 for printed cards.
Should I sell card packs?
Yes, packs raise order size.
How do I price custom business cards for holidays?
Charge design once and use tiers.
What size are greeting cards?
A2 (4.25 x 5.5 in) is common.
How do I price wholesale cards?
Wholesale is often about 50% of retail.
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