Expert: Leisha Hiester - 1/7/2009

Question
I have the set of molds for the very large outside nativity.  I do not know what the original price is of these molds, I paid $275, so I don't know what to charge for the greenware.  I have 4 orders for complete sets.  Can you help me"

Answer
Mavis,
That's great! Congrats on your orders. Here's a site that may be helpful for you to do a comparison.

http://www.debmark.com/moldsearch.php#start

I noticed there's one large nativity set molds for nearly $600. You got a great deal. The old school rule of thumb used to be that you charge 1/2 of what you paid for the mold for the greenware, but it has been a long time since I was in that business.

If a mold is no longer available, you have the rights to it and the right to charge a fair market value. In other words, what will the market bear? What are customers willing to pay? What is a fair price to you for your materials and labor?

For me, I know the goal I've set for income to bring in annually. Therefore, I know what my hourly rate is valued at. I also know exactly what I pay for all my materials. Then, I'm able to calculate each order or job accordingly. I always try to provide a quote up front and discuss it with the customer.

Hope this was helpful. Leisha