Print framing mark-up.

mkucinich · Feb 6, 2005

Greetings!

I'd appreciate feedback as to what might be the typical percentage mark-up on cost of outsourced framing of my prints? What percentage above what I will pay the framer should I charge my client?

I will have 10-12 prints matted and framed by a framing establishment for a client, and I will also sign the mats before the framer assembles everything.

Thanks for your input.

Mike

roteague · Feb 6, 2005

mkucinich said:
I'd appreciate feedback as to what might be the typical percentage mark-up on cost of outsourced framing of my prints? What percentage above what I will pay the framer should I charge my client?

Don't forget your costs associated with buying the film, shooting the film, processing the film, etc. Framing isn't the only cost to consider.

Graeme Hird · Feb 6, 2005

I charge the customer what he/she would have paid if they went to my framer with a print of mine.

However, my framer gives me a 12.5% discount, so in effect I'm charging my customers about 10% markup.

I hope that information helps you.

doughowk · Feb 6, 2005

According to an article on Pricing Photographs as Fine Art, the rule of thumb for selling is 3 times your cost for wholesale price, then 2.5 times that for retail price. I'd presume the costs of matting would go into "costs" rather than "overhead" (though it would reduce your overhead costs ). It's disconcerting to realize that after using this formulae the actual market price may be far less.

Scott Edwards · Mar 1, 2005

If I outsourced my framing, I would not mark-up the price of the framing, because it is already 3 times too much. We as photographic artists want to make our work as appealing as possible, and this certainly includes the price. Clients expect that we are going to get a better deal on framing, or do it ouselves. Most of my customers opt for the unframed yet matted and mounted work that I sell, rather than the framed work.
I frame my own work and price the framing as twice the cost of the frame, matboard and glazing materials. The total price is the value I put on the actual image plus the framing cost.

roteague · Mar 1, 2005

Scott Edwards said:
We as photographic artists want to make our work as appealing as possible, and this certainly includes the price.

You have to take into account your own circumstances. According to this article, I should be charging $450 for an 11x14 print, framed, at wholesale or $1,125 at retail. I doubt I could get away with that. FWIW, I look at the Ansel Adams gallery to get an idea of what higher end pricing is.

Scott Edwards · Mar 2, 2005

roteague said:
According to this article, I should be charging $450 for an 11x14 print, framed, at wholesale or $1,125 at retail. I doubt I could get away with that.

I don't know how you arrive at these figures, but what I am referring to is when the images are framed by me. I take the cost of the framing material (a 20"x20" with mat and glazing costs me around $30) multiply that times 2 for my time involved and then add that cost to the cost of my print. This ends up being no overhead for me and no markup for the consumer, hence it is all about the value I put on my images.

Print framing mark-up.

mkucinich

roteague

Graeme Hird

doughowk

Scott Edwards

roteague

Scott Edwards

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency