Should I raise my print prices if they're so low that the accounting work isn't worth the profit?

Absolutely. If you’re selling originals for thousands of dollars but prints for $50 with only $5-10 profit, the administrative burden of processing those sales often outweighs the benefit. As your original prices increase, raising print prices makes sense—both to maintain appropriate price positioning and to make the print business financially worthwhile. Higher print markups mean fewer sales can generate meaningful revenue, and the accounting work becomes justified. Additionally, as your originals become less accessible to certain buyers (especially if you start refusing small commissions or payment plans), prints at a reasonable but profitable price point can serve those collectors who love your work but aren’t ready for originals yet.

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Asked by a painter reconsidering their print pricing structure · Answered by Mathieu Laca · art-marketing-podcast · 2018-01-24