Charging for frames

Mary Sparrow · 07-06-2004, 05:21 PM

For those of you that provide your own frames, how do you charge for them? Do you make money off of them or basically charge what you paid.

I have just ordered several from JFM. In the past I only added about 10% on to the price I paid, but my local frame shop that sells wholesale to me said I should be multiplying my cost by 2.5-3.

Joan Breckwoldt · 07-06-2004, 07:24 PM

Hi Mary,

I have ordered frames from JFM and I like dealing with them and their frames are so reasonably priced.

In my opinion, you can easily charge more than 10% above what you pay. For one thing, it takes your time to choose a frame. I don't know about you, but when I chose my last frame from JFM I spent at least an hour and a half with their catalogue deciding which frame would be best. Then it takes time to order the frame over the phone, and of course there is shipping (which I'm assuming you are including in the price of the frame) and then you are receiving the frame which is a risk involved because it could be damaged and then you would have to deal with that. Gosh, that does sound like a lot of work, doesn't it?

If the client takes the portrait to a framer themselves it would take some of their time to take the portrait to the framer (probably the less a portrait is hauled around in the back seat of a car, the better). So you are saving them time.

Basically you are charging the client for the extra convenience of presenting the portrait already framed. And I've read over and over again on this forum how much better a portrait looks framed and many portrait artists won't even deliver a portrait unframed. I agree with them.

I think it makes it easier on client if you charge them $275 for 'framing' instead of breaking it down and charging them, for example, $100 for the frame, $25 for shipping and $150 for your services. Not to mention your experience and/or expertise in picking out a frame that will compliment the portrait. How convenient for the client to have this all done!

So, if you look at it that way, multiplying the price of the frame by 2.5 to 3 isn't out of line at all. I think you should be compensated for the time it takes you to deal with the frame.

Hope this helps,

Joan

Joan Breckwoldt · 07-06-2004, 07:30 PM

Mary,

I should amend my previous post and say that maybe you should charge an additional $150 or whatever a couple of hours of your time is worth instead of using the multiplier. Because, what if you are ordering a frame that costs you $400? You wouldn't want to charge the client $1200. I would just add a fair value for my time to the cost of the frame. I think it probably takes the same amount of time to order a $100 frame as it does a $400 frame unless there are some other special circumstances.

Joan