Andrews price calculator is really designed for someone who is doing this full time as a business. Really to simplify it down you could say that you would calculate your materials then add that to a calculation of your hours times hourly wage then on top of that add 10% as a bumper.  Let's go ahead and look at your specific situation.

Materials: $80.00 (you always choose the most the materials would cost you)
Labor: 8 hours x $20.00 =  $160.00
10% of Labor:  $16.00 (You don't calculate the 10% on materials. Only on labor or fixed expenses.)
Total: $256.00

Fixed expenses would be if you have things like rent and utilities that you have to keep paid in order to your business open. Some work out of their home so you could calculate those in but often people do not. Marketing can often come into play if you are working out of your home though.  If you have a web site that promotes your puppet sales you would want to calculate that in.

One thing to remember is that if you are going to sell through eBay you have to take into consideration the fee they are going to charge you to sell that puppet. You would need to add more to the total to cover that. The 10% can cover for some of that but not all.

Don't forget you are going to have shipping cost also.

Shawn is right if you are selling on EBay ............... just listing fees, final value fees, and pay pal transaction fee can add up quick.


Billy D.

thanks guys haha I dont think I have to worry about rent at one point I even looked for a mini battery powered fogger to shoot out the top of it but they are mighty pricy and i dont think anyone wants to buy a $3,000 puppet haha if or when I do sell it (yes on ebay) do you think $250 could be a good bid starter to start a little bit lower to alow more interest? then mabey it will pick up?

or perhaps lower?

I think - and here I must be blunt - you should start much lower. The quality of your puppet is good, but not great. (In this instance, looking around at the competition will give you a clue as to what kind of quality sells at what price)

Make sure you cover costs of course, but I think $250 is way too high for someone just starting out.

@na I am going to buy new materials to remake him before i sell him.................. Do you think maabey $150-$200 is good because I'm looking at around $90-$100 materials on this puppet

For #2, search the forums for the puppet pricing calculator and previous threads on pricing puppets in general. The calculator will do all the work for you as it's an Excel file.

This has been mentioned a few times recently, and I've seen it mentioned on the Muppet forums, but the link there is broken and I'm having trouble finding it here.  Maybe my search-fu here is weak (and I guess it is, I'm still not sure how to search well here).  Anyone have this handy?

EDIT- I figured out searching here but it seems like the link is the same as on the muppet forums, broken.  Anyone know where this might be archived elsewhere?  Or have it on their system?  I'd love to look at it to help me for later this year when I get into selling.

EDIT- FOUND IT!  In this thread it's attached as a file:  http://puppetsandstuff.com/community/index.php/topic,846.0.html

very helpful

with the help of the calculator I came up with the price to start at $200 does that sound about right for it?
it wil be coton lined on the inside everywhere have antron covering the outside and will be handsewn by me
I used the calculator  billy put but the excel file didnt make me have to think haha it did itself thats cool

I'll go ahead and post the direct link to the calculator here.  That may make it easier for folks.  It was added to the site back before some changes so it can be hard to find.
Andrew's Excel Price Calculator
Here is Andrews explanation of how to use it.
How to use Andrews' Price Calculator

This is an excel spread sheet so you need to have excel installed on your computer to use it.  Excel of often part of Microsoft Office.   Never fear... for those who do not have excel and don't want to spend the big bucks, you can use download and install Open Office which is free!

I love it I saved a copy in excel to keep on my computer