About a month ago I was on Facebook and saw one of my photographer friends mention how challenging it can be to hear brides are looking for “an affordable” photographer.

She kindly pointed out that affordable means something different to everyone and often discounts quality and experience as something worth paying for. I get it! I’m a shopper too. I’m always shopping with affordability in mind— but I’m also considering the quality of the [shirt, art, couch, blanket, etc.] I’m investing in. As great as affordability is— I would have been really sad if my wedding photographer hadn’t had any experience or understanding of how to best capture a wedding day, and the only reason I’d chose her was because she was “affordable”.

We get what we pay for.

At The Vow Collective, I have always felt my prices reflected that statement. My clients get what they pay for.

My clients pay a good chunk of change, for a quality piece of REALLY meaningful art work as well as a positive experience with an experienced artist.

With affordability and quality in mind, I’ve been brainstorming how to continually make my vow products more sustainable and affordable. It’s a learning curve and I’ll never stop considering how to best serve my clients and how to consider their well-earned money.

Even I couldn’t afford my own product

But honestly, The Vow Collective hasn’t been for all pocket books the past two years. I knew my vow calligraphy was for higher end clients who had $200-$400 to spend on their wedding keepsake. I spend a lot of time hand-lettering each word, and the price was reflecting the real nitty-gritty services I offer.

While there is a client base for higher priced vows, I knew I wouldn’t even be able to afford my own product if I were a potential customer. So…. I started looking for more affordable ways to serve my $15-$150 couples. Couples I love and relate to!

The secret to affordability.. ..

… is not to change the quality of your product, but to create affordable alternative options.

Ways I’ve implemented this in my Etsy shop over the past few weeks…

1. I’ve made every product I sell downloadable + printable. I’m still charging customers the design fee when they choose to have their vows, quotes, first dance lyrics, or bouquets designed, BUT they’re not paying for printing, shipping, shipping insurance, packaging, etc. Those things really add to the overall cost of my products!

   My clients are now allowed to print their vows from home or through a local printer (or if you’re naughty, you print it at work). By doing that, they are saving themselves quite a bit of money! Etsy allows me to offer four different sizing options for my prints, which also gives my clients flexibility with their orders, as well as three extra sizes to save to their hard drive in case they ever need a print in a different size. Printables and instant downloads are GREAT news for so many couples who tell me they love my work but it’s out of their price range.

2. I’ve added simpler “frames” to my shop. I call them simple bases. I love how these card holders work as a simple minimalistic print holder. They’re much more affordable to ship than the larger frames I offer, and, they allow any artwork to be interchanged easily.

3. Prints! I began adding prints to my shop in December (I really hadn’t wanted them in my shop before then because they never seem to sell much in the past) and have now added even more. Selling artwork I no longer personalize, customize, or have to work on again, means I can sell more and make those prices MUCH more affordable.

4. Keeping the framed options around. What I’ve found to be most true about my clients, is that they don’t want to have to do anything extra when investing in my services. They want their art to arrive ready to hang on the wall. It’s important to me to continue to offer this option, especially as some of my clients are looking specifically for framed wedding vows.

While I won’t change my service prices (I think I’m worth the investment!), I am really excited to have some more affordable avenues for future clients. I’m excited to add more passive income to my shop. And I’m excited to keep serving all my clients with value, quality, and experience.

Are you an etsy shop owner? How do you keep a range of prices in your shop?

Until my next business move succeeds or fails,

Stacie