How Much to Charge for a Custom Doll or Action Figure

This going to fluctuate depending on where you are in your doll-selling career. The more you establish yourself with sales and good reviews, the more you can charge.

First I want to make something clear: No matter what stage you are at, there will always be someone interested in your work. This is for my beginners who are looking at their dolls and comparing them to the work of Noel Cruz. Trust me. Your art has value, and someone out there sees it. I still have Monster High dolls up for sale from when I was just starting out, and every now and again, people will buy one and exclaim how beautiful it is even though I'm cringing at it.

Here is the first doll I ever sold, for $40. And for me, that was a good price. Especially considering that I spent $60 on a lot of 30 MH dolls.

The next three dolls I sold were also $40. Then, I went crazy and jumped right up to $150 with this next one, inspired by Tinkerbell from the Peter and the Starcatchers books.

And surprisingly, someone bought it right away. I realized the reason was that I was posting progress pictures on Facebook, and the person who bought this doll had been following my process. She grew attached to it over the weeks that I'd been updating my small audience. Not only that, she was able to see the hard work I put into it, and thus understood why my price was justified. Those feathers were all white before I colored them in individually.

When coming up with your own prices, you should always be satisfied with receiving what you ask for. Naturally, it should be fair for the amount of time and money that you put into it. That said, you also need to consider your level of skill and your reputation as a seller.

The more sales you make, the more reviews and good repour you build, the higher you can raise your prices. Don't be afraid to charge high, especially when you really start honing your skill. Almost every time I list something for a high price thinking someone won't buy it, someone does. Why not try? You can always lower it if it doesn't sell.

I listed this Jack Frost for $450 and was shocked when someone snapped it up by the next day. Though, for a character this popular, it shouldn't have been as surprising. You're definitely going to be able to charge more for characters or people with a following. Personally, I find it more enjoyable to do the projects that inspire me rather than making a doll simply because I know it'll sell. At the end of the day, you're the one that's going to spending hours to weeks on this thing: you may as well enjoy it.

As a final note, if you're unsure what to charge, it's generally a good idea to shop around for dolls similar to yours to see what they are priced at. The more skilled you get, the more you can charge.

People will try to chew you down, and if your doll has been listed for a few years with no bites, you might want to accept. But don't be afraid to stand by your prices either. You know how much effort you put into it. Repainting is a fairly niche skill, and you've got a one-of-a-kind collectible. Know your worth, my fellow artists. You got this.

Love,

Haley

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