Why my PDFs cost $1 more than my hard copies.
Enough knitters have emailed me privately to inquire about my PDF pricing (compared to the pricing of other designers' PDF patterns), that I thought it would be easiest for all, to post this info on my site.
While designers do not have to spend time printing and mailing the pattern, this is just a part of the business costs that should be considered when pricing a PDF.
Below are the issues I took into consideration, when I priced my PDFs:
The time and cost to set up a secure e-distribution platform, either as an addendum to one's site, as I've done, or incurring the costs of using an outside service - costs that would be in addition to the costs involved in selling hard copies, if a designer offered both, as I do.
The amount of time it takes to reformat each pattern into a version specific to becoming a PDF - including a copyright watermark or notice on every page. It took me 2 weeks to get nearly 80 patterns reformatted and turned into secure PDFs.
The extra time that will be spent, assisting those having trouble with their download(s).
As I also wholesale my hard copy patterns, my PDF versions need to cost the same or more than my print versions, so that I am not undercutting my yarn shop accounts, whom I value.
The convenience of immediate delivery, for the knitter, is a value add to a pattern, not a value minus. When one considers the cost of postage for a mailed hard copy, and the 3+ day wait to receive it, the PDF only costs a few extra cents. But how much is your time worth?
Convenience, in all other parts of life, costs more, not less. Are those 3+ days worth a few extra cents? If not, a hard copy of all my designs is available.
And, finally, although some knitters will want to print out a PDF pattern, it is optional to do so, not a given, as some knitters don't print them out, but use them off the computer.
Updated
3/24/07.
