How much $ for a cookbook?

14 years ago

The cookbook that our garden club has been working on for 8 months is almost ready for self-publishing. How much would you pay for a cookbook with 180 recipes, all from women who have prepared them repeatedly over the years?

Although some of the recipes are from scratch, most are not. We have a balanced variety of appetizers, beverages, soups, main dishes, side dishes, breads, cookies, desserts, and gifts from the kitchen. Some are original. A paragraph accompanies each recipe naming the member who donated it and explaining how she acquired or invented the recipe, how long she's been making it, what's unique or interesting about it, what special times she prepares it, or why it's popular with her family. There are some entertaining stories there.

The format is one recipe per page, except in the beverage section where there's two or three per page. The page size is 8 Â½ by 5 Â½ inches, with a spiral binding and a soft (card stock) cover. We'll sell them at local events, but we expect that club members purchasing gifts would be our prime market. Although recipes havenÂt been kitchen-tested, the editing is carefully done for consistency of style, thoroughness, and accuracy as much as practical.

Our committee members are debating how to price the book Â somewhere between $4.50 and $8.95. Our actual cost is about $2.50 per book. We live in a medium-sized North Carolina city, not rural and not metropolitan. Profits go towards town beautification and other garden club projects.

Anyone want to suggest a price, based on what youÂd pay? Thanks for any advice.

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Comments (14)

beanthere_dunthat
14 years ago
Three times cost is the norm. That will offset any copies that get damaged from handling or display. Does that $2.50 include your shipping costs? People often forget to factor that in.

Honestly, what I would pay depends on a number of things, but primarily how useful I think it will be, the charity involved, and whether the recipes are unique. People used to give me communtiy cookbooks all the time, and I just am not interested in another copy of the green bean casarole recipe or secen layer dip from the back of the ranch dressing box. I don't think $8.95 is unreasonable for what you describe. The stories alone would probably entice me.
marlingardener
14 years ago
I love regional cookbooks, especially the ones put out by ladies' church groups, clubs and aid societies. $8.95 sounds like a bargain. The one put out by a local historical society went for $12 and one by the Presbyterian church ladies' circle was $10. They are both comparable in size and content to yours. Good luck with your sales--I hope you have to go into a second printing!
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Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
14 years ago
Ten was my first thought. I wouldn't pay more for it but ten even - to include the tax- is a comfortable, easy number.
wizardnm
14 years ago
I just bought a garden club cookbook that sounds about the same. I paid $10.00.

Nancy
lisbet
14 years ago
I think $10.00 is a fair price. After all, it is for a good cause...in support of the Gsrden Club, an asset to the whole community !! I would certainly pay that much !
dgkritch
14 years ago
$10 was my first thought too!
I think people like nice, even numbers.

I agree with beanthere_dunthat though that I wouldn't be tempted at all if there aren't unique or original recipes.
I also am not a fan of recipes that use lots of boxes, cans and bags of prepared foods.

If there's any way to promote the 'good works' that the proceeds will accomplish, I think that will entice folks to buy!

Good luck with the sale!
Deanna
lindac
14 years ago
At one time I was "cookbook sales chair" for a group fundraiser. So I second the "nice round number" price...it's a royal pain making change and doing the math.
$10 should be a good price!
Linda C
readinglady
14 years ago
You might also consider a multiples discount, for example if someone buys two or more the price drops to $8. We're coming into the holiday season and that might entice buyers to consider them as gifts. Everyone loves a bargain.

Carol
bri29
14 years ago
I would pay $10 for a cookbook like that, and it'd make making change much easier for your group!
pink_overalls
Original Author
14 years ago
Our little cookbook is finished and selling briskly. We were finally able to collect (and - the even harder part -- edit) as many as 250 recipes. I could not get the other committee members to listen to your excellent suggestions to put the price up there. We're selling it for $6.95, and have added over $1,000 profit to our club's treasury. We're now in our third printing. We saved money by actually printing, binding and distributing them ourselves. The reason it is being well received is that each recipe has that intro paragraph, giving a little personal history or anecdote. Consequently, people tell us, "I read it like a book!" It was lots of work -- a labor of love -- but something the club can be proud of. I never knew so many women collect these kinds of fundraiser cookbooks.
arabellamiller
14 years ago
Congratulations! It sounds really lovely.

AM
annie1992
14 years ago
congratulations, pink, it does sound like it's been a great success.

Our local library does a yearly cookbook as a fund raiser, and the cost of that is $5.95, so I think maybe the price depends on the area, we're very small and rural. Still, I think they could get more because they have no problem selling out, even though the only place they're available for sale is at the library and the local True Value hardware store.

Annie
Ideefixe
14 years ago
My late MIL donated over 1000 of this type of cookbook to the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe. Some were ehhh, but most were fascinating.

You can also sell copies online, too, maybe through Etsy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Culinary Collection
mara_2008
14 years ago
Around here, such cookbooks normally sell for $10 or $12. My personal limit is $10. Your price is a bargain! Especially with the personal touches you've put into them. I can see why they're selling so fast. :-)

How much $ for a cookbook?

Comments (14)

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