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Custom framing is detailed work, and every inch of moulding, sheet of matboard, and hour of labor affects your bottom line. Without frame shop software to track costs and monitor job performance, profits can slip through the cracks — one custom order at a time.
Smart frame shop financial management means knowing exactly what each job costs, pricing with intention, and managing inventory to match. To do this, you need automated tools highlighting where your money’s going and revealing trends over time.
Here are six practical strategies to boost your frame shop’s profits — reduce waste, improve margins, and prevent expensive errors.
1. Track Full Job Costs To Protect Margins
Most framers calculate prices based on moulding, matboard, and glazing. However, labor, mounting supplies, packaging, and hardware can all reduce margins.
Start by tracking what each job really costs:
- Log time spent per job, so you’re not guessing how long specialty builds or rush orders take.
- Include every supply, from spacers, tape, and bumpers to dust covers and hanging kits.
- Use consistent quoting templates from your point of sale (POS) system for common sizes and styles.
The more clearly you see your true costs, the easier it is to make better pricing decisions — and keep each job profitable.
2. Set Strategic Prices That Reflect Your Costs
Matching the shop down the street doesn’t guarantee a profit, especially if they’re undercharging. Frame shop financial management involves setting prices that reflect your costs, time, and profits, not your competitors.
To make sure you’re charging enough to stay profitable:
- Use tiered markups — charging more for labor-intensive jobs like shadowboxes or oversized pieces — to reflect the extra time and effort involved.
- Bundle labor and materials into flat-rate packages to clearly show value.
- Offer discounts for bulk orders or long-term clients without undercutting your overall earnings.
- Review prices quarterly to account for supplier cost increases and make tweaks to reflect your POS system’s job performance data.
Strategic pricing isn’t static — it evolves as your costs, skills, and customer base change.
3. Keep Inventory Lean
Overstocked shelves create clutter, slow your workflow, and make it harder to identify what’s selling. Operating with a lean inventory strategy helps you stay organized, reduce waste, and make faster, data-driven purchasing decisions.
To balance inventory management with customer demand:
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Use POS sales data to reorder top sellers, not just what you think is popular.
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Retire poor performers or offer them as budget-friendly frame options for quick-turnover jobs.
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Offer high-end frames as special order only, and use frame visualization tools to show customers exactly how the final piece will look before you order materials.
Lean inventory keeps cash flow flexible and makes it easier to adjust your stock levels during seasonal rushes or when trends shift.
4. Use Monthly Reports To Spot Trends Early
Big-box retailers can afford quarterly reviews — but for small picture framing businesses, one custom sale or a slow week can skew your margins. Monthly reporting gives you a clearer picture of which jobs are profitable and which are draining your profits.
Here’s what to track:
- Monitor total sales, job profitability, and bestsellers through your POS dashboard.
- Check gross profit by job type to see what’s making money and what’s not.
- Track the cost of goods sold (COGS) to catch rising material or labor costs early.
- Compare month-to-month revenue to identify seasonal patterns or early signs of declining sales.
Monthly data gives you the visibility to course-correct in real time — not after the damage is done.
5. Tighten Cash Flow With Better Timing
You can look profitable on paper, but still struggle to pay bills. That’s the cash flow trap, and it’s a common challenge in custom retail.
These habits help you keep control over your funds:
- Take deposits on large or custom orders to cover upfront material costs.
- Schedule supplier orders around incoming payments and fixed expenses like rent or payroll.
- Avoid stockpiling — if you have gear that’s been sitting for months, that’s money you can’t use.
- Use your POS invoicing tool to track balances and follow up on unpaid orders quickly.
Fine-tuning the timing of payments, orders, and restocks keeps your frame shop’s financial management steady — and your stress levels low.
6. Work With Suppliers That Support Profit Goals
Supplier costs, delivery timelines, and order terms all impact how you price jobs and manage inventory. If you’re paying a premium or waiting too long for materials, your margins shrink before the job even starts.
To build better supplier relationships:
- Negotiate rates on high-volume items like matboard, moulding, and backer.
- Keep an eye on delivery timelines and order minimums — you don’t want to tie up cash in materials that delay projects or collect dust on the shelf.
- Ask about closeouts, seasonal discounts, or flexible payment terms.
- Track performance in your POS — flag delays, defects, or repeat backorders.
The right suppliers help you price for profit and manage cash flow, making it easier to keep your earnings consistent from day one.
Frame Shop Financial Management Starts Behind the Counter
High-quality craftsmanship brings customers in, but responsible frame shop financial management keeps the doors open.
LifeSaver POS gives you the tools to make better financial decisions every day. You get full visibility into inventory, so you know what’s selling and which items that are just taking up shelf space.
The system connects directly to suppliers for faster orders and automatic updates on pricing. And with built-in reporting, you can track job costs, margins, and sales performance in real time — this way, you know exactly where your money’s going and what’s worth restocking.
Start your free trial of LifeSaver today to take control of your framing costs and profits from your POS system.
