Behind the Price Tag: What It Really Costs to Build a Brand Like Azulike

We believe in transparency. So let’s talk about what you’re really paying for when you buy from Azulike — and why it matters.

We’ve heard the questions before directly and indirectly, with genuine curiosity and outright insulting.. 

“Why is this so expensive?”
“Could I get something similar for less?”
“Are your prices negotiable?”

And we get it in a world of fast decor and Amazon.
But the truth is, when you buy something handmade, imported, and intentionally sourced — you’re not just buying a product. You’re supporting an entire value chain rooted in fairness, tradition and care.

Let’s break it down.

What Goes Into the Cost of a Product at Azulike

1. Artisan Wages

We work directly with craftspeople who set their own prices — based on time, materials, and technique. We don’t lowball. We don’t haggle them down “just because.”

Their prices reflect years (sometimes generations) of knowledge, and we honor that.

2. Materials

From natural dyes to sustainably sourced clay to handwoven wool — raw materials vary in cost and availability. When you choose quality, it shows — and it costs more upfront.

3. Shipping & Customs

This part is shockingly expensive — especially for fragile or bulky items like rugs, ceramics, and lanterns. We pay:

• International shipping (typically by sea for us)

• Insurance

• Customs duties + brokerage fees

• Domestic delivery to our studio

• New tariffs on international imports

None of it is glamorous. But it’s all necessary.

4. Packaging

We use sustainable or protective packaging that helps your item arrive safely — especially for ceramics and glass. We’ve learned the hard way that cheap packaging = broken orders.

5. Photography & Branding

We want every product to be shown in its best light — literally. That means photography, editing, writing stories, uploading, organizing… all the invisible labor that makes the product page feel personal and intentional.

6. Website, Fees, and Operations

There’s the platform (Shopify), the transaction fees, the email system, the marketing tools, the hours we spend running the business behind the scenes.

So, Where Does That Leave Us?

Honestly? With a very slim margin.

We don’t run Azulike to get rich. We run it to create something meaningful — a bridge between Moroccan makers and people who appreciate their work.

Our prices reflect the real cost of doing that responsibly, ethically, and with love.

What You’re Really Paying For:

• A living wage for a real person

• Natural, non-mass-produced materials

• An item with an actual story that honors its cultural 

• A business that supports relationships over exploitation

And If You Ever Wonder…

We want you to ask questions.
Transparency is part of our mission. We’ll always do our best to explain the “why” behind what we do — not just the “what.”

Next time, we’re taking you with us behind the scenes — to show how we actually find the artisans we work with, and what those early relationships looked like.

Thanks, as always, for caring about what things are made of — and who makes them.