Business guide

How to start a photo magnet business.

What it takes to start: the gear, the numbers, and the booth setup. Plus how to run ordering, payment, and printing from one place while you press magnets.

Updated

Start free 7-day trialOr skip to the playbook →

Why photo magnets

Low overhead, high margin, and customers walk away with a keepsake.

Photo magnets are an easy vendor business to start. The gear fits in a car, the supplies cost cents per magnet, and people want them at events: a keepsake with their own photo, printed and handed over in minutes.

The hard part isn't the product. It's everything around it: taking orders without losing track, getting paid without a queue at the card reader, and laying out print sheets fast enough to keep up with the line. That's the part Vixie takes off your hands.

Supplies from about 13¢

A pressed magnet's shell, film, and magnet back cost about 13¢ to 40¢, depending on size and supplier. Add paper and ink, and a $6 magnet leaves plenty of room.

A press from about $295

A US steel 2.25" round press is about $295. Square presses run about $500 to $2,200 for the press alone. Add a printer and a table, and you're ready for your first market.

The same kit every weekend

Weekly markets, festivals, weddings, and private events all run on the same gear and the same setup.

The gear

What you actually need to start.

The basics every booth needs. The magnet press guide compares presses and supply costs in detail.

  • A printer

    An inkjet or a small photo printer that prints the sheet size you use. Vixie lays your orders out on US Letter, A4, and other sheet sizes, with cut guides for each magnet.

  • A magnet press

    A round button press makes round magnets and pin buttons. A square press makes square photo magnets, which sell the most on Vixie. Each press makes one size, so pick yours first.

  • Supplies and a punch

    Metal shells, clear film, and magnet backs made for your press, plus a punch or cutter for your print size. Buy supplies in packs of 1,000 once you know your size. They cost two to three times less per magnet than packs of 100.

  • A phone or tablet (optional)

    Customers order from their own phones, so you don't need a tablet at the booth. One is handy for showing samples or taking a walk-up order.

  • A way to get paid

    Vixie connects to Stripe, PayPal, Square, or SumUp. Customers pay at checkout on their own phone. Keep a small cash float for the few who want to pay in cash.

  • A booth

    A 10×10 tent if you're outside, a folding table, a clear price board, and a wall of sample magnets. Samples sell better than any pitch.

Playbook

Your first event, step by step.

What we tell every new vendor before their first market or photo booth gig.

  1. 1

    Two weeks before: book the event and set your prices

    Confirm the booth fee, table size, and power. Vixie starts you at $6 for one magnet, $17 for a 3-pack, and $32 for a 6-pack, plus puzzle magnets from $15 to $28. Raise or lower them to suit the event.

  2. 2

    One week before: samples and supplies

    Press 40 to 60 sample magnets you like. Mix sizes. Buy enough supplies and paper for twice the orders you expect. Set up your Vixie account, your shop address (yourbrand.vixie.shop), products, and prices.

  3. 3

    On the day, two hours early: set up and test

    Tent, table, sample wall, printer plugged in, QR codes printed. Place a test order from your own phone to check the payment lands and a print sheet comes out.

  4. 4

    During the event: press, don't type

    Customers scan and order on their phones. The Print Queue lays out the sheets. Your job is print, cut, press, and hand over. If the line gets long, print a full sheet at a time and hand orders out in the order they were paid.

  5. 5

    After: review, restock, repeat

    Vixie's event report shows your orders, revenue, and your busiest hour. Adjust prices on the packs that sell, drop the ones that don't, and restock the supplies that ran low. The same setup runs the next event.

The platform

What Vixie actually replaces.

At most magnet booths the slow part isn't the press. It's everything around it. Vixie takes over the parts that don't make money:

  • Customers order on their own phones, instead of queuing for one tablet
  • They pay at checkout with Stripe, PayPal, Square, or SumUp, with no card reader queue
  • A live order board replaces receipts and sticky notes
  • Print-ready sheets replace laying out photos in Canva between customers
  • Live sales numbers replace the spreadsheet
Start free 7-day trial
Vixie live order board with paid orders ready to print

Questions

Photo magnet business FAQ

How much can I make selling photo magnets at events?+
It depends on the event, the foot traffic, and your prices. Vixie's starting prices are $6 for one magnet, $17 for a 3-pack, and $32 for a 6-pack. Supplies for a pressed magnet cost about 13¢ to 40¢ each, plus your paper and ink, so most of each sale is yours before the booth fee. Put your own numbers into the free magnet profit calculator to see your margin.
What gear do I need to start?+
A printer, a magnet press with supplies (metal shells, clear film, and magnet backs), a punch or cutter for your print size, and a way to take payment. A round 2.25" press costs about $295. A square press runs about $500 to $2,200 for the press alone. Vixie takes care of ordering and lays out the print sheets, so you can skip Canva and a separate till.
How long does it take to press one magnet?+
Owners report pressing 100 to 200 an hour once they get a rhythm. Print a full sheet at a time, then cut and press while the next sheet prints. Vixie fills each sheet from your Print Queue, so the press is rarely the slow part.
Do I need permits to sell at markets?+
Usually, yes. Most markets ask for a vendor permit and a sales tax registration in your state or province. The market often handles the permit. Sales tax is usually up to you, and the rules change by state, so check yours before your first event.
Can I run this as a side business?+
Yes. Most vendors start on weekends only. The setup is small: one folding table, your printer and press, and a sample board. Customers choose their photos, order, and pay on their phones, so on the day your job is printing and pressing.
What's the biggest mistake new vendors make?+
Taking every order by hand on one tablet. The line backs up while you type, and you spend the day calling out names instead of pressing. With QR ordering, everyone in the line orders on their own phone at the same time.
Should I start with photo magnets or puzzle magnets?+
Both. Vixie starts you with Photo Magnets ($6 to $32 by pack size) and Puzzle Magnets ($15 for a 2×3 grid up to $28 for 3×4). Puzzle magnets use the same square press and supplies, and they raise your average order without a separate setup.

Keep going

Related reads.

Free tool · Pricing

Magnet profit calculator

Punch in your costs, price, and booth fee to see your real profit, margin, and break-even before you book the next craft fair.

Read more →Setup · 30 min

Getting started with Vixie

Account, payments, products, magnet sizes, and your first event in about 30 minutes.

Read more →Feature

Print Studio

Lay out your own sheets and export them at 300 DPI.

Read more →

Show up to your first event with the booth already running.

Set up your products, your subdomain, and your QR code in 30 minutes. Plans from $29/mo, 7-day free trial, and no card until you go live with an event.

Start free 7-day trial