banner pricing

[Hog Wild graphics]

I was informed today that my banner pricing is way too high. In my opinion I'm still cheap but in my area I have to raise prices slowly. I currently sale a 3 by 6 printed banner hemmed and grommeted single sided for $65. However I just got the price list for shop in next town they do 3 by 6 for $45. Unreal!!!

I guess I understand why I was just asked by another shop in that town to start helping them do shirts and embroidery so they can try to get more customers in the door.

 

[J Hill Designs]

jesus christ. my 3x6's sell for 3 times that

 

[smdgrfx]

Those sound like wholesale prices....

 

[TwoNine]

Wow. Your market sounds ROUGH. I remember just the other day - you were trying to get banner pricing for something and your competition came in at like 25%, right? Something crazy like that....

Anyway - I do feel for you. But with any luck, they'll be in and out. At 3.6 a foot - there isn't much room in there.....

IMO

-Chad

 

[Gino]

If we had to sell banners that cheap.... I'd put a stop to doing banners, altogether. We get 3 times what you're getting and we're still competitive. We probably do 20 or 30 banners a week for end-users.

Recently, we just did 2pcs. 4' x 8' banners, 1-sided and got almost $25, a square foot. They liked them so much..... they ordered two more, plus some banner ups set-ups with banners.

Doing this stuff for the prices you mentioned is just plain ludicrous. Your prices are only too high if you are comparing banner to banner with the other shop. If the quality, craftsmanship and service are the same, then don't compete with a lowballer. Let him get all of the banner business he can get..... and let him go out of business when at the end of the month he can't pay anything except for more banner material and possibly some ink, but has nothing towards overhead, profit and more supplies.​

 

[thinksigns]

We don't hem, just banner tape, but we are 3x the other guy as well.

 

[Circleville Signs]

Why are you worrying about your competitors prices? If they want to work for free, let them!! The only reason you should be worried is if your design/layout skills are not good enough to overcome the cost difference?

Does your price include design/layout? Does theirs? Is theirs 13oz scrim? 10oz? Lots of variables go into pricing and quality.

 

[john1]

I'm at $7.50 psf on 13oz digitally printed, I am right in the middle of my areas market for them.

Do some calling around to the biggest competitors near you, take about 5 quotes and add the total number combined for a single banner and divide it by the number of quotes and that's your middle pricing for said banner.

I did this and it works great. Don't worry about morons charging little to nothing for the "same" service. He may not know how to price at all and it really sounds like it.

There is a moron up the street doing coro signs for $25 single sided or $25 double sided. Yeah, don't be THAT guy.

 

[Locals Find!]

I guarantee this guy is subbing them out at $1.00 a sq foot factoring in shipping and actually figures he is making a profit. Which he is but, he is leaving a lot of money on the table.

Instead of competing with him educate him. The both of you need to raise your prices for everyone's benefit.

 

[rjssigns]

Depending on quantity we will sub out. We have an excellent sub that will get banners in our hands for less than our material/ink costs! I know it is tough on the onesie twosie stuff, but if they aren't in a particular hurry we gang them together.
Even though we are capable of doing all our own work and did so in the past it is not the right way for us anymore. I rely on subs that have economies of scale in their favor.

Best part is I do not have to frick with files, colors, printer messing up, trimming, hemming, grommeting, nothing except FTP'ing the order to my sub. While they have all the headaches I can lock down the next client.

My brother-in-law who is retired military taught me something years ago and it went like this: "Maximum utilization of all tools at your disposal".

 

[10sacer]

I buy banners for .69 a square foot off a LX800. They are sewn and grommeted and ship out the next day. I figure in the shipping to the final price. If I mark it up 500%, I am still way cheaper than that. Am I leaving money on the table, probably... but most guys around here are somewhere near that price doing them in-house. I don't touch them and make a good margin. You won't get more than $5 a square foot for banners around here anymore. I have a Mutoh Blizzard in-house and it prints about 500 sq. ft. an hour in "banner mode" - I just don't feel like finishing banners anymore and I have many options. I make my money with the 8-color 6x10 flatbed.

 

[Pat Whatley]

Recently, we just did 2pcs. 4' x 8' banners, 1-sided and got almost $25, a square foot. They liked them so much..... they ordered two more, plus some banner ups set-ups with banners.

You're really gonna tell us you got $3200 for four 4x8 banners? Did you letter them with SignGold?

 

[Mosh]

3x60 $60, 3x8 $80...that is what I get now, I got the same in 1993....

 

[john1]

You're really gonna tell us you got $3200 for four 4x8 banners?

 

[Hog Wild graphics]

The business is stuggling to stay open. I think they think any work is profit and do not look at other cost. I mean they are probable doubling material and thats about it. I just got some more of their pricing.

18 by 24 coro 1-side with stake $9
2-sided with stake $12

18 by 24 aluminum double sided $18
with real estate frame $40

24 by 36 aluminum double sided with real estate frame $60

4 by 8 aluminum $125
4 by 8 Dibond $225

I won't work for those prices and even if they go out of business they are only hurting the market of all the surrounding shops.

 

[royster13]

Last week I "jokingly" quoted 300.00 each for 8 3x10 banners.....After my potential client stopped "howling" I asked him what he was expecting to pay.....He said 135.00 each....I took the order, got his art file, subbed it out and made almost 500.00 for less than an 1 1/2 hours of my time...

 

[Locals Find!]

The business is stuggling to stay open. I think they think any work is profit and do not look at other cost. I mean they are probable doubling material and thats about it. I just got some more of their pricing.

18 by 24 coro 1-side with stake $9
2-sided with stake $12

18 by 24 aluminum double sided $18
with real estate frame $40

24 by 36 aluminum double sided with real estate frame $60

4 by 8 aluminum $125
4 by 8 Dibond $225

I won't work for those prices and even if they go out of business they are only hurting the market of all the surrounding shops.

Don't hold your breath. I was just complaining about a shop the other day with similar pricing they are going on 8 years. I think I am the one doing something wrong can't figure out what, but what they are doing seems to be working.

 

[Hog Wild graphics]

I hit those prices if you order bulk. But those are 1 off prices. Guess I should call and see if I get a bulk discount and start subbing some of my work to them.

 

[kstompaint]

3x6 printed & finished is $145 and that (as are all of my others) is a take it or leave it price. If I can't make a reasonable profit, I'd rather just not do the job.

I've let plenty walk out the door, those customers are usually more trouble than they're worth anyway. We also do custom paint. I had a guy in here this morning who wanted a "trunk" painted to match his bike (I already painted the bike). It's a 3-stage candy paint and I told him $300 if he could wait until I work it in with another job. He said he was thinking around $100. Keep thinkin'... bye bye.

 

[nashvillesigns]

not everybody is cheap. it just depends on the amount per square foot. i have some things around the shop, i call them "entry level signs" to get people talking about my shop. everything else, i charge more, like, normal.. "its all in the advertising."
Mosher

 

[Gino]

The business is stuggling to stay open. I think they think any work is profit and do not look at other cost. I mean they are probable doubling material and thats about it. I just got some more of their pricing.

18 by 24 coro 1-side with stake $9
2-sided with stake $12

18 by 24 aluminum double sided $18
with real estate frame $40

24 by 36 aluminum double sided with real estate frame $60

4 by 8 aluminum $125
4 by 8 Dibond $225

I won't work for those prices and even if they go out of business they are only hurting the market of all the surrounding shops.

If you say they're struggling, it's no wonder. If they are onesies and twosies.... they can't even get them wholesale for that let alone freight and handling. Even a piece of .040 aluminum at 48" x 96" can't be done for that.

If we were to flatbed print, we could do it for that, but why would I.... even if I can/could ??

Those prices are that of a fool, so take your own advice and don't work for those numbers. Set yourself apart and base your prices on your quality, service and integrity. Better yet, tell anyone getting signs from you... at least you'll be here next year when they need more, cause these kinda prices... no one can can keep their doors open very long.