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Bumping Heads w/ the Internet

petesign

petesign

New Member
I wouldn't do double sided coro signs for $10 either. I have only quoted single sided that low once, and it was for a decent quantity and they were all the same.

I have not been in business for myself very long, and am still learning pricing and what the market will bear (with some pains here and there, let me tell you) - but by the time you deal with the customer, set up his artwork, send him his proof, wait for his approval, print 2 sides, mask it, and lay it down, get his invoice ready, trip over or scrape your ankle on his 50 coroplast signs and stakes sitting in the middle of the floor/hall/or wherever you put finished jobs waiting to be picked up, and then deal with them again at time of pick up - the material isn't whats costs you so much - it's the time and labor. :rolleyes:

Me? I like printing banners. Love 'em.
 
copythat

copythat

New Member
This is posted in my store and all my ad's

We are completely, 100% U.S. Based. We live and work in, N.Y. Online and foreign outsourcing may be a bit cheaper, it's true (although our rates are extremely competitive). As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. If your main concern is cost over quality, we may not be the company you're looking for. If quality products and personal service are important to you, we are EXACTLY what you are looking for!

I've converted 3 Vista Print, plus a few other PFL clients . Each are spending well over the FREE part offered by Vista. I tell them. Why would you support a billion dollar operation, especially when they are located in another Country? All these internet contacts are great at Customer Service with Hello how are you & what credit card will you be using? Once a problem occurs, that's when reality hits.

So don't worry about those few that are interested in price only. I've only had 1 bad week all year long. And I charge very well for my services. We believe in the concept of working smarter not harder!

Sign Up!
 
Poorboy

Poorboy

New Member
It hurts to turn down work but sometimes these same customers are not worth having. They are the same ones that will buy something cheap on the internet and when it comes in wrong, yet they need it for Tuesday's "big deal", they will be wanting you to be their savior and do them overnight. (and for 5 bucks a piece) They are also the type that will nit pick your work to death because your prices are so high. Some other answers you can give them are:

"we use genuine coroplast"

"we use xxxxxxx brand of ink that is specially formulated for coroplast"

"you might get lucky and get a high quality product at a good price but what if you don't?"

"get out of my shop and don't come back"
 
deegrafix

deegrafix

New Member
We charge $18 each single sided for a 18x24 Coroplast sign w/ stake. (Golf Outing Style)

Exactly what I say, and lose it nearly every time!

I've decided to say, "I'm sorry, I only offer 18"x24" bandit signs to established customers: Just can't compete with China. However, we offer a local discount to customers in Northern Lake if we can talk about any other type of sign or graphic?"

To me, the whole subject is like getting started on the wrong foot with any potential client. Either they think you're expensive, or that your abilities are limited. Can't win. Last year before the drop to $18. I told a guy $24.00 and he asked me if it were gold plated and hung up on me.
 
visual800

visual800

Active Member
one thing about internet stuff like this is the customer sees $400 per (example) then the internet folk shove that $25 art fee on them $50 set up (again just for example) by the time this hots and totals up who won!?

thats those "hidden" fees they dont see
 
cdiesel

cdiesel

New Member
I was in the middle of invoicing some pretty large orders the other day, and our receptionist came in my office. She showed me a business card--4/0 with gold foil & embossed. Said there was a guy out front that wanted to know if we could do these for $60. She thought it was hilarious when I laughed out loud.
 
Jim Doggett

Jim Doggett

New Member
They are a printing service -- NOT A SIGN COMPANY.

Sign Companies achieve, or exceed, your objectives when marketing your company with signs, outdoor graphics, vehicle marking, etc.

Printing services make what you send them and charge on size. Not even in the same universe as a sign company. And one need not travel to Web Vendor X to see how a printing service works -- head over to FexEx / Kinkos and watch with amazement how the pimple-faced kid who also runs the copier can spit out whatever you tell him you want.

NOW THEN, what do you need to accomplish with your sign? Where's it going? How long does it need to last? How about regulations? Etc, etc.

IMHO :^)
 
threeputt

threeputt

New Member
WestPoint, don't "bump heads with Internet" or anybody for that matter.

And here's a deep, dark secret. Customer's lie. Yep, that's right. Lie.

Or they conveniently forget that to get those prices they actually had to buy 500 signs. And send in their own print/ready artfiles.

Forget those clients. Tell them your prices and stand firm. Even at ten bucks you're way to low.

Eighty four bucks for 24 signs, double-sided with wire stands. Hah!

Riiiiiight.
 
L

Locals Find!

New Member
I tell my customers I have three kids to feed and house. Unless, they would like to take over making sure they have food and shelter instead of being on welfare paid for by an increase in their taxes. They would be better off paying me the price I quoted them. Which is a lot better in the long run than higher taxes.

I also, tell them If they would like to buy from the internet company I can't stop them. However, would they like to explain to my kids why they won't be getting any Christmas this year?

Works every time because, its the truth. Don't let these people bully you. Just point out the truth to them. It opens 90% of their eyes. If they don't get it after that you don't want to do business with human waste like that.
 
iSign

iSign

New Member
jmotor said:
I was having the same problem, but I started two stepping the jobs from an online company called SignPoofters.com. Prices are great, great work and I can still mark them up and beat some of my local vinyl shops.
Click to expand...

$10 SAYS THIS LOSER IS BUMPING AN OLD THREAD TO DO A LITTLE UNDERHANDED SELF PROMOTION

MAKE SURE NOBODY HERE EVER BUYS FROM SignOutfitters
 
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iSign

iSign

New Member
awww darn it... my original post said "$100 says blah blah blah"... & then I started feeling a little too arrogant, so I edited it to only "$10 says blah blah blah"

oh well, glad we all know who to NEVER buy from!!!!
 
C

CentralSigns

New Member
I just posted a thread just the other day about banners. Same deal only banners. The associated hidden costs for them, increased the total cost by 50% on a small order. Beware of the hidden stuff (false advertising or what?). I just lost a $1000 banner order is VistaPrint, but I'll get it back on the next last minute quick order. Wounder what all these businesses shopping Vista will do, when they destroy there local last minute suppliers. Who will sponser Bills kids hockey team, Joes kids baseball team, or Molleys Daughters soccer league. I'm Sure Vista will not. They the customers need to look at what they are creating, or where they will be in the end, or what they have become.

A local Mountain Business buys everything somewhere else, I'm talking $5-6 hundred thousand a year in sign related products and as much in apparel. Then in a pinch they want last minute stuff done for the place yesterday, and then they want it below cost. Some of the products are being bought 40% more than the local prices for the same thing that could be produced here. Then they want to pay 90 days net. With no business relationships welded from the big sales, how do they expect you to comply. I certainly would make up a small order for free, if I had the 5-6 hundred k in sales they buy in my pocket. If all the money was injected into the local economy it would help them as well. Instead all the money goes somewhere else and they hire all their staff elsewhere cause locals will not work for peanuts. Yea they overpay for 50 % of the materials they buy and pay staff min wage(I heard they import staff from out of country for less than min wage). Greed has taken over the world, where will it go next. I don't do business with them, I certainly tried, but I will not try anymore. But many will bend over for them, in an instant too. Weird or What?

We are totally re-looking at the price matching issue and I expect that we will no longer provide any. If we start competing with the low-ballers we will be out of business, not what we want. Better to stay out of those types of pricing structures. We will continue to offer quality products, stand behind those products and try to be part of our community by helping out minor sport programs. We'll see if I'm still posting on signs 101 in 10 yrs. That will be the test of our success will it be yours.
 
S

signswi

New Member
Adtechia LLC said:
I tell my customers I have three kids to feed and house. Unless, they would like to take over making sure they have food and shelter instead of being on welfare paid for by an increase in their taxes. They would be better off paying me the price I quoted them. Which is a lot better in the long run than higher taxes.

I also, tell them If they would like to buy from the internet company I can't stop them. However, would they like to explain to my kids why they won't be getting any Christmas this year?

Works every time because, its the truth. Don't let these people bully you. Just point out the truth to them. It opens 90% of their eyes. If they don't get it after that you don't want to do business with human waste like that.
Click to expand...

I'd recommend against this approach--great if it's working for you but your "needs" as a person shouldn't have anything to do with your pricing structure. Pricing should be based on market conditions, costs, etc. not your "needs". If someone gave me that speech about kids to feed I'd walk away, guilting people into sales isn't a great way to build a trusted brand.

That said, never undercut your minimum margin. Stick to your guns, anyone who would go for the "cheapest possible" is probably a client you don't want anyway.
 
CES020

CES020

New Member
To those that have said they won't sell signs for less that $15 or whatever the number, you really should give some of the merchant members here a shot. You can get 18" x 24" full color, double sided for about $6 or less, depending on quantity and they look fantastic. All you need to do is send the file and a couple of days later, you'll have the completed signs at your door. No hassle, no fuss, top quality and very inexpensive.


I was helping a family member put brakes on a truck and I went online to see who in the area had them in stock before I started driving all over town. I found the rotors at one place, $38.00 each, but not in stock. Went to another chain's site, had them in stock for $39.00 each. Cool. I go there, they pull them up on the computer and say "$43.00 each". I said "$43? I just saw them on YOUR website for $39.00 each".

He said "Really? That's a great deal, if it were me, I'd order then from the online store". Totally disarmed me. He wasn't crappy about it, he was kind and courteous about it. He kept saying "man, that's a good price".

Stumped me completely. I thought he did a fantastic job of turning me from an "online price checker" into a customer. He asked me "I wonder how long it takes to get them, a couple of days? Did it say how much shipping costs?".

Bastard. I walked out with the rotors in hand, $43 each.
 
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