Bumping Heads w/ the Internet

[westpointsigns]

Curious as to how other owners of small shops handle it when a customer comes in and asks for a price quote on something then tells you they can get it online for a lot cheaper.

Case in Point:

24 Double sided 24"x 18" coroplast signs with wire stakes.
My Price $10 each. (They are all the same)
Web Price$3.49 each.

I'm a small shop, I do everything, I buy items like that when I need it and in quantities that I can afford to justify having on hand. I can't even get a sign set in for under $4.00.

I've been in sales most of my life and have rebuttals for just about anything. But when their only concern is the $$$$ and the bottom line, they want the CHEAPEST thing possible. I am out of answers. I need a new angle on this because I'm running into it more and more all the time.

Any suggestions on how to handle these situations?
Thanks

 

[gnatt66]

i wouldnt ever do double sided 18x24's that cheap...i did 75 of them half that size and got almost that much per. (and it sucked)

do good work, dont sell yourself short and let the lowballers move on.

 

[MikePro]

"if you can get it that cheap, then why are you here?"
"I don't charge shipping and handling for giving it to you in person"
"I warranty my product, do they?"
"My product lasts TWICE (at least) as long as theirs does"
"I like to keep business local too! So glad you stopped by!"
"Online sign shops fund terrorists"

 

[westpointsigns]

I do good work and stand behind everything I sell. I (as far as I know) am the only sign shop in the area that will replace a magnet set free of charge if it blows off, in the first 3 months. I've only had to do it once in the last 5 years due to a weak magnetic roll I had received and the company even replaced the roll for me at no charge. Who's to say the customer doesn't just want a free set? It's based on honesty and trust. A locked glass door will only keep an honest people out.

 

[TheSnowman]

I've only had it happen once, and it was on a big arrow sign that Sam's Club sells cheaper than I can get it wholesale from the same company that Sam's gets them from. But when people tell me that X company will do the job for less, and it's their 2nd time back to see if I'll match it, I ask them why they were back if the other company would do it for less. My price is my price, and only it's it is a BIG BIG job will I even consider matching a price.

My response would be "That's a heck of a good price, I'd order it online!"

 

[royster13]

It seems that even the smallest shop should stock some 18" x 24" coro blanks and wire frames....

And the internet price sound too low to me....Maybe for 50 or 100 but not for 24....Although I did not check Vista Print.......

 

[JeremySI]

tell them your quote will still be good when they decide to come get them from you because the online ones turn out to be crap

 

[J Hill Designs]

"Online sign shops fund terrorists"

heh

 

[westpointsigns]

It seems that even the smallest shop should stock some 18" x 24" coro blanks and wire frames....

And the internet price sound too low to me....Maybe for 50 or 100 but not for 24....Although I did not check Vista Print.......

I do stock a few coroplast blanks and frames. I usually keep about a dozen of them in stock. But I'm not going to give them away.

I'm in a town of about 3500 people and do get a lot of local business from town and surrounding communities. I stock around 75 different colors of vinyl. Always have 54" banner media on hand for printing, and order any sewn banners and hard sign substrates I may need, and those I can usually have within 24 hours.
So I am not understocked by any means. I have learned (the hard way) not to speculate what the market is going to want.

 

[jiarby]

apples & oranges...

A shop setup to screen print coro signs with an automatic M&R graphics press (or equivalent) can crank this job out in less time than it takes to coat/expose the screen. Probably all they do all day long is screen coro signs. They buy coro & stakes by the truckload.

A vinyl shop can't compete with a screen printing setup for these types of jobs. You are buying your materials in retail quantities.... They are not. A shop that is ready to do ANY job will find it to get the economies of scale that shop specializing in ONE thing can do.

Even so... $3.50 for double sided & 25pcs (a small job by screen printing standards) seems on the low side. Was the custy trying to do better?

 

[royster13]

4.00 for a sign set?....Last bunch I bought were under 200.00 for 100 sets....

 

[TimberSign]

We live and do business in a small town as well, about 1500 not including the surrounding areas, I always try and remind customers, that we do stand behind our product and will be here to replace it. I also like to remind them that shopping local is the best way to help keep our town and local econonmy thriving. This reminds most of my customers, who are business owners themselves, that I may need their business in the future too, but may shop "cheaper" as well.

 

[mark in tx]

I find it kind of hard to believe a short run of 24 would only be 3.49 ea from a screen printer.
They have to be charging extra for art, the screen and shipping.

 

[surf city]

Hey, it's bound to happen that's all there is to it. Just stay true to what you do and continue to produce a great product. Alot of times I have had the customer come back maybe not for the same stuff but, they do come back cause they realize that the online stuff wasn't worth it.

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

the online price is probably for reg. white coro, which is fine if theyre getting single sided signs.....but if they're double sided, the online price will go up (if they know to request opaque), or they'll get the signs, and no one will be able to read them when the sun hits 'em

 

[Brandon708]

We charge $18 each single sided for a 18x24 Coroplast sign w/ stake. (Golf Outing Style)
We have been thinking about raising it to $20 each

$10 is very low. I would never go that low. Don't sell yourself short. Your working for free.

 

[Malkin]

I'm with Brandon. Just took an order for 30 very simple 18x24 single-sided w/ stake. Had no trouble selling them for $20 each. They were not shopping the internet this time.

The people that do I just have to tell them that it's a totally different market and level of service. I have had several people come in thinking that we might be able to "beat" the crazy low internet price. I just do the ol one eyebrow raised stare until they stop asking.

 

[Border]

About a year ago I decided to stop advertising for any types of straight-forward jobs like the one you described. Best thing I ever did! There is ALWAYS someone else who does ONLY those types of signs and they will blow your price away every time. They buy things in huge bulk and have automated machinery so you can't compete doing it your way. Find what you are good at and push that more than anything else and buy the things you need to make you faster at it. Offer the other little stuff if they ask for it.

 

[JR's]

"if you can get it that cheap, then why are you here?"
"I don't charge shipping and handling for giving it to you in person"
"I warranty my product, do they?"
"My product lasts TWICE (at least) as long as theirs does"
"I like to keep business local too! So glad you stopped by!"
"Online sign shops fund terrorists"

:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:

I have to remember that one.

JR

 

[Sticky Signs]

Fortunately, I don't come across this problem very often. BUT, if I did, i'd order some of the on-line crap just so I could hang it next to my own stuff. Then when some idiot comes in asking me to meat or beat the price I can easily say - Nope, not even gonna try, and here's why - then point to the 2 different signs. Of course it would read something like - I'm a dumb-ass that bought a cheap sign.

 

[cdiesel]

We buy the stuff by the skid and still don't sell that cheap. It makes no sense why people would want to work for pennies, after investing in a business.

When we get approached with the "I can buy it online for 1/2 that" I politely suggest the customer should go for it. Tell them they have found a great deal. Also mention that if they'd like to pick the signs up tomorrow, you can have them ready to go for your price.

I'd also speculate that the $3.49 price doesn't include artwork, setup fees, screen fees, shipping, or handling. We quote an upfront price, and that's what the customer pays.