customer question?

[laserman70]

Have a customer we do some printing once a month.
His jobs are not large, he applies the vinyl to a substrate that is for government.
He sends us 3-4 prints that are 4'x6'.

He wants to start doing some larger 60" prints but doesnt know how many.
I had spoke to him prior explaining we can do it due to us having a 64" printer, however we dont stock it due to most printed on 54".

He wants to pay for a full roll of vinyl and work from there. He will pay for stocking it here. He wants a price for doing so.

Firstly, i have an issue do to waste.
Second head strike and ruining prints. Reprint is needed.
third, I dont want the vinyl sitting and taking a chance of damage or contamination.

What are your thoughts?
I appreciate the help.

 

[CanuckSigns]

I would have no issues stocking a roll of 60" vinyl for a customer, i wouldn't even make them pay for bringing it in. if you have a 64" printer, you should really have a roll of 60" vinyl on hand. the price difference between a roll of 54" and a roll of 60" is peanuts.

What vinyl do you currently use for his jobs?

 

[Shadowglen]

Are you currently laminating the smaller signs? Do you have a 64" laminator? If so I would stock a roll of 64" vinyl and lam. I am sure you can find other jobs when you could utilize 64" material say when doing multiple signs. I don't like the idea of a customer owning product in my shop. just saying What I would do. I have a 64" and a 54' printer and mainly stock 54" vinyl and lam due to only having a 54" laminator. I stock 64" banner material to print 62" wide banners.

 

[laserman70]

We do stock 60" vinyl.
He wants a specific vinyl we dont us all the time. Specially in 60"

Yes we have a 64" laminator.
He does not want anything laminated.

 

[CanuckSigns]

what type of vinyl does he spec? if it's a very expensive vinyl, I can kind of see where you are coming from, however I think it looks very unprofessional to make a client pay for a roll of material for their jobs, reminds me of when I was trying to get a gas line put in my backyard for a BBQ, one of the gasfitters I contacted told me he would do it, if I supplied the flexible piping because "it's really expensive and I don't want to have to buy it" guess who didn't get the job.

 

[Gino]

Let the customer pay in advance for the inventory at your marked up price and make sure you have in writing there will be waste and misprints, for which he will be responsible. In other words, he won't get a full square footage amount at the end of the roll.

We have several customers that want specialty vinyls and we keep them in stock for them and them only. It's usually the cheapie stuff.

 

[boxerbay]

pre-pay for the roll? no way. just for sh!ts and giggles here's some math.

Roll is $200 60x150' what are you going to charge him? 40% markup? 50% markup? 100% markup?

$200.00 x 100% = $400.00

60x1800/144=750 sq ft.

If you selling your prints at lets say $8.00 per sq ft thats

750x8=$6000

You've under sold your roll a bit.

Then as others have said - how much for ink? also how much for each cut. not the same 500 4x6 vs 18 60x120's a lot less cutting involved.

In short - bite the bullet and stock the 60 vinyl and 60 lam and forget about re-inventing a new pricing structure.

If it is a specialty vinyl - print extra samples and leave them on the counter - you will see when other clients see it they usually want it. We did this with a 60 roll of carbon fiber vinyl. Now everybody wants it.

 

[2B]

Are you currently laminating the smaller signs? Do you have a 64" laminator? If so I would stock a roll of 64" vinyl and lam. I am sure you can find other jobs when you could utilize 64" material say when doing multiple signs. I don't like the idea of a customer owning product in my shop. just saying What I would do. I have a 64" and a 54' printer and mainly stock 54" vinyl and lam due to only having a 54" laminator. I stock 64" banner material to print 62" wide banners.

+1

we run some 64" machines and granted 54" is the most common the extra width is helpful and you will always be able to find a way to use it.

too many concerns with someones elses material in your shop, liability, self life, usage, etc...