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Did Signs 365 change their shipping to...?
- Thread starter Texas_Signmaker
- Start date
Gino
Premium Subscriber
kcollins...... that's all well and good and quite true to some extent, but why on earth would you show your customers what you pay for everything ?? Or better yet, why would you be happy to show them your costs ?? Does that prove anything ??
Most customers of signs are the same people who buy most any other products as well. DO they need to see what you paid for electricity last month and how much went towards their sign(s) ?? Do they need to know what your UPS shipment cost ?? Do they need t know what you paid for toilet paper ?? Many many years ago, one of my sayings to customers was.... well, I don't have the high overhead they have, I don't have 2 bucket trucks and 3 cranes to keep busy and pay for their upkeep, I don't have 38 people on payroll and I don't have the waste they have, so when they quote a job like this one, all that goes into your $1,800 job. Without all that same overhead, mine is much less, thus the reason I can sell it to you for a better cost. However, I never showed them each and every cost you are talking about, let alone saying you're happy to do so.
Granted, you have no machinery, overhead, employees or most of the items going into your quote/sales, but why show them your price lists ??
Most customers of signs are the same people who buy most any other products as well. DO they need to see what you paid for electricity last month and how much went towards their sign(s) ?? Do they need to know what your UPS shipment cost ?? Do they need t know what you paid for toilet paper ?? Many many years ago, one of my sayings to customers was.... well, I don't have the high overhead they have, I don't have 2 bucket trucks and 3 cranes to keep busy and pay for their upkeep, I don't have 38 people on payroll and I don't have the waste they have, so when they quote a job like this one, all that goes into your $1,800 job. Without all that same overhead, mine is much less, thus the reason I can sell it to you for a better cost. However, I never showed them each and every cost you are talking about, let alone saying you're happy to do so.
Granted, you have no machinery, overhead, employees or most of the items going into your quote/sales, but why show them your price lists ??
Other than trying to look like a nice guy at others expense, I see no reason to show all of your costs to your end-users.
kcollinsdesign
Old member
Most of the time it doesn't even come up. On bigger projects I might bid out aspects of the job, and I would probably share information then. Occasionally people will challenge my price, and I may or may not share infornation (it usually depends on whether I like them or not, or want their business enough to bother).
The point I am trying to make is that, to me at least, it doesn't matter if my customer knows what I am paying. They can figure it out without me if they are so inclined. If they can find a better "deal" elsewhere, so be it. I'm too busy to worry about it.
On the other hand, when I tell them I'm paying $40.00 for a full color 4x8 Coroplast, it will make them wonder why the last guy charged them $275.00. I can understand how someone may need to charge that (materials cost, overhead, equipment). So I am challenging the validity of that business model, which may upset some people. But the facts are what the facts are. I know I don't have the capability or the volume (or desire) to print 200 4x8s a day, so I just order this commodity from someone who does. If my client is in a big hurry, I can usually accommodate that too (at a higher price, of course, but I'm paying more too). The only market I'm missing out on is the client that wants a sign "right now." That's fine with me.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
About the only time it ever comes up, here.... is when someone will say, why so much ?? I can get it for $XX amount. If we're splitting hairs, I will do the same, based upon if I wanna do business or not with the person in front of me.
Rarely does anyone tell me I'm 85% less than the last guy, so luckily I don't need to worry about that. The biggest culprit is people shopping the internet and then I will tell them to go for it and hope you get what you want.
I understand your point(s) and they're good ones, it just doesn't make sense to offer so many prices, especially if they don't request it.
Rarely does anyone tell me I'm 85% less than the last guy, so luckily I don't need to worry about that. The biggest culprit is people shopping the internet and then I will tell them to go for it and hope you get what you want.
I understand your point(s) and they're good ones, it just doesn't make sense to offer so many prices, especially if they don't request it.
I've always had the desire to do as much as I can in-house, so as to have control over quality, time (deadlines), last minute changes, mistakes and costs. I am the only one I hafta report to and the more middle people I can keep out of the equation, the better..... for me.
equippaint
Active Member
What they charge for shipping doesnt provide any insight into what they are actually paying. Amazon is 2 day free delivery, that doesnt mean UPS does it for nothing. The difference is built into what youre paying for the product.
FOR REAL!!!! Cant understand that one AT ALL