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Have you ever used outsourcing for large orders?

duckcommander

duckcommander

New Member
Avid Reader, First Time Posting!

I was curious if anyone has ever outsourced their work when the order seems a little larger than what they are used too?

Reason I ask is I had got a request for some 4.75" by 2.25" decals which is fine but wants quotes on 500,1000 and 1500 of them at a time. My issue is I don't want to weed that many especially in a metallic vinyl.

I rather take a smaller profit and not have to waste time on weeding and masking that many of them when I can be working on other jobs.

Does anyone here have any suggestions or referrals?

Thanks!
 
TheSnowman

TheSnowman

New Member
I generally ALWAYS considering subbing out my big orders. I tend to make more money on subbing them out than when I do it myself, and I save myself that much time I can be coordinating everything else.
 
duckcommander

duckcommander

New Member
Another thing is in my research online and with the vendors listed on the forum...alot of companies do "digital printed/die-cut", does anyone use just 3mil calendared film?

Here's what they brought me...
screen-capture-2.png

Gino - Thank you! It's nice to finally post on here!

jhilldesigns - I'm looking into Stouse as we speak, thanks for the referral
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Pat Whatley

Pat Whatley

New Member
I sub out anything I can. I'm a lazy *******....I'd much rather make money off somebody else doing the physical work.

I did an order for 110 banners last week. At the most I spent an hour on the job between dealing with the customer, designing the banners, and sending the file off. Once I did the math my cost was about $5 per banner over the material cost of doing them myself. Once you figure in labor I lost about $200 profit......but I freed up two days to do other more profitable things. In the end I would have lost money doing them myself.
 
X

Xcesiv

New Member
i used to outsource my digital printing and was the reason i brought it all in house

First guy i was subbing out to
75% of the work i was subbing to him was from 1 of my clients, buying on a fortnightly basis. He rang the client and ask what he was paying and said he would beat and said that he was printing all the stuff for me, that i was basically just a reseller of other peoples services.

Customer was totally dollar driven. The customer rang asking me if i was outsourcing to and told me he was now going to deal with them direct.

Sub 2
I had a large print that was to be installed over 2 panels 1250mm wide by 1.5 meter drop. over a window.

Customer wanted Block out vinyl and so i ordered a block out with bubble free.
Sent the printer the artwork and vinyl specs required for the job (i knew which stock he carried)
short time frame required between order approval and installation.
The plan was to pick up the graphic and drive to the site (almost 6 hours from home) stay the night, install and then drive home the next day.
I picked up the materials as planned mid afternoon and received non block out and non bubble free adhesive.

No time to reprint before install the next morning. Ring the customer and get approval to install non block out vinyl. Reluctant the customer agreed due to not wanting a week delay on the installation.

After work was done the customer rang me saying that they cant justify the price i quoted because they didnt get what they wanted. The office was still glarey and bright.
Customer refused to pay the full invoice offering only 50%. it took 3 weeks to get agree to 80% and the customer told me they wont be using me again because they didnt get what they wanted.

Printer refused responsibility for the mistake on materials saying when i phoned the order in i didnt mention block out. but the email with the artwork clearly stated the specs of the order.

Sub 3.
Bonnet Wrap print. Requested conformable cast vinyl. Received a premium Calendared vinyl. Did vinyl memory test on materials and proved it was not a cast. Vinyl wrap eventually failed after 1 year in 1 recess.

printer denies it was a calendared vinyl. I showed my suppliers the backing paper and they told me its not the suppliers backing paper for a cast film.

Sub 4 - again rang my customer direct asking them for my business.

NO More Subbing for me.

If i cant do it i just don't do it and i just try to sell my clients a product i can produce in house.
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
Our main sub does a great job and we have our own rep. They've hit near impossible ship dates and made us look good. We have a 54" printer yet have delivered a seamless 14' x 48' interior display because of our sub.
We use in house equipment for smaller, same day jobs and to manage overrun for other shops.

It's all about opportunity costs and leveraging available resources.
 
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