In Stock Vinyl vs. Ordering

[JMPrinting]

I have been fighting this issue for a while, finally asking opinions.

A customer came in today wanting some matte black vinyl on his vehicle, which I have none in stock and haven't even ordered it. His graphics were about 6"x40" and on both sides. Just lettering. I called fellers and I was about $39.00 with shipping for the vinyl, I quoted him $110 for the job. It would take me about 5 minutes to set the job up, 5 minutes to cut, weed and tape...10-15 minutes to clean and install. How does this come in to play with you guys? It's about $30.30 per sq ft. I don't want to do the job for much less, I mean I could quote $80.00 and double up.

Now if the same customer came in and wanted say gloss white for Oracal 951, I would be more around $70.00

Also, one more subject. I have a customer wanting a few trucks lettered, they use 2 PMS colors that are pretty close to some Oracal colors. Instead of ordering 2-3 yards at a time, thinking about asking if they buy the vinyl and I charge for cut, weed install and keep their vinyl. Saves me time and money as well and get a better rate. I was going to double up the vinyl cost and then charge $60/hr rate or just set a sqft charge. Opinions appreciated.

 

[Pat Whatley]

If it's a specialty vinyl you don't think you're going to use for a different project you have to let the one job absorb the full cost of the supplies.

For the customer needing "a few trucks lettered" price it so that the first truck covers the cost of the vinyl for all of them then give them a lower price for each additional truck. First truck is $700, each additional truck is $550. You've covered your cost in case they never come back but at the same time the discount is giving them an incentive to come back. It's a win-win for you.

If you tell them to buy the vinyl and just pay you to cut it they'll start wondering why you're using so much and start demanding that you give them the drops and scraps since it's "their material". Then they'll start asking for a discount because you had to recut something that was the wrong size and you're using "their materials". Don't get yourself into that mess.

 

[Z SIGNS]

Sounds like buying a steak at walmart and taking it to a restaurant and asking them to prepare it for you then asking them to deduct the price of the steak from the bill.

 

[J Hill Designs]

Sounds like buying a steak at walmart and taking it to a restaurant and asking them to prepare it for you then asking them to deduct the price of the steak from the bill.

no, it more sounds like you going into walmart asking for kobe beef, and paying for them to bring it in.

 

[Z SIGNS]

Had to google Kobe beef

And Yup

 

[neil_se]

We typically avoid these sort of jobs but I'd be at about $150+tax if the layout was very basic, additional artwork if I anticipate that they'll want to make changes, have to trace a logo, etc. I don't really change the price for in stock vinyl vs ordered in, except that they'll need to pay for the whole amount I've ordered in (1m/40" lots here), and wait until I'm ordering other stock unless they want to pay for freight.

It's easy to think something will only take 20 mins, but I try to consider everything that goes into the job:
- Time to take the enquiry
- Interpret what they want, show colour swatches, etc
- Price the job and produce a quote
- Take payment
- Convert to order
- Design, send proof and make any changes
- Order in vinyl
- Cut, weed, mask vinyl
- Greet the customer when arriving for fitting
- Get vehicle inside installation bay
- Clean off 4 weeks worth of dirt and road grime
- Apply stickers
- Check over & clean up
- Take vehicle back outside
- Make sure customer is all smiles
- Get customer out the door
- Close order
- Bookkeeper process invoice

Some of these might only take 30 seconds, but others could blow out to 30 minutes (eg. customer waffles on and doesn't know what they want, makes 5 changes to the design one-by-one over email, talks your ear off when picking up the car, etc). All of these processes take time and therefore cost money, so we're trying to change our mindset and quote pessimistically for design and fitting times.

 

[Pat Whatley]

no, it more sounds like you going into walmart asking for kobe beef, and paying for them to bring it in.

Like asking them to bring in a side of beef and only buying one steak from it.

 

[nikdoobs]

So, its $39 for the whole roll, or just enough vinyl for this job? You may want to think about keeping matte black in stock if you do a lot of vinyl work. Its getting pretty popular.

 

[shoresigns]

We avoid these jobs by simply pricing them accurately. It does take $150 sometimes to make one "simple" little sign. Explain why, and if the price is too high, move on to the next customer. I find that the more we "pass" on little jobs, the more big jobs we have time for.

 

[DesireeM]

I don't really see why it has to be an issue at all. For us it's like any other cut-vinyl order. If I got an order for some matte black vinyl I would just price it out with the usual markup + design/setup/labor or whatever like any other job. I tell the customer it may be on back order and take a few days to come in. Our supplier doesn't charge us shipping if we wait until Wednesdays when they have a fleet of trucks that ships to our whole area in one day so if they are willing to wait till Wednesday we don't charge shipping. If they want in NOW we charge shipping.

The only reason the customer pays more than usual is because the vinyl is more expensive per sq.ft. And since 90% of cut-vinyl can be order by the yard it's not like we have to order in a whole roll for just one job. Order as much as you need and price it accordingly.

If the customer doesn't want to wait for it to come in then they can go elsewhere.

If a customer comes in and asks for one 4" x 4" decal of their name I would charge my time out at $60/hr as usual. So if I think it would take me $15 minutes to lay it out, get it approved and produce it then the quote is $15 + tax.

Sometimes they say "$15 for ONE LITTLE STICKER?" and I tell them the cost of the material is negligible in this case but that's what happens when you want a single custom product. You have to absorb the labor cost into one item as opposed to making 20,000 of something...the labor cost is divided so they can be sold for $1 each.

***If it's a customer that gives us thousands of dollars per/year of other business I make an exception Lose $10 to make $1000....

 

[Mosh]

You don't stock matte black, one of the most popular vinyls out there?

 

[J Hill Designs]

I don't either

 

[DesireeM]

99% of the vehicle vinyl we produce is advertising. Not decorative.

I was under the impression that wraps (for a paint-like finish) were more of a specialized area. Not necessarily a part of the signs-for-advertising sector of the industry. I would understand if a company like that stocked matte black.

There are vehicle detailing places in our city that I KNOW stock matte black.