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Is my pricing too high for printed vinyl?
- Thread starter Stacey K
- Start date
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
People lie a lot about prices. Like I said in another post, I would snoop around and see quotes on their desk and they would straight up tell you they got a price for less than what you literally just looked at.
signheremd
New Member
I am wondering what this customer does for a living - I assume they do not race for a living or the expense would be less of an issue. So let's say they are a mechanic. If you take your car to them and tell them the price is too high will they lower it? Problem is they do not value your time as they do their engine builder's. You use quality materials and have to earn a living too. Once you set your price, stand by it. Build your reputation through the quality of your work and your reliability. It is okay to say you can't do a particular job for the amount they want to pay - focus on customers that see you value.
Now if you are new and have no reputation, you gotta eat but once you are viewed as the inexpensive alternative raising your prices and keeping your business is hard.
Now if you are new and have no reputation, you gotta eat but once you are viewed as the inexpensive alternative raising your prices and keeping your business is hard.
victor bogdanov
Active Member
Ok in that case please wish this problem on every one in this thread "5 banners at $425 a piece and they need them by 5 o'clock today", please curse me with this
gabagoo
New Member
The cost of 2ml wrap material with laminate is about $2.00 a sq ft ( Canada) That also does not include all the waste as you can't print 54"...so maybe it works out to 2.10 a sq ft at most.... Then you have ink and God forbid something go wrong during the print (which you know will on a job like that) I don't think they got a price that low...
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
If you consistently take cheap work, you need to look hard at equipment depreciation and replacement cycles.
We pay about $100/hr for a landoll. We were in a pinch one day needing something delivered and nobody was available. I called a "friend" of mine and he was available, $250/hr. At first I thought, well no wonder your truck is sitting but then thought again that this guy doesn't even have to get half of the work of everyone else, so who's the idiot here? I see his truck out on the road so he gets it, not a lot but then again, it doesn't take a lot. Then he's also not running his equipment into the ground.
We pay about $100/hr for a landoll. We were in a pinch one day needing something delivered and nobody was available. I called a "friend" of mine and he was available, $250/hr. At first I thought, well no wonder your truck is sitting but then thought again that this guy doesn't even have to get half of the work of everyone else, so who's the idiot here? I see his truck out on the road so he gets it, not a lot but then again, it doesn't take a lot. Then he's also not running his equipment into the ground.
Scotchbrite
No comment
It's funny reading the replies in regards to doing "racecar" jobs. Every time we have one come up, my first thought is "f*****g racers". They always want their stuff done yesterday for free and they'll put your logo on their car. I wouldn't want my logo on their car regardless because I don't need more racers coming in wanting stuff done.
I was just thinking, is having your logo on their car a plus or a negative?
victor bogdanov
Active Member
this one is not laminated and the material is 40 cents/sq ft without any special pricing
Pauly
Printrade.com.au
Won’t get much out of it for a printshop. Unless vehicle/fleet graphics is your core.
rjssigns
Active Member
BTW it's not just the roundy rounders it's all of them. Friend of mine owns a dragster. I did a partial wrap, sponsors etc...on said dragster. All custom one off work. Did some bodywork and paint too. Charged a fair price and he paid it. Some years later he wants an updated wrap.
I bid the job then he says he can get one of the web for $750. Told him buy two so you'll have a backup. Plus there's a good chance you will see the exact same wrap at an event.
Here is all you need to know about him or racers in general. His rail runs on VP C16 race fuel at 24 bucks a gallon. It burns 1.5 gallons per pass.
I posted this before but it's worth mentioning again.
When Joe Racer says he will bring you a ton of business do what I did.
Give him a stack of business cards and tell him to sign the back then give them to his buddies.
I said if I get 10 jobs from your referrals your next wrap/lettering/whatever is free.
Crickets.
I rest my case.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
They all have a decent amount of money and they are all cheap. The absolute worst kind of customer to have
Boudica
Back to "educational purposes"
We work with a number of other local printers who don't do what we do. We are often getting hit up for quotes for the SAME project, from different printers. Like, the end customer is calling around to get quotes, and the people they are calling - are all calling us. So, surprise surprise - they all come back with the same thing. What really makes me laugh, is that far too often, that end customer - knows who we are, and we've done projects directly for them! 
binki
New Member
Radio stations are the same way. We had a contract with one to provide polos for staff and decal up a van and a motorhome. In return we got the back of the van for our ad, advertising on their radio station ( that nobody listened to) and they did the 'game of the week' for local high school games for both the season, playoffs and finals and we would set up a booth at the games. CIF (the governing body for high school sports around here) wouldn't let them do the playoff games which are the ones we really wanted. At that point we found out that the station didn't have permission to do the games at all. I was able to get them to give me half of the value of what we supplied to them even though those last 4 games were worth then entire value of the contract. The difference is a couple hundred people coming to regular season games and several thousand for playoff games.
Never again.
CanuckSigns
Active Member
Yeah a few of our products are quite niche, there are times we get 5-10 quotes for the exact same job from a bunch of different quick copy type places, I just change out the name on the quote and send it off lol.We work with a number of other local printers who don't do what we do. We are often getting hit up for quotes for the SAME project, from different printers. Like, the end customer is calling around to get quotes, and the people they are calling - are all calling us. So, surprise surprise - they all come back with the same thing. What really makes me laugh, is that far too often, that end customer - knows who we are, and we've done projects directly for them!
The print brokers are the worst, they call you up and the first words out of their mouth "I'm reselling this so I need trade pricing" when I tell them new trade clients need to provide production ready artwork and 100% payment up front they squawk, tell me exactly what you bring to the table to warrant a discount? If I need to set up the file and wait 30 days to get paid, I may as well deal with the end user!
Precision
New Member
Don't mean to be rude, but if can't make some money on a deal it isn't worth doing. There's so much work out there you should never have to be the cheap guy. I don't print anything for less than $6.50 a square foot. With lam $8.50 - $12.00 depending on the product. We have a $300 minimum order for new customers. 6 man crew, everyone digs in and does their part. We choose the work and pass on the time killers, low end deals and time suckers (most times). Always wanted to be custom, we're about there. Make a buck, charge accordingly, and always chase the biggest bass you can handle.
victor bogdanov
Active Member
It depends on where you are located too, my city has a bigger population than your state. Way more competition here. There are at least 20 signs companies within 15 minutes of driving from where I am and 2 more just opened up a mile from each other.
Gino
Premium Subscriber
In this case, you're dead balls wrong. Those 20 shops near you...... ever wonder why one or two get top buck, some get close to it and most of them are scurrying around for peanuts ?? Because some demand their prices and the others take whatever they can get. Sounds like you and your 4 printers are on the bottom side of things. In your case, you're either satisfied, lazy or just not up to that level. Simply having lotsa toys doesn't make you a sign shop. It's what runs those toys which dictates the final results.
John Miller
New Member
My response to customers that say "I can get it for_______________ (fill in the blank) Any time a competitor of mine is busy losing money, it's good for you and me, give him your job.