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Minimum rate

signgal01

New Member
Hi,

Do you have a minimum charge in your shop. I currently have a shop rate of $70/based off of 2-3 different formulas and charge a minimum rate of $35. Just wondering what the average shop rate and minimum rate is at other shops.

SignGal
 

Haakon

New Member
The previous shop I was employed at made us charge the clients 1 hour graphic setup at $90 regardless how small the order, so for example a name for your boat cut in vinyl, that took 15 seconds to type directly into Signlab ready for cutting at the press of a button, would cost $90 + $5 each letter/3inch tall letters, so a 5 letter name would cost $115 + 25% sales tax.

Needless to say, they had a pretty bad reputation amongst regular/private clients.. Large businesses that place orders ranging from $2K and upwards get full worth of the whole hour charged as minimum, and often a discount on top, so they will not be affected by the minimum charge.

Now I have my own recently set up business, and I'm feeling the market a bit before setting a fixed minimum. I think I can get a good customer base just on the clients alienated by the other companys pricing alone.
 

Fred Weiss

Merchant Member
$75 shop rate

$125 design rate

$75 per hour job setup with first 15 minutes included free

$25 minimum per print or cut run

I can't begin to count the number of good clients over the years that have come back with new work or repeats that started off with a small order. Being reasonably easy to deal with is an important aspect, IMHO, of building a lasting customer base.
 

CheapVehicleWrap

New Member
The previous shop I was employed at made us charge the clients 1 hour graphic setup at $90 regardless how small the order, so for example a name for your boat cut in vinyl, that took 15 seconds to type directly into Signlab ready for cutting at the press of a button, would cost $90 + $5 each letter/3inch tall letters, so a 5 letter name would cost $115 + 25% sales tax.

Needless to say, they had a pretty bad reputation amongst regular/private clients.. Large businesses that place orders ranging from $2K and upwards get full worth of the whole hour charged as minimum, and often a discount on top, so they will not be affected by the minimum charge.

Now I have my own recently set up business, and I'm feeling the market a bit before setting a fixed minimum. I think I can get a good customer base just on the clients alienated by the other companys pricing alone.


25% sales tax? Is this what it's come to?
 

joeshaul

New Member
25% sales tax? Is this what it's come to?

He's from Norway, so wouldn't surprise me.

A friend from Sweden (next door to Norway!) once told me his income tax was around 60% (think he was upper pay though), and their sales tax was pretty insane as well (think it's like 25% or 12% depending on which type of good you are buying).

It sounded like the government facilities were good though, and he didn't have any desire to move.
 

Mosh

New Member
They are a socialist country. Wait until your Obama-care kicks in we will be paying
similar rates here in the US. :(
 

Haakon

New Member
25% sales tax on everything in Norway, except food which is 14%, Depending on income bracket, income tax is from 33 to 50%, gasoline costs about $8 gallon (and thats with our own oil from the north sea), but what is taxed the most are cars. On top of the usual 25% sales tax, new cars are massively taxed based on weigth, power and emissions (co2). Just a couple of examples, first a high-powered sporty car like this Camaro 2SS, http://www.finn.no/finn/car/used/object?finnkode=22267363 It costs $240.000,- here, and this 3 year old Grand Voyager minivan http://www.finn.no/finn/car/used/object?finnkode=15171729 Costs $95.000,- used. $1=5.85NOK.

And of course property tax, road tax pr car you own, water/sewage tax, yearly taxes for money you have in the bank over a certain amount etc etc.. Welcome to Norway!

Just yesterday I ordered and paid (through paypal) a start up kit from Geekwraps, just to take an example. The charge was $250 + $42 for shipping to my adress. When I get this delivered, it will be with a bill for 25% sales tax on both the goods AND the shipping + $20 in handling fees for calculating the taxes and writing out the invoice. So an extra $73 paid directly to the tax/customs office just to get my box of squeegees and magnets out of customs..

Wish me luck with my own little newly setup shop, I may need it to make a successfull living over here ;)
 

Pat Whatley

New Member
Dude, screw the sign business. You pay me $40,000 per unit and I'll ship you all the Grand Voyager minivans you can handle.
 

Haakon

New Member
Still would have to pay about $70k in taxes to get licence plates on them. And with $8/gallon gasoline nobody would want em ;)

Actually, this car is much more suited to the norwegian tax system based on power, emissions and mpg..

fred-flintstone-car-papercraft-1.jpg

But I can make another thread about that, and differences in pricing on jobs between here and over there, kinda interesting that..

Do any of you charge a base price/minimum rate that dictates the kind of clientelle you wish to have? Since there are many shops represented in here, from drop-in mall booths to companies design full branding models to professional companies and everything in between.
 
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andy

New Member
It sounded like the government facilities were good though, and he didn't have any desire to move.

This seams odd... if all those people who lazily smear Europe as "socialist" were right then you'd assume there would be cues of people trying to leave the continent....

Europeans have to pay a lot of taxes because the society we want costs a lot of money... we don't want healthcare left to the free market so we have to pay for it through taxes. We want welfare benefits and safety nets for the poor...so we pay for it through taxes. We want a modern, well ordered society with fairness built in... this costs money.

According to the international standards 1 in 7 Americans live in poverty.... 1 in 7 Europeans don't.
 

Cross Signs

We Make Them Hot and Fresh Everyday
This seams odd... if all those people who lazily smear Europe as "socialist" were right then you'd assume there would be cues of people trying to leave the continent....

Europeans have to pay a lot of taxes because the society we want costs a lot of money... we don't want healthcare left to the free market so we have to pay for it through taxes. We want welfare benefits and safety nets for the poor...so we pay for it through taxes. We want a modern, well ordered society with fairness built in... this costs money.

According to the international standards 1 in 7 Americans live in poverty.... 1 in 7 Europeans don't.


Are you suggesting that 6 out of 7 Europeans live in poverty?

FREEDOM!!
 
J

john1

Guest
For banners i have a minimum of $50 rate and small cut vinyl decals i have $20 minimum usually. This keeps some money coming in if things are real slow ya know
 

mortil

New Member
I live in sweden (Next to norway) and im at the moment trying to figure out what to charge customers as i will start of my buisnes at weekend and after my ordinary job. will also do some work for my ordinary job as we outsource this at the moment.

about taxes in sweden so if you have a small buisness on every 100SEK you bill the client you have to pay about 60SEK in taxes (that is 60%) but if you have a company registerd to the stock-registerd-company the tax rate is lower as some other rules join in .

BUT. remember. Norway is one of the richest countries in the world. and we in sweden have free helthcare and a lot of other things free.

but i dont say i like it.
 
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