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online sign design for website

netsol

Active Member
I am finally ready to open my sign business, but want to have an online design feature, similar to

signsofsense.com/

the online banner design feature would work out very well.

is that a standard package, to be added to someone's website?
or can we recommend a starting point?

is the design program something you purchase outright?
pay a monthly charge?
or a per click?
 

bannertime

Active Member
There's a few options ranging from subscription to fully built custom web apps. It's going to range from a couple hundred a month to thousands a month or tens of thousands to develop. I can't remember the names, but there is one for Magento and Word Press. There's options from EFI and HP if you have their machines. There are some companies that do fulfillment like 4over and ZooPrinting that have templates setup for small format options, but no banners or signs yet.

The main reason you don't see this stuff more, is because it doesn't work. Customers can't look at a blank canvas and create something that looks good. If they can, they likely already have software for it. Unless you're ready to create hundreds of templates in multiple sizes and have hundreds of stock images and art options ready, as well as being willing to teach customers how to use it every day, then by all means, give it a shot.

These types of systems are only successful when they have templates and predefined text inputs. i.e. Business Cards for a franchise that all they do is put in their contact info and submit the order on a predefined and approved layout. Or Vista Print where they have matching templates so you can get everything from business cards to yard signs that all look the same.

When one of these sales guy selling an online tool tells you that tons of people use it. It's typically companies that tried it and stopped, people that are in the process of trying it, or companies that use it for their B2B stuff with preapproved layouts.
 

Solventinkjet

DIY Printer Fixing Guide
In my experience most people have those custom made. I have had a few customers who did it and they hired guys from Russia and India to do it for them cheaper than most Americans will.
 
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ThatGriffGuy

New Member
I fought for two years to keep a design center on my website up and running. Not only was it $200/mo but I was constantly having to change things. Customers would use it as a tool to basically just layout text and I would still have to design around it. The bad thing was the customer gained an idea of how they wanted it and wouldnt take any direction. I finally scrapped the idea and wished I would have never started it in the first place. But, you live and you learn.

If you accept the designs customers make and print them you will often end up with an unhappy customer due to circumstances they are not familiar with. A big issue I had was color because most monitors display colors differently.
 

shoresigns

New Member
A design online tool is great if you're trying to attract online clients that have zero budget. It's a niche market that already has big players like Vistaprint that you'll be competing with.

If you're planning to run a regular, local sign shop, don't invest in a "design it yourself" online tool. Total waste of time and money. People either won't use it, or they'll use it but you'll have to redo their awful designs, and in either case it'll devalue your role as the expert sign maker.
 

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
This is something that some embroidery shops are doing as well and I can't see this going well. Not only do you have the issue of the average consumer not really knowing what they are doing design wise, but (in my/their case) you have the extra concern is that they aren't going to know (or even care) about what will or won't translate to the embroidery medium. So the design tool isn't really going to get them what your hoping that it will get them.

You might be able to get the basic stuff out of the way with something like this, but you'll still need to provide a lot to the consumer to make it as easy and seamless for them as can be and also be able to fit within production concerns/limitations, so that way you don't have to tell them that the design that they came up with on your online design tool won't work for a specific medium.
 

C-Tina

New Member
I fought for two years to keep a design center on my website up and running. Not only was it $200/mo but I was constantly having to change things. Customers would use it as a tool to basically just layout text and I would still have to design around it. The bad thing was the customer gained an idea of how they wanted it and wouldnt take any direction. I finally scrapped the idea and wished I would have never started it in the first place. But, you live and you learn.

If you accept the designs customers make and print them you will often end up with an unhappy customer due to circumstances they are not familiar with. A big issue I had was color because most monitors display colors differently.

Curious which system you were using? I'm in the same boat here and was looking to scrap my vendor and find another --- but it seems the consensus is for our type of printing, just isn't as useful as we would hope.
 

SignsSupport

Support & Tech Administrator
Such a website could be designed using WordPress with WooCommerce integration. You could enhance WooCommerce by using something similar to a custom product designer plugin like at https://codecanyon.net/item/woocommerce-products-designer/7818029?s_rank=8 ... It would be a task and a half to put all the elements together, while creating a custom theme to match the niche. The advantage of using WP/WC is that you have total control over the content and do not need to pay a monthly fee for subscription type service/script. It's totally doable though. Might I ask - what's your budget for the project netsol?

HTH,

SignsSupport
 

ams

New Member
signsofsense.com/ is a standard template that you can buy pre-built for about $10. Don't waste your time or money trying to build it, just google "Website Templates" and pick the same one or a close one.
 

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
signsofsense.com/ is a standard template that you can buy pre-built for about $10. Don't waste your time or money trying to build it, just google "Website Templates" and pick the same one or a close one.

Wow, MOST sign companies have confusing illogical websites... I really like how signsofsense.com did theirs... looks very similar to mine only better.
 

SignsSupport

Support & Tech Administrator
signsofsense.com/ is a standard template that you can buy pre-built for about $10. Don't waste your time or money trying to build it, just google "Website Templates" and pick the same one or a close one.
Do you have any facts to back these two statements up? I'd be curious to know.
I've never seen even a basic type of script that offers the customize-an-item type eCommerce solution that the SOS has ... and certainly not at the $10 pricetag.
Then when you pair styling the script, customizing certain out-of-box, template elements to better match the niche - it get's to be much more than a $10 deal.
I'd like to find such a pre- built $10 template of such a caliber though LOL - so please share the info if it's true. Thanks,

SignsSupport
 

ams

New Member
Everything I saw was static. I am talking about the layout, because I thought the OP wanted the look of it, but any underlaying functions.
 

SignsSupport

Support & Tech Administrator
Everything I saw was static. I am talking about the layout, because I thought the OP wanted the look of it, but any underlaying functions.
Okay. But I believe the OP was inquiring about the actual site functionality though, not merely the look of the site.
Perhaps netsol can clarify.

SignsSupport
 
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