ROFL.... "Print" shops

Well there is (3) of us and a whole bunch more that aren't making any money on that deal. Same old story though...

 

Yeah, but it only cost like 30¢ sqft in ink and material. They're quintupling their money. WOW! I can't believe none of us figured that out!

 

Yup, another 100,000 orders like that and its retirement time. If you were to mention issues like the intrinsic value of the advertising involved or respecting local market rates so people can pay a living wage and these type's eyes glaze over.

 

We are up against that from several places. One is a printer that's been around a long time that was sold a wide format printer as the solution to the shrinkage of the print market. They don't advertise banners any more, and I heard from a supplier rep that their printer is now just shoved in a corner of the building. Then there was a local restauranteur that bought another old print shop and turned it into an Alphagraphics franchise print shop. I think his primary purpose was to quit being "ripped off" on menu printing. Had someone call me because he needed a 4x8 installed that he bought there. I suggested he get the seller to install it, but he said they refused. So we went out to install his .040 aluminum 4x8 with full bleed digital graphics installed on it 15' up on the side of his shop building. Handed him the invoice for $240 and he about crapped his pants, saying that was outrageous because he didn't even pay that much for the sign. I asked how that could be since signs like that cost $350. He said he paid $90 for it. Considering Grimco charges $67 for a blank white aluminum sheet, I'd say Alphagraphics made a killing on that one. And finally there's a guy who set up a mailbox/shipping place (not a franchise, using daddy's money to utilize his fancy business degree) and decided to become a sign shop too because I was ripping him off. He's the one that brought our N. Glantz rep to tears because he was always trying to get lower prices on supplies. He was using online wholesale pricing as his retail price.

 

this is why we need basic income, there are too many people out there trying to run a business that should stay home and collect a check.

might as well pay off all the student debt, cuz they didn't understand borrowing money meant you had to pay it back...

people who work hard and do things right should pay for everyone else, the're the only ones who can.

 

If ya listened to the debates last night, you would've gotten a sampling of how it will go.

There's no crisis on the southern border, but there is a crisis for needing more beds for these people,pouring in..........

 

Around here 15oz banners go for around $3.75 a square ft.

 

Why don't they bring their own beds, if they wanna sleep when they get here....... sheesh. It's called planning ahead.

Question, if you wanted to move to a new neighborhood..... or even a state halfway across the country....... or into a completely different country, wouldn't you make arrangements before getting there ??

 

I think they are using their points from their American Express card for the migration trip. The US has free daycare and riding the rapids on the Rio Grande with your kid. Beds, food, entertainment, its all part of the travel package. You get with your friends for a camping trip and head for the boarder.

 

Retail we are at $3.50 per square foot(not including art) stitched/grommets and are on the higher end in town. There is a place in town with heat welded seams and grommets selling to the public for $2.00 per square foot. Quality of print is lacking but nobody cares about that I guess.

 

You can order them online from a wholesaler for .89 sq. = $5.40ea. x 11= $ 59.40 you would be at $70.29 with shipping taking that you don't need to do anything with artwork let alone 11 different artworks, is just not worth it. IMO

 

Commercial sign shop printing has been commoditized to the point that most small shops will be better off outsourcing the production of these products. The big production houses are set up to handle volume and are able to offer prices considerably lower than a small shop that does not use high speed industrial printers, advanced material handling, loading docks and storage, packaging and crating, and discounted shipping costs.

For the time being wholesale prices can be marked up with a GPM of %20 – %40, but increasingly wholesale prices are being made available to the end user. A small local shop can still make good profits on installations and design. My long view is that the industry is changing, and that small commercial sign shops that specializes in design (both graphic design and mechanical design), specification and planning, permit secural, and installation and maintenance – without the expenses of production and fabrication – will be the future of our industry.

 

I usually mark up 100% or pretty close to it.

I don't get all the jobs, but when I do they are worth my time

 

If I dropped to $2 or even $3.50 sqft I'd probably sell my printer and outsource completely.

 

Thats is outsourcing. I don't do enought work to justify buying a printer.