Question What is everyone charging for prints?

[Applied Graphics WY]

I've been getting requests for both printed vehicle wraps & printed wall murals. I generally use either avery 1105 or arlon 6100 along with arlon 6220 laminate. I use estimate pricing program but I get the feeling I'm inputting something wrong as my pricing seems high.
it comes out to $8 per square foot (not including installation). I'm curious if this indeed too high & what the general pricing is across the country. I know a lot depends on demographics. I'm in a more rural small town area of Wyoming. Everyone's input would be very helpful.

 

[Pauly]

Fire sprint posted a wire format calculator. Start there.

 

[Gino]

Make a complete chart of all your payables and how much you need a month to keep your doors open and include your home charges, too.

Divide it by 4.3 and that's what you need a week. Divide it by 45 or so and that's your hourly shop rate. Put whatever markup on materials you feel necessary and go from there.

 

[Applied Graphics WY]

Make a complete chart of all your payables and how much you need a month to keep your doors open and include your home charges, too.

Divide it by 4.3 and that's what you need a week. Divide it by 45 or so and that's your hourly shop rate. Put whatever markup on materials you feel necessary and go from there.

I've already done that in estimate.
for most things everything works out well.
My large prints are the only ones that seem to be off. I'm not sure why or how unless I need to make my materials mark up lower. I think that is where I am stuck.

 

[gnubler]

Make a complete chart of all your payables and how much you need a month to keep your doors open and include your home charges, too.

Divide it by 4.3 and that's what you need a week. Divide it by 45 or so and that's your hourly shop rate. Put whatever markup on materials you feel necessary and go from there.

How do you not go insane answering the same question over and over again?

I wish people used the search feature more. We have so many threads discussing this very topic with some good input and answers.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

You are not off, some people do want to accept that the average meal at McDonalds is $16 any more than the cost of printing has gone up or the other guys margins have gone down.

 

[Gino]

How do you not go insane answering the same question over and over again?

I wish people used the search feature more. We have so many threads discussing this very topic with some good input and answers.

Yes, we do, but it never hurts. Look at how many other topics are brought in as new and discussed. The thing is, if you'd go back to the beginning of my answers on most subjects, they won't vary very much. That's a key to true and testified answers.

 

[Applied Graphics WY]

How do you not go insane answering the same question over and over again?

I wish people used the search feature more. We have so many threads discussing this very topic with some good input and answers.

As stated above, I've done that in my estimate program already. Also, I did already do a search. Everything I found was either 10 year old pricing or a vague calculation answer. I'm interested in what others have come up with to see if I really am off my rocker for charging so much or if I'm just behind the times as far as how much the average rate is.

 

[ColorCrest]

I'm curious if this indeed too high & what the general pricing is across the country.

“General pricing across the country” won’t be specific enough because the country’s markets are too varied.

As others have advised, work FireSprint’s timely calculator to see what results. Gene mentions to maybe double the price of large format wholesale work and triple price small scale work. Watch his videos at YouTube. Then try signs dot com. Then do your best at learning the actual prices, and maybe relationships, of vendors of whom you’re competing against.

Be aware competitors might be all wet so far as their pricing. They may be losing money and not know it, or, they may very well be purposely selling loss-leaders as a strategy. That’s why it is so important to know where you stand so far as your real costs and margins fall, so you too, can be competitive with some products yet make up differences by selling other products.

Realize some shops can purchase materials at shocking low prices compared to what you might pay due to the volume they consume or simply because of their charm. Also, their overhead costs may easily be very different than yours.

Good luck.