what is this business coming to

[Pat Whatley]

There are already shops doing almost "while you wait" sign work. Customer comes in, sits down at a design station with a "designer", scroll through ready to use templates until a shape catches their eye, the text gets entered, the colors get selected, then it's sent directly to the flatbed printer.

Five minutes later the printed sign is loaded into the CNC router, cut to shape, and the customer is out the door with what would take most shops a week minimum to produce.

 

[OldPaint]

You have no idea who he is though....

grumpy much?

AND kraigsnowden:
for the love of mike............get off that crap!!!!! iam saying something that has NOTHING TO DO WITH GRUMPY. just the facts NEWBIES))))) both of ya.
if either one of ya ever been to a walldog or letterhead meet, and saw the quality and the amount of talent TRUE ARTISTS have with nothing more then a CAN OF PAINT AND A COUPLE BRUSHES............then you wouldnt make such a dumb remark. being able to CREATE from the mind, with eye to hand coordination, is so far removed from pulling up clipart, using fonts already built, mixing you colors on a screen and saying PRINT..........sorry but the two arent equal.
to quote john deaton: "Signmaking doesnt come in a box. There has to be some skill in there somewhere that will make you, or break you."
and i see the lack of this everyday with some newbie makin a sign or a banner, that looks like they was settin type for a business card!!!!!! it aint the same thing for sure. and to quote craig s: "But already print shops have slit there own throats with printing as low as $2 a sq ft."
and i agree with both dans, which i also have done. i have a printer, i have a plotter, and i CAN PAINT.............iam also a trained draftsman, so building what is needed is no problem either and on top of it all................
i got 30 OR MORE YEARS DOIN THIS ,Then most of who want to call me grumpy))))))))))))))))))))))))

 

[blueben]

iam also a trained draftsman, so building what is needed is no problem either

What does this have to do with anything. Are you trying to say you are better than some of us with this statement. I am a Civil Engineer with an emphasis on Structural design and construction. Does this make me any better than you?

I was just saying that I thought it was comical how everything unfolded with this guy.

And by the way, the job that I was doing was hand lettering on the front door of the office next to this guy. I will be the first to admit it. I am not the greatest at it but I can do it. Of course if you want something hand drawn, then I will be sending out another guy.

where in AZ was that?

this was in Mohave Valley. It is near Bullhead City and Laughlin

 

[OldPaint]

What does this have to do with anything. Are you trying to say you are better than some of us with this statement. I am a Civil Engineer with an emphasis on Structural design and construction. Does this make me any better than you?

I was just saying that I thought it was comical how everything unfolded with this guy.

And by the way, the job that I was doing was hand lettering on the front door of the office next to this guy. I will be the first to admit it. I am not the greatest at it but I can do it. Of course if you want something hand drawn, then I will be sending out another guy.



this was in Mohave Valley. It is near Bullhead City and Laughlin[/QUOTE
the statement about being a draftsman, was just that...........I AM CAPABLE OF constructing anything i need FOR SIGNS(or other things) being precise and with skill, without involving others. as for you hand painting, good for you, keep at it, in the next 20 years, it make more money then where the business is today. and i probably wont be around, that will make you happy huh? hehehehehehehehehe

 

[visual800]

CRICUT! LOLOL.

I don't worry about another POS start up vinyl company coming to town. I don't specialize in window letters or banners for Susies Birthday Party anyway. They can have all this work if they want it.

I will say this, I wish I was the dude that invented the Cricut!

 

[Jon Aston]

This isn't a new problem.

It's no more than a continuation of a long-standing trend that started with a disruptive technology introduced in the early 1980s. We've been having this conversation, in some shape of form, for at least 25 years. And the right answers have always been the same. Dan already outlined them quite eloquently.

Stop worrying about the other guy. Raise your game.

 

[Gino]

People buying the cricut and other shortcuts to making signs will never really interfere with 99% of legitimate sign shop's clientele.

Most of the people that are using that type of equipment are generally tire kickers or cheap skates you wouldn't want in the first place. This type of person buys these things on impulse to save a buck and thinks nothing of what it takes to really make it a career. In a way, cricuts, and other dumb short cut methods are only a boost for most shop sales. This type of product just eliminates the cheap-O customers from coming in your shop and you're having to deal with idiots.

I had a girl call me last week to buy a roll of 24" white vinyl. She was definitely a foreigner. I recognized the accent. I asked her if she was a sign shop. No, we have a regular business. We do have our own cutter and want to make our own sign for our business. I told her $286. for the vinyl and she never returned my call.

Don't worry about home cricut users.

 

[Jillbeans]

Signmaking doesnt come in a box. There has to be some skill in there somewhere that will make your or break you.

Bravo, Tater.
You too, Dan & Dan.
Love....Jill

 

[petepaz]

You should of cut his extention cord in half to his cricut and replied"No now your out of business".

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO: that would be funny

well maybe this machine will keep away the guy comes in for a 6x9 banner
and only wants to pay $25
or the guy who comes in and wants you to do artwork, set up your machine and run him one bumper sticker as a joke for his buddy and offers you $5

 

[UFB Fabrication]

You should have asked to see his business license, workers comp cert, tax info and a copy of the sign permit.

 

[OldPaint]

UFB, all that is just stuff you buy with money. one thing the cricut guy CANT PROVIDE is what we call TALENT, ABILITY, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIANCE..........

 

[threeputt]

I think I've seen this thread a thousand times before.

Here's what's what:

Yes, there are some really talented artists out there who can paint, sculpt, carve signs with true beauty. No question.

Yes, there are shops out there with tons of equipment that don't have the highest composition skills or a good grasp of color, but can get stuff out the door quickly.

Either shop can survive (and thrive) if they can attract enough customers who want exactly what they're offering.

All this yelling back and forth is rediculous. In my little town you can buy a hamburger for .99 or pay $8.50 for it. These two places are on the same street, not 500 feet apart.

Dan's correct. Develop a business plan. (if you don't already have one) Know who your clientel is. Market to that client.

Set your prices so you can prosper if only running at 80% compacity.

Design and present your shop to that client. Fishermen....you spend money buying the exact lure or fly that'll attract the particular fish you're going for. Same thing.

 

[mark in tx]

Don't worry about the person with a cricut.

We have a towing company here in town that bought there own vinyl cutter.
Well, they pay twice as much for an aluminum blank as we do, so they try to re-use old blanks. They also have been accused by other towing companies of stealing signs, covering them with white vinyl then laying down their own vinyl.
I have seen evidence of that.
Am I worried about them?
No.

 

[mark galoob]

i see this change as the nature of business as a whole. i bet every business on the planet is experiencing this kind of "evolution" in their specific environments. my other business "retail shipping" is very similar. my vendors are now my competition, they sell direct to my customers, and my customer can go around me easily and get what im selling for much less.

a good buddy of mine told me..." the customer is always right...and not everybody is your customer..."

mark galoob

 

[Paupau]

I'm new here and I'm going out on a limb. I'm going to say, don't blame the cricut, but don't dismiss it either. Many cricut users are coming from a totally different place and mind set. Many users are crafters and hobbists, but don't mistake that for ametures. Crafters and hobbist will spend the time and money to hone their craft. Many will also push the limits and take vinyl cutting to places you may not have thought of. You say that they don't have skill and experience, but that comes with time, and if you think the person that will spend hours and $$$ to make one scrapbook page, won't put the dedication into making one vinyl sign, you are wrong. Yes cricut users have been killed in Walmart for the supplies, but not for long. If you think the vinyl (material) is cheap and substandard, then you need to take a look at some of your own work because cricut vinyl is the same Oracle vinyl you maybe installing. We, (yes I am a Cricut person) have gotten hip to t-shirt/sign suppliers and if you haven't noticed those suppliers are starting to go with the flow and cater to this new market. Maybe you do need to look around the Cricut or other craft forum and check out what they are doing. Believe me they aren't trying to take your living away, it just a new arena to be explored.

Then again you may have to be a little scared, because Cricuts are just stepping stones to larger cutters.

 

[GypsyGraphics]

well that's a fine how-do-you-do

 

[iSign]

...you need to take a look at some of your own work...

...cricut vinyl is the same Oracal vinyl...

... We, (yes I am a Cricut person) have gotten hip...

...you may have to be a little scared, because Cricuts are just stepping stones to larger cutters.

so are diapers.. what's your point?

 

[phototec]

How to Make Signs With Cricut

Google search:​

"With a Cricut, you can make signs for your business, school projects or home decor without having to trace and cut by hand. A Cricut can save you time by allowing you to quickly type any letters or words you need and then precisely cutting them for you."​

http://www.ehow.com/how_5272937_make-signs-cricut.html​

 

[bayshorecreations]

Every home based business owner needs to advertise their website. Join networking groups or post your service in forums or classified ad
sites. So what is this money making idea? Start a Cricut vinyl lettering service. We have all seen www.mywebsite.com in the back window of
someones car, now you can create vinyl signs and help people get customers to their website.

People are always looking for ways to add personalized accents to home decor. So here is the next money making idea. Go to the wallpaper and paint stores in your area and ask to leave your business cards or put up a flyer advertising your custom wall art service.

Call interior decorators and tell them you can customize any home decorating projects with your personalized wallies. These wall decals
can be any word, design, cartoon character, inspirational quote, numbers or symbols you create with Design Studio or Gypsy and vinyl sheets or
tape.

Last but not least since you are the local expert when it comes to the Cricut Design Studio or Cricut Gypsy, use that knowledge to teach others. Visit craft stores and offer to teach a class from basic techniques to advanced tips and tricks.


http://cricutdiecuttingmachine.com/scrapbookingtools/cricut-ideas/


Photo is from http://www.cricutcritters.com
The Creative Critters Cricut Club



WATCH OUT GUYS!!!!

 

[Mosh]

If you are scared say you are scared! If you have a sign shop worth a crap some dip-wad with a cricut is not going to be anything to you. Sure you might lose the low end tire kickers, but to me that is a good thing! If you have a good product there is nothing to worry about. I wish there were some circut morons here that I could send my "bottom feeders" to!!!!