Whats the ideal pricing for banner and stickers?

[ikarasu]

Seriously? Who would've ordered a 12"x12" banner?

I do some wholesale printing for a broker. She wanted 10 banners printed and there was about 18" waste on the side of the roll... So I suggested she design a small 12 x16" banner listing her services / etc and I'd do them for cheap. She loved the idea... And I see her tiny little banners hanging on fences everywhere that people walk.

I don't know if she's made even one sale off of them... But she's constantly buying more with her banner purchases!

She does all her own cutting and hemming and grommeting though. It wouldn't be worth it for her, or me if I did them and charged.

But you'd be surprised... We get some people asking for paper sized banners all the time. Usually when they find out well be charging $10-15 each if they buy in multiples of 25+ they drop the idea.


Materials cheap.... Most of overhead is labor and Machine cost. When your machine breaks.... And it will, you're looking at $300+ just to get the tech out.... If he lives within an hour. Then it could be a $4000 head your replacing.... With another $300 visit. Another reason low paying jobs aren't worth it... Extra wear and tear on your machine.

 

[StickerBee]

We just did an order of 12x24 so it's not uncommon, but I think his comment was more indicative of the flawed 1 track approach to pricing that unfortunately is common in this industry and very arbitrary.

I know i was just kidding. But you are right! Maybe i forgot to mention that this is not just the service I provide. I still do yard signs and stickers. But i mass produced this sticker attached.

 

[RICHARD SIMMONS]

Take the following into account: First you are using original Roland inks, which makes production a bit more expensive. The rest is just to calculate how much square feet are in a roll, take waste into consideration, see the ink yield per square foot, and add something else for the extra expenses. I emptied everything in an excel sheet, and from there I get the costs. the sale will be depending on the market

 

[kcollinsdesign]

PM me. I don't normally throw that kinda information around haphazardly.

It takes about 5 minutes on the internet to figure those costs out. There are no industry secrets. More to the point, I can get finished product, rolled in a tube and dropshipped to my customer for $1 sq. ft. plus postage. So why on earth would anybody take the time to walk over to their printer and turn it on (let alone load it with media and ink and actually print with it). In fact, why would anyone even want to own a printer when they can buy finished, printed product for less than the cost of what a small custom shop pays for just the the media? Oh, the times aren't a-changing, they done hauled off and changed!

 

[equippaint]

It takes about 5 minutes on the internet to figure those costs out. There are no industry secrets. More to the point, I can get finished product, rolled in a tube and dropshipped to my customer for $1 sq. ft. plus postage. So why on earth would anybody take the time to walk over to their printer and turn it on (let alone load it with media and ink and actually print with it). In fact, why would anyone even want to own a printer when they can buy finished, printed product for less than the cost of what a small custom shop pays for just the the media? Oh, the times aren't a-changing, they done hauled off and changed!

Most shops print their own stuff for many reasons. Its not all about saving a dollar. Personally, I take pride in doing the work and really like working. If this turned into a broker industry, Id find something else to do.
There’s just no satisfaction with dropshipping crap to me, even if it would net my shop twice the money Id still pass.
I hate subbing out anything and it has nothing to do with money. Its aggravating, theres no control on quality, price increases, lead times etc plus no internal gratification. If I were a GC id self perform everything like the old school builders used to do. If I were in the trucking business, id rather own the trucks than broker the loads, its boring.
Hell, when I get aggressive pricing a job, its because its something different and want the challenge just to do it. Its not about the money. After the first one, the pricing changes. Theres no way that Im the only person like this either.

 

[kcollinsdesign]

When I drop ship a product to a valued client, I make sure it was specified appropriately and that the product is of acceptable quality (note I did not say "highest" quality, that would be absurd). By working closely with my fabrication partners, I have sufficient control over pricing, lead times, and quality control. What I don't have to deal with is monthly payments on equipment, equipment repair and maintenance, physical space requirements (rent, utilities, climate control, air handling), inventory and supplies, material handling, and training, retaining, and paying skilled operators. That gives me more time to spend with clients working on design solutions using a range of appropriate technologies (not limited to my own production capabilities or feeling pressured to keep my machines busy and profitable).

I agree there is some satisfaction from "doing it yourself," but I cannot afford to pay myself to watch a printhead zoom back and forth and forklift pallets of material around the shop. Somedays I yearn for the simple satisfaction of just doing a job well, but I remind myself that if that were my priority I would be better off working for someone else.

 

[bannertime]

So why on earth would anybody take the time to walk over to their printer and turn it on (let alone load it with media and ink and actually print with it). In fact, why would anyone even want to own a printer when they can buy finished, printed product for less than the cost of what a small custom shop pays for just the the media? Oh, the times aren't a-changing, they done hauled off and changed!

I know for a fact that it cost me sub $1 sqft to produce a banner. Including labor, electric, ink, material, grommets, etc. My overhead for rent and all that will be there if I'm outsourcing or not, so the cost of outsourcing is not just $1 sqft either. The real question here is why do you even care what other shops are doing?

 

[HulkSmash]

Banner is a dead art in our area. With website selling them for a buck a square (good for them) There's no competing. I can't remember the last time i had a large banner order.

 

[Johnny Best]

new plot

 

[HulkSmash]

View attachment 142088 new plot

I've missed you butto

 

[kcollinsdesign]

Banner is a dead art in our area. With website selling them for a buck a square (good for them) There's no competing. I can't remember the last time i had a large banner order.

Back in the day, the only way to get a professional looking banner was to hire a sign painter. Now, as you correctly stated, you can get them for less than $1 sq. ft. on the internet. Anybody can order a banner. A 3' x 8' banner might cost me $32.00 delivered, and maybe I can sell it for $54.00, but it is barely worth the $22.00 to hassle with it. If I charged any more, I am "price gouging" and my clients will go somewhere else.

This is actually a wonderful situation for me! My clients get good quality printed goods at reasonable prices (prices they can plainly see that are competitive and fair), and I have the opportunity to sell my design services (where the real value of a banner is).

 

[Signed Out]

Back in the day, the only way to get a professional looking banner was to hire a sign painter. Now, as you correctly stated, you can get them for less than $1 sq. ft. on the internet. Anybody can order a banner. A 3' x 8' banner might cost me $32.00 delivered, and maybe I can sell it for $54.00, but it is barely worth the $22.00 to hassle with it. If I charged any more, I am "price gouging" and my clients will go somewhere else.

This is actually a wonderful situation for me! My clients get good quality printed goods at reasonable prices (prices they can plainly see that are competitive and fair), and I have the opportunity to sell my design services (where the real value of a banner is).

Are you seriously selling 8'x3' banners to end users for only $54? Why even bother? So much left on the table..

 

[HulkSmash]

lol $156 here for a 8x3

 

[Johnny Best]

 

[kcollinsdesign]

Are you seriously selling 8'x3' banners to end users for only $54? Why even bother? So much left on the table..

I'm just banking on the fact that my prices are reasonable. If the customer spends 5 minutes on the internet, they will find a supplier that beats my price. If they want to go with that supplier, great! I will support them however I can.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I'm just banking on the fact that my prices are reasonable. If the customer spends 5 minutes on the internet, they will find a supplier that beats my price. If they want to go with that supplier, great! I will support them however I can.

You don't have a working website so your customers may not be that internet savvy. No need to compete with online prices if your not competing with them...

 

[ikarasu]

I'm just banking on the fact that my prices are reasonable. If the customer spends 5 minutes on the internet, they will find a supplier that beats my price. If they want to go with that supplier, great! I will support them however I can.

When your car breaks down and you pay the mechanic $800 to fix it, you can likely buy the same part and do it yourself for $100. Same with an oil change... A dealer will charge $150 for something you can do yourself in 15 mins and $20 of oil.


Your customers pay you for your services. You can be the cheapest Jiffy lube popping out banners for $40, or give great service and ensure the jobs done right the first time and charge $100.

If your custimers are the type that need the lowest price, and compared your prices to Vistaprint.. your better off without them.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I don't get how so many of the people that work from home are priced sooooo low. Just because we don't have the overhead doesn't mean we can't charge as if we do and compete with all the other shops in town. Use that lack of overhead to your advantage and pocket it.

People that work from home have a case to charge MORE than a regular sign shop because of the personal service you give. Customer calls you up and they immediately talk to the estimator, designer, producer and installer...all the same person and get all their answers at the same time. They call a big sign shop and you have to wait a week for an estimate, a week for approvals and designs, and THEN they'll estimate you'll get your sign in a month.. There is advantage to being a small outfit and a real reason to charge MORE than those guys... grow a pair and take what you deserve.

And stop comparing yourself to giant online-only vendors. If your customer wanted to buy online they wouldn't be call you in the first place.

 

[equippaint]

I'm just banking on the fact that my prices are reasonable. If the customer spends 5 minutes on the internet, they will find a supplier that beats my price. If they want to go with that supplier, great! I will support them however I can.

Who cares what internet prices are? Most B2B customers dont care either. You talk about how good of a designer you are but ALWAYS make your sales about price. Its a huge amateurish mistake. When you lead with price the entire deal comes down to cost only. Good sales people will skirt the issue and essentially close the deal before the quote. Stop doubling down on the stupidity, stop worrying what people can get stuff for online. They dont get good design, they dont get your knowledge, they dont get your experience. This is the reason the internet typically gets crap prices, they offer nothing and can not differentiate themselves from other online competitors. Most normal b2b customers want more and are plenty willing to pay for it. Dont be scared to quote high I promise that it will not backfire on you.

Something to add that tex touched on. Youre a small independent guy. Many people will use you even if your price is higher when they like you. Its more comfortable for them and sometimes I think you get a little “sympathy” for the hustle. People do business with people. The internet struggles with that.

 

[Signed Out]

Vistaprint is $98 + tax and shipping for an 8'x2.5' and the customer has to design themselves or provide artwork.