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Wholesale work for local individuals

S

Signs Express

New Member
What's your opinion? About once year we do a small job (some magnetic signs or RTA vinyl) for an certain individual who used to be in the sign business and occassionally picks up a job that he needs us to produce. He then marks it up and resells it to his customer. He does not provide artwork, but usually just a pencil drawing of what he needs and we layout it just like we would for any other customer.

Question is... do we even bother giving a discount on this type of work? We've been pretty generous in the past (20%), but I'm starting to feel like it's not really worth the reduced margins on our work. Would you give a discount at all? If so, how much?
 
Mosh

Mosh

New Member
Nope, not unless it is a large quan or he had ready to go digital files. Seriously, what are you getting out of it.
You could be selling it to the customer yourself and making more. Sounds like you are doing the artwork anyway.
 
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threeputt

threeputt

New Member
Once a year?

It would seem no matter which decision you make it would be so inconsequential as to not even matter.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Do whatever you have to do to keep your business going. Either charge him full price and probably let him go elsewhere... or keep giving him a small discount and make him feel wanted.

Everyone wants to think they have a friend where they can wheel n' deal..... it can't be costing you too much or you would've stopped it on your own without asking a long time ago.
 
Mosh

Mosh

New Member
We used to sub to several people like this. Some just get to be a bother, coming in wanting a quote for this and that only to do one jog a year. Others eventually go out and buy a cutter and become competition. Why help develop more people to bid against?
 
Marlene

Marlene

New Member
it may be just once a year now, but what happens if this person wants to get back into it more and starts bringing in more stuff. do you really want the work at less money? if so, do it, if not no discount
 
signgal

signgal

New Member
we look at it as they are our salespeople and give the discount. It results in more business from them for us and on more than several occasions, we have gained other customers from it for different reasons. They quite signs, move to another area or their customer somehow realizes it's us doing the work and comes directly to us.
 
G-Artist

G-Artist

New Member
I'm with nodrenim.

If they have a resale tax number and are in the business then treat them like any other wholesale customer. You never know what tomorrow will bring.
 
ProWraps

ProWraps

New Member
i know what tomorrow will bring. another once a year "can you clean my artwork up" request followed by a need for a discount. YOUR FIRED!
 
jiarby

jiarby

New Member
If you are doing the art work then it is a retail job. For wholesale customers you just grip it and rip it! Their file... PLUS larger volume, or regular small one-offs.

If you fire this guy you really haven't lost anything.
 
Techman

Techman

New Member
Do whatever you have to do to keep your business going. Either charge him full price and probably let him go elsewhere... or keep giving him a small discount and make him feel wanted.
Click to expand...

When i first got here.. I got crap from a few of the local guys. Some would work with me but most would not. A few were down right AH's and liars and rip off cons.

Today, I am the worst enemy of a couple of shops close to me.

Likewise, I bring some good work to the one's that gave me a hand when I needed it. Karma will come around. I would make sure my karma debt is well paid.
 
1

1leonchen

New Member
do it at your own pace. u just might refuse to do it and he start tinkering and finds out how to design due to pressure from customer. next thing he has a cutter; next you will be losing clients because he bought a printer and is beating u by 10 dollars or finds a merchant member and doesn't know the cost of installation.

the discount u charge is up to u, same as if u were subbing out printing from a larger company
 
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