I don't know if you get these calls but I get them once in a while. "Do you carry this stuff called coroplast or plasticore?" (This is on a Sunday no less!)
I got another today and asked if the guy needed it for a hamster or gerbil cage or something and he said yes. I told him that although I do have some odd pieces sitting around I typically just order what I need from my wholesale supplier and that most sign shops are not really in the market to sell their supplies to the consumer. Also it might not be as cheap as you think and maybe to run over to Lowes or Hodepot and find something inexpensive to use.
Maybe I'm in the minority but I wish whoever has put the "just go to a sign shop and get this stuff for cheap or next to nothing" would take it off their blog or website.
Posted by Joey Madden (Member # 1192) on :
Brian, In this day and age it is more than just consumers wanting what you have at free or next to nothing prices. Whether it be some hobbyist for their project or someone breaking into to this business it is their intention and motive to do it as cheap as possible and that's why I post things the way I do, cause I see it everyday.
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
I sell blank banners & blank magnetic scraps for $20 cash about every month these days. I won't waste more than 5 minutes on it, but I try to be civil & have had repeat business doing this. I sold a scratched up half sheet of Coro for $20 last week... that's 400% mark-up, and I swear that scrap has been around over 2 years... in fact, it came free as a protective material on a pallet order, so that's far better than 400%!
Make lemonade guys... and order more coro if it happens that often!
Posted by Frank Smith (Member # 146) on :
You got it right Doug! When the economy went kablooie this year, I decided to keep extra sheets of coro for the hamster folks. They're nice enough people, might even need a sign someday. But I'm short & simple about the price- $20 and it might not be my nicest sheet.
[ July 19, 2009, 08:39 PM: Message edited by: Frank Smith ]
Posted by Glenn Taylor (Member # 162) on :
Dittos to what Doug said.
Posted by Jonathan Harvey (Member # 6580) on :
Around here $15 for what ever color I have laying around 4x4! Alot of the time it's got a crushed corner or just old stuff I've taken down from and advertising marquee in town. One mans trash is one mans treasure. I'm always taken the garage door installers cardboard from next door does great for patterns. Plus these people that come in could have connections, so be nice and polite and who knows it might score you the job of a life time.
Posted by Dana Blair (Member # 951) on :
Just like Frank does, it's easy money. One of the guinea pig websites (cavycages.com) has a section where people can post where they have found sign shops to get coro.
Posted by Jon Jantz (Member # 6137) on :
Hahaha.... thanks for that link, Dana. It's interesting how so many people are in their own little world.
And, like some of the responses here, it's funny to see how they picked up on the fact that some cranky old signmakers take offense to selling them raw sign materials to use for a cage...
Posted by Sean G. Starr (Member # 1549) on :
I think with more stuff like this Cricut thing hitting the market the simple stuff is going to become do-it-yourself (or at least people will think they can). I am focusing more on selling our custom capabilities. I think with this economy, the industry may break into 2 factions, pure custom shops and the newer vinyl shops may become more like Kinkos over time. Don't know if any of this will happen, but my gut tells me thats where its heading.
Posted by Karen M Stanley (Member # 7178) on :
What does a hamster do with corplast???
Posted by Dana Blair (Member # 951) on :
Cage liner. Go to the link in my post above and you will see it completed and also directions on how to cut and build it.
Posted by Sam Staffan (Member # 4552) on :
Just sold two sheets of 4mm black to line the exterior of a fish shanty. Two sheets $24.00 each.
I figured I have done the research and I know where to get it,... they either take it or leave me alone.
The good lord sent them to me,..and I took them in. Posted by Blake Koehn (Member # 5984) on :
Had a dude come in here and wanted some of that that plastic stuff for bee boxes...
I said HUH?
He said: for bee boxes...
I said HUH?
He said the stuff that looks like plastic cardboard...
After we made it to the same page I sold him like 20 4 x 8 sheets of black coro for $20 a sheet. I guess he is a bee keeper and uses it for something. I don't have any idea, but if he comes back I will sho nuff sell him some more.
Posted by Bill Lynch (Member # 3815) on :
geez...old sign guys are cranky...wait that's me, but I have no problem selling a piece of coro to some mom or dad making their kid a cage...at least they never want a discount cause they're going to bring me all their guinea pig work...
Posted by Frank Smith (Member # 146) on :
Any idea what it is?
Posted by Kelly Thorson (Member # 2958) on :
I get farmers coming in looking for 8 or 10 sheets of black coro to tie on to the fingers of their combine (the white is too reflective and hard to look at for long hours). My husband figured out how to use it as battens for combining sunflowers. I charge them $22 a sheet and they have to go and pick it up themselves and it is charged to me. Thats how all the other farm parts places work. As for scraps - $22 is my shop minimum, that's what it costs for anything to leave the premisis, be it a chunk of coro or a 2x4. That covers the time it takes me to be polite and visit and locate/cut whatever it is they need. If they are a good client or family or a close friend I might waive that, but for the most part I stick to my guns with that. Works for me.
Posted by Barb Schilling (Member # 13) on :
I had 2 coro requests last week. My first question: What are you going to do with it? 1st guy says he needs it to line the whelping pens for his wife's dogs. I say fine, I have a $55.00 minimum charge, how much do you need. He said a couple 4x8 sheets should do it. I said I thought that would about make the minimum, go to my trusty quoting software, and yup, 55 bucks will buy ya 2 sheets. Had them on hand, loaded them up and took his check.
2nd guy - I say what do you want to do with the coro? He says (in a surprised tone) Well I'm gonna make some signs. I say - I don't sell sign supplies. He left in a hurry. hahahaha
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
I told him that although I do have some odd pieces sitting around I typically just order what I need from my wholesale supplier and that most sign shops are not really in the market to sell their supplies to the consumer. Also it might not be as cheap as you think and maybe to run over to Lowes or Hodepot and find something inexpensive to use. ![[Rolling On The Floor]](graemlins/rolf.gif)
![[Confused]](confused.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
As for scraps - $22 is my shop minimum, that's what it costs for anything to leave the premisis, be it a chunk of coro or a 2x4. That covers the time it takes me to be polite and visit and locate/cut whatever it is they need. If they are a good client or family or a close friend I might waive that, but for the most part I stick to my guns with that.