Oh my Gawd! I was searching around the web, and found these places that sell vehicle vinyl signs that you can " Easily apply yourself". Made me wanna puke. Two trucks doors for $60.00. It reminds me of the days when guys would letter your truck for a 'A few bucks and a six-pack",God bless these people if their are making money at this, but I will always stand my my princibles, and I will never put out a cheap ass, non-pleasing to the heart and soul of man kind sign.I am here to make the world a more beautiful place to live in. And this includes signs that make you slam on your brakes just to take a slower, closer look.
Posted by Rodney gold (Member # 4065) on :
The customer that will be attracted to such a place , is not the customer you want anyway (cheapskate?) and it's almost guaranteed to cost the guy another set if he's a total novice at application - once bitten twice shy.
Perhaps we should all be thankful for places like that as it reinforces the fact that professionalism counts.
Posted by Checkers (Member # 63) on :
Hiya Alicia, That doesn't sound like a bad deal and it could actually be profitable if you do it correctly. I could process a job like this in about 1 hour and it would cost about $17.00 retail for materials, including a squeege for the client. I shot from the hip and priced it out using time and materials. The job would retail for $77. Taxes, shipping and handling would be extra. If I had lower overhead, such as paying a high school kid to process the order, purchased the materials in larger quantities or occupied a lower cost location, I could easily sell it for around $60 and still make a profit. Whether I choose to persue this type of work is a different story. Just my 2¢.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
Posted by old paint (Member # 549) on :
sams wholesale had something similar. you got in the store, fill out a form and drop it in a box and next couple days youwould recive your magnetics...all for $45.00 didnt see a line forming to get them either!!!!!
Posted by Fred Weiss (Member # 3662) on :
Back in the "good old days" a good size art supply store in my area bought a Gerber Sprint system and began offering letters to customers cut while you shop. 15 colors and 15 letter styles.
They were standing in line OP. People thought it was great. Today, the typical franchise or all vinyl indie shop finds that RTA (ready-to-apply)vinyl lettering is a top seller.
The people that buy this aren''t necessarily cheapskates .... they just aren't looking for an artistic creation.
I personally think it makes great sense to service this client's needs along with those that do want something better.
Posted by Stephen Deveau (Member # 1305) on :
I was out of town for the last 2 days.. Had a call on the Cell phone from someone that was a Salesperson for a big company here in Nova Scotia.
I need 50 2'x2' Site signs on Coroplast. but I am getting a pricing on ScreenWork!
I love this one!
1 colour text/Single sided. How Much?
I asked is there artwork provided? Maybe! Logo? I don't know!
ScreenWork will always be cheaper on 50 units. that Cut/Mask and Applying........ But he has been the spokesman for a company before!!
Call back I don't think so... I meet him twices before and he will assume that we are friends!
Full sheets (6) cost plus mark up! One roll of 3mil Colour full price! Plus mark up! Masking Roll.... plus mark up! Design and Labour (Shop rate)..and got to see the real View of the job!
Call you tomorrow... NA! I think I will sleep in. Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :
They're filling a market.. simple lettering, no design costs.. knock-out work using calendared film.
If they use 4 feet of material that's $2 in materials and probably only 10 minutes in production because they're likely running batches of these things.
If it's not your thing that's fine, but you can bet they can easily crank out 20 sets a day. I have no doubt in my mind that's the kind of volume they can get. That's $1200/day or $960 over materials and labor.
They're more likely laughing on their way to the bank.
I have an acqaintance here in town that runs an auto accessory shop. He used to be a customer of mine, then added his own plotter and computer system. He tried to break into the same market I'm in, large automotive graphics, but doesnt get much work in town cause the local kids are poor and he doesn't want to do big kits unless he can get big money for them. He signed up with eBay, decided he was just gonna crank out 15 different designs that were chosen specifically cause they're easy and fast to do.. available only in white and only 6" or so in size.
One day I asked him how he was doing with his plotter.. he looks at me, grins.. reaches into his desk, pulls out this *stack* of money orders from ebay sales.. $15, $20 each.. there was at least 20 or 30 there.. and says "these are just what came in today". Now, $15 and $20 for a 6" sticker sounds pretty good to me, especially when you can have an inventory of them because you're only doing certain designs and only one color, ie: grab one off the shelf, stick it in an envelope with a stamp and drop it in the mailbox.
Sure, it's not creative work, but that's some nice scratch to know you have coming in every day.
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