posted
So these past couple days we have been quoting signs for the local officials (city offices). For example an .080 Aluminum Reflective Traffic Style Sign. With 3 color cut Vinyl applied. If these were to be cut vinyl, they would take a lot of time cutting, weeding, masking and not to mention application time. So we opted to quote digitally printed Reflective with a Gloss Laminate. This way the signs don't get picked at and letters peeled off.
They come back and tell us we were too high on price. Stunned we asked if we were quoting apples to apples. THey replied that they quoted exactly what was on the artwork they provided. 3 color cut vinyl. We were on the $45 end of things....our competitor quoted $25.00. People...the panel alone cost anywhere from $11 - $13 in reflective. Not including the time in weeding and application tapes, etc.
I will continue to do better work than those that low ball me. It wouldn't bother me to lose the job as long as prices were close. And maybe i am wrong...maybe i am a little high. But i have a family to feed, bills to pay and more overhead than the opposing business.
How do these people live off that? Just frustrated but I will keep moving forward. I am busy and thats great. I just wish if someone were to really price things and figure in the labor, etc... we would all be better off.
-------------------- Theresa N. Hoying Visual Concepts 130 South Lester Avenue Sidney, Ohio 45365 937.492.2110 Posts: 176 | From: Sidney, Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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They don't make a living off of that low of a price and they don't use high quality materials either, their's no way. I'm guessing that they haven't been in business for long and/or work out of their home and don't worry about paying health insurance, etc. etc. You can't compete with them when they aren't making a living at it.
-------------------- Joy Kjer Art On Display Signs 4001 Randolph St Lincoln, NE
"My life has a superb cast, but I can't figure out the plot." Posts: 445 | From: 4001 Randolph St. Lincoln, NE | Registered: Jun 2002
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I stopped quoting for those type of jobs a few years back. Local councils etc are a waste of time. To make matters worse, the people I'n charge of purchasing expect a nice Xmas present each year if you get my drift. I have no intention of getting mixed up I'n that load of crap. We have a national election coming up I'n march. If you want to see lowballing In action, you should see the prices being quoted for correx election signage. 48" x 32" full digital photographic 7.50 euros each based on minimum order of 100 signs
-------------------- Kevin Gaffney Artistik Signs Kinnegad County Westmeath Ireland 044-75187 kevingaffney@eircom.net Posts: 628 | From: Ireland | Registered: Oct 2003
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Serious I am! The sign is a 12 x 18... .080 alum, and its reflective to boot. This company has been around a long time in this area and has a chain name, but locally owned. There are only more and more of these business' out here. We have our customer base that comes back to us because of the good work and customer service we provide, but its times like this when we are cherry picked...can't wait to see the signs.. It's not worth my time to even work these quotes up if this is what we have to go up against!
Thanks for understanding. I was just really floored by this.
T
-------------------- Theresa N. Hoying Visual Concepts 130 South Lester Avenue Sidney, Ohio 45365 937.492.2110 Posts: 176 | From: Sidney, Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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We have them around here as well, those wraps you see posting, there's a couple of Sign Shops that do these for a Grand! Had one customer go to them, then they came back to me a month later and ordered some signs, and then said "Neil, I learned my lesson, I don't want a quote, can you please just do them for me?" This is a true story, you should have seen the crap that this company put out, from across the road it looked ok, but when you get close, Sweet Lord, it looks like someone cut the crap out of the truck, little pieces put in everywhere, ragged trim work, they even tried to stretch the vinyl over the emblems, absolutely Terrible.
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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Move on to the next.. the low ball shop will not be around next year at those prices geez This I know seen several close down that bid way low and if still around they pushing alot of work out out that looks like ... well you know and slowly failing anyways.
posted
Look at the bright side of things here,...your competitor will have to do about 10 of those signs to make the same amount of profit you make on one,...smile and let them work their fingers to the bone for mere pennies on the dollar they leave on the table
-------------------- fly low...timi/NC is, Tim Barrow Barrow Art Signs Winston-Salem,NC Posts: 2224 | From: Winston-Salem,NC,USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Mike, the low ballers are kinda like a case of the crabs, get rid of one and a million come to it's funeral.
-------------------- Eric Elmgren ericsignguy@comcast.net A & E Graphic Signs Park Ridge, IL "The future isn't what it used to be" -Yogi Berra Posts: 192 | From: PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS | Registered: Aug 2009
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