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As some of you know I bought a Durachrome printer several months ago which has been great. I have done some resale work here locally and am thinking about becoming and merchant here to sell resale prints. The quality is certainly there and I dont head into anything new without knowing I can provide good service. I can price competetive to scotchprint. The question is, is there a need here for it? I know that sending Stevo some money could never be a waste, but would I be wasting my time to pursue that?
------------------ Brian Stoddard Expressions Signs A few puddles east of Seattle
Posts: 790 | From: Monroe, WA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Hey Brian, I don't know what Durachrome is. Enlighten me.
As far as purchasing, I'm not a big buyer of digital and not familiar with the differences. . . Indoor, outdoor, laminate, dpi, longevity, comparison cost, size restrictions, etc.
The world won't beat a path to your door automatically, simply for advertising here. BUT, if it's a good product, backed up with service, you'd have one great place to tell that story. Then, if you're active on the discussions here and people are familiar with you - trust you, you'd be golden.
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Brian. This is my experience with my mail order graphics business, I hope this helps.
1. UPS charges you a weekly fee plus the weight fee, even if you don't ship (weekly fee).
2. Processing credit cards online is expensive, around $50.00 per month plus the other bank fees.
3. Packing material is inexpensive to purchase but expensive to ship to yourself as it usually is UPS "oversize".
4. Lost, damaged and late deliveries are common. If your UPS shipping software works, it's a breeze (if). The damaged goods take forever to settle and weather permitting on the late deliveries.
5. Others offer similar printing services advertised in trade magazines, is yours different? If so I hope it becomes a niche for you and good luck, I would use you!
------------------ Ken Morse Jamn Graphics Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 213 | From: Santa Cruz, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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I think all the Merchants here and even the residents should take notes on Rapid Rogers approach to marketing. Even the people that don't like Rogers products (I love the products) should realize he is good at marketing. He is always around when his product can be the answer to a post. As far as the prints I don't know much about the set up you have, I have a ColorCAMM on the small end of printing. If you do become a merchant, get everybody interested to email you, send the a small sample print, explanations of the durability and such, and prices. Good Luck!
Brian purchased his DuraChrome from us (Summa), so I thought I'd jump in with an explanation of the technology / product.
DuraChrome is a thermal transfer printer. It uses resin ribbons (aka foils) that are heat-and-pressure transferred onto the face of vinyl. Other printers that employ this printing technology include the Roland ColorCAMM (PC50/60 etc), the Gerber EDGE/EDGE2, and Fargo Pictura ... and Gerber MAXX, when it comes off technical hold. The images are water, UV and abrasion resistant without lamination, which has made Thermal Transfer the most popular - and tested - outdoor printing technology in our industry.
What separates DuraChrome from the others is its print width. 50 inches (actual image area). Most prints that would need to be tiled (paneled) when printed on an EDGE, ColorCAMM, etc., can be printed in one piece on DuraChrome. Or if you need to cover the side of a 20-foot cargo box, DuraChrome can produce it with only 5 vertical panels. The EDGE would require 21 panels, and ColorCAMM output would simply be too costly to compete at that size.
There are a number of other DuraChrome features that differentiate it from its competitors, but the advantages are felt by Brain and Felix. They wouldn't be of particular interest to an output buyer, except that Brain and Felix are positioned to be more competitive on the output, both from a materials and labor cost standpoint. How they use that leverage is entirely up to them.
From an output buyer standpoint, the main benefit that a DuraChrome service provider can offer you is that your prints will likely to have fewer seams than other Thermal Transfer output. At 50 inches, DuraChrome is the widest Thermal Transfer printer in the world (with the exception of our next generation DuraChrome, the Summa DC2, which is also 50 inches).
Thanks for your interest in Brian's service, and your curiosity about our product.
Regards,
------------------ Jim Doggett Vice President Summa, Inc.
Seattle, WA USA jim@summusa.com
[This message has been edited by Jim Doggett (edited June 05, 2001).]
Posts: 500 | From: Sherman, TX USA | Registered: Mar 2000
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I would definitely use you if I ever developed the need for large format digital printing.
Right now my local market wouldnt support it, but then again I dont think many people here know it could be available to them.
I could possibly utilize large format via my web sales.. or even my own brand of graphics I am developing.
For the rest of you.. you should see the print quality Brian is dealing with. I have one of his samples here and although I dont have the original digital artwork to compare design to output, I'll still say it's awesome.
Brian I hope you dont mind me posting some scans of your sample, but I think the letterheads need a preview of this awesome printing!
This first link is a smaller image you can use for size reference. The sample is right about 6"x8" in size. This scan was not corrected in any way, shape or form. Hold down your SHIFT key while clicking on the link to bring it up in a new window. Keep it open so you can compare it to the second link here. http://stickerpimp.com/sketchbook/durachrome-thumbnail.jpg
This second link is the same image, scanned at 200 DPI so you can see the density of the print. There is a slight grain pattern, (visible mostly in lighter areas and the bottom leaf in the photo) but it rivals (if not better than) ColorCAMM output and is most definitely acceptible for any project whether it's viewed from afar or from inches away. Again, hold down your SHIFT key to open the link in a new window.. http://stickerpimp.com/sketchbook/durachrome-highres.jpg
Excellent stuff Brian!
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Thanks for the response guys.I will be giving his Excellency Stevo a call tomorrow and get busy with getting together some prices and samples. I am also working on replacing my web page(which is currently pathetic and temporary) with a better retail area and also a resale area with an upload area and file samples and guidlines for preparing artwork. That was always the stumbling block for me, not knowing exactly how to send a file for output.
------------------ Brian Stoddard Expressions Signs A few puddles east of Seattle
[This message has been edited by Brian (edited June 05, 2001).]
Posts: 790 | From: Monroe, WA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Brian, I'm a web designer that may point you to some good sources to save money if going into electronic business for digital printing wholesale.
First, don't pay for an online merchant account. Use Pay Pal, its easy, cheap, and they don't care about a minimum.
Second, there is a shopping cart for use with Pay Pal, I use it, and can forward the website to you.
Credit card transaction fees are the most overblown and overcharged aspect of the internet, don't fall for the high prices and minimum volume fees.
Secondly, I saw a post recently from a person who wanted to buy a sign shop with a printer like yours, but wanted it for less than the cost of a printer, plus he wanted all the customers. If you wanna, contact me at lmlhypermedia@hotmail.com and i'll forward this name and number to you and you may be able to work out a super-wholesale deal with him and his 3,000 wholesale customers!
Good fortune!
------------------ Order Signwriter's Pricing Guides and Electronic Books at: www.signwritersusa.com
Posts: 20 | From: Billings, MT USA | Registered: May 2000
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