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With the events of the last week, patriotism is at an all time high. My business is about 50/50, screenprinting t-shirts and signs. I've had a lot of friends say I should crank out a bunch of red-white-blue USA this or that t-shirts and make a killing. I've gotten 10 spam emails selling t-shirts just today. On the marketing side of my brain, I can think of a million things to make a buck off of at this moment in time.... but for some reason my conscience, which is usually the last part of me that says anything about money, keeps me from doing it.
So what sayeth the letterflock? Do you give the people what they want, and buy a new toy for yourself, do you make stuff and give the money to the charities, do you say thats just not right and I wont be a part of it, or ???? (your thoughts here).
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Robb, I am currently making graphics for firetrucks that say Fallen FDNY heroes .. with a maltese cross and red white and blue ribbon in them. They are 12"x12" and i am selling them on e-bay for 15.00 .. but .. I am donating anything paid over the amount of 15.00 to FDNY and NYPD .... they are selling for 26.00 ea. I also have 4 very large orders for them from departments around the nation. I had that gut feeling that it was wrong to sell somthing too ,but at least i am donating.
-------------------- Ryan Ursta Ursta Graphics 116 B North Mercer Avenue Sharpsville Pa. 16150 Call: 724•962•2206 "We make YOU look good"
Known as "Ugraph" on mirc Posts: 558 | From: Sharpsville Pa. USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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sell the people what they want. help the economy. i am selling coroplast signs with the flag and God Bless America on them. next week i am coming out with a tee shirt that people are asking for. hope to sell 5000
-------------------- Jimmy Chatham Chatham Signs 468 stark st Commerce, Ga 30529 Posts: 1766 | From: Commerce, GA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Supply and Demand.That is why there are Flag Companys.Take the proceeds and keep the economy flowing.Do your BEST work,Be creative,Donate if you wish. I feel that if you stop supplying signs etc.Then the terroist WIN!
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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You know, there's a difference between selling an item to make a buck at a special time, and selling an item marked up through the nose to drastically increase profits.
I think what Ryan is doing is fine.. his price ($15) is fair, seems to me it covers just the materials and his labor to produce them, and then the buyers have the option to donate more.
A local T-shirt printer just donated $25,000 to one of the funds setup after this event. The money came from the proceeds of selling shirts they had printed up and stocked local retailers with and also sold straight from their own doors.
Anyway, I dont see anything wrong with using this time to bring in some extra cash as long as it's not excessive like the claims of $5/gallon gas around the country.
Whether you donate some of it or not is up to you, but given the current outpouring of patriotism you could probably sell at your regular price and tack on an extra $10 each for donation.
Ryan, dude I love that saying.. hahaha.. funny stuff!
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Make em up mike big seller! ..... i have a durogatory ...Gesture under it for the redneck crowd ..... "yeee haw"..... Normally I dont go for this kinda thing but right now I do.
-------------------- Ryan Ursta Ursta Graphics 116 B North Mercer Avenue Sharpsville Pa. 16150 Call: 724•962•2206 "We make YOU look good"
Known as "Ugraph" on mirc Posts: 558 | From: Sharpsville Pa. USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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We had a candlelight service last week, I printed up 500 God Bless America Decals with the flag and gave them away. Since then I have received orders for banners, coroplast signs and more decals, I am donating 10% to the red cross on all sales. I think this is good business. And it will make America Strong. Bill
-------------------- Bill & Barbara Biggs Art's Sign Service, Inc. Clute, Texas, USA Home of The Great Texas Mosquito Festival Proud 10 year Supporter of the Letterheads Website www.artssigns.com "MrBill-" on the chat page MailTo:biggsbb@sbcglobal.net Posts: 1020 | From: Lake Jackson,Tx | Registered: Nov 1998
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If I had time I would do these also. I made a custom decal for my p/u truck window and now have many orders from friends and family.
I can't get carried away though. I just received word that I would be making US MARSHALL airport division magnetics for a yet undisclosed number of airports.
Great Ideas guys!
-------------------- Mike Duncan Lettercraft Signs
Posts: 1328 | From: Centreville, VA | Registered: Oct 2000
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If the events of recent past wiped out your business, that would just be the way it is. So, if the events of the last week imcrease your business, that is also just the way it is, as long as you are fair in your dealings.
Donations are a matter for your judgement.
It's appropriate to be sad for those impacted by the tragedy, but don't ever feel bad about paying the rent and food bills. Your self sufficiency makes you part of the solution. Vic G
-------------------- Victor Georgiou Danville, CA , USA
Posts: 1746 | From: Danville, CA , USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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I just dont know how long we can 'milk' this. I'm thinking the graphics industry can profit from this in the same way the US did on war bonds during WW2. I just dont want to get stuck holding the bag on a bunch of shirts or stickers.
Like anything, quality design and good work will sell over crap any day.
At least the money we make wont be going to rebuild the enemy's country when its over, ala the Marshall Plan!
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Making a fair profit is the American way and certainly the thing that terrorists will never destroy. We call it a free market in a free country, don't we? As learned from the gas stations who marked up their prices outrageously on Sept. 11, it is not cool to take advantage of anyone during these times of severe difficulties. Charge normal prices and work extra hours to make some extra cash, make some new customers and have something to give back to help make this economy strong again!
-------------------- Preston McCall 10305 Eby st. Overland Park, KS 66212 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1562 | From: Overland Park, KS | Registered: Nov 1998
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I have wrestled with this same question. I could barely focus on my work wed. the 12th mostly because there is a TV upstairs, & I was turning into a news junkie. When I'd sit at my desk, with almost no calls or walk-ins that first week, I just started making flag decals on the Edge to occupy myself on something that didn't require me to mentally detach from the overwhelming impact of the situation. Someone walked in and saw my 3" x 6" flags and wanted 30, which I sold at cost.
Later I realized that to meet the demand for this product I would take time away from other paying jobs to help people channel their confusion, patriotism, grief or support for this crisis. Like Victor said, short of unfair mark-ups, this free enterprise also helps solve economic concerns. And helps pay my bills.
I set my 3" x 6" price to $2 retail, and 2" x 4" for a buck. Some students called about a fund raiser and will get a 25% discount and should get 400% return on selling 2" x 4" flags for $3
I don't want to get involved in promising a percent to be kept track of & mailed to NYC. I have reconciled my contribution in making a desired product at a fair price as being honorable enough.
At risk of having Steve remove this image, here is 2 reduced copies of on-topic designs (variations & compilations of clip art)I posted these & 4 others on the portfolio forum.
[ September 23, 2001: Message edited by: Doug Allan ]
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Doug I know right where youre coming from.... Don't feel bad about it .... sell them with pride .... you made and produced them .. For the bravest bunch of guys on the earth right now ... be proud in remembrance to them and make everyone else proud too!!!! (still pluggin away at this early hour on mine) GOD BLESS!!!!!
[ September 23, 2001: Message edited by: Ryan Ursta ]
-------------------- Ryan Ursta Ursta Graphics 116 B North Mercer Avenue Sharpsville Pa. 16150 Call: 724•962•2206 "We make YOU look good"
Known as "Ugraph" on mirc Posts: 558 | From: Sharpsville Pa. USA | Registered: Sep 2000
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I was in the same boat as whether or not to "profit" from the terrorism tragedy. Last Sunday on the way back from an out of town wedding, my wife told me she wanted an American flag decal with "God Bless America" underneath it. We stopped right at the shop and designed up two neat red white and blue decals, and I Edge printed 6 of them. One on my wife's vehicle, one on my truck, and one on the front window of the shop. The other 3 were on the customer counter.
Monday morning a customer came in and immediately aksed "how much?". I told him to go ahead and take one, that I didn't want any money for it... it was an "extra".
Then one of the local firefighters came in and wanted to know if I could cut some letters to put on a large photo (the 3 firefighters raising the flag) that was donated to them by the local newspaper. So I did. (I gladly cut them and installed them for him at no cost)
Then he saw the decal and I gave him one also... well that's what got our wheels spinning. I explained my story about having reservations on whether I should sell these decals and make any money from them, and that's when he menitoned that the firefighters were having a fundraiser the next day at the homecoming football game and were donating the proceeds directly to the families of the firefighters that were lost in the WTC bombings.
He went back and showed his superiors the decal, and I got a phone call shortly thereafter discussing price and design. The firemen themselves came up with 5 different slogans, and I turned their slogans into 5 cool decals which led to an order of 500 decals!
We made up a nice sample board with the decals, and it noted that the proceeds were going directly to New York. We donated that too. It felt good to be able to HELP directly to New York, and also give the people what they demanding right now... and that's USA memorabilia
I can't wait to find out how they did come Monday morning!
-------------------- Kurt Gaber Chippewa Falls, WI Thank You Letterheads for being a part of both Brush Bashes in '02 & '06!
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I spent a couple days looking for an american flag and found NONE. I was a bit disappointed and figured others were too.
Then I realized I had a bunch of blank license plates stashed in the corner. I put american flags on them and came up with 4 sayings. I'm selling them for what license plates normally go for around here and people are thrilled to have them. I'm not making a mint on them or anything, but it relieves some people's aggravation at not being able to find a flag.
I never thought of the fireman's cross with the NYFD on it, but I do now. I've left several messages with friends at different volunteer fire departments. Once I find out how many trucks they have, I think I'll do some of those up to give to the departments for their trucks.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa
Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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