is this price-able?

[halpain17 13]

So... I got asked to quote a contract for 100,000 ~24sq inch, single color vehicle window decals. I confirmed that they want cut single color, which to me being so labor intensive almost seems unquoteable for anything reasonable. At any low cost per sticker that someone would expect at that quantity, I would be cheating myself out of my shop rate!

What would you do?

[jeremySI 18]

Contract it out to a large scale place. Or have someone print them in that single color

[Dakotagrafx 7,293]

why would you think you need to discount greatly at that qty- does your time or material get substantially cheaper the more you do?  this isn't like screen printing where you have to make up the cost of set up on the first several dozen.  second do you really think you are capable of producing that kind of numbers before you enter retirement age?  sounds like the buyer has done a great job of convincing you your time isn't worth anything

[halpain17 13]

Jeremy, I considered outsourcing it, just haven't talked to anyone yet. Also thought about the single color print... Decent idea. I'm not afraid to quote it normal... Just assume they won't accept it.

[knucklehead 530]

stouse.com

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Last time I quoted anything even remotely high qty. they bought their own cutter and put someone on payroll just for the task. I don't work for minimum wage.

[skarekrow 1,841]

Contract it out to a large scale place. Or have someone print them in that single color

Not a chance I would take responsibility for a third party's work for that project for a few cents a unit.

 

Pass.

[halpain17 13]

I told her it would be high, and that printing is the way to go. If they decide to do it I'm gonna basically turn it over to a friend who can output that quantity.

[jeremySI 18]

Not a chance I would take responsibility for a third party's work for that project for a few cents a unit.

 

Pass.

 

 

I am not talking about handing it off to joe shmoe down the road sitting in his house as well doing decals. I am talking about like something like knucklehead mentioned, Stouse, a place that has been in business quite a while and does such large scale runs that they probably knock out more items in a day than any of us on here have done in their whole time making decals.

[skarekrow 1,841]

Yes.. I understand but, your acceptance of the contract makes YOU responsible.

Make sure it's worth your while if things go bad.

(which they sometimes do)

[jeremySI 18]

That is why you go with a big name. You order them, get them in, inspect them, any issues call them up and they fix it no prob

[skarekrow 1,841]

Right...That's why THEY should go with a big name.

[Ravenwind / One Off Grafx 187]

well for me i did a run of 100 with help and that is as big a order as i would go. so if i got this right it is a 6x4 inch or so decal. my low end is 1.50 so that is a order  for about $150000.00. But i would outsource it you will be making decals for days.

[halpain17 13]

I've done orders of about 150-250, for around $2.5 - $3/decal. and can shoot those out in a day, but i have another full time job and i am building an apartment complex currently so i don't have time to do all these myself.

 

but i have a guy who can shoot out some clean oval cut clear with white ink and so if they do it ill take some $ off the top.

 

and dakotagrafx, i know i didn't respond to you. I felt like your response was a little harsh, but didn't want to argue with you because I do respect everyone's opinion and i appreciate the feedback. i do feel my time is worth $, and i don't think i should discount them, i just have a feeling that, being a large corporation, they would probably expect it, so i felt like it may be a no-win situation. i do feel like I could produce those numbers easily if I focused on that alone, but the margins are so low that it wouldn't be feasible.

 

Thanks again.

[skarekrow 1,841]

... not to mention all the smaller jobs you would lose out on while tied up on that gianormous one.

[mac6986 93]

I've done orders of about 150-250, for around $2.5 - $3/decal. and can shoot those out in a day, but i have another full time job and i am building an apartment complex currently so i don't have time to do all these myself.

 

but i have a guy who can shoot out some clean oval cut clear with white ink and so if they do it ill take some $ off the top.

 

and dakotagrafx, i know i didn't respond to you. I felt like your response was a little harsh, but didn't want to argue with you because I do respect everyone's opinion and i appreciate the feedback. i do feel my time is worth $, and i don't think i should discount them, i just have a feeling that, being a large corporation, they would probably expect it, so i felt like it may be a no-win situation. i do feel like I could produce those numbers easily if I focused on that alone, but the margins are so low that it wouldn't be feasible.

 

Thanks again.

 

Seems pretty cut and dry.

 

Don't price what the customer "expects", Figure a price that you can do it for at your current capacity. You're not gouging the customer, its a fair number that accounts for your time, overhead, and materials.

 

Quote the job what its worth to you. If you get it, you'll have a nice paycheck coming your way. If they don't like the price, there's no use slashing prices because you're only taking money out of your own pocket. The materials will cost the same, its still going to take the same amount of time to do it. They don't like it, they can shop elsewhere and you can take the next job that comes in. No use stressing over a job that you haven't been awarded yet.

[fustratedinhawaii 71]

Newbie here, but I'm older than most here, so I have to give my.02 from other experiences here...

IF you decide to just tell them to look somewhere else, they'll probably ask you who do YOU recommend.

1) If you recommend someone and they don't like the finished product, YOU'LL get a bad name for recommending them

2) Let them spend their OWN time to find out who can do the job in their time frame, price range and quality

If your friend can do it and you can get a little money, AWESOME !!!

But if they want to go with someone else, let THEM do the footwork.

I found out the hard way, that people like this that want that much volume, are just looky-loos and looking for the CHEAPEST price! More than likely, if you TRY do this type of production for the price THEY want, you'll lose your shirt!!!

Edited April 11, 2015 by FRUSTRATEDINHAWAII

[Sue2 918]

They probably already have estimates and they're

checking around to see if they can get some leverage

with their "Prefered" vendor.

 

This is a no-win situation for the small vendor.

  >   You going to request a deposit?

  >   You going to offer a sample for approval?

  >   Can you meet their deadline?

 

While you are breaking your back to produce this high quantity / low profit job,

you will have to turn away smaller, higher profit jobs.

 

Just my 2 cents.

Sue2

[jeremySI 18]

Right...That's why THEY should go with a big name.

 

If they are willing to go with you then why would you pass them off to someone else and lose out on easy money. Have someone else do the work and collect some cash is just crazy to pass up. I do this with a company that I sell domed labels to. I charge them like 3 times what it cost me to have the company do, only work I do is shooting off the email to have the company start the batch and then shipping them out when I get them.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

I have a feeling that when it's all said and done the packaging will say made in china. Some people do work for damn near free and they live in asia.

[mrfibble 77]

ok im a " do it at home on my tiny cutter for fun guy"      but one  saying  people like me are crap quality ( or can be ) is a little bit insulting  as that could be said for someone with the worlds biggest supply of cutters doing it as a full time job and their quality could be piss poor  but  they get jobs on price rather than quality.

 

 most of what I do is just stuff for a mate with a comic store  that  I get  50% of what he sells them for it just covers my costs and that's all  ( materials only )

 

 biggest order I had was a mate wanted 150 decals single colour   but 3 different ones 2"x6"   I charged him $130 inc postage   they took me  about 3 midweek days after work  and I did make a little for my time

 

 he had the design he wanted    I had to tweek it due to stupidly thin lines   but I sent him 3 pictures as well as  the 3 decals of said pictures for him to physically hold before doing the run ... if 150 can be called a run 

 

 he picked one and I cut them  ...............

 

 would I love a 100,000 decal order   HELL YES   as I could buy bigger and better equipment and as such do bigger decals

would it take awhile   ...yes

 

for something that big though    I would

 a) follow the above steps in regards to samples, confirmation of design etc

  upon agreement of amount and price    get a deposit that covers the full cost of materials   that way if they back out your not out of pocket  if they don't want to   don't take the order unless  you can in someway use said materials

 

 End of the day   if you think you can do it  DO IT    

[halpain17 13]

Ok. For an update... I was asked to bid 150,000 instead but they approved printing them black ink on white vinyl. So it just got a lot easier. My contact said that if I could make them under $2.25/each she didn't need approval from her supervisors and could have their attorney draw up the contract. All paid by check up front. She also stated that there was Jo time restrictiin, just deliver as made but if they ever asked for a rush, the contract would state that they'd pay an additional cost for those so that I could outsource some without losing much profit. So I bid them Friday at $2.17/decal. These are 4"x6" decals. I haven't heard back yet but fingers crossed it works as planned. If so, once the check clears I have an order prepared to buy a 48" eco-solv printer, a 54" cutter (I only have a 24" now), a 55" laminator, and a 60" trimmer.

[Go-C Graphics 856]

A $325,500 order.  

Holy Crap!

 

That's a killer deal.    

[halpain17 13]

Yea thanks. Its a blessing for sure! Just trying not to get my hopes up until I have a deposited check.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

That'll help the bottom line for sure. Just don't forget the piece of the pie for the IRS, trust me I'm dealing with that now lol.