OWJones 1,981 Posted January 31, 2016 I was just perusing a 3D Printing forum and saw a bunch of people salivating while they anxiously await their tax return check so they can blow it on new equipment. Do you think we're going to see an influx of new users in the immediate future, or has the "I'm gonna get rich cutting vinyl at home!" fad already started to fade? I know that right after I started advertising my business, about 4 years ago, that several people in my town also bought vinyl cutters and/or Cricut machines and tried their hand at the trade and almost all of them have since given up... There is only one left who is real competition (and he has a digital printer and does wraps and window tints) plus the new guy who still has all the copyrighted and trademarked logos on the front window of his store and that he posts on Facebook as 'samples' of his work... He has these (and more) cut out of the same ugly color vinyl as his logo and hours, so they're obviously ones he made himself... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
busterbay 326 Posted January 31, 2016 On the bright side OWJones you have the following on your side 1) You can sleep with a clear conscious at night knowing you are doing business the correct way 2) You can buy his equipment at the Sheriff Sale when he gets busted Also from what I have seen the noob online sellers give up after awhile when they sell things for $3 with FREE SHIPPING - Send the folks that own the trademarks & copyrights to those decals a friendly reminder of their lost revenue..... or get the local news to do an "expose on counterfeit merchandise" 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr300s 1,272 Posted January 31, 2016 Also from what I have seen the noob online sellers give up after awhile when they sell things for $3 with FREE SHIPPING Wow that guy is high LOL What about this one?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sue2 920 Posted January 31, 2016 .99 AND Free shipping.....let's see, cost of vinyl & transfer paper cost of labor .49 for postage ebay fee Oh, and put that on a credit card................. LOL...Is he even making anything? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
busterbay 326 Posted January 31, 2016 Wow that guy is high LOL What about this one?? I'm sure that person is lurking here they have the material listed as greenstar.... maybe they will chime in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sue2 920 Posted January 31, 2016 Note, I didn't add in the initial cost of the equipment ... even if it's only a Cameo "hobby" cutter. OR any overhead costs (heat, electric, beer)..... Just how much of that .99 is left? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted January 31, 2016 we get the influx of newbies every year and the ones like above are gone within a year because they can't figure out why it isn't worth the work. I hate tax time -- the state stopped taking the with holding out when they changed firms that handle the accounts and I didn't notice -- that is about 4 truck payments worth that I didn't count on - -- that is twice in 4 years so guess I have to keep an eye on them now. our latest gov likes to change this stuff up frequently and when they change firms there is always one thing that doesn't get carried over from the past settings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leland Webb 56 Posted February 2, 2016 I think what separates me from the other people in my town, is the ability to actually design what other people want vs pick a picture from the stock disk that I have in my computer. I would much rather design an original design, than cut someone into work that someone else designed. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
busterbay 326 Posted February 2, 2016 I wonder if this is one of the "Noobs" or just someone's misunderstanding of the fair use act ? Link Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted February 2, 2016 I wonder if this is one of the "Noobs" or just someone's misunderstanding of the fair use act ? Link OWJONES - that one is from your neck of the woods - watch for some equipment on cl in the next year! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted February 3, 2016 OWJONES - that one is from your neck of the woods - watch for some equipment on cl in the next year! Woohoo! Cheap vinyl printer! I went to check the ebay ad to see if the seller name was anyone I recognized. I thought there were only two companies in town with vinyl printing equipment - turns out there is someone else - or perhaps an employee of one of those two places doing work off the books after hours... I typed the phone number in the ebay listing into Google and boom - name, home address, etc. No clue who it is, which isn't terribly surprising in a city of 25,000 people - but it's rare that I don't at least have a clue who someone is... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted February 3, 2016 Woohoo! Cheap vinyl printer!I went to check the ebay ad to see if the seller name was anyone I recognized. I thought there were only two companies in town with vinyl printing equipment - turns out there is someone else - or perhaps an employee of one of those two places doing work off the books after hours... I typed the phone number in the ebay listing into Google and boom - name, home address, etc. No clue who it is, which isn't terribly surprising in a city of 25,000 people - but it's rare that I don't at least have a clue who someone is... well it only works if they bought good equipment - for all we know they got their stuff at walmart as shipping labels and black friday hp printer for $29.00 it all appears to be just rendered graphics and not actual photos of the product 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted February 4, 2016 I was telling my sister about this at lunch today and as we left the restaurant to drive back to my house, she said "Maybe it's that guy!?!?" and I'll be damned if someone hasn't opened a brand new Graphics and Sign business less than a half mile from my house... I need to stop by there some day when the weather is nicer and I don't have to drive my highly decorated, and instantly recognizable truck into his parking lot and see if that is where the guy works... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
busterbay 326 Posted February 4, 2016 I was telling my sister about this at lunch today and as we left the restaurant to drive back to my house, she said "Maybe it's that guy!?!?" and I'll be damned if someone hasn't opened a brand new Graphics and Sign business less than a half mile from my house... I need to stop by there some day when the weather is nicer and I don't have to drive my highly decorated, and instantly recognizable truck into his parking lot and see if that is where the guy works... When you do pick out the equipment you would to buy at the Gov liquidation sale.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted February 4, 2016 When you do pick out the equipment you would to buy at the Gov liquidation sale.. Usually about 90-120 days after the NFL or NBA reports him to the feds... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
signyouup 178 Posted February 5, 2016 Usually about 90-120 days after the NFL or NBA reports him to the feds... You've got time to save up for a few things then! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted February 6, 2016 someone's misunderstanding of the fair use act ? Link I bought a $10 disc of clip art! It had copyrights and a license agreement and everything! What do you mean I can't use the clip art I legally paid for? Isn't this America? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KYSIGN 233 Posted February 7, 2016 Lots of them popping up on a local fb group. They are already in a price war and racing toward zero profit. I haven't seen anyone offering copyright designs yet but it's only a matter of time. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
