Discuss the various aspects of heat pressed vinyl transfers. Popular and new types of vinyl media, suppliers, vinyl cutters /plotters, press times, quality, how to instructions and more can be found in this heat press sub forum.
Do y'all charge a set up fee for your vinyl cut designs, like the screenprinters charge?
I think I just opened my mouth too quickly and said 'no set-up fee' when a customer asked. He said the last person that made his shirts (company shirts) charged $80 set-up, and wanted another $80 set-up this time just to change the phone number on the shirt.
I know screenprinters charge a set-up, often per screen. What about for vinyl? I guess this would be for the time it takes to create the design in your vinyl software.
Hi:
I charge to do the art work but not a setup charge to change a phone number I charge $10. For screen printing its more. If I'm doing a complete design I charge $45 per hour.
You need to charge something for your time.
Like Pat, if you already have the design and it is a simple edit, You might waive a fee yet if it is a new job that requires work to be done, you need to charge. If not your loosing money as your time is worth way more than you'll ever know.
I would assume the setup fees for vinyl would inclue the weeding labor thus another reason for charging.
Same reason us screen printers charge art and screen fees.
Art - I have to separate the files and print to film. Fees cover my time, films expense and wear and tear on the printer
Screens - fees cover costs of emulsion, employee's pay for coating & cleaning, chemicals for reclaiming and wear and tear/electricity of exposure unit.
You gotta charge even if it is minimal or you are ultimately loosing profits
I charge (onsies) enough for vinyl so that I do simple art and 1 edit for that fee. IF the customer starts changing a bunch of stuff, then my art charge kicks in. After the first simple art and edit I charge $40/hour.
On group/school orders, there is usually enough qty. to warrant my same simple art/edit in the fee unless we're talking more than clipart/text. Of course we all have our favorites and I do stuff for "nothin'", lol.
Yea. I'm really starting to doubt my business sense. I think I sell myself short a lot. I'm such a freakin' people pleaser. I have GOT to work on pleasing ME !
Guess it's too late to tell the guy, "Oh yea, changed my mind - there is a set-up fee."
Always remember tome is money. I know that nobody works for free, so you need to paid for what you do. I also tell everyone that I don't work for free and I can't stay in business if I don't make a profit. Good luck JB
You should charge for your time, because time is money. But it will also help the business a lot if you can simplify your charges, especially if you're just starting out, and you don't have too many clients yet. Is it not possible to incorporate your artwork design on your price list? After some experience, maybe you can do it. On special designs, of course, you can charge an additional fee.
No, I don't charge set up fees for vinyl, however, I do charge artwork fees if they do not give me their artwork in the accepted formats. If its a job I have done before, then I will have the artwork in an acceptable format and it wouldn't take much to change a phone number so I wouldn't bother with a fee for that either.
Yea. I'm really starting to doubt my business sense. I think I sell myself short a lot. I'm such a freakin' people pleaser. I have GOT to work on pleasing ME !
Guess it's too late to tell the guy, "Oh yea, changed my mind - there is a set-up fee."
Also note that the guy may be coming to you because he thought the last company's setup fees were TOO high.
You don't want to lose a loyal customer with an overpriced setup fee.
Definitely make sure you are getting paid for your time, but also balance it with the job being done and the customer you're dealing with.
Definitely make sure you are getting paid for your time, but also balance it with the job being done and the customer you're dealing with.
Exactly. Great advice!
Even better, If you can hide the fees in the run price youll look even better than the competition. We do this quite a bit. Easier to do on the larger jobs as you can spread the fees over many items.
Even better, If you can hide the fees in the run price youll look even better than the competition. We do this quite a bit. Easier to do on the larger jobs as you can spread the fees over many items.
I have to agree with you. I don't "typically" charge a setup fee. If the design is already given to me and there need to be a slight mod to it, I include that into the price of the decal. If they need something completely different, then the hourly design fee kicks in. It seems like most customers leave when you start talking about setup fees. But if you charge some extra dollars per decal, they don't seem to notice.
No setup fee if artwork is provided
Setup fee if artwork not provided or in wrong format
You may actually not be shooting yourself in the foot. If they provide the artwork and it's a vector file, there won't be much work to be done, I don't even think it will take 5 mins to setup.
The weeding the cutting labor time is normally included in the per print/per piece price anyway.
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You charge a set up fee? 
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