Need help in pricing a job for 150 4" full color stickers. Laminated and contour cut. Any suggestions would be very appreciated. For the last 5 years i have been doing my own decals (vinyl cutter) but I have been getting more requests for full color prints. I don't know where to start on pricing. Thanks
Pricing full color stickers
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Thanx and good luck. I'm trying to find a way to do car window stickers myself. I may have to end up out sourcing too, if you don't mind let me know which way you go
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You really do want to outsource until you have your own machine AND the business to keep it going. We own a Mimaki print-and-cut solvent printer, and it loves to print. If it sits a few days, there are problems. We bought it used from a guy who went through two printheads ($1400 a pop?) in less than a year because he had it sitting around.
Printing stickers is CHEAP. I doubt we pay much more than $0.40-$0.60 per square foot for the vinyl + ink, and laminate is less than that. But, there is a LOT of waste as well, so we try to schedule jobs to gang run them together to reduce waste.
It's also relatively labor intensive. You have to print, then let it outgas for 1-2 days, then laminate, then reload into a cutter, then cut, then weed and trim down.
Still, we sell our stickers in ballpark numbers per square feet, starting as high as $12 per square foot gross for short runs, down to $4 per square foot gross for large jobs. Once the machine is running, it runs like a dream, regularly doing 12 hour prints without a hiccup.
Printing stickers is CHEAP. I doubt we pay much more than $0.40-$0.60 per square foot for the vinyl + ink, and laminate is less than that. But, there is a LOT of waste as well, so we try to schedule jobs to gang run them together to reduce waste.
It's also relatively labor intensive. You have to print, then let it outgas for 1-2 days, then laminate, then reload into a cutter, then cut, then weed and trim down.
Still, we sell our stickers in ballpark numbers per square feet, starting as high as $12 per square foot gross for short runs, down to $4 per square foot gross for large jobs. Once the machine is running, it runs like a dream, regularly doing 12 hour prints without a hiccup.
This is for solvent inks? What about eco solvent?
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You have to let it outgas for a few hrs. They say for 24 hrs, but I have done it for around 12 hrs with no problems.
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We are very flexible on vinyl pricing if the customer comes with perfect artwork and no hassles.
Ecosolvent still needs to outgas. 12 hours for us (in summer) means problems. I leave it on a box fan bucket for 1-2 days for best laminate adhesion.
Latex is superior. Laminate five minutes after printing. We don't have a latex printer tho.
Ecosolvent still needs to outgas. 12 hours for us (in summer) means problems. I leave it on a box fan bucket for 1-2 days for best laminate adhesion.
Latex is superior. Laminate five minutes after printing. We don't have a latex printer tho.
When all else fails... this!
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