Full Version: Sublimation costs
From: logojohn [#1]
22 Dec 2005
To: ALL
the cost of ink and paper is for sublimation.
Is it best to figure it by the square inch.
I thought I had a pretty good handle on it. I planned to basically
use the same prices we charge for engraving or lasering. We charge by the letter and for each logo.
That works for a simple award with limited text.
But I have had a some things come up lately where it doesn't seem logical to charge that way.
It looks like the job as a whole can be separated into 3 parts.
1. Cost of the product which I can figure out.
2. Cost of doing the artwork.
I have it figured out if I have to do most of it. My only question is, if they give you artwork that is complete and ready to print, do you still charge anything or something minimal?
Case 1 gave graphics ready to print complete with the names and all graphics, 1 completed graphic for each plaque. Would you charge anything or something minimal?
Case 2 They provided a doc file with the text and a high quality jpg of the picture so there was very little prep since I used a border and background I had used before. I thought the limited setup was still
worth about $25. Reasonable?
Case 3 justs wants a photo sublimated on to metal to mount on a plaque that they provide a high quality jpg of so there is no editing. Charge anything for art?
3. Cost of actually doing the sublimation.
If you don't want to reveal your retail price is there a way to figure cost per square inch. I am just starting with a lot of waste so I can't just count how many printouts I get out of a set of ink.
Case 1 - The logo and background kind of blend together covering the whole plaque with the text worked in. It seems like it would be more logical to charge by the square inch. Any Ideas?
Case 2 - A photo is put on a plate but it also includes a very long poem.
Our per letter charge would be very high. Do you charge this by the square inch?
Case 3 - The sublimated photo of an Iraq palace would be mounted on a plaque along with a piece of it and a small traditional engraving plate. All we need to do is sublimate the photo on a plate. Seems like the logical thing is by square inch since the same photo could be done in various sizes.
Any insight is welcome.
I don't intend to offer it as a lower cost option. But for people who want color logos, photos or fancy graphics it is worth as much or more as our engraved or lasered awards. But it seems there needs to be a more logical and definite way I can tell all the salespeople to quote.
The graphics department is a separate profit center so we really need to keep it separate from the cost of the product and the actual sublimation.
.
EDITED: 22 Dec 2005 by LOGOJOHN
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2]
22 Dec 2005
To: logojohn [#1] 22 Dec 2005
You've probably done enough sublimation to determine, regardless of how the artwork comes, there's almost always some tweaking to be done.
Therefore, I charge a $25 set up, regardless of how well-presented the artwork is. If a file is repeated, I don't charge for another set up.
I charge .35 per sq. in., with a $5.00 min. per plate.
I'm referring to metal plates.
EDITED: 22 Dec 2005 by DGL
From: logojohn [#3]
22 Dec 2005
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2] 22 Dec 2005
Maybe we can make forum history by getting more than 1 answer about a pricing question!
Comeon people, spill your guts. . . . :-)
.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#4]
22 Dec 2005
To: logojohn [#3] 22 Dec 2005
I gave up on trying to split the atom, in regard to transfer costs. I prefer to price high enough to where my costs are amply covered.
I adjust pricing (downward) in volume, but it's on a case-by-case basis.
EDITED: 22 Dec 2005 by DGL
From: Michael [#5]
25 Dec 2005
To: logojohn [#1] 25 Dec 2005
Although I used several pricing models, the one I use most often is built in a simple spread sheet.
It includes cost per item, number of items, size of images, number of images, cost of ink/sq inch, cost of paper I'm using, toss in some overhead based on last year's sales, any accessories, input markup and the cost and retail price are known. I probably left out some of the stuff in the spreadsheet, but that gives you an idea.
Often, I used the spread sheet along with known times for quantity orders: if I can imprint 24 shirts in an hour, I just figure the cost of the shirts and materials then add an hourly rate for the number hours it will take me to print the total order.
Hope this is of some help.