I use a very generic form for items I stock, more for the training of new people to force them to get all of the information. Often we use sticky pads.

As for customer's own forms, I have posted one in Corel format a long time ago. I have a slightly updated one that I will post during the week that is on my office computer. I also believe that Dave Takes posted a full page customer's own form, mine is a half page.

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

It may be just a matter of semantics, but I have trouble with understanding the difference between setup charges and design charges. I thought setup was getting the total design to fit properly on whatever you are engraving; and design was touching up or creating logos and deciding of placement of text, etc. However, it seems that most setup requires some, if not a lot, of decisions re placement, font size, etc. So does one charge cover all? Or should there still be 2 charges?

Also, how do you handle the people that say, “how much would it cost to engrave ….” This usually happens to me when I am telling some one about what I do and I almost always quote way too low. Recently I was talking to someone and he asked how much to engrave a 8 x 10 photo on glass. I probably should have said $200. Instead I said “$80-100 but don’t hold me to that because I would need to see the photo.” I was very unhappy with this response!

Do any of you waiver like this??

My standard reply to a question like that is "I'll have to see the image before I can even give you a ballpark estimate. That is too important of a (fill in the blank) for me to give you a wild guess".

If they press me for an answer I'll sometimes revert to a response I had when I was a financial advisor... "let's say you called your doctor up and told him you didn't feel well and wanted to know what he would prescribe to make you feel better", "he would ask you to come in to his office for a visit so he could gather enough information to make a proper diagnosis, wouldn't he/she?". "I know this is slightly different, but I still need all of the information to give you a proper estimate".

Works almost all of the time - the only time it doesn't work is when someone is just fishing for something to talk about and have no intention of actually having you do any work. So either way you win.

Gary

I've been reading this thread and so far there are not really any specifics so, I would like an example of how you price.

Let's take a simple wood plaque for example. How would you price it including laser engraving? Let's say the plaque costs you $4.00 wholesale (yeah, it's a small plaque). The customer wants it laser engraved with text only, no graphics. Simple job. What do you consider in pricing and what would your final price be? I'll even provide the text. "yada yada yada club recognizes its team captain Joe Bob for his outstanding yada yada yada 2007". I'm trying to find out how most people mark up the product, how much they charge to set up or design the text, and how much they charge to engrave it. I know that adding a logo or graphics can really change things but for a simple text only job, how would you price it?

Like all estimates, even that one is a tough one.

That being said, I used to try to figure out how much to charge by laser time, and it almost always came out below my rotary engraving charge.

What I do now is mark up the board at least 3X. Calculate $0.22 per letter, (trying not to let the customer see what I am doing), and almost always come up with a fair price that the customer and I can agree on.

If it is very few letters you may have to add about $10 just to cover the setup of the piece in the laser and the layout, at $2 per minute. (Basically a 100 letter minimum letter charge, works every time, and does not cost me money to do the job.)

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

$27.15

Plaque $4.00
Shipping .545

Landed Cost $4.545 x 70% Mark Up = Board Selling Price $15.15
+ $12.00 for laser.

Ed

So if I interpret your response correctly you would charge:

3 x $4.00 = $12.00 for materials and $22.00 for the engraving based on 22 cents per letter with a 100 letter minimum and no additional setup charge. Total = $34. Is this about right?

That helps alot. The business I purchased includes a 14-year old laser where the table moves instead of the heads. Therefore there is time spent making sure the engraving will be properly lined up. That explains why the former owner charged both a set-up charge and a design charge at times. But going through the old invoices and work orders I can't find a real standard way of charging. This makes it really difficult when former customers come in with new jobs.

I really appreciate the pricing discussion here. Thanks, everyone.