magnetic sign pricing help

[Martin Pearson]

Kind of hard to know without knowing your overheads etc etc but I try to price most of my work around what others are charging locally for like for like signs.
I phoned around & asked other sign companies when I first started & then set my prices where I wanted to be in the market, somewhere in the middle for me as I don’t want to be either the most expensive or the cheapest about.

[Kevin Busby]

I was in the same boat a couple months back after someone asked me for a custom order and I must confess to checking out fleebay for something similar then adding on a small amount to take into consideration the materials you are using are probably a higher quality. As a double check, once I have a price in mind for the sign I then consider the time it will take to make it, I take the sign price, minus materials and use the remaining to work out an hourly rate for making it, if I’m not happy I then adjust up or down.

Least that way if I don’t get the order I know I either have to work for nothing or hope the next customer appreciates having a reasonable quality.

Kev

[Denise Goodfellow]

I looked at our pricing for mag signs, I think we pay £6-8 a 610 mm x 100cm, it’s more expensive to buy than a sheet of foam board, yet it’s presided as cheap signage.

Got an guy down the road doing a pair of 2x3ft mags for £25…. His material alone must be £15-£18..

For the size above we are approx £65-75 + vat

[NeilRoss]

There’s only one way to price. Look at your costs to produce: materials, overhrads, time, margin etc = cost of product. Then either stand out alone with that price or compare that price to your competitors. Decide if or how you are going to shoehorn your price into something close to theirs. If you always try to match the lowest price, the chances you are going to very quickly follow him over the cliff!

Maybe the initial price you come up with is looking good in comparison to your competitors and if that’s the case then you’re in the ball park and it’s down to you to *sell* the product. If it looks like you’re going to have to shave the margins down too thin then there’s no point. Look for an area/product that returns more profit for you and do it well.

[Martin Pearson]

That’s what I said Neil, only you said it betterer than me :lol1: :lol1:

Kevin be very careful if your going by auction site prices, some are ridiculously low, better to try & use local area prices if you can.

[Ewan Chrystal]

Thanks everyone. It was more just the comparitive cost of magnetic v foam board or composite but lots of good advice there. Found out the price per metre of the magnetic sheet so that gives me a good starting point.

[Jill Marie Welsh]

I don’t like to post prices out in the open. But as an example, I have charged $99/set for two 12"x24" magnetics for the past 10 years, sometimes even more than that.
There are numpties selling them online for as low as $30/set.
I try to upsell to vehicle lettering anyway, magnetics (to me) come across as cheap and temporary.
Love….Jill

[Ewan Chrystal]

Thanks Jill. Gotta ask though. You used the dollar sign yet in the same sentence said "numpties"? Something rather un American about that word 🙂

[Hugh Potter]

Jill is one of us really!!

I always try and upsell to vinyl lettering, it’s actually less work for me – easier to apply to a vehicle than a bit of sheet on a bench that then needs cutting & cornering,

price wise, can’t remember the cost of my sheet, I used to buy 5m at a time, maybe 3 times a year! standard size is 610 x 300, I seel the sheet at £35 per linear mtr, meaning the sheet costs around £22, then the cost of my vinyl and time to apply, a basic pair of mags would sell for at least £60, I prefer to flood over them, then add in a couple of colours so nearer £80-100. I don’t care if I don’t sell many – I hate doing them and they’re the only signage which ever comes back to bite because customers haven’t bothered to look after them!

since vista print started selling their crap, I’ve only done 3 sets in the past 12 months, I’m not bothered really – would sooner not get involved than sell crap or work for nothing!

[Jill Marie Welsh]

I’ll translate.
Anyone selling mags for £19/set is a fool.
I’m with Hugh, let the rabble fight over bringing in £19.

[Stephen Morriss]

We’re the same as you Hugh, not sold any magnetics for 2 years now and when asked I point out they’ll get a better job having the vinyl direct onto their vehicle. Most usually go for it after we point out the damage magnetics cause and that there no good at speed etc.

Steve

[Ewan Chrystal]

I’ve just managed to talk the guy into getting his van written instead of magnets

[Paul Seeley]

Just been asked for a really BIG magnetic for static use only (Header panel on a ‘batch’n’ burger type trailer) Original size was to be 1500 x 600mm which is certainly bigger than I’d usually make, but customer was adamant that it was only to be put in place at certain venues (which ruled out graphics applied directly, curses)

Anyway I asked him to confirm the size and he’s just come back with 3.5m!! x 600 😮

Obviously be a right pain to get in position and I’d make it clear that there are NO guarantees about it, but possible in theory or a big no no? 🙄

Thanks for any input and have a good weekend
Paul

[NeilRoss]

First thing I’d check is that the van isn’t made from aluminium

[Martin Pearson]

What about a banner instead of magnetic, mobile catering wagon I re did last year had one that was only used some of the time. Had small hooks riveted to body every couple of feet for eyelets.

[Harry Cleary]

quote NeilRoss:

First thing I’d check is that the van isn’t made from aluminium

OOOOOOHHHHHHHH you had to remind me!!! 🙁

Early in my vinyl career, hard sell on magnetics, job and price agreed, customer arrives with wife and son to watch me apply a full set to his new landrover defender. 😳 😳

[Paul Seeley]

Thanks Martin – I woke last night with that as an idea; you must have been using the force to communicate 😀

(I’m glad you mentioned that Harry I remember a woman asking for a set of door magnetics; gave us a size to work to and we made ’em up only for her to complain thay didn’t work. Turned out they were for a Renault with plastic doors) 🙄

Cheers for now
Paul