Pricing?

[Brian Robison]

Hi Creekers,
What do you all charge to engrave the plates on a perpetual plaque? 1 inch by 2.5 (I think).

[Mike Null]

Brian

Most of the ones I do are not engraved but use a CLT transfer on brass.

Either way it's $3.50. Consider whether you know the font, if you don't look up time can be 30 to 60 minutes.

[Stephen Beckham]

Brian,

I use two prices - $4.00 for a plate that I didn't sell the plaque and $2.50 when I sold the plaque. You make your money on the plaque and the returned plate is just residual to cover your costs on...

Other things to consider - place something on the back of the plaque to explain font and size. Offer to the customer that this will help them when they need another one done - "no matter where you get it done." They will appreciate your assistance and feel a bit of loyalty from that. One or two that I have done that way, I charge them $2.50 each when they come back even though I didn't sell the original plaque to them.

Another note is the local price-comp. My closest competitor charges $4-8 to laser anything including perpetual plates.

One last note from experience - what do you charge to replace all the plates? I had one that came in with three different type fonts and sizes on the six different plates used so far. They asked that I replace them to make them all the same. I quoted $4 each - then found out that they were a locally home made size - took dang near a whole day to refit and resize to make them look the same. Lost money on that one...

Recommendation - use a line like "I'll have to see it before I can quote a price on it." They always make it sound like less work on the phone and then want you to stick to the price quoted...

[Scott Shepherd]

Just curious on how you guys do them for $2.50-$4.00 with a quantity of 1. The time it takes to take the order, open Corel, enter it, send it to laser (or CLT) and print of engrave the item, and then take their money has got to be a 15 minute transaction from the time you start taking the order to the time you get paid.

Seems way cheap to me. I can't think of anything I'd offer for $2.50 with a quantity of one. What am I missing?

[Brian Robison]

I'm doing several little things like this for local churches, mine and sister churches and for my kids Christian school. I want to just give the little things to them, maybe ask for a paper claiming the donations? I don't want to make the donation seem too high or too low.

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Hey Brain,
I found that when you want to "donate" something, it is always better to give with a cheerful heart with out expecting anything in return. Your reward/joy will be what money can't buy.

[Chad Voller]

"Money doesn't buy happiness... Do you live in America? It buys a jet ski. Try frowning on one of those. You can't." -Daniel Tosh

Sorry, I saw Daniel Tosh's standup on Comedy Central last month, and the last post made me think of that line.

[Micheal Donnellan]

"Money doesn't buy happiness" that would be wrong

Money can buy you ANYTHING
this is something I do believe in. I am not american but I think like a evil corporate boss:cool:[smiley with devil horns and grin]

[Brian Conklin]

On perpetual plates I did not sell in the first place I charge $7.50 to set up and engrave and $10 if I remove plate and replace. If I sell the plaque I will charge $5.

[Mike Null]

Scott

I don't seem to get quantities of one but what I do get and the reason for my pricing is the work from a plaque I've sold or where a customer has moved their engraving work to me.

[Scott Shepherd]

Thanks Mike, I was thinking about the "Employee of the Month" plaques at restaurants. Seemed like $3.50 to do one a month is very cheap. You cleared it up, thanks.

[Brian Robison]

Micheal,
I do donate and am happy to do so. My wife suggested I write it off my taxes so.....That's why I need a cost that seems reasonable.

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Brian,
Good to hear, especially the second part of "happy to do". I hope others, the Tosh fans included, would catch on because that jet ski is mechanical and electrical so that means there can be component failure at any time. Will they still be smiling when they run out of gas when they are down stream from the river marina, a coil fails when they are out with other jet skiers on the lake and need a tow back or any other possible scenarios that would turn that smile:) upside down:mad:. Don't get me wrong I like my big boy toys also but I do not need them to be happy. I hope we are all happy using our talents and gifts with our lasers but even they have issues as you have read here on the Creek. The things that $$ buys are only temporary happiness.
OK sorry I chased this rabbit far enough.

Brian I usually charge $1.00 USD a minute for quantity items and $1.50 USD to $2.00 USD for small runs. Churches, Synagogues, charitable orgs, etc... will usually get up to 30% off. So cover your material costs and charge for your laser time what you feel is fair. Also I should note that I usually do the lasering, when time permits in the evening, to help offset the discount. So if you have to pay someone else you will need to factor that in also.

[Chad Voller]

"Money doesn't buy happiness" that would be wrong

Money can buy you ANYTHING
this is something I do believe in. I am not american but I think like a evil corporate boss:cool:[smiley with devil horns and grin]

This could be debated till the end of time. But for me, money does buy happiness. It doesn't buy love, or true friends, I'll give you that. But I live 90+ miles from my closest friend or family, and I live alone. So between the once-a-month that I visit them in my home town, material items keep me happy. And I'll tell you what, I was playing Lego Star Wars last night (yes, a kids game), and I was having a blast doing that. I was happy. That happiness ran me $49.00.

[Scott Shepherd]

It doesn't buy love

No, but it'll buy you something that looks and feels just like it :D

Okay, that was wrong. Another old joke from years ago.

Yes, it was a joke. Biggest problem I have with Church jobs is getting anyone to make a decision. WOW.....now that's work! :eek:

[Mike Null]

Scott

It's always the church secretary. She's got the power. She's the one who does most of the work and she doesn't have time to fool around.

[Chad Voller]

[quote=Michael Kowalczyk;739221]Brian,
Good to hear, especially the second part of "happy to do". I hope others, the Tosh fans included, would catch on because that jet ski is mechanical and electrical so that means there can be component failure at any time. Will they still be smiling when they run out of gas when they are down stream from the river marina, a coil fails when they are out with other jet skiers on the lake and need a tow back or any other possible scenarios that would turn that smile:) upside down:mad:. Don't get me wrong I like my big boy toys also but I do not need them to be happy. I hope we are all happy using our talents and gifts with our lasers but even they have issues as you have read here on the Creek. The things that $$ buys are only temporary happiness.
OK sorry I chased this rabbit far enough.
quote]

I hate to keep this going, but I still don't agree, and never will. It's all personal opinion on what you believe to be what's right. Usually based on religion and personal upbringing. There's no problem with that, it's just not me, and it is not what I shoot for to be happy. Especially since I'm far from religious, though my mom sure tried. Do what makes you happy, but suggesting that it's the only way to be happy....opinion. I'm sure many are opening a bible right now looking for something to change my mind, just remember I've read that book front to back, I had to to get confirmed.

To keep things straight, I do donate to Goodwill when I have something worthy to give. The only reason I do not file donations on my taxes is because I don't have enough exemptions to go above the government's given default. If and when I claim a donation means I won't be eternally happy, I guess the maggots will be chewing on some sad meat. I will help others better themselves by teaching them, but I will never do it for them. If that makes me evil, so be it.

[LaVerne Pretorius]

This is a different question. Maybe you can help me on this. Is there a way I can lock my Script on the little 1x2.5 plates in Corel so that they are in the same spot for the next plate to be engraved? Hope that makes sense.

[Dan Hintz]

Start a new thread, LaVerne... bringing up a 7 year old thread to ask something not related to the OP is confusing.

[Keith Colson]

For engraving I set my pricing like this. If it is a one off small job its $35+ sales tax as a minimum charge. For volume my laser time is $65 per hour + materials etc. The volume job may require a sample which I will charge 35 to whatever it takes to get it to the spec the customer wants. When the sample is done I use that time to calculate how many hours the volume run will take. I may discount a little if the customer is going to run the machine longer than a day.

Cheers
Keith