Print Pricing and Cost Predictions

[Johnny]

This crossed my mind (while hovering around at 5 in the morning...), what do people use for pricing up their jobs? Spreadsheets, dedicated software, database, pen and paper?

I built a fairly indepth spreadsheet to calculate the cost of a print job (digital not dye sub), based around different material widths and roll lengths, ink consumption, qty, artwork size; to the point where I could tell it the material and the artwork size, and it would shoot out a price per unit, accounting for setup time and pressing. Even how long the job would take to print.

It would also give you other information, like how many rolls of material it would use and the qty in meters, incorporating bleed and margins between prints, and tell you which way round is best to fit the artwork on to the material wasting as little as possible.

I was thinking about adapting it for calculating dye sub jobs as well. If anyone is interested then I thought it could be a 'forum development'? Bounce some ideas around?

[logobear]

Your comment on previous post on pricing coasters was very impressive and you clearly have great insight.
I would be happy to be involved, but confess my approach is more haphazard (or intuitive?)

[James990]

I would be very interested!

[socialgiraffe]

I would be interested, especially if you could input the unit cost of a blank.

For example some people get their mugs from BMS, others Listawoods and more from Raja. Each of varying quality and price.

Would love to get hold of a copy of this and then feedback where I think it could improve. I would also try and help if I could in the development but I struggle to use a calculator so I doubt if I would be much use :redface:

In terms of what I do now, for most of my items I sat down with a pen and paper and calculated the cost and have stuck to it for a couple of years now. As most of my customers are bulk purchase its not that difficult. If i do get a request for something different or a low run then its normally a dart board that solves the price request!

[RogerC]

I do mine the old fashioned way...think of a number, double it add 20%, subtract a couple of pence, add postage and packing and then think 5od it ...I'll charge X amount :rolleyes:

[gstk]

Great idea. Unfortunately shortly you will probably be bombarded by the "It doesnt cost..." brigade. We did a job last year or year before for can coolers. I tried to help by warning people to check their costs. Got pretty much shot down in flames even though I had actually done the job calculated it by ink used and blanks and time and still no one believed it. It was only the fact that it was a big company who had been let down at the last moment and I charged them a premium that saved us from doing the job at a loss. Had they have asked me months in advance I would have dropped a goolie. It would be a useful tool for everyone.

[Johnny]

I do mine the old fashioned way...think of a number, double it add 20%, subtract a couple of pence, add postage and packing and then think 5od it ...I'll charge X amount :rolleyes:

Haha! That's brill! Used to do it by hand, but it ended up taking so long for each job I had to do something!

[arko]

I do mine the old fashioned way...think of a number, double it add 20%, subtract a couple of pence, add postage and packing and then think 5od it ...I'll charge X amount :rolleyes:

My sentiments exactly Roger! hahahaha... nice one!

[JMugs]

GSTK I remember that, as I work the same way. You certainly were inn the firing line!

[Johnny]

Ok, I'm going to have a crack. Does anyone here have dye sub on rolls?
If so, I'll work that into it too.