Charging for prints

[canoflan]

I have a client that I am meeting with this Friday and they are receiving an initial batch of prints, however, their entire family is probably going to keep me busy providing additional prints; therefore, they have asked for a price list.

Here was my method of coming up with a price: I looked up the price for the local Walgreens/Walmart and the price of a couple online printers such as Mpix. I chose a price between the local place (usually a bit higher) and Mpix and decided to provide prices for a wider range of sizes than they asked for (sometimes clients don't know they want something until you show them they can have it). I considered shipping (i.e. mailing or delivering the prints personally in my prices.

Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Pat

[karensimmons]

Uh, when you say you chose a price midway between Walmart and Mpix ... does that mean that you're not charging any markup on your prints?

What about the time for you to fill the orders? Pull the images? Crop them? Upload them? Print them? Package them? What about the cost of packaing and shipping? Or driving to where you deliver them? Time for packaging and driving ot hte post office?

If you're charging less than $15 for a 4x6, you're losing money.

Karen

[canoflan]

Uh, when you say you chose a price midway between Walmart and Mpix ... does that mean that you're not charging any markup on your prints?

What about the time for you to fill the orders? Pull the images? Crop them? Upload them? Print them? Package them? What about the cost of packaing and shipping? Or driving to where you deliver them? Time for packaging and driving ot hte post office?

If you're charging less than $15 for a 4x6, you're losing money.

Karen

Well, currently, I have priced a 4x6 at $1.25, but I haven't told the client that yet. I have a couple days to come to a good price. This is a family/friends client and I have so far avoided sticker shock for the work to date. I want to avoid sticker shock with the prints, so perhaps I will go to $2 per 4x6 and on from there. I have been contacted by others that are not family/friends and so the prices are naturally higher for them (i.e. $6 for a 4x6, etc...) until I get enough experience under my belt to warrant more money. I want to learn to crawl before walking...

Thanks for the suggestion Karen, you got me thinking.