IntrepidFroot Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Hello, I'm glad I've come across this site! I'm in the process of putting a business plan together for a new photo-printing venture. Knowledge is severely limited at this point, but who better to ask than existing lab owners, so my question(s) to you: All i'm looking to do, in the beginning, is print standard size photos from customer's digital photos. Fuji appears to be a good brand to go for, would you agree? Which model would you recommend I get my hands on? I have a background in I.T. so don't expect the learning curve (software wise) to be too steep, am i being naive? I have loads more questions, but will stop there, for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 i have a Fuji Lab for 20 years now and i can not make a living on just printing photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manager Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 I can't believe you can't live from printing. Don't you have employees, clients, etc? Or are you in a small village... what country do you live in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Amies Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Matt, there are more than one 'good' brand. There is Kodak, there is Noritsu, etc, etc. I think it is probably more important to look at the market first , and see if it is viable, but as we don't know yet which country you are in , it is pretty hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntrepidFroot Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Thanks for the replies thus far. I'm in South Africa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash Posted March 25, 2011 Report Share Posted March 25, 2011 I can't believe you can't live from printing. Don't you have employees, clients, etc? Or are you in a small village... what country do you live in? What i`m trying to say if printing photos is so profitable we would not need to offer so many other photo gift ideas ie, canvases, mugs, coasters, bags, purses, cushions, clocks. pendants, i have about 20-30 items that can be customised as gifts. This is where all the profits are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photovision Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Nash is right, Profit from printing alone is nigh on impossible to live on these days, people just don't do it as much due to digital, it's the sundries that keep us in business Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harry Crank Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 Agree. Adjusting to the new economics of lower prints volume can be a challenge for the established photo lab owner. But a new business just starting up could be designed to work within those economics? 6x4s by themselves won't pay the rent anymore. I think it's the overall mix of product and service offerings that matters now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magenta Posted April 21, 2011 Report Share Posted April 21, 2011 OK before we all go and commit suicide, its hard to understand that mini-lab help covers more than the UK. I am sure each and every country has its own version or sky rocketing rents, taxes and recession hitting some areas worse than others. It may well be a different matter in South Africa, No offence but their was a time when emerging country's no 1 buy was a TV and Fridge, I am sure mobile phones are high on the list in South Africa (all with Cameras) but the high end computer with the latest digital printing facility's will be more thin on the ground. Go for it but do your homework a bit closer to home. rent, cost of kit, paper and consumables in South Africa will not be the same as Europe. Good Luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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