Print costs ( UK only)

[Mark Amies]

Just seen a flyer for Costco photo printing, with the costs. I have often had customers say how low the Costco prices are, but on closer inspection it really isn't as good as it seems.

Yes you can get a 6x4 for 4p, but you need to print 500 plus.

For anything between 1 to 49 ,  the price is 16p.

[Richard SPC]

Yes Mark, this is always the case. The big boys are all as bad as one another in offering totally un-realistic prices.

I have many different price lists from Sainsburys, tesco, Jessops etc etc and they are all selling their cheapest ones at far less than it will cost any of us in the real world to do them.

If we were to take too much notice of what they charged we would all slit our wrists.

Customers who frequent the 4 & 5p merchants generally don't give two hoots about quality or service, and the supermarkets know this so they pitch the prices to be the lowest they can for 6x4s etc just to get them in the store.

Focus on quality, that is the key. I print loads of canvas wraps and no they are not cheap. A 16"x12" is £40 for example, which is substantially more than Jessops and the internet people charge. The difference is that if you look at the Jessop ones they are absolutely bloody awful. As saggy as on old pair of knickers and the edges crack due to the image not being varnished. Quite frankly I don't know how they have the nerve to sell them, I wouldn't want to give them away.

If the big boys were in our market to make a few quid from photo processing, they would not be able to charge such silly low prices, and that would then be better for everyone. The problem is that they are not and never will be.

[Mark Amies]

Richard , just out interest how often do you get a custmer come in and order 500 plus 6x4 prints?

[Richard SPC]

As it happens, had two today! One with 623 and another with 1026.

That obviously is not the norm, but excluding the pro snappers who tend to have larger qtys, the normal 'over the counter' punters have prob 2-3 500+ orders per month.

I do not go any lower than 9p. When prints are costing me about 4p excluding wages/machine/rates etc, there is no point me tying the machine up printing lots of pics for no return. So if they want it less than 9p on v large qtys I am afraid I don't want the order.

It is far better to do smaller faster orders for more revenue than having the machine tied up doing something for nothing, and whilst it is tied up doing something for nothing you are not able to print the fast ones. Therefore you would loose out twice.

[nash]

yes thats right i`d rather do print to print where i charge between £2.00 to £37.00 depending on size requirements

[R2K]

How much do u guys charge for 4c6 prints...

A brief price list would be nice

[Tony.T]

Min price is 10p for over 50 in 24 hours., if they want only up to 4 prints I charge 75p/print.

I've been getting feedback from customers that Boots have been quietly edging up their prices and making it 'difficult' in their terms for people to access the cheap prices. This is only hearsay mind, so could be a load of BS, unless you know different?