200 4X6 prints

Pamela

I need 200 4X6 prints , is there a way from me to get a better price.

In October , I have been asked to be a guest speaker for 200 high school students about photographer/ business. This will be one of the goodies that each student will get.

Andy

If you write us, ATTN: Andy, at the help desk, I'll be happy to take care of this with you.

nipprdog

Pamela wrote:

I need 200 4X6 prints , is there a way from me to get a better price.

19 cents isn't good enough?

davidweaver

nipprdog wrote:

19 cents isn't good enough?

...

Nice kudos to Andy for taking care of a customer. One of many reasons I have my account here at SM.

Nipperdog: I used to do pricing analysis for 4xD prints. This is the meat of most labs business. Net profit after each print averages in the 1 1/2 cent to 3 cent per print range depending upon what the lab charges their customer for a 4x, Gear used (Frontier or Cyra). Labor is a fixed cost in the formula too. It's a capital extensive business where you need to make millions of 4x prints to really make some money.

The labs resell these prints to their business customers and the business customers resell the prints to you. SmugMug, like Dot Photo, and many other firms both large and tiny, use a contract manufacturing lab for fulfillment.

I used to sell 4x6 prints at wholesale between 6 and 15 cents each. My customers resold them between 10 and 29 cents each plus the (drum roll please) shipping. A pricing analysis must always factor in the highly profitable shipping charges that many suppliers charge. Even 'free' prints generally have a shipping charge.

Seems appropriate to request a discount on a couple hundred 4x prints to me, everyone is still making something and customer service from SM gets another gold star.

With all that said, costs (inflations, etc, blah, blah, blah) are going up. Paper prices are frequently negotiated on an annual basis and chemical prices are going up too. This will cause the raw material costs, a major component in the total cost, to increase in 2009. The nice thing is that may labs will pass this cost along in shipping as it is easier to bury it there and still maintain a low print price. (such as Dot Photo 9c everyday print price) Even a move to 10 cents is still a 10% increase in the retail price.

This has got to be TMI for the original poster but I really liked working in this industry.

Cheers,
David

Pamela

Andy

How generous of you! This is one of the many reasons I stay with smugmug. The dedication and care is so. awesome.


Its of one print, that I need.
I thought I read something about bulk prices a while back. Its been a hectic summer this year, I thought with the new shopping cart there might be a bulk setting I was missing.( by the way, the new cart is awesome, great job) My intention was to find the bulk chart , not have you cover the cost.

Thank you to all, and especially to who are behind the scenes working hard for us.




Jim

Since July , Ive had two deaths in the family (one a child), two different foot ligament fractures , another family member in ICU from a auto accident. Im tired and dont have the patience.

With a remark like that, why even reply?

Pamela

David


Interesting, thank you for understanding.