I feel like crying into my cereal..

[accdave]

Even more annoying is that the photographers customer will quite happily pay £10 a mug, bet they wouldn't do that if they brought in a photo taken by themselves, they would run a mile

[pisquee]

I'm not sure whether we are talking about how cheaply they want the mugs producing, or that they are selling for such a higher amount?
If we print mugs (or other products/fabric) for other people then our rates are around the £3-£4 point, If we sell a product with one of my wife's designs on it (she's a professional artist, and people pay for her designs (not the substrate) whether they are a fine art piece on canvas or paper, or on a mug or coaster) then the prices are much higher. As at this point we are selling her designs- her artistry and skill, and 20 years experience as an artist, not just a mug or computer print out.

[Renniwano]

Thanks guys.. I can see both sides and fully understand the photographers skills etc.. it just seemed a little too cheap for production that was all.. I guess it's a case of whether I want the work and whether she will be ordering just the occasional mug or more..

Thanks again

[John G]

If its the occasional mug, personally, I wouldn't do them at that price. If its a few a day/ several per week - then i'd go along the lines of quality costs, dishwasher safe etc, so I can do them, but they'll be slightly more than £3.00 a pop.

Have you seen a sample of the past printers mugs?

[RogerC]

As a 'newbie' reading this makes me wonder. I personally would not even fire up my computer and mug press for £3.00 per mug. Just considering the overall costs of equipment, materials and electricity (which has to be recouped) makes me think £3.00 is not worth bothering with. Am I right in thinking a bottom line would be £5.00 to ensure a reasonable return on your investment and 'eventually' break even on that investment and begin to make a 'profit'?...based on small volume of course.

[Ian M]

Nikki, I do work for a local photographer & had a similar situation to you. I sat down with them & told them straight that I just wasn't happy at them making so much more profit than me. Now they knew if I didn't do anymore work for them they would have to pay a lot more for the items I did for them so, we agreed that we would go 50/50 on the profit of each item which meant they were then paying me more for each item such as the mugs.

The downside is that I also did the same for another photographer who I thought was a close friend but soon learnt he was finding out how I made the mugs & where I got my supplies from etc & he then went & bought all the gear & started making his own & cut me out. I had a fault on my computer & he offered to fix it but, he said he would need my computer for at least a couple of days. I found out what the fault was & I now think he wanted my computer so he could download all my files etc to steal more work off me. In fact I think it was him who reported me to HMRC who took my working tax credits off me. The way that I found out what he was doing when I saw he had negative feedback for a mug on Ebay & I called him to say I didn't do that mug & then he had to come clean. I haven't seen him since & I hope for his sake I never bump into him again. Oh by the way that person also joined the forum to find out as much as he could too.

I Would just be frank with your photographer like I was with mine & they then might realise how much worth you are to them.

[John G]

Its a shame more people didn't think the same as you Roger - ebay is littered with people doing mugs for pennies. Just the other day a very large firm (cannot remember who) was giving mothers day mugs away free - aslong as customers paid for the carriage.

[Renniwano]

I think the hardest part is knowing that the other company that she has the details for is also a local company.. I have no issue with her making a profit on the mugs.. I just don't want to be doing it for nothing.. we all have to make a living after all..

I just don't want to undervalue my work either.. if you get my drift..

I suppose at the end of the day.. I don't want to cut my nose of to spite my face either lol

I have given her the lowest I can go to.. which is above the £3 mark but below £5 lol and it's now up to her where she goes..

I did note there were a few companies offering the free mugs as long as p&p was paid.. this tends to happen a couple of times a year - thanks to the martins money tips heads up lol

[RogerC]

Its a shame more people didn't think the same as you Roger - ebay is littered with people doing mugs for pennies. Just the other day a very large firm (cannot remember who) was giving mothers day mugs away free - aslong as customers paid for the carriage.

That's understandable because they use it a a loss leader and hope customers either order other stuff or come back to them later and being 'big' they can afford to. For regular sales though where in all honesty can you get a 'custom' printed mug for less than £5.00? Look around, I did and found that the 'average' is £8.00 or more and that is still not true 'custom' made ones.

[jennywren]

I think it depends on the job, if I was offered 100 mugs or more I would do it for £3.00 ( and I have done )as this would help the cash flow, I think it depends on your circumstance, I'm not undervalue my work, just trying to pay my bills, I'm self employed and if I get 300.00 for doing them at three pounds thats what I do, all types of bussiness have to take loss or a small profit on things they reduce, do you actually think when you spot a bargain in shop, we don't think poor bugger look at the money their loseing, we buy, boast about it, it we can get it cheaper we shop around. And in a small way at 300.00 I think better in my till than some one else, you still make a profit, but not as much as I hoped.