DSF

Are they worth adding to our catalogue or a waste of time? Shall I Dye Sub or transfer print them? Who's mats would you recommend?
As always eternally grateful for all replies.

Phil

I really like the fabric mousemats, don't sell many but I like them! I use the Xpres ones. Don't get on at all with the more expensive 'premium' ones, their the ones with a shiny surface. The print looks very good but I've had many complaints of them not working with optical mice....mouses....meese etc.

Easy enough to dye sub so well worth adding in I would say, they do smell a little when pressed though!

Judging by the number we sell I would definitely say they are worth adding - and I would definitely dye-sub them - a better, smoother finish and cheaper than conventional transfers.

I'd recommend ours - I realise I may be biased, but there are certainly a couple of regulars on this forum who I know buy from us.

TransferGraeme wrote:I'd recommend ours - I realise I may be biased, but there are certainly a couple of regulars on this forum who I know buy from us.

I haven't had any mice in the shop complaining so I guess they must be good

So what would be the cost in Dye-Sub ink + paper to print a full colour standard mousemat?
I know a sheet of transfer paper for 'lights' is about 40p then you need to add the cost of the dye-based inkjet ink.

TransferGraeme wrote:Judging by the number we sell I would definitely say they are worth adding - and I would definitely dye-sub them - a better, smoother finish and cheaper than conventional transfers.

I'd recommend ours - I realise I may be biased, but there are certainly a couple of regulars on this forum who I know buy from us.

What size & how much are yours Graeme? I'm told size matters in this instance

Phil

Ours are 25 x 19 cm and available in 2 thicknesses 4.5 mm and 6 mm (we sell about 40% 4.5 mm - 60% 6 mm).

Prices vary according to the number you buy - [url="http://www.thetransferpress.co.uk/acata ... emats.html]http://www.thetransferpress.co.uk/acata ... emats.html[/url]

Taking Trupix A4 at 13.45p per sheet and adding ink costs - which we typically estimate at around 20p for an A4 print - so let's say a working estimate of 35p for paper and ink costs would sound reasonable.

They appear competitively priced Graeme I have bookmarked your site.

Phil

Mousemats can sell quite well if you have the right type of market for them. I go through loads and they always print well.

Not sure on Graeme's ink cost but he should know better than me. Is that for a fully printed A4 or lots of white Graeme? 20p seems cheap for an A4 print from what I can recall.

The 20p is a figure I always quote based on an average usage, and comes from an informed source at Sawgrass, and in retrospect I agree might be at the bottom end for mouse mats if you're doing 100% coverage. I know we have a customer who prints full wrap mugs only and is an absolute stickler on costs and he has calculated that his ink costs for 3 (20 x 8 cm) wraps on a sheet is within a whisper of 22 pence, so doing the maths and multiplying up to cover a mouse mat 100% with bleed (say a print area of 25.6 x 19.6) the ink cost would be 23.1 pence - this added to the paper cost of 13.45 pence gives a total of 36.55 pence - plus of course the dreaded VAT!!

HOWEVER !!! Every printer has slightly different ink consumption, and although the print per page costs for all printers (Epson and Ricoh) is broadly similar obviously there will be variances.

If I may be allowed to massively over-simplify the "business model" - and I know every penny counts so please do not think I am belittling the efforts and time involved - my expectation would be that a few pennies variance on the ink costs on an item would not massively affect your margins - for example whether the direct costs of a mousemat, ink and paper are £1.20 or £1.25 the margin if you sell it at £5 (a fairly typical figure imho) is only affected by 1%, and either offers margins that many comparable industries could only dream about!

Thanks for that Graeme. Do you know what ink size that is based on? 220ml Artainium? I only ask as I am always trying to calculate more accurately the ink costs involved in our printing. Pennies don't matter for most but every penny does for us when manufacturing which is why the accurate costing helps.

Thanks,

Andrew