pricing question

[Dennis Kotlowski]

I have been approached by 2 vinyl sign/trophy businesses that would like me to do their laser engraved acrylic and glass awards because they do not have a laser engraver. I haven't concentrated my business with awards and trophies because there are to many of them around me. But....if I can capitalize off of them I am game. I don't know on how I should charge them. They will be supplying me with the awards so I will just be doing the engraving. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Denny K.

[Joe Pelonio]

I have several trophy/award/sign shops that come to me for these, most of them have only rotary engraving equipment. They got me to agree to a wholesale price of $30/hour for any setup and .50/minute for actual laser time. As it turns out with the low volume it's really not worth it
for me so get more than that. The problem is that they buy acrylic or glass awards in a variety of shapes, so getting it to engrave in the corrrect location requires some effort. Most of them are not capable
of creating a file with the exact shape of the award in it to make it
easier. Even with them paying it's a pain to have to take the time to set up for 1-2 awards, but do save them for the future so you don't have to do it again for the same shape. Oh, and make sure you have written instructions of whether to engrave the front or back, and make them label the award as to front or back. Some of them can only be mounted one way on the stand. What I've done now is to charge them .85/minute
for less than 5 of the same item in any order, the price above for 5+.