# Pricing for Heat press vinyl on caps



## williekid (Apr 22, 2009)

Hey all, I have a order of about 20 caps to Heat Press in vinyl. 
Customer will be providing caps, ( i'm not worried about proving caps or price mark up) and I just want ballpark estimate of what others (Pricing for residential shops and commercial shops) charge out there just for proving vinyl, cutting, weeding, and heat pressing. 

The design will be about 4 inches wide and about 2.5 inches in height. It is a 2 color design. 




All advice is appreciated.


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## gardenhillemb (Oct 29, 2015)

I would charge them $3.50 ea. since the vinyl is so much labor and time and not getting markup on the caps.


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## williekid (Apr 22, 2009)

gardenhillemb said:


> I would charge them $3.50 ea. since the vinyl is so much labor and time and not getting markup on the caps.



Thank you, i'm not far off by much. I quoted $4.50 ea.


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## Wildgoose (Mar 5, 2013)

$4.50 isn't bad but I tell you hats are a PIA and very slow. You'll survive 20 at that price. I used to do them around there and then after doing a huge order my price went up. I now charge $6 per each and don't really care if they say that's too much! Ha ha! I bought an embroidery machine and will do them for the same price just so I don't have to mess with the vinyl. I still have one guy who prefers the vinyl but at $6 I can grin and bear it. I don't like doing other peoples hats partly because there is good mark-up on them which further adds to the bottom line and you have a little insurance if you screw one up. Get yourself some heat tape that you can hold it in place especially the second layer.


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## williekid (Apr 22, 2009)

Wildgoose said:


> $4.50 isn't bad but I tell you hats are a PIA and very slow. You'll survive 20 at that price. I used to do them around there and then after doing a huge order my price went up. I now charge $6 per each and don't really care if they say that's too much! Ha ha! I bought an embroidery machine and will do them for the same price just so I don't have to mess with the vinyl. I still have one guy who prefers the vinyl but at $6 I can grin and bear it. I don't like doing other peoples hats partly because there is good mark-up on them which further adds to the bottom line and you have a little insurance if you screw one up. Get yourself some heat tape that you can hold it in place especially the second layer.


Your actually correct, I feel exactly what you say. I think $4.50 is too low as well just considering it's vinyl, the skills and equipment behind it along with the demand. I'm actually very temped to try $5 each flat, as im pretty sure he purchased caps from dollar store but thats not my business. I'm just looking at the time and demand for it. I would hate to scare the customer off only because we do business on shirts. 

$5 does sound very reasonable to me for 20 caps. 
It's for commercial product, advertising for them and will make them money along with lasting a good while. 

$6 sounds even better and on a quality level. Are you commercial or residential? I fell that would also play a role with the customer.


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## Wildgoose (Mar 5, 2013)

$6 sounds even better and on a quality level. Are you commercial or residential? I fell that would also play a role with the customer.[/QUOTE said:


> I have a side business out of my home not a brick and mortar. I found on that large order I was only getting about 6 to 8 hats an hour and realized it just wasn't worth what I had quoted. If I didn't have the alternative of Embroidery I would be more motivated to do them and maybe stay around the $5 mark.


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## williekid (Apr 22, 2009)

Wildgoose said:


> I have a side business out of my home not a brick and mortar. I found on that large order I was only getting about 6 to 8 hats an hour and realized it just wasn't worth what I had quoted. If I didn't have the alternative of Embroidery I would be more motivated to do them and maybe stay around the $5 mark.


Your residential no shame in that. I am also a residential business, I work out my garage i turned into a shop. My shop is different from most and looking to share one day just not now. 

I'm all about my money, I think i'm going to quote $5 just due to the customer bringing me good amount of business, i also have to do vinyl all over a company vehicle maybe two. 

Last thing i want is for him to take away his business .
I just figured couldnt hurt to make $100 in a hour. Shouldn't take me that long.

I guess all depends on the detail for weeding.

Oh yea, 6-8 caps a hour is way way too long. 

Only reason i'm seeking prices is due to keeping a consistency, as i mostly print screen print, but started picking up vinyl which i have been doing research on pricing and now customers seem to be asking about caps and print them but never established a dept for it.


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## ernti (Nov 14, 2012)

Price your work for that specific customer as low as you can,but make sure that you explain to him that you are going to make his hats for that price,only because you value the shirt bussines that he brings to you.


Sent from my Lenovo A6000 using T-Shirt Forums


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## gardenhillemb (Oct 29, 2015)

Anywhere from $4.50 - $6.00 is great. We usually print transfers instead of vinyl so I may be pricing the vinyl too low. Since he's buying the hats, you can jack up the price without feeling guilty also.


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## williekid (Apr 22, 2009)

gardenhillemb said:


> Anywhere from $4.50 - $6.00 is great. We usually print transfers instead of vinyl so I may be pricing the vinyl too low. Since he's buying the hats, you can jack up the price without feeling guilty also.


Well I charged him $6 each, due to the customer just purchasing a good order of shirts at a very good price, and when he picked up shirts he dropped off caps. Not to mention he was willing to work with me on the wait due to me being backed up. I told him I normally charge $8.50 and that I was giving him a deal. Just finally got around to his order today shot him a printed sample and it's a go like always no doubt.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

I will have you guys do my work, we would be $15 each


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## williekid (Apr 22, 2009)

binki said:


> I will have you guys do my work, we would be $15 each


Are you commercial? Whats your overhead? I know the customer would not pay $15 supplying his own caps. Besides in the time that I make it all happen the profit is well worth it for small fish like myself. I do not have a commercial location or store front. 

Maybe one day I will be able to charge more. Caps isn't something i'm just into as I only got my cap press about a year ago but haven't had time to use it. I still have to find a vendor that provides caps as lowest as I can possibly get them yet who also carries a variety of caps.


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## pmzirkle (Oct 5, 2014)

We make at a minimum $5.95 profit on all thermal vinyl pressed caps no matter if we provide or customer supplies.
Plus cost of materials
Customer supplied apparel gets no garantee or replacement (put in writing)


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

williekid said:


> Are you commercial? Whats your overhead? I know the customer would not pay $15 supplying his own caps. Besides in the time that I make it all happen the profit is well worth it for small fish like myself. I do not have a commercial location or store front.
> 
> Maybe one day I will be able to charge more. Caps isn't something i'm just into as I only got my cap press about a year ago but haven't had time to use it. I still have to find a vendor that provides caps as lowest as I can possibly get them yet who also carries a variety of caps.


We closed our retail storefront a year ago but still do a lot of work. We don't discount for customer supplied items, we still charge as if we are supplying them. The main reason is we still want the profit on the garments and a secondary reason is we will need to replace anything we spoil so we have to cover for that. 

As much as possible we discourage the customer from bringing in their own garments. Our experience is they go to downtown Los Angeles and buy seconds and then we have to deal with low quality garments.


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## williekid (Apr 22, 2009)

binki said:


> We closed our retail storefront a year ago but still do a lot of work. We don't discount for customer supplied items, we still charge as if we are supplying them. The main reason is we still want the profit on the garments and a secondary reason is we will need to replace anything we spoil so we have to cover for that.
> 
> As much as possible we discourage the customer from bringing in their own garments. Our experience is they go to downtown Los Angeles and buy seconds and then we have to deal with low quality garments.


Understandable, I actually thought about doing that at one point sometime earlier this month just due to people going crazy wanting to bring me their own garments as if they will get them cheaper. I also discourage as it cuts into profit and I don't enjoy the feeling of pressure. I'm new to the cap world and my vendor doesn't just offer a wide variety at the moment. I just seen a opportunity for quick cash, but I do not plan on making it a habbit. I will be researching as I continue to grow. 

Thanks a ton for the valuable advice.


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