Dye Sublimation Business - Name Badge Pricing
None of the dealers I found charged extra for personalization and some included a magnet at no extra charge but most charged extra for magnets, over the pockets, etc. The companies I checked on often offered engraved badges (two colors only) and/or full-color badges. Some used inkjet sublimation while others used laser sublimation on metal (only) and still others offered digital imprinting on plastic and/or metal.
So far as we are concerned, a name badge is a name badge regardless of how it is made.
Most customers are not going to discern one method from another and are probably shopping for one of two things:
1. Price
2. The ability to use a color logo
A few companies (plus my own) are listed by name because they are names you will recognize but most are referred to as a code to prevent potential legal issues and long debates about why they do what they do. These prices are based on a 1x3” full-color badge with a pin back with no set-up charge unless specified otherwise):
Staples: 11.99 for an engraved badge, done out of house, probably by BCT
Office Depot: 8.49 for an engraved badge, done out of house, probably by BCT
Crown Trophy: 9.00 (1-9) 8.00 (10-49)
1. Not unusual to highly inflate cost for a single badge and reduce price drastically for multiples.
2. Most companies added .50 - $1 for each increase in size.
3. Price increases when magnet is added by $2-$3 each.
4. Most companies made $5 their lowest price, regardless of quantity.
5. Lowest price for single badge was $4.35. Highest price was $25.45. Average was about $10.50.
6. All coded prices come for Internet sources so there is no compensation for location, economic depression, etc. Shipping is almost always extra.
Things that might need to be considered in pricing YOUR name badges:
1. Where you live. Shops in LA or Miami where cost of living is very high may need to work the higher end of the scale to compensate for high rent, etc. while shops in WV or other depressed areas of the country may need to work the low to middle end of the scale but not the extreme low end.
2. Value of the customer. Customers who might need a few badges but buy thousands of dollars from you in other things probably need to be offered better prices.
3. Type of customer. You may make it a policy to reduce prices to churches and other non-profit organizations. Reductions of 10-20% are common for this. Don’t overdo it.
4. Having to create multiple backgrounds for badges demands additional charges. Buying 100 badges with 10 different backgrounds isn’t the same as buying 100 badges, it is more like buying 10 badges at a time.
5. Quantity is always a consideration. Don’t overdue your discounts. 10-25% is usually adequate even for very large orders. Make it clear what the cost for a single badge is going to be when they come back later and want just a few badges. Are you going to sell singles for the same price you sold them in lots of 100?