Pricing Services

[jayne]

I am a photographer, and I have a large format printer (the largest inkjet available) that I got for my own needs, and decided to offer the service to other photographers, to print their photographs on canvas or photo paper to virtually any size.

How do I price my services? Do I price similar to Mpix and Costco? Do I price lower? Or higher?

Thank you!
~Jayne

 

[tirediron]

If I were doing it, I would price it based on the cost of materials plus my standard mark-up, and a labour set-up charge as appropriate.

 

[KmH]

It's doubtful you would be able charge as little as Mpix and Costco do, and make a profit.

Try and imagine the volume they do.

 

[bennielou]

It's doubtful you would be able charge as little as Mpix and Costco do, and make a profit.

Try and imagine the volume they do.

Ditto plus 1,000

 

[jayne]

What would be a reasonable "standard mark-up"? Would that be %-wise or $-wise?

 

[tirediron]

It depends; I don't actually do a lot with prints or consumables, but when I do, mark-up ranges between 40% and 60% of my cost.