Pricing Prints with customer supplied paper?

[davidh202]

Since I have always printed from my own roll paper stock on my Epson 7900 and 9890s, I have had pricing figured out from day one.
I have a request from an artist to print her images on 17x22 stock that she wants to supply.
Images on roll paper get batch printed but printing sheets requires hand feeding which takes more time, and the customer(?),wants to be there when I print. I can certainly charge my hourly shop labor rate + ink costs+mark up, if I use her paper.
Has anyone run into this situation, and if so what is the best way to price this out ?

Thanks,
David

[Landscapes]

This is most tricky. One issue I see is what happens if your printer somehow messes up one of the prints?  Are you now going to have to pay her for her sheet of paper?  Printing does always create some wastage... so I figure about 10%, just to make the math easy, so this is a number I had to calculate in when I figure out my costs.

I don't have any experience with this, just wanted to bring this issue up given that it may actually happen, and if you're not having to pay for any paper that is wasted, the money you make on one print might now have to cover the cost of the sheet that has to be wasted.  (although profits are I'm sure at least 5 or 6 times of actual materials costs of ink+paper)

[davidh202]

Yeah I am very much aware of possible waste, and have also indicated to her that unless I run test prints. I will not guarantee the outcome from her files, and will be using canned profiles since I do not have custom paper profiles for her papers, (Canson Infinity and Epson Velvet Fine Art).
I have had wastage figured into my operating expenses and my printing prices reflect that for both ink and paper from day one.;-)

David

[dgberg]

Yes a tricky subject.
As a lifelong business owner my revenue has always been based on time AND materials.
When someone brings you materials they are taking that profit from you.
Unless it is a real good friend you are doing a favor for I would just tell them it is the same price as if you supplied the paper.
They will either go somewhere else , pay the price you ask or just have you order the paper they request.

[Paul2660]

+1 to Dan's comments. 

Time and Materials, and the time you have taken to get it right on your supplied materials. 

Paul

[davidh202]

Thanks Dan and Paul !
Pretty much what I had already surmised. On top of that she wants to be there when I print, and I already suspect she is going to take up much of my time picking my brains. :-/ 
 

[Rob Reiter]

If it is a standard paper, one that I might stock myself, I just deduct what the paper would have cost me, including any reprint sheets. Seems fair. I don't lose anything and they get to use something they might have spent money on but can't use any longer. Everyone's happy.

If it is a paper I don't have, I'll print it but explain the issues of profiling if they don't also pay me to make a custom profile for it.

It's never been a problem.

[Rand47]

. . . she is going to take up much of my time picking my brains.

Yes indeed!  I've actually turned this fact into a niche market. I meet face to face w/ my customers.  We load and review their files. I give them my sense of them and how they'll print. We often make tweaks. Discuss papers and select one or two based on my samples.  Then we soft proof to the paper selection & make prints.  

I charge an hourly fee w/ a 2 hour absolute minimum, plus my regular print fee by paper size.  The chattier and more interested they are, the more money I make and the more real & perceived value they receive.

Obviously I'm not a volume printer!    And I do what I do as much for the love of it as for money.  But it works well for my needs / desires.  

I charge the same whether they supply the paper, or I do.  

Rand

PS:  Most of my customers are folk who have been frustrated with results from labs where they feel they have "no control" over the outcome.  It is often due to their own lack of understanding, of course, but that's precisely the value I can add - control and education.  

[davidh202]

Yes indeed!  I've actually turned this fact into a niche market.  
I charge an hourly fee w/ a 2 hour absolute minimum, plus my regular print fee by paper size.  The more chattier and more interested they are, the more money I make and the more real & perceived value they receive.
I charge the same whether they supply the paper, or I do.  
Rand

I have also considered this, as it could  turn into a pretty lucrative adventure.

My main worry is, she's not a photographer but an artist, these prints are for an upcoming show , and she is already asking about "quantity discounts (I have expressed to her that my pricing reflects very fair and competitive rates!).
I will be printing some of her existing artwork files, (and possibly shooting and printing more of her art myself). I might  also be framing some of her art which is my primary business. Would be a very nice package deal, IF I get the job!

PS: I've been in business for over 40 years, I know how to deal with her, but was mostly unsure about the pricing  using her paper. I think I now know how to proceed thanks to the replies here. I will have to play it by ear and see ...   

  Thanks, Good to hear from you Rand...

[aaronchan]

Unless you are working with a printer, otherwise, I would charge the same price as the equivalent paper stock.

aaron