Anyone printing their own greetings cards at home - is it worthwhile?

TheAndyA

TheAndyA

Suspended / Banned
Messages
1,327
Name
Andy
Edit My Images
No
I've had an enquiry this week about producing some greetings cards with some of my photos on them, the lady has a local shop and she's already displaying some cards from a local artist. I have to say that I don't know how many she would want, but I doubt it would be a large number at this stage.

The shop owner said that she currently buys her cards for £1 each and sells then for £2. I've just had a quick look at on-line printing services and it doesn't seem worthwhile at the prices that are being charged for the service.

So, I'd be interested to find what it generally costs (per card) to print at home with your own printer. I don't have a printer yet, but I will look into it if it's worthwhile.

Thanks in advance
 
Hi Andy, I did last Christmas for the first time, but only for friends, relations and neighbours. I think that I made up around 30 cards in all, using 7 x 5 glossy photo paper (packs of 50 from Poundworld - no expense spared:D), and then bought a few packs of blank cards and envelopes from "The Works". The trickiest bit was setting up the greetings message for the inside of the cards on MS Word, so that it was aligned correctly, with a nice font etc.
The problem with home printing seems to be the cost of the ink, and I think that commercial printing would be the way to go if you were hoping to make a profit.
 
I use Moo for printing Christmas cards and general greetings cards in short runs, but at 85p/card you're not going to make much on the shops standard terms.

Three options:
  1. Accept you're not going to make anything worthwhile this time, but view it as a test of the market. You can search out better value printing options if it works.
  2. Change the market. Advise the shop that you need £1.50/card and the retail price should be £2.50.
  3. Forever wonder what might have been..
 
I've used Photobox in the past, for friends at Christmas, not entirely sure you would earn a profit from it though :)
 
You are not going to make money,at best break even. Can you recoup teh cost of a printer - probaby not. Are you willing to do it to break even but get your nameout there??It may lead to bigger things - larger prints,talks?? Sorry to be negative but just being realistic
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top