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How Will Offering Sublimated Products Profit Me?


When we say profits, we mean additional profits! To us, Rule #1 in business is: Make Money! Laser printer sublimation is an ideal profit maker for vinyl sign shops. To learn how, read on.

Here are 8 excellent reasons sublimation will profit you-

  1. Ready Made Market- Many of your existing customers are already buying sublimated products from someone else. If you offer those products, they will buy from you.


  2. High Profit Margins - Margins are comparable to the vinyl sign business, when factoring in labor, productivity and materials. Margins range from 400% to 1000%. --- *See examples at the bottom of this page.


  3. Compatibility - You are already in the custom lettering/identification market. Customers will view your diversification of method as logical and as a service to them.


  4. Add On Sales - Most customers only want a specific quantity of banners or signs, and you can’t change that. Offering other related products will increase sales per invoice.

  5. Flexibility - You will probably never miss another opportunity because what a customer wants is too small to weed. Even engraving doesn’t offer the flexibility of sublimation, much less the unbelievable speed.


  6. Increased Telephone - Drive By Opportunities - Convenience is a big factor in the buying decision of many customers. Adding to the product/service list in your window and adding new places where you can profitable advertise in the yellow pages, will increase sales. Many customers will buy from you, simply because you are close and convenient.

  7. Low Start-Up Costs - Even if you have nothing but a graphics program and a computer, and must buy everything else, it can still be under $1,400. That even includes basic inventory. If you happen to be a shop that already has the needed basic equipment, less than $500 will open a whole New World of sales opportunity.

  8. Increased Vinyl Sign Sales - It is a fact that those who buy sublimated products and signs & banners come from the same potential customer base. What this means for you is that the typical new customer who comes into your shop to buy sublimated products is also a sign & banner prospect.


Although it may not be a reason to actually get into the sublimation printing business, we do offer our customers another benefit - us! We have a lot of knowledge and "real-world" experience in this industry and are totally committed to customer service excellence.

While our primary products are dye-sublimation cartridges that makes the whole process work, heat presses and metal plate cutters, we are also a knowledgeable source for everything else you may need. From production tips to sales ideas to equipment and material sources - we will help you.

We think offering sublimated products is one of the best kept "secrets" in the sign shop business. While not many shops are in the sublimation printing business, all of our sign shop customers, who are, make good money. Maybe that’s why they don’t talk about it too much.


* Here are two examples of sublimation profit margins-


Here is the first example - A sheet of sublimation metal is 12"x 24" and costs about $3.00. Ninty-six 1x3 badges can be cut from one sheet of metal. Pinbacks for badges cost $0.17 each. The average retail price is $3.50 - $5.00. That is 1,750 to 5,000 percent profit margin! Sign and banner customers buy a lot of badges.


Here is the second example - A vinyl sign shop customer of ours recently sold 3 banners to a car show organizer. The customer asked the owner if he could make 2x3 "dash plates". These are little metal plates that are given to participants. They will typically have one or two small logos on them and information about the event. The customer wanted 200.

The owner made the customer a "deal" and let him have them for $2.00 each. Total material costs: under $20. Total production time involved: slightly over an hour (he produced them at the rate of 8 per minute).


The above well illustrates the great profit margins in sublimation. However, because estimating profit potential is important in making business decisions, we suggest you read more by clicking here.

If our two examples are enough, and you would like to learn more about the specific costs involved in starting sublimation, click here (Don't worry if you go to success stories first. This link will be at the end of success stories).