Can mom and pop signs shops compete with established digital players?

[andy]

Fair point but as I mentioned in my opening post the lines are being blurred. If a screen printer and a commercial photo lab can do it, what's to stop you?

This is all based on the concept that digital printing IS the sign industry... which it absolutely isn't.

If you can print onto vinyl, banner stock or PVC this means you can print... it doesn't mean you are a sign shop.

Unless you know how to take the raw printed media and apply it to a vehicle, hang it safely from a building or transform it into a fabricated sign structure then you are still just a printer.

If all you do is print then screen printers and photo labs are your competition... if digital isn't the only trick in your book then you are still the sign shop and they are still just the printing people.

 

[sjm]

This is all based on the concept that digital printing IS the sign industry... which it absolutely isn't.

If you can print onto vinyl, banner stock or PVC this means you can print... it doesn't mean you are a sign shop.

Unless you know how to take the raw printed media and apply it to a vehicle, hang it safely from a building or transform it into a fabricated sign structure then you are still just a printer.

If all you do is print then screen printers and photo labs are your competition... if digital isn't the only trick in your book then you are still the sign shop and they are still just the printing people.

Not sure I understand your point. Color Labs weed vinyl at least here. Metal fabricators do just that, fabricate metal. What's left to be done? Hint apply the vinyl cut graphics or the digital print to metal for example.

Of course if you own a CNC machine you have considered taking your business to the next level as Color Labs understood weeding vinyl is important. Would you disagree?

 

[iSign]

what a worthless meandering of meaningless drivel... when sjm doesn't understand a point he asks about it.. what a concept... what a waste actually... like playing ping pong with someone who disregards the net & even the table at times... swing away bro... whatever it is you're talking about...

 

[sjm]

what a worthless meandering of meaningless drivel... when sjm doesn't understand a point he asks about it.. what a concept... what a waste actually... like playing ping pong with someone who disregards the net & even the table at times... swing away bro... whatever it is you're talking about...

You seem to have a knack at attacking but little to offer in the way of taking things to the next level. Is it fair to assume you are simply interested in a me too mentality?

 

[iSign]

I love intelligent conversations, & I have absolutely no doubt you are quite capable of contributing to one, however this one is not all it could be because, while some intelligent people are willing to post here about this, and some intelligent people are willing to post about that... I do not see this as a cohesive conversation with any clear premise or direction. It has potential, as I mentioned above, and I can return a serious volley, or offer a challenging serve over the net... but why bother if it is not yet established as a ping pong game...

 

[sjm]

I love intelligent conversations, & I have absolutely no doubt you are quite capable of contributing to one, however this one is not all it could be because, while some intelligent people are willing to post here about this, and some intelligent people are willing to post about that... I do not see this as a cohesive conversation with any clear premise or direction. It has potential, as I mentioned above, and I can return a serious volley, or offer a challenging serve over the net... but why bother if it is not yet established as a ping pong game...

What you returned is more rehtoric and little of substance. Of course if you think a Screen Printer or a Color Lab has one up on you, who am I to argue. Perhaps if you think outside the box rather than presuming they do you may just understand the me too mentality I mentioned earlier.

 

[Fred Weiss]

It seems to me that the answer is networking in any of its many forms ... if one has the desire and the will to do so. The mom and pop shop is primarily designed to be efficient at just the local level but can either expand to bring all needed capabilities under one roof or reach out to outsource providers and networking partners to fill any need of a client.

Consider a franchise shop such as FastSigns or Sign-A-Rama. Their primary business model is to sell and produce work at the local level. But each is also a member of an international network of similar shops. Now a representative from Revlon requests a location in Manhattan to quote on the design, production and installation of some work for 5,000 locations around the globe.

The design's elements are provided and used by the local shop to create the final design and submitted for approval. Specs are finalized and a quote is provided for the production (which ends up being outsourced to a wholesale provider). Installation is also specified with quotes based on a flat rate plus shipping to the shop that will do the install. I won't belabor going into all the details and logistics, but these kinds of activities are a daily occurrence in the sign and graphics production industry.

I can tell you that for several years, my company, which would certainly be classified as a mom and pop operation, Edge printed work for a screen printer in New Jersey whose customer was Ralph Lauren. The work ended up on displays in retail outlets around the world.

Networking has always been the answer.

 

[R08]

What you returned is more rehtoric and little of substance. Of course if you think a Screen Printer or a Color Lab has one up on you, who am I to argue. Perhaps if you think outside the box rather than presuming they do you may just understand the me too mentality I mentioned earlier.

Not to be condescending but 'rehtoric and little of substance' is what I feel describes this whole thread.

I'm with iSign on this one.

But maybe I'm just a little thick. Go to it .. it seems some here understand where it's going. Maybe the rest of us will catch on later.