Because it is a photo process you can do pictures so it gets Granny to open her wallet.... Grand Kids.... But for Tourist stuff... They would rather buy a $3.00 Silk Screened cup with text only....
Thankfully, I've never had to deal with that demographic of the grandma. I've actually never done photos on my mugs, always been more of a graphic design on them, mainly businesses, HS sports teams etc.
You could actually sell a sublimation mug for 22 dollars here to the tourists or even the locals. Regional differences are amazing.
I'm thinking that this is more of a quality of mug issue then it is an epidemic, but like I said, I haven't had issues(yet).
It really depends on your location..... Go to Wally Mart and look at the Photo Mugs they sell.... Can you compete with that.... If I wanted to do Mugs only.... I would just buy them from Wally Mart and mark them up....
That is very true. I actually hate wal-mart on various levels. No one can really compete with wal-mart prices and that's why you have to have a nitch, do clubs, schools, local groups, the short runs that wal-mart doesn't see that good of a margin on.
Wal-mart has the ability to force people to lower their prices in order to get the Wal-Mart contract, so I really don't trust Wal-Marts products when it comes to durable goods.
But you are right, must diversify, I woudn't advocate Mugs only, but I wouldn't be too scared to do them either. There is a tidy profit to be made, just really depends on local or how much you are able to get the word out.