Hey everyone — I’m hoping to get some real-world advice from those of you in the print world.
I recently opened a small print shop in a rural/small-town market, and I’m honestly struggling with pricing. I don’t want to scare customers away by being too high, but I also don’t want to underprice and hurt myself long-term.
Right now, I offer a mix of:
- Everyday services (copies, scanning, shredding, notary, etc.)
- Business printing (flyers, brochures, business cards, programs)
- Invitations & personal prints (weddings, events, inserts, etc.)
- Some larger/custom jobs depending on the project
My biggest challenge:
I have no clear benchmark for what I should be charging.
Things I’m running into:
- Big online printers are cheap — but I know I shouldn’t try to compete directly with that
- Local competitors don’t publish pricing (or are inconsistent)
- Costs vary a lot depending on paper, finishing, time, etc.
- Customers in a small town can be price-sensitive, but also value convenience and service
I keep asking myself:
- Am I charging too much for things like invites or inserts?
- Am I undercharging on jobs that take more time than I realize?
- Should I be pricing based on cost + margin, or more based on perceived value?
- Do you have a standard markup or pricing formula you follow?
If you’re willing to share:
- How did you initially build your pricing structure?
- Do you use a price guide, spreadsheet, or software?
- Any “rules of thumb” you swear by?
- What mistakes did you make early on that I should avoid?
I’d especially love insight from anyone else in a small-town market, since I know that’s a little different than bigger cities.
I’m not looking to copy anyone’s exact pricing — just trying to sanity-check and build something sustainable.
Thanks in advance — I really appreciate any help