Print Start-Up

July 6, 2023

The demand for printed goods is undeniable, with businesses of all sizes requiring printing services to enhance their visibility and communicate with customers. While print business opportunities are valuable, the initial costs and resources needed to start and run a profitable print business can be daunting.

Typically, the common challenges of Traditional Print Business: 

  1. Costly Machinery and Production: Investing in and maintaining production machines can be expensive, requiring skilled workers to operate them.
  2. Expensive Space Rental: Retail space in prime locations comes at a high price, posing a significant financial burden.
  3. Customer Acquisition: Finding customers and earning their trust to place orders can be a challenge in a competitive market.
  4. Competition: Established printers already dominate the market, making it difficult for newcomers to compete.
  5. Product Selection and Pricing: Deciding on a range of print products and setting competitive pricing requires careful consideration and market research.

Read our article on 8 Reasons to Avoid Starting a Physical Print Shop

The PriceCal Solution:
PriceCal offers an alternative that leverages the growing trend of online sales, enabling you to establish an online print shop quickly and cost-effectively. Recognizing the growing trend of online sales and the need for a cost-effective approach, PriceCal recommends starting an online print shop to overcome these challenges.

  1. Fast Market Access: Online sales are booming, as evidenced by reports of increased sales during the pandemic. PriceCal enables you to enter the market swiftly, connecting you with customers searching for online printing services.
  2. Cost-Effective Setup: With PriceCal, you can establish your online print shop in as little as 48 hours and at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional setups. Starting from less than RM5000, PriceCal provides a low-cost entry point, allowing you to allocate resources strategically.

This is how to get started with PriceCal…

  1. Subscribe to a PriceCal plan tailored to your business requirements.
  2. Install the PriceCal plugin seamlessly on your website.
  3. Set up your profit margin to ensure profitability while remaining competitive.
  4. Start selling and serving customers online, taking advantage of the convenience and accessibility of e-commerce.

The best part is…

if you don’t have a website yet, we’ve got the perfect solution for you. With PriceCal, you can purchase our ready-made website package for just RM3888. This comprehensive package provides you with a fully-fledged online presence that is tailored to meet the unique needs of your print business.

A good start…

  1. Low Total Cost: With a total investment of less than RM8,000 (including the website), you can launch your print business online.
  2. Readiness for Business: PriceCal equips you with the tools to operate efficiently and effectively, eliminating fixed expenses associated with retail shops or production units.
  3. Focus on Marketing: Allocate resources to SEO and SEM to attract customers and drive sales, leveraging the growing online print market.

PriceCal presents a viable solution for aspiring print business owners seeking a cost-effective approach and faster market entry. By embracing the online print shop trend, you can establish your business quickly, attract customers through strategic marketing efforts, and pave the way for profitability.

Moving forward…

  1. Explore the full functionality of PriceCal by visiting our Online Demo Store
  2. If you have any pre-sale questions, our team is here to assist you.

With PriceCal, you’re not just in business – you’re ready to thrive in the dynamic world of online printing.

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API

SC-Sheet calculates printing costs by determining the number of large sheets required based on material, size, printing method, and quantity.

For example, if a customer orders 1,000 business cards (89mm x 54mm), SC-Sheet calculates how many fit on a standard sheet, the total sheets needed, and the printing cost. Additional finishing like lamination or diecut is factored in separately, ensuring precise pricing while optimizing material usage and profitability.

What products are best suited for API?

Click on the products below to see API in action!

SC-Sheet

SC-Sheet calculates printing costs by determining the number of large sheets required based on material, size, printing method, and quantity.

For example, if a customer orders 1,000 business cards (89mm x 54mm), SC-Sheet calculates how many fit on a standard sheet, the total sheets needed, and the printing cost. Additional finishing like lamination or diecut is factored in separately, ensuring precise pricing while optimizing material usage and profitability.

What products are best suited for SC-Sheet?

Click on the products below to see SC-Sheet in action!

CSV

CSV is the most flexible way to manage and price products with fixed options or variations that don’t require dynamic calculations. Ideal for products with pre-set combinations of attributes like size, material, finish, and quantity, CSV enables
printers to create custom pricing tables in Excel (CSV format). Once the table is computed, simply upload it into PriceCal, and our Price Calculator will convert it into a systematic selection, generating the price based on the chosen options.

For instance, when calculating the price for a roll-up standee, printers can set up variables like type (e.g., Standard, Deluxe), size (Small, Medium, Large), print method (Digital, Offset), and quantity (e.g., 1, 5, 10). These variables are then organized in a CSV file, and upon upload, the system will automatically generate the correct pricing based on the selected options.

What products are best suited for CSV?

Click on the products below to see CSV in action!

  • Banners (Size, Material, Print Method, Quantity)
  • Packaging Boxes (Type, Size, Printing Method, Finishing)
  • Signage (Material, Size, Print Method, Quantity)
  • Stationery (Size, Material, Print Method, Quantity)
  • Promotional Products (Type, Design, Print Location, Quantity)

SC-Packaging

SC-Packaging is designed to handle pricing for packaging products such as boxes and cartons by calculating costs based on material, size, and finishing components. Through our strategic partnership with Pacdora, printers gain access
to a wide variety of box models, including double tuck boxes, auto-lock boxes, mailer boxes, and more.

This tool works similarly to SC-Sheet by calculating the open size of the selected box model and using the input dimensions to determine material usage, printing costs, and additional finishing. Components like gluing, die-cutting, and assembly costs can be seamlessly factored into the pricing

For example, if a customer orders 2,000 auto-lock boxes measuring 200mm x 150mm x 100mm, SC-Packaging will generate the total material required based on the box’s flat layout, calculate the printing and die-cutting costs, and include any finishing or assembly charges.

Exciting Benefits from Our Pacdora Partnership

Thanks to this collaboration, printers can now:

✅ Retrieve dielines instantly upon customer order.

✅ Offer customers access to Pacdora’s design studio to create and edit packaging
artwork effortlessly.

What products are best suited for SC-Packaging?

Click on the products below to see SC-Packaging in action!

SC-Item

SC-Item is designed for pricing single-item print customization, making it ideal for products like apparel, drinkware, and promotional merchandise. Unlike other pricing tools, SC-Item allows for flexible order quantities across different variations, such as sizes, colors, and print locations.

For example, in t-shirt printing, customers can choose to print on the front, back, or sleeves and place an order with specific quantity breakdowns—20 Large, 10 Small, 15 Medium, etc. SC-Item calculates the cost based on the print locations, total quantity, and any additional customization options like embroidery, heat transfer, or DTF printing.

What products are best suited for SC-Item?

Click on the products below to see SC-Item in action!

SC-Booklet

SC-Booklet is designed to generate precise pricing for multi-page products like booklets, catalogs, and magazines by calculating the material cost, printing method, and binding requirements. It determines the number of sheets required to fulfill an order based on the total number of pages, paper type, and sheet size. Additionally, SC-Booklet supports various binding methods, including saddle stitching and perfect binding, ensuring flexibility in product customization.

For example, if a customer orders 500 copies of a 32-page booklet, SC-Booklet calculates the number of large sheets needed based on the imposition layout. If the inner pages are printed on 150gsm matte paper and the cover on 300gsm glossy
paper, it determines how many sheets of each material are required and factors in the printing and finishing costs accordingly. The system also accommodates add-ons like spot UV, lamination, and special finishes.

What products are best suited for SC-Booklet?

Click on the products below to see SC-Booklet in action!

  • Corporate brochures
  • Annual reports
  • Event programs
  • Product catalogs
  • Training manuals
  • Magazines
  • Cookbooks
  • Portfolios
  • School yearbooks
  • Art books

SC-Area

SC-Area calculates printing costs based on the total print area (sq ft). When a user enters the length and width of the final print, SC-Area determines the total printable area and generates the cost accordingly. It also factors in additional finishing based on the perimeter, making it ideal for products that require eyelets, frames, or poles.

For example, if a customer orders a banner measuring 10ft x 3ft, SC-Area will calculate the total print area (30 sq ft) and generate the cost. If finishing options like eyelets every 2ft or a poles are added, SC-Area factors in these costs based on the perimeter. This tool is perfect for large-format prints such as banners, buntings, billboards, and signage, ensuring accurate pricing and seamless cost calculation.

What products are best suited for SC-Area?

Click on the products below to see SC-Area in action!

  • Magnetic signs
  • Metal / Aluminum signs
  • Die-cut stickers (large format)
  • PVC boards (Forex board prints)
  • Corflute / Corrugated plastic signs
  • Canvas prints
  • Tension fabric displays
  • Construction site signage
  • Directional & wayfinding signs
  • Table covers & table runners
  • Street pole banners
  • Retail window clings
  • Estate agent boards
  • Event standees & cutouts
  • Door signs & nameplates

PriceCal bags Best eCommerce Fulfilment Award 2023

PriceCal, conceptualized and brought to life by Welson and his dynamic team, emerged from a vision to revolutionize the print industry's approach to online sales....