HowNest
Do you want to price tote bags that you printed with screen printing, and especially dealing with bulk orders?
However, setting the right price can be tricky, especially for complex designs or large orders.
This blog post shares practical pricing strategies for screen printing cheap tote bags, focusing on a real-world example of printing 300 large canvas tote bags with a three-color logo on both sides. Let’s break it down into simple steps to help you price effectively.
How to Understand Your Costs?
Before setting a price, calculate all your costs. For tote bags, this includes the cost of the bags, ink, screens, labor, and any overhead like equipment or utilities. In our example, the large canvas tote bags cost $1.31 each for 300 units, totaling $393 for the order.
Each three-color logo requires three screens per side, so six screens total for double-sided printing. Screen setup costs vary but typically range from $20–$50 per screen, so let’s estimate $30 per screen, or $180 for six screens.
Ink costs depend on the design size and coverage but are often $0.10–$0.20 per print per color. For 300 totes, with three colors on both sides (six prints per tote), that’s about $0.60 per tote, or $180 total.
Labor depends on your printing speed and wage rates—say, $15/hour, and printing 300 totes takes 10 hours, costing $150. Add overhead (e.g., shop utilities) at roughly $50 for the job. Total costs: $393 (totes) + $180 (screens) + $180 (ink) + $150 (labor) + $50 (overhead) = $953.
How to Markup Your Profit?
Once you know your costs, apply a markup to ensure profitability. A common approach is cost-plus pricing, where you add a percentage to cover profit and business expenses. For tote bags, a 60% markup on the bag’s cost is reasonable. In the example, the tote costs $1.31, so a 60% markup adds $0.79, making the base price per tote $2.10.
For printing, charge per side and per color. A typical rate is $1–$2 per color per side for bulk orders. With a three-color logo on both sides, that’s six prints per tote. At $0.44 per print (a competitive rate for 300 units), printing costs $2.64 per tote ($0.44 × 6). Adding this to the marked-up tote cost ($2.10 + $2.64) gives $4.74 per tote, or $1,422 for 300 totes. This covers costs ($953) and yields a profit of $469, or about 33% margin.
How to Adjust for Bulk Orders?
Bulk orders like 300 totes often warrant discounts to attract clients and compete with wholesalers. Many screen printers offer tiered pricing, reducing the per-unit price as quantity increases.
For example, you might charge $4.74 for 100 totes but drop to $4.50 for 300 totes, lowering the total to $1,350. This $72 discount (5% off) makes your bid more appealing while still covering costs and maintaining a $397 profit (29% margin).
Another option is to absorb setup costs, like screen fees, into the per-unit price for large orders. Instead of charging $180 separately for screens, spread it across 300 totes ($0.60 each), keeping the price transparent and competitive. Test a price like $4.50 per tote to see if it wins more clients without sacrificing too much margin.
Simplify Designs to Save Costs
Complex designs, like three-color logos on both sides, increase costs due to extra screens and ink. If the client’s budget is tight, suggest simplifying the design. Reducing to two colors per side cuts two screens ($60) and ink costs ($60), lowering total costs by $120.
This could bring the per-tote price to $4.34 ($1,302 for 300), making your offer more attractive while preserving quality.
Discuss with the client whether both logos need three colors or if a single logo on one side suffices. Fewer prints mean lower labor and ink costs, allowing a price closer to $3.50–$4.00 per tote, which is competitive for conventions.
Consider Market Rates
Check industry rates to ensure your pricing is competitive. For 300 canvas totes with multi-color prints, prices typically range from $3.50–$6.00 per tote, depending on design complexity and turnaround time.
Your $4.74 or adjusted $4.50 aligns well with this range. If competitors offer lower prices, like $4.00, review your costs to see if you can match them, perhaps by negotiating bulk tote discounts or streamlining labor.
Add Value with Fast Turnaround or Customization
To justify your price, highlight value-added services. Offer rush printing (e.g., 48-hour turnaround) for conventions, as clients often need quick delivery. Emphasize eco-friendly canvas totes, which appeal to sustainability-conscious customers.
You can also include free digital mockups or samples to build trust, ensuring the client approves the design before production. These perks make your $4.50–$4.74 price feel like a deal compared to generic wholesalers.
Test and Refine Pricing
Pricing isn’t set in stone. Run small tests with different clients, offering $4.50 for one order and $5.00 for another to gauge acceptance.
Track which price wins more orders without cutting profits too thin. Ask clients for feedback on quotes to understand if cost, speed, or design drives their decision. Over time, you’ll find a sweet spot—likely $4.00–$5.00 for 300 totes—that balances competitiveness and profitability.
Final Thoughts
Pricing screen-printed tote bags for bulk orders requires balancing costs, market rates, and client expectations. Start with your costs (totes, screens, ink, labor, overhead), apply a markup (e.g., 60% on totes, $0.44 per print), and adjust for bulk discounts or simpler designs.
For 300 totes with three-color logos on both sides, $4.50–$4.74 per tote is fair, yielding a solid profit while staying competitive. Add value with fast turnaround or eco-friendly options, and test prices to optimize your strategy. With these steps, you’ll confidently price tote bags for conventions and beyond.
