TJTechart response to s/h charges
We always appreciate feedback on Tom?s cutaway illustrations. Although we like the positive comments better, it?s also valuable for us to hear when our clients have a less than satisfactory experience with Tom?s work or our business practices. So we want to respond to the two comments about shipping charges and quality of the paper.
Regarding quality of the paper. The museum quality, smooth surface, acid free paper we use for giclee prints was been carefully researched and selected to provide the best possible image. Heavier papers used on some fine art giclee prints is too texturized to provide the sharp image required for technical illustrations as finely detailed as Tom?s work. Colors are also rendered better on the semi-matte paper, which produces a more sophisticated, understated luster. The colors on the aircraft are intentionally kept slightly muted so as not to look gaudy. In this case thicker paper would produce an inferior print.
Regarding shipping and handling. In response to the complaints about our shipping and handling charges, we sat down to re-access our actual costs to make sure our charges are reasonable and fair.
The actual shipping charge, which is usually between $8.70 and $10.25 (averaging $9.50) for the US, is a fraction of our actual shipping and handling expenses. Because the RV model cutaway projects are very low volume and exclusive endeavors, we do not enjoy the efficiencies and economies associated with high volume shops. As both the open edition and giclee prints are printed one at a time, a typical batch is only 8-10 prints.
For an idea of what it is included in our shipping and handling charges, following is what it takes to process a batch of 8-10 prints.
- Administrative time to respond to inquiries and answer questions, take and acknowledge orders, invoice via PayPal, log reserved numbers and respond to personal requests. Type labels and check against records. Send shipping notices and respond to requests for tracking numbers.
- Two trips to the printer to proof and then pick up prints.
- Packaging, including extra heavy tube, acid free tissue paper, protective plastic bag and label.
- Illustrations are easily damaged, so each piece is handled with extreme care. Prints are hand signed and numbered and carefully rolled and packaged.
- Trip to the post office and processing there.
As you can see, we have included our administrative expenses into the cost of shipping and handling and we are re-thinking this practice. Apparently it makes the shipping and handling seem inflated and causes customer dissatisfaction.
That said, the most logical thing is to price administrative costs into the price of the illustration and lower shipping costs to simply cover average postage and packaging. It takes approximately six months to produce a new model illustration and we realize only about 70 combined orders (all models in a series, giclee and open editions). So with the labor-intensive nature of the illustration, high cost of printing and low volume, there is no room to absorb these costs into the current price of the prints. For those who are curious, try Googling how much it costs to print a 24x36 giclee.
Once the slider versions of the RV-7?s are completed, we will re-visit our pricing and figure administrative overhead into the product price. We hope to come up with a price for future RV model illustrations that will both support the process of creating them and the dollar value our customers place on them.
We thank you for providing feedback. And a special thanks to those of you who have purchased Tom?s illustrations ? and those who have purchased multiple copies. The RV project has been a labor of love for Tom. The messages you have sent expressing the enjoyment you get from his illustrations and thanking him for taking on the RV projects are truly gratifying.
Nina
