Tumbler Prices going down good news or bad new's ? Are they going to be the new speed shapes ?

dipdemon

Curious to know how guys feel about the extreme decline in prices of tumblers, Yeti Cups, Rtic, etc. becoming much cheaper.
I actually spoke with VP of sales for Rtic friday and he told me that Walmart/Sams are no longer paying for rights to use college / school logos on their Member's Mark brand.
I actually think this is good news for you guys who decorate them, The cups are going to always be desirable because they do a good job keeping liquids cold etc, and people will always want them. Now we are going to be able to pick them up cheap $5 to $6 at Walmart/Sams, with free shipping (That's less than I pay for a 12x12 flat plastic panel for film samples ) and decorate them and should be able to make a $20.00 bill on each one.
Think about it, by this summer you will probably be able to get 20 cups for $100 at Walmart then decorate them for less than $4.00, ($1.89 per foot "cup" + $1.25 for paint and clear ) or better yet use your scraps and clear them when you mix too much. Now that the big guys will not selling them decorated, someone at a flea market etc. should easy give you $29.00 for a custom one so that's a $20.00 profit ($100.00 Investment will return possibly $500.00 thats a $400.00 Profit )
I always thought in the past that it just was not worth doing, I think the price should be $29.00 or less to sell any real volume I think if someone can relate to the decoration of college / military / law enforcement etc, most folks would not hesitate to pay $29.00 or less.
Also you guys that work the gun and trade show can pre-make some and sell at shows to cover your cost of being in shows. So not only you will be leaving the show with guns to dip but also money in your pocket.
I would also reach out to the guy who does the Car Show's in your area now that these are as chep as T-shirt's you may get a order for official show cup's.
Lastly when the guy ask you what if he supplies his own cup you can tell him you can take $5.00 off but there is a $10.00 up charge for cleaning and dipping a used cup LOL.

midnight_dipper

I haven't and wouldn't sell a dipped 30 oz. tumbler for less than the price of the tumbler plus a minimum of $30 and that's for an order of 10 or more. You didn't address the labor involved to clean, scuff, base coat, dip, (apply any decals), clear coat, buff and repackage them. But I like your ideas on different ways to market them and your comment about dipping their cup.

MidOhioHydrographics

I agree with @midnight_dipper.... But I'm able to do them quite a bit cheaper. We just did 200 dipped in carbon fiber w/ a stainless logo for $20ea. And I made good money on them. Around 30% margin, from my calculations. I'll take that. It was for a business owned by my wife's family so I did them a little cheaper than usual. Normal singles/small runs I charge $30 for that combo. Cup was included at those prices. With an "assembly line" style run of all the same thing, it's much easier.

NotSoFast

We dip tumblers but don't sell them. Customer brings his own. If we stock Yeti, they would want the cheaper knock-offs. If we have the cheaper ones, they want the "real" Yetis. The price of the cups doesn't effect us at all. We are in the dipping business, not the retail business.

MidOhioHydrographics

NotSoFast said:

The price of the cups doesn't effect us at all. We are in the dipping business, not the retail business.

Very good point....

Many people do buy bulk tumblers and then dip for customers. I may just direct everyone to buy their own from now on, and bring them to me for dipping. Not a bad plan. Then they can spend as much or as little as they want on whichever brand they choose. I'll give them some ideas, and let them take it from there.

3monkeyshydrodip

We do tumbles only with our logo on them for sale at shows. They sell good because people like buying things at car shows that aren't t-shirts (we sell those also lol).

K2Concepts

Anytime a supplier drops pricing? It's good for your business...when a supplier is also going to quit being your competition? That's just icing on the cake...

That being said? I would have to wonder what motivated Wallmart's decision to drop that area of sales...Business decisions like that intrigue me...but the bottom line is that there is a void to be filled...nature abhors a vacuum guys...I might just jump on this opportunity myself...

WileECoyote

...Or the market is so damn saturated with cups that look like a unicorn threw up on it, and every guy with a warm tote and some aerosol activator can get professional looking dips at home (thanks to fine forums like this) that the little guy even worked Walmart out of the game?

K2Concepts

Oh I don't think it will ever get to be a major part of anyone's income projections...BUT some trickle-down income is still a possibility I think...

NotSoFast

MidOhioHydrographics said:

NotSoFast said:

The price of the cups doesn't effect us at all. We are in the dipping business, not the retail business.

Very good point....

Many people do buy bulk tumblers and then dip for customers. I may just direct everyone to buy their own from now on, and bring them to me for dipping. Not a bad plan. Then they can spend as much or as little as they want on whichever brand they choose. I'll give them some ideas, and let them take it from there.

It's not like they are hard to find. Even in our very small town, they are at Walmart, Target, Academy, plus every atv/motorcycle dealership. Hell, even the Kenworth dealership a quarter mile from our shop is a retailer for Yeti stuff. It's not an inconvenience for anyone to grab them on their own.

DeviousDips

I personally think what keeps them around is the customization of them. Yeah anyone can pick up a cup or a dipped cup but all the ones I do have their name or their logo. Something that says its a one of a kind even if it's not. 

smedlin

DeviousDips said:

I personally think what keeps them around is the customization of them. Yeah anyone can pick up a cup or a dipped cup but all the ones I do have their name or their logo. Something that says its a one of a kind even if it's not. 

This.

I hardly ever simply "dip" a tumbler. Why would I? If you just want a camo cup, go get one from wall-mart.

I actually do a lot of tumblers. And like @DeviousDips said, the vast majority of them are all 1-offs. They have names, logo's, images, etc on them.

Saguaro

The personalization is what drives my sales of tumblers. I ran a deal for my kids just before Christmas on etched beer mugs that I picked up at the dollar store. My Kids sold them for $15 and had $1.75 into each unit. They did the labor, I just ran a ad online for them. They sold about 15 a day. Not a bad gig for a 13 and 16 year old. Bonus they learned how inventory costs money rather than just grabbing dads things.

K2Concepts

Saguaro said:

Bonus they learned how inventory costs money rather than just grabbing dads things.

They will never finish THAT lesson...but a noble effort indeed...

MidOhioHydrographics

K2Concepts said:

Oh I don't think it will ever get to be a major part of anyone's income projections...BUT some trickle-down income is still a possibility I think...

Talk to Chris Bratton! Dude just showed he is grossing over $400k/month doing powder and laser engraving on cups. But... I'd bet at that volume he's one of the top in the country.

K2Concepts

And there ya go...

dipdemon

I have to remember I am dealing with Pro's on this Forum
I have so many customers who buy from me that if they can make $100 bucks it a really big deal to them and most don't have a lot of money to invest.
They are really passionate about hydro dipping and constantly asking for ideas on how to get work , this discussion is would be more geared to guys like that.