Printers' Studio Price Rises!

wooden-eye

Wow- well I am thoroughly peeved.
The Printers Studio price rises are utterly rediculous!
I have been saving to get 100 deck printed to take advantage of the bulk printing reduction, to make my deck affordable in Aus. Well blow me if they haven't put it up so much that I will now struggle to go ahead. To he honest the price they now want could be a tad strong for the quality of the product they provide.
I am not alone in this gripe and will now have to decide whether to vote with my feet and do all the hours and hours of extra work it will take to reformat and upload everything to another more economical option, or suck it up in the knowledge I will never use them again.
Postage is also up.
Does anyone have a good excuse for this sudden skyhigh price increase?
 

reall

yep! we had this topic on fb! I decided to move international/aka non US orders on MakePlayingCards?:) same company/interface/templates/ old prices?:)) but no make your shop option? imo maybe they did this price up to move people from PS to MPC?:))
wish they add UV n holo foil soon!^^ at least that would be ok with prices!XD lolz

and Gamecrafter s best for US orders!XD and they print n ship fast!:))
 

wooden-eye

Hi Reall,
Yep just spent the morning transferring all my files over to MPC. So much cheaper!
I even traded the 310gsm linen for 330gsm smooth as I wanted a
Thicker stock. Still a better price than PS.
Shame there is no shop front. The next stage is to work out the best place to send decks to US from as I will not be using TGC.
I am inclined to agree that the company is trying to shuffle us all the over to MPC. I am sure they have their reasons but would hate for anyone to get caught out and pay so much more. I was so freaked out I almost chucked in the towel.
Thanks again Reall!
:livelong:
 

reall

ha ha:)) np!^^ we are all here to help share info!^^:))
PS did email us about expected price up but that was my first reaction as well my hair goes up after seeing prices in my shop!XD facepalm
lucky someone mentioned MPC on fb!^^ so I transferred on time for my Peru order!^^
btw I think MPC have same flat shipping rate for US n Worldwide?:)) my only remarks is they take few days to print n ship!:)) and I get spoiled by Gamecrafter US service(when you opt for priority shipping they print n ship next day with tracking number!:)) and shipping cost is almost same as MPC?:)) and it arrive at destination in few days!:))
(I send all my parcels with tracking number to avoid trouble!:))) and I noticed some GC decks have even better prices than MPS?:) i.e bridge size was super affordable! plan to use that for mu next mini chibi tarot project?:)) +luv their custom design box option/even if it add to the price!:))
+they offer linen and UV coating!:)) so it's worth a shot for US orders!:)) my only remarks at GC is their black interface!x,x I hated that when I first logged as it's somehow hard to see and get used to it and it take me awhile to cool off n get how to upload things!x,x n set my shop!x,x even now can't manage to upload my pdf guidebook!x,x facepalm so if you need any help with anything feel free to ask!:))
and they are cheep with their gamecrafter points!XD lolz will post if I find some new POD!XD ;))

p.s I was just about to check on your wepage and it say website expired!x,x so you may check that out!^^^:))
 

wooden-eye

Gosh thanks for the tips Reall!
I took a look at TGC website and but would need make too many changes to my image files to use their interface and am currently without graphics software. Perhaps I will return to this later, for now I just want to get the oracle out and about as I am on to my new tarot and still rallying behind my first tarot. So at least I have a good number of oracles on their way to me!
Yes my website is down right now.( Another project to be sorted. Really need a new website as the old one is not fit to cover multiple projects at different stages.) Thanks for looking though Reall and for the offer of help and for existing as a generally wonderful gift to the online tarot community. Your contributions do not go unnoticed
😊😄
 

reall

ha ha! :) np!^^ I use to learn all* on my own DIY way!^^ so happy to share info & help what I can! :)
noticed GC use standard card templates! :)
and PS/MPC is just 3pxl short? x.x so from the start | used GC temp & Uploaded everywhere! :) it worked flawless! :) also it's easy to convert your img ie from poker to bridge & mini! :) you don't need much knowlage or pro softwer!:) I used Gimp 4!^^ but there is probably easy way to do it like formatfactory or something? so all you need is some quiet time & focus! lolz would like to help with that but don't want to mess your files! :)

and for web page be sure to check on google Webs! :) you can make free Web page & Google give it priority in search! XD

good luck & feel free to ask anything! XD :))
 

Freder

Even though MPC has an almost identical interface and web site, I am not convinced they are actually the same company. For one thing, they do not offer the same card stock options. I've back-tracked through various websites, and they seem to have a different parent company. My sense is that PS may be a competing business that deliberately copied MPC's site.

Also, MPC *just* does cards, while PS does many other things: the bags and journals that I sell, for instance. Prices on those have gone up a little, but not *nearly* as bad as the cards.

Most or my customers are enamored with the PS 310 linen stock, which although thinner than the 330 smooth offered by MPC is somehow, for some reason, stiffer and gives the *impression* of firmness that the 330 does not. I personally like the 330, but some of my customers don't.

I've been using both of them for different things. Like you, I was appalled by the price hike. In the end, because of the card stock options, I felt that I had to suck it up, stick with them and raise my prices accordingly. NOT SURE YET if that was the right decision... but I can always shift gears if I made the wrong choice.

My sense is that the price of that particular card stock must have really gone up. The fact that MPC doesn't use it has allowed them to keep their prices lower. I would love to switch to them, but I'm almost certain that people will squawk about the card stock. They love that 310 linen.

I like game crafter for some things and use them as well for my playroom oracles, but there are some decks that I will NOT let them have, because their colors are not 100 percent true. Everything has a slightly greenish tinge.
 

reall

@Freder Mpc have linen 310 for bridge Poker & mini | use, not sure for tarot?x.x
and I remember someone posted ps&mpc have same shipping addres?x.x so maybe they are just online companies that use same printer service?x.x :)
btw you are right, ps offer more products but Mpc have some options that ps lack? :)

and regarding GC wish someone posted compar Vid for GCVSps/mpc print! XD :))
 

Freder

In fact, MPC do not offer 310 linen as an option for tarot size cards.

But the price hike at PS for 310 linen has proven to be unsustainable. I raised my deck prices to compensate for the difference, and *poof* in the past month my sales have essentially evaporated into nothingness.

So today I began overhauling the catalog yet again, have now begun offering decks at a lower price based on the NOW less expensive (it used to be MORE expensive -- that's how dramatic the PS price hike was!) 330 smooth available from MPC, with 310 linen available as an add-on option. Hope to heck this works, because I seriously do not want to go back into Indentured Servitude. Please work, please work, please work!
 

wooden-eye

I feel your pain Freder and changing files over is not instant.
......Indentured servitude could be so easy. You just slip back in and it is like you were never away. The money goes into the bank and all you have to do is turn up- oh and raincheck that tarot nonsense. Can't think why you were so naive as to think there might be a different way😜
I slipped back for a year and a half. Needed to earn and contribute. It didn't work- still looking for balance, but still part-time indentured and full time hopeful.
Good luck with the changes my friend. Tarot has you firmly in its grasp so escape is rendered improbable and price hikes from darned PS just make it more difficult. I wander if they have any deck makers left.