Count the whole cycle, not the invoice
A typical outsourced file is quoted, sent, returned in 12 to 48 hours, reviewed, and often revised once. Two touchpoints of your time plus a day of calendar delay. On a 24-piece cap order that delay is frequently the difference between winning and losing the job.
- Direct cost: $10-$25 per logo, per revision in many cases.
- Hidden cost: 20-40 minutes of admin per file.
- Opportunity cost: sampling and same-day quotes you cannot offer.
What changes when digitizing is instant
You can send a stitch simulation with the quote. You can accept a rush order at 4pm. You can take on $60 jobs that were previously not worth the setup. And you can iterate on placement and size while the customer is still on the phone.
How to price it once it is in-house
Keep charging a setup fee — customers expect it and it protects you from endless revisions. The difference is that the fee now becomes margin rather than a pass-through, and you can waive it as a closing tool on larger orders.