What is a Setup Charge?

We work with vendors around the country who work hard and use all kinds of ink, machines, and resources to customize your items. The setup charge helps them keep everything running smoothly. The setup fee for engraving may be higher than other printing methods due to the technology and process required to transfer your design to the laser machine. You most often see embossing, debossing and foil stamping on paper goods like notebooks, as well as leather and leather-look products like padfolios. These three imprinting techniques use a custom metal die to stamp your design onto your chosen products.

Embossing stamps a 3-D raised design onto the products while debossing creates an indented design. With foil stamping, your design is stamped onto your items with metallic foil to create a shiny effect. That’s a fancy way of saying it’s the cost of running the machines and customizing your products. It takes ink and high-tech devices to get your design printed. For example, if you are printing a t-shirt with a four color imprint on the front and a 2 color imprint on the back, you would have a total of 6 setup fees. Laser engraved logos can be spotted on pens, metal items like stainless steel tumblers, wood items, and ceramic products.

Where Do I Find the Setup Fee?

This generally applies to those of you ordering screen printed items that either have multiple colors or multiple locations. Because of the process used in screen printing, a screen must be created for each part of your imprint that’s a different color or location. Embroidery is used with apparel and other items made of canvas or cloth. The first step is to create a digital version of your artwork that an embroidery machine can read. The digitizing fee for this process is also called a tape charge. There may be an additional charge if the stitch count is greater than what is included in the item price.

Each product will have the setup fee listed when you view it on the website, so be sure to do your homework and find something that works best for you. Your design is printed on more than one location on the item. You order a bunch of different products at one time.

Set-Up Fee definition

The screen-printing method is most commonly used on fabrics, pens, and drinkware. A screen-printed logo is created by putting your artwork directly onto the surface of an item with a stencil or silkscreen. Setup charges for screen-printing include the cost to make the stencil or silkscreen as well as the cost of standard inks included in the item price. You’re being charged this fee because it costs money to print your design onto an item.

It is a lot like using a hot iron to apply an iron-on decal. The setup fee for heat transfer includes the cost of printing your design onto the paper or sheet. Unless a product’s description indicates that multiple customization locations are included in the setup fee, you can expect to pay an extra fee for an additional imprint location. That is because of the different sizes and shapes of imprint areas (the actual space on an item’s surface that can be printed on) available on products. For many items, a one color, one location print is included with your order. You might pay additional setup charges if you want more than one color in your design, or if you’re printing on multiple locations on the item.

“I”mpressive Promotional Products, by George!

Promotional products are products that are customizable, meaning that your artwork- logo, design, or tagline- can be added to, or imprinted on, each of your selected items. In the world of promotional products, a setup charge is the cost of preparing the equipment needed to put your artwork on a product. It also includes the cost of labor needed to get your logo to look just right.

The setup fee does not go toward art and graphics services like creating the perfect proof, because at Crestline, those services are provided for free. Even if your logo is already in our files, you will usually be charged a setup fee with each item purchased. That’s because all our customizable products require different setup processes due to varying imprinting methods, product sizes, and production factories. Instead of a one-time setup process, new equipment such as screens, pads, or stencils must be made to imprint each separate order with your logo. For example, you need different materials to engrave your logo into a small branded pen than to print it on a large t-shirt. You will find the heat transfer method being used on products with a full color printing option such as table covers, bags, and t-shirts.

Examples of Set-Up Fee in a sentence

A laser engraved logo is created with a laser beam that cuts a precision design into an item’s surface. Your design is screen printed or pad printed on an item using more than one color. The good news is you’re always going to know how much you’re paying! If there is a setup charge, you’ll clearly see it listed. Remember – our customer service team is always one call or email away. They know all about setup fees and will be able to help you find something that works for your budget.

• The digitizing fee for this process is also called a tape charge.
• Unless a product’s description indicates that multiple customization locations are included in the setup fee, you can expect to pay an extra fee for an additional imprint location.
• Promotional products are products that are customizable, meaning that your artwork- logo, design, or tagline- can be added to, or imprinted on, each of your selected items.
• That’s because all our customizable products require different setup processes due to varying imprinting methods, product sizes, and production factories.