Have you ever wondered why every week there's an ad in the paper, or in the mail, offering heavy discounts on custom framing at Michaels, Jo-Ann, or Aaron Brothers? Or you drive by your local framer and they have their *permanent* Sale sign posted out front?
I was reminded of both of these last week. As I drive to work I pass a local framer (real picture below) and there's the sign outside for a "Holiday Framing Sale". Holiday? In mid-August?
Then I went to the mailbox (real picture below) and there's the regular Michaels mailing with a coupon for 70% off custom framing. 70%!?!? S-E-V-E-N-T-Y P-E-R-C-E-N-T! How can that be?
With all of these permanent sales and discounts, you have to wonder just how much margin there is in framing? Even with the sale or coupons, a framed jersey is still likely to cost over $400, plus additional fees for items such as pictures, cards, logos, etc. included with the jersey.
How much does it cost to frame a jersey?
One of the most frequently asked questions we get is "how can your framing be so much less/what's the catch"?
Here's the reality - in order to be an "online-only" jersey framing company we must offer:
- An extremely competitive price
- Impeccable customer service
- The best quality framed jerseys
We're not naive - we understand the first consideration for any new customer to buy online is price.
If you're sitting in New Hampshire or Nebraska, and looking to have a jersey framed, your first impulse is to take the jersey to a local framer for a quote. After this price shock, you next drive to Michaels/Jo-Ann/Aaron Brothers for a second quote. Now you realize this project is going to be a lot more expensive than you initially thought, so you go online and search for "jersey framing".
You find SportsDisplays and see that their price is considerably lower AND they offer a high quality product! Still worried about trusting an online company you read the reviews on the website, you look at their Facebook page for feedback, search them on Twitter/Instagram and realize they have perfect reviews! At this point you feel comfortable shipping your most prized possession across the country and realize you just found the best jersey framing company that just so happens to also have the LOWEST price!
We are fairly new to custom framing (10+ years) and one of the biggest early surprises was the considerable margin built into custom framing. That's OK with us, as it allowed us to start, and rapidly grow, a successful business catered to a niche audience.