Client wants artwork for reprint purposes

M

moonboots

New Member
I recently designed, and organised printing of, some leaflets for a client.
He is now asking that I send him the artwork on CD in case he wants to get further print run. He knows the printer I use, so probably knows I charge a commission on printing, which is standard 10%.

How do I tell him that I will retain the artwork and further print runs must go through me? This is what I always do and is, I believe, standard practice.

Does anyone have any tips for dealing with this?

thanks
 
I don't really think you can? You can't make all of this persons printing go through you, just because you did the original run.

At the end of the day, if all they've commissioned is the artwork, once you're done with it, it's there's to do whatever they want with. All you can really do is that he's going to get the best quality print if they go through you.

Otherwise I'd say, you kind of have to hand the files over. (Unless a contract says otherwise)?
 
For the sake of preventing a bitter relationship, I'd hand them over as a PDF (not the original working files). I'd be a bit pissed if I was in the clients shoes and you were forcing me to print through you (unless it was stated in the contract that I signed).
 
Paul Murray said:
For the sake of preventing a bitter relationship, I'd hand them over as a PDF (not the original working files). I'd be a bit pissed if I was in the clients shoes and you were forcing me to print through you (unless it was stated in the contract that I signed).
Click to expand...

^This; holding people to ransom when they want to reprint artwork they've already paid for is unlikely to bring in any repeat business. For my part, if people want me to organise print, I'll do it and charge for the time I spend liaising but taking a cut of the costs and then insisting on a slice of any future action comes across as a bit cheap.
 
We would never withold artwork (unless not paid for). Poor practice IMHO. As a print buyer (previously) I would have addressed this as part of the contract.

What are your (agreed) trading terms?
 
Sorry, going to have to agree with everyone here. Same with us and websites. If the customer has paid for the work we have done and they want to move away from our hosting after year one then we let them.
 
From the looks of the above and my gut instincts it does come down to the type of contract you had with them (or what you have in writing? Email confirmation of work etc) - I'd say standard practise is to send them an electronic version of the final file - the original workings are yours, but they have technically paid for the final version so I'd expect to get a copy of that if I was your client. Sorry :(
 
Yes, a PDF is classed as final artwork. They can get it printed, but if they want changes they can come back to you and you can give them an updated version.
Remember, if you were to give them all the bits and pieces, it would be their responsibility to purchase the fonts, so you couldn't send them.
 
Final artwork: Yes.

Source files: Nope (unless agreed to in contract (very rare)).

The above is 'standard practice'.

:)
 
Depends what your initial contract says but I know where I work my manager has it written into all agency contracts that all final artwork must be sent over on completion. Pretty standard practice so I hear. You can't be like that with a client and expect future business from them.
 
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