The Advanced Letter pricing model is Sign Customiser's most sophisticated pricing system that calculates costs based on the actual material length required to cut your letter shapes. Unlike simple character counting or fixed pricing, this model precisely traces the outline of each letter to determine exactly how much material you'll need, giving you incredibly accurate pricing for your custom signs.
This pricing model is perfect when you want complete control over your pricing strategy and need to account for the real material costs of different fonts, text lengths, and letter styles. Whether you're working with flexible neon, cut acrylic letters, or metal signs, the Advanced Letter model ensures your customers pay a fair price based on the actual material usage.
The system automatically handles complex calculations using advanced font technology, manages different size tiers with custom pricing rules, and integrates seamlessly with shipping calculations to provide transparent, accurate quotes every time.
How to Access Advanced Letter Pricing
1. Choose Advanced Letter When Creating Your Customiser
When setting up a new sign customiser, you'll see three pricing model options. Select "Advanced Letter" for the most flexible and accurate pricing system.
Key benefits you'll see:
- "Best for Custom sizing and want greater control over pricing"
- "Accurate pricing and sizing, best experience for your customers when it comes to letter signs"
2. Set Up Your Letter Pricing Method
Once you've created a customiser with the Advanced Letter model selected, you'll need to configure how letter costs are calculated:
Navigate to the admin of Sign Customiser on your given platform
Click on the customiser you have just created or that has Advanced letter enabled.
Click on "Pricing" in the left-hand side navigation menu.
Click 'Create New Pricing' or select an existing pricing to edit.
Option A: Letter Material Cost (Recommended)
Select "Letter Material Cost"
This accurately traces each letter's outline to calculate material usage
Formula: Material Length × Material Price
Perfect for variable fonts and precise material costing
Option B: Fixed Cost Per Letter
Select "Fixed Cost Per Letter"
Charges the same amount for every letter
Example: $5 per letter
Good for simplified pricing where material variation doesn't matter
3. Configure Your Shipping Calculation Method
Choose how shipping costs are calculated based on your sign dimensions:
Flat Parcel (CM²) - Most Common
Best for signs shipped as flat packages
Formula: (Width × Height) × Unit Price
Simpler to configure and understand
Volumetric Parcel (CM³) - For 3D Signs
Best for signs with significant depth/thickness
Formula: ((Width × Height × Length) / Volume) × Unit Price
Includes packaging allowances for protective materials
Can automatically add weight to Shopify products for accurate shipping
4. Create Your Size Boundaries
Size boundaries determine which pricing applies to different sign dimensions:
Click "Add Size Boundary" to create your first pricing tier
Set your maximum dimensions for this tier:
- Maximum Width (e.g., 50cm)
- Maximum Height (e.g., 40cm)
- Maximum Length (for volumetric shipping)
Configure your pricing inputs:
- Letter Material Cost: Your cost per centimetre of material (e.g., $0.50/cm)
- Start Price: Optional base cost for setup/labour (e.g., $10)
- Shipping Unit Price: Cost per cm² or cm³ for shipping
Add additional size boundaries for larger signs with different pricing
The system automatically applies the correct tier based on customer's sign dimensions
5. Fine-Tune Your Configuration
Packaging Allowances (Volumetric Only)
- Add extra space for protective packaging
- Set width, height, and length allowances in centimetres
- Accounts for foam inserts, bubble wrap, or protective boxes
6. Test Your Pricing Setup
Use the Shipping Cost Calculator to test various sign dimensions
Preview how pricing changes across your size boundaries
Check that material costs align with your business model
Verify shipping calculations match your carrier rates
7. Monitor and Optimise Your Pricing
Regular Review Tasks:
- Check your material costs against actual supplier pricing
- Monitor customer feedback on pricing transparency
- Analyse order sizes to optimise your size boundaries
- Review shipping costs against actual carrier charges
Key Performance Indicators:
- Average order value across different size tiers
- Material cost accuracy vs actual usage
- Customer completion rates at different price points
- Shipping cost accuracy compared to actual charges
Optimisation Tips:
- Use higher material costs for smaller signs to account for setup time
- Offer bulk pricing through lower per-cm costs on larger size boundaries
- Regularly update shipping unit prices based on carrier rate changes
- Consider seasonal adjustments for material cost fluctuations
9. Customer Experience Benefits
When properly configured, the Advanced Letter model provides customers with:
Transparent Pricing: Customers see exactly what they're paying for - material usage, setup costs, and shipping
Fair Pricing: More complex fonts or longer text naturally cost more, while simple designs cost less
Accurate Quotes: No surprise costs or manual quote adjustments needed
Real-Time Updates: Pricing updates instantly as customers modify their design
10. Troubleshooting Common Issues
High Prices for Simple Text
- Check your material cost per cm isn't too high
- Ensure start price isn't excessive for small signs
- Verify font path calculations are working correctly
Pricing Inconsistencies Between Fonts
- Different fonts naturally have different material requirements
- Script fonts typically use more material than simple fonts
- Consider offering font-specific pricing guidance to customers
Shipping Costs Seem Wrong
- Verify your unit price calculations against actual carrier rates
- Check packaging allowances aren't adding excessive dimensions
- Test volumetric vs flat parcel calculations for your typical signs
Size Boundary Confusion
- Ensure size boundaries increase logically (small to large)
- Check that pricing makes sense across boundaries
- Test edge cases where signs exactly match boundary limits
The Advanced Letter pricing model gives you complete control over your sign pricing while providing customers with transparent, fair costs based on actual material usage. Take time to properly configure your settings, and you'll have a pricing system that scales with your business and keeps customers happy with accurate, professional quotes.