Pricing guns are a cost effective way to label the prices on merchandise in your business. The labels on these guns can also include a variety of other information, such as your business name or a date. The price you pay for your pricing gun depends on the type of labels you need. Generally, one line pricing guns are less expensive than multiple line pricing guns.

Consider the following points when you are preparing your budget to absorb the initial and recurring price gun pricing and costs:

1. Consider the cost of purchasing the price gun for your business.

2. Opt to purchase a price gun starter kit to save money on a price gun, labels and supplies.

3. Remember to include the recurring expenses of labels and replacement parts.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Factor in the cost of the pricing gun

Pricing guns are available in numerous styles and with various features, all of which will affect the price you pay for the gun. A basic gun without any special features is less expensive than a gun that can print barcode labels. A price gun that prints in multiple colors will be more expensive than one that prints in a single color, such as black. However, some of these features can save your company money by helping to prevent customers from switching labels on merchandise.

I recommend: StoreSupplies is a price gun provider that sells price label guns from numerous manufacturers. Prices start at around $60 per gun with shipping included in the price. RACO Industries sells price guns, including barcode printing price guns. You can expect to pay at least $70 for a standard price gun or at least $100 for a barcode printing price gun.

Consider purchasing a pricing gun starter kit

A pricing gun starter kit is a good option for a business that is ordering a new style or type of pricing gun. Generally, starter kits include one price gun, pricing gun label rolls or sleeves and ink rollers.

I recommend: Interstate Label sells starter kits for most of the models on its price guns list. Prices start at around $115 per kit, which includes the gun, 24 rolls of labels and up to 4 replacement ink rollers. Fetpack sells an economy pricing gun kit for around $30. This kit includes the pricing gun, four rolls of labels and one ink roller. Free shipping is included.

Add in the cost of pricing gun parts and supplies

Using your price gun regularly means that you will have to purchase pricing gun labels, ink rollers and, in some cases, message slugs or cleaning kits. While message slugs are reusable, ink rollers, labels and cleaning kits have limited usage. Including funds in your monthly budget to replenish these items is necessary if you use your pricing gun frequently.

I recommend: PriceMarking.com sells ink rollers and labels for pricing guns. Ink rollers start at under $5, while most labels start at $30 per package. You can find price guns supplies at Garvey Products. Cleaner kits, ink rollers and label peelers are priced around $10, while message slugs are slightly more expensive.

For many different industries, price guns are a way to keep merchandise inventoried and to present pricing to the public. Pricing gun label systems help organize items and show how much a retailer is asking for them. This is useful in a small specialty shop or in a large commercial space, whether to advertise prices or to get dormant merchandise out the door.

You can find price guns and price label packages to get stickers onto your goods from online sellers who know what it takes to stay in business. Business managers look for price gun buys for situations like these:

1. For a supermarket or grocery, where price guns and pricing gun setups are part of the landscape.

2. For a specialized product store front, where all items need pricing labels so shoppers know what they're going to pay at the cashier's station.

3. For a large warehouse where inventory needs to be labeled to keep it accurately organized.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get traditional price guns for tagging merchandise

If you're doing the basic grocery storefront purchase, a standard price gun may be enough to meet your needs. Simply choose from leading price gun makers and models that fit your business, and turn your stockers loose on new or overlooked inventory.

I recommend: Get Monarch, Cosco and other models at Nextag. You can find more standard pricing guns and labelers at Garvey, a business item supplier online.

Look for multi-line pricing gun models

For lots of pricing projects, you may want more than one line on a label. For instance, an ID number combined with a dollars-and-cents marking might be confusing without some effective ordering on the label. For these kinds of issues, you can get neat multi-line guns so that customers can make sense of the markings you put on merchandise.

I recommend: Get multi-line Monarch models for displaying more than one numeric value at Store Supplies.com. You can find more two-line price gun models along with great customer service at business supplier ULine.

Buy price marking kits from business suppliers

Some online sites offer a range of items for price marking, and sometimes combine them into kits for efficient buys. Get guns with labels and more by browsing the offers on these comprehensive supply pages.

I recommend: Get price labels in kits at Store Fixtures, where you can also find a lot of the hardware for storing merchandise on shelves. Find more starter kits at KencoStore.com, where sellers have over 25 years providing managers with the tools they need to make business run smoothly and keep merchandise organized.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Think long-term when buying price guns. Anticipate additional staffing, expansion and product labeling needs for when you have outgrown your original system.