[RetailEdge Moderator]

RetailEdge Point of Sale Software is running in a number of plant nurseries and outdoor garden centers. We also now have a batch billing tool to help those types of businesses that are seasonal do some of the other types of operations they do for batch billing (http://www.retailedge.com/phpBB/viewtop ... 622&p=1957).

Many of these businesses have asked to print labels on a variety of different media that is a little different that what is used in a traditional retail environment (Pot Stakes, Tree Strip Tags, etc.). RetailEdge currently can print these vinyl tree strip tags (5 Up - 1" x 10") to a TEC B-572 printer. Zebra also makes a Z4M printer that we can print these types of labels to as well. Zebra makes a 8000T vinyl label that is 4 Up - 1" x 10" 7.2 mil) label that will print on this printer (Part Number 69531).

These printers are in the $1200 price range and are out of the price range of most smaller businesses. The problem is that the label stock (thick plastic). Zebra does make a smaller desktop printer (TLP2844) that can print the Vinyl tree wrap tags, but the stock needs to be thinner (4.0 Mil) and so you would have to order Part Number 69531 as a custom label. To make ordering custom labels affordable, you need to order about 3 - 4 cases. The cost of the labels is about $200/case and the printer is about $400-$500. So we are back to a fairly expensive solution without the flexibility to print some of the other label stocks like the pot stakes.

There are some manufacturers that will print the tree tags on a laser printer sheet. We are currently investigating this alternative for some of our customers

A couple of resources for this type of printing solution can be found at

http://www.horticulturalprinters.com/

http://www.satolabeling.com/cms/Horticulture/50.html