Where your quantity sits against the 1/10/25/50/100/200/250/500/1000 break points (just under a break is the expensive place to be)
Substrate (paper vs foam board vs PVC vs aluminum)
Size and whether it fits a standard sheet (off-sizes waste material)
Quantity and where the run falls against the printer's break points
Check before signing
Setup or plate fees charged per unit or per reorder instead of once per design
A substrate quietly downgraded from the spec you asked for
Rush surcharges applied to a standard timeline
A quantity priced just below a natural break point you could cross cheaply
Negotiation levers
Consolidate to standard sheet sizes
Combine multiple designs into one run to share setup
Give the printer a flexible ship date
About gloss poster, 12×18 pricing
Priced per unit with quantity breaks. Vendors quote steps at 1 / 10 / 25 / 50 / 100 / 200 / 250 / 500 / 1000 units, and the per-unit rate drops at each break.
Why do two quotes for the same poster differ so much?
Usually substrate or finishing, not the printing itself. Ask both vendors to quote the identical substrate and finish and the gap normally closes.
Is a setup fee normal?
Yes for short runs, but it should be charged once per design, not per unit and not again on a reorder of the same file.