CHICAGO — Drycleaners in the Northeast charge as much as 25% more to process basic clothing separates such as sportscoats, dresses and sweaters, according to AmericanDrycleaner.com’s survey panel of industry operators.
Drycleaners in the Northeast charge an average of $7.87 to clean a sportscoat, while those in the West charge $6.40; Midwestern and Southern drycleaners say they charge less than the national average of $6.00, averaging $5.40 and $4.34, respectively.
To clean pants, Northeastern operators again lead the pack with an average price of $6.56. Operators in the Midwest charge $4.99, close to the national average of $4.90; in the West, pants average $4.31; and in the South, the price is $3.73.
For dresses and skirts, plants in the Northeast charge customers an average of $9.80, with the Midwest close behind at $9.63. Drycleaners in the South again charge the least with $6.35, and those in the West charge an average $7.61. The national average is $8.34. And finally, a sweater costs $7.00 in the Northeast, while the rest of the country charges less than the national average of $5.37.
If a customer dropped off an order containing one of each item surveyed for this and last month’s StatShots with no discounts or upcharges, drycleaners in the Northeast would charge $53.60 — 26.7% more than the national average ($42.31) — to process the order. Those in the South charge the least ($32.53), 23.1% less than the national average and 39.3% less than their neighbors to the north.
AmericanDrycleaner.com regularly posts information on sales, wages, costs and other financial data based on anonymous survey information provided by industry operators. If you would like to join the survey panel, e-mail [email protected].
Have a question or comment? E-mail our editor Dave Davis at [email protected].