# Embroidery fees



## abstractline2003 (Sep 22, 2007)

Hello guys, I am new to this embroidery thing. I just need to know what the normal embroidery fees consist of.

I am getting embroidery on hats, I choose basic fonts from their embroidery list provided. I am working on a collection. Is it normal to pay a set up fee every time i go back and get this same font on the hats?

thanks


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

I only charge a digitizing fee for a design.I never charge a set up fee for standard fonts or stock designs. I charge a flat fee per 1000 stitches. If I hoop a item their is a minimum fee, no matter the amount of stitches. I think chargeing a set up fee is just a way of chargeing more money. I hope this helps. ....... JB


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## kustomkaps (Apr 10, 2008)

JB, In my 20+ years as an embroiderer, I never charged a fee to set up with a font that I had. If they're charging you for the set up; they should NOT recharge you each time you use it.. I would also ask them "who owns the set up?" My feelings have always been, if you pay me for a set up, YOU own it. If I'm giving you a free set up, it's mine.
Mel


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## deChez (Nov 10, 2007)

Same here...I never charge a set-up fee for stock designs or text. 

I charge for digitizing a customers logo or design, but of course this is a one time charge.

I do have a minimum per piece price of $14 for customer supplied goods. But even then, I don't charge a hooping or set up charge.


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## abstractline2003 (Sep 22, 2007)

Thanks for the help. I thought it didnt sound right, but I wasn't 100% sure. She is using a standard font that she already has, its very basic. I did pay for the work and also the set up fee, but then she told me that every time I get this design there would be the same set up fee she charged me from day 1. 

Thanks for the ifo, now i have to find another embroider. Please if you know of any in atlanta let me know.

thanks


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## TSW2005 (Jul 28, 2006)

Unfortunately in business people feel their time is worth something, and different people charge different things. Like I have always said, if your happy with the service and quality, then pay for it and go back. If your not, go elsewhere and make sure you let that company know WHY your going elsewhere.
I personally never charge a "set-up". We do charge a digitizing fee, but it clearly states on our wall in print,
All tapes and screens belong to "US"(our store name). All charges for these items are for our services and time.

Keep in mind that if a company designs a logo, for someone, (unless its written beforehand) that artwork becomes property of the store, not the customer.

Fortunately, we have never had a customer ask us for a tape, or screen.
We try and keep everyone happy.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Our pricing is 'out the door pricing' so we never 'charge' for setup, digitizing, color changes, locations. The price quoted is the price quoted. Our customers like it better and it is easier on us. Those fees are built into our price.


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## TSW2005 (Jul 28, 2006)

So if someone came in with a custom logo that you had to digitize, on lets say 6 pieces, about 6000 stitches , what yould you charge per piece?


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

If it were 4" or less we would charge either $5 or $8 each depending on how complex it was.


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## selzler (Apr 4, 2007)

TSW2005 said:


> So if someone came in with a custom logo that you had to digitize, on lets say 6 pieces, about 6000 stitches , what yould you charge per piece?


I would charge $35 one time for setup and for 6,000 stitches would be $5 on my garments and if they bring in their garments hooping charge of $5 per garment.


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## TSW2005 (Jul 28, 2006)

But what about digitizing fees? are you guys basically doing this for free?


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

I will expand my answer. 

If I am selling the garments too at retail, I will charge $5 flat for the embroidery per piece. If they are bringing in the garments, I will charge $8. That is all. A 6K stitch logo can't be that complex. 

So yes, either 5 or 8 bux, period. The $35 pat is quoting probably is the digitizing fee.


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## TSW2005 (Jul 28, 2006)

Not trying to get heated. Just cant figure why someone wouldnt charge for service or time.
I have done some real detailed logos. If I have to digitize it, figure 1-2 hours. If I send it out, it will cost us. 
No way for us to get around that. Figured if someonelse had a better way ( and not doing it for free), then it might help us.

But obviously your not charging for your time. Just have no idea why? is this a hobby for you?


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## MotherTees (Mar 17, 2008)

abstractline2003 said:


> Thanks for the help. I thought it didnt sound right, but I wasn't 100% sure. She is using a standard font that she already has, its very basic. I did pay for the work and also the set up fee, but then she told me that every time I get this design there would be the same set up fee she charged me from day 1.
> 
> Thanks for the ifo, now i have to find another embroider. Please if you know of any in atlanta let me know.
> 
> thanks




Hi,

I am in Atlanta and I use a guy in Norcross. He charges me $25 one time set up 3.00 per pc over 12 . 5 inches or less. Send me a pm if you want his contact info.


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## OregonForester (Feb 2, 2008)

Although I am new here, and VERY new to embroidery, I'll add to this post. 
Someone once posted that they charge $1.25 per thousand stitches with a minumum of $8.00 for hooping.

I've seen this more than once, and it seems reasonable to me.

I've been using this schedule for a month now, and once in while someone whines, but surprisingly, many have commented "That's all?"

I ain't the best....yet....


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## FMSCREENPRINT (Apr 11, 2008)

Custom Embroidery Digitizing Price $3.8/1000 24 hr

These guys have been fantastic for me. I've used them for 2 years now and all I do is double the price they give me and have never ever had a complaint. Revisions have always been free! Check them out!


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## TSW2005 (Jul 28, 2006)

Thats my point exactly.
3.80 per 1,000.average LC design is 5-8000. 
so 3.80 x 8 is $30.40 . And someone pays it. This is why i cant understand why ANYONE who is in the business to make a living, doesnt charge a tape (or digitizing ) fee?
We do an average of about 8-10 new designs a month. Not alot but enough to keep us busy.
8 designs x $30 is $240 a month. x 12 months is $2880 a year our cost for digitizing. 
How can you not charge for that? Nobody has explained why (or how) they can afford not to pass this on the a customer.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Our prices are competitive and our customers like our single price per piece. We make full retail and sometimes more on our garments so it works for us.


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## deChez (Nov 10, 2007)

I do charge for digitizing the customers logo or design -- sometimes I outsource the digitizing, and I pass that cost along to the customer (no mark-up).

I don't break down the embroidery charges down for the customer to "$X per thousand stitches" because that really means nothing to them. 

Hooping, etc. is built into my quote. All of that is also built into my $14 minimum for customer supplied goods. For that, I'll go up to about 8K stitches, and up-charge beyond that.

To my way of thinking, hooping is part of doing business. It's not something the customer can choose to not "buy". That's why I feel that (for me, anyhow) it works better to just quote a price for this job, without breaking it down.


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## tfalk (Apr 3, 2008)

deChez said:


> To my way of thinking, hooping is part of doing business. It's not something the customer can choose to not "buy". That's why I feel that (for me, anyhow) it works better to just quote a price for this job, without breaking it down.


Especially if you use something like a Hoopmaster where it only takes you a minute or so to setup and hoop the shirt...

I try to build the cost of digitizing into the price I quote per shirt if I digitize it. If I have someone outside digitize it, I'm up front with them about the fixed cost and charge them a little less per shirt.

It all depends on the size of the order.


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## qcumber (Sep 11, 2006)

What quantities are you looking at to be charging these prices?

For 100 shirts, its less than USD0.15/per 1000 stitch! Digitizing fee about USD15 for like up to 5000 stitches. But then again, these are Asian prices.


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## deChez (Nov 10, 2007)

qcumber said:


> What quantities are you looking at to be charging these prices?
> 
> For 100 shirts, its less than USD0.15/per 1000 stitch! Digitizing fee about USD15 for like up to 5000 stitches. But then again, these are Asian prices.


Everything depends on the individual job. Basically, I make my profit off the merchandise I'm selling. That's why I charge the $14 per piece minimum on customer supplied goods, where as the same design might cost only $6 to stitch on something the customer buys from me.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

dechez, you pretty much hit it. we make a nice profit on everything we do. since we are not operating 24/7 the hourly rate is pretty meaningless until that happens. if the customer supplies garments, that is great, our margin is pretty high since the price of thread and backing is so low. if we are booked up that job goes to the back of the line. 

i will say though, that we did a job where the customer supplied the garments and as a direct result of our pricing they ordered jackets from us and we were able to charge full retail for those jackets with no questions asked. and even better, another person standing right there when we made the jacket deal ordered shirts for his business and we will get full retail on those as well. 

like i said before, our customers like our out-the-door pricing. also, once a customer, always a customer unless you really piss them off.


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## COEDS (Oct 4, 2006)

I agree with most of you. I charge for digitizing, per 100 stitches , retail on garments, and i up charge for customer garments ( I tell them if the machine etas it, Im not responsible). I tell them if you order 24 pieces from me and I supply the garments, You get 24. I ALWAYS WANT EVERYONE TO REMEMBER THAT PROFIT IS NOT A DIRTY WORD. good luck. ...... JB


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## deChez (Nov 10, 2007)

And speaking of customer supplied goods...I will sometimes turn down those orders for various reasons:

Sometimes the garment is just too expensive (and you just know that no matter how good it looks, the customer is going to find something wrong with it), or the weight or weave of a shirt just won't embroider well, or someone wants an inkjet transfer or vinyl on a pique polo or a shirt that has sizing on it. 

When a customer calls and asks about having their own item embroidered or imprinted, I give them an estimated price, but I always tell them that I have to see the item before I can commit to the job and price. 

Many times, they have not yet purchased their item, and that's my opportunity to give them a price on the garment and decoration...at that point, they usually realize that they're better off buying the merchandise from me. Because as pointed out, if someone orders 6 polos from me, they're going to get 6 polos...if they bring me 6 polos, I'm not responsible for that rare unfortunate accident.


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