# how to deal with small reorders



## tonkatruck (Apr 10, 2011)

How do you all deal with small reorders? For example you price a 250 piece order 2 color front and 2 color back. You print the order and deliver and it was a profitable order. A week later they need 10 more pieces. You know this is good customer that you can get this 250 piece order 2 or 3 times per year. We have been reprinting the 10 for the same price as the original order to keep our customer happy. This seems to happen a lot though with many good customers. I know we spent 2 days printing these small reorders for several customers and probably made no money for those 2 days when you figure in all your costs. How do you handle this? Is this a necessary evil to keep the original large order or is there a way to keep the customer and charge for the time for the reprints?


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## micleross (Mar 25, 2014)

*Sometimes yes.... if you wanna keep them happy you have to accommodate their needs. I always keep the screens for at least 6-8 months just for this reason. That way I just pop the screen back on press. 

Other way to do it is tell them..... "Ok, I will do it this time for you but normally".... use that kind of as a warning. It's a very thin line..... do I try and get a better price.... or will they get mad and look elsewhere?????? *


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## DonR (May 6, 2011)

Tell them upfront prior to the first run that prices are based on quantity printed. If they come back for more, the price will be higher due to the additional setup. 99.5 percent of the time, customers will understand. If you don't tell them upfront, you will find yourself in this position a lot.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

So first of all if you are not making money with it then don't do it unless you want to amortize that cost into the first job. 

Second of all, you need a price list based on QTY that your customer gets when you do their job that shows the price at specific reorder levels.


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## chuckh (Mar 22, 2008)

Customer has a family re-union or a benefit and asks if we'll save the screens. We will hold screens for no longer than a week and tell them so.

Customer comes in after we've printed, without notice, and asks to print a small re-order. We tell him that we've reclaimed the screens and if he pays the screen charges, we'll do a reprint for him at the same price. More often than not, they will say they understand and tell us they'll just order more shirts next time around.


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## MarStephenson761 (Sep 19, 2011)

tonkatruck said:


> How do you all deal with small reorders? For example you price a 250 piece order 2 color front and 2 color back. You print the order and deliver and it was a profitable order. A week later they need 10 more pieces. You know this is good customer that you can get this 250 piece order 2 or 3 times per year. We have been reprinting the 10 for the same price as the original order to keep our customer happy. This seems to happen a lot though with many good customers. I know we spent 2 days printing these small reorders for several customers and probably made no money for those 2 days when you figure in all your costs. How do you handle this? Is this a necessary evil to keep the original large order or is there a way to keep the customer and charge for the time for the reprints?


This is the perfect, classic situation that having a DTG printer would be a big win - then you would just print a few more  . Barring that, as long as you have the artwork it would probably be cheaper to sub that out to a local DTG shop.


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## killroy (Feb 16, 2014)

I would also agree, DTG makes this scenario a breeze. We had 2 different reorders today that were screenprinted on higher quantities and both wanted less than 5 shirts. Sometimes we make a little money, but happy if we can just break even on these. Keeps "No" out of the conversation.


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## tonkatruck (Apr 10, 2011)

We have a DTG and on some orders it is helpful. However, getting the colors to match from the screen printed version to the DTG version can be challenging. It also invariably the several color front and several color back that now the customer needs 10 more off was on a dri-fit type shirt.


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## Printor (Apr 16, 2015)

Just do your best to train your regular customers on why there are discounts with volume, Keep every one happy and maybe that will raise the extra $20,000 needed for a decent DTG. That's my big plan anyway. LOL


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## DigitalInkArts (Jul 20, 2011)

I always have the customer purchase screens when they order often. They appreciate it and understand. Then I never charge them a set up fee.

I do however have a minimum of 12. I would do ten though for a good customer. It's no biggie. Sometimes you gotta suck it up. Your nerves will thank you for it!

Sent from my D6708 using T-Shirt Forums


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## ShirlandDesign (Nov 29, 2009)

We have a reoccurring order that runs from 150 pieces to 25 pieces, same price. We keep screens for most orders 2 or 3 weeks and the little add on's are the same price. 

We have customers that do small runs 7 times a year, we print transfers and press as needed.

The user takers are pretty rare and easy to spot, they get rules they have to follow, everyone else we bend over backwards to service.

As a sales manager of mine once said "we'll bend over backwards for a client, but we won't bend over forward".


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## artlife (Jan 15, 2010)

If you properly priced the first job to include screens etc, then a small reorder should not be a major issue and not a money loser. Sometimes a customer does not anticipate the stragglers. You can give the same price and add a setup fee but be sure a customer knows and understands your terms when they place the first order.


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