# Need help making this right



## Thischick78 (Apr 11, 2021)

ve had my small business for 4 years now. I work with htv and transfers for bigger jobs. I’ve never had an issue with cracking or peeling. I just finished a big job for a local company and after one wash he said his design cracked. This particular transfer came from F&M expressions. Single color athletic formula on a Next Level 6010 shirt. The customer wears his shirts very fitted. The shirt does have some stretch to it. More so than the Anvil and Bella Canvas I normally use. I think next time I will go with the performance formula that has more elasticity. My question is how do I make this right with the customer? So far only HIS shirt cracked. I did a wash test here (washed and dried 5 times) no issues. When I physically stretched the shirt I did notice small cracks in the design. He is reselling these shirts for his business and is worried. Do I replace just his shirt and tell him I will do the same for any other customers that have the same issue? This is a big order and I am a small business. Refunding all of the money will hurt me. But I also want to stand by my work and not lose this customer. I guess I’m lucky I haven’t had this issue until now. I’m just at a loss of what to do and need some guidance.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

How many shirts? If you reprinted all of them would your profit go below 0?


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## Thischick78 (Apr 11, 2021)

I made 100. Right now it’s only his shirt that he kept that cracked. If I made all of the shirts over again I would be in the negative. My dilemma is if I make him a new shirt I’m pretty sure he will have the same issue. He wears his shirts super tight and they are stretched to the limit. I did a wash test (right now up to 10 washes) and no cracking. When I pulled the shirt to the limit, the design cracked. The buyer will not be using this design again. So If I order new transfers with the performance formula and just make him a few shirts, I will be spending money for set up costs and shipping and just a few transfers. I can’t cut the design with HTV. It’s too detailed.


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

replace the one and ask him how he washed/dried and to send you a pic with the t-shirt on a table (i.e. not on a person)
tell him your in-house testing has been very good with this particular product and you cannot replicate his fault, but you are willing to send him one more

i hope you are including hang tags with wash/dry instructions with each tee

if replacing the entire order would put you in the negative you are severely undercharging for this job anyways imho


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## Thischick78 (Apr 11, 2021)

Do you mind me asking how you would price this job? Client insisted on the Next Level 6010 shirts $7 each on Jiffy Shirts. Transfers worked out to be .48 cents per shirt.


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

even if you could cut and weed this design, it would be hard to get htv to adhere properly to 25%rayon
you'd definitely need a rayon specific htv and test, test, test

did you confirm with f&m this athletic transfer would work on a triblend with 25% rayon?

did you tell the customer it would be an extra $400 or more for the upgraded tee's they wanted?

you have your normal tee's, simply add the extra cost for the next level 6010's
make sure to tell the customer you are not making a dime on the more expensive t-shirts, you are only charging your cost

so say your normal tee's are $2.75, you charge an extra $4.25 for each 6010
your normal price for this type of order is $xxx.xx + $425 for the t-shirt upgrade

don't ever get into the details of the numbers with customers and how much you pay for your items (including consumables/transfers/etc)

just give them a final price, and the receipt simply has a single explanation/cost line of 100 t-shirts with multi-color full chest design + upgraded tee's to next level 6010


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

into the T said:


> did you tell the customer it would be an extra $400 or more for the upgraded tee's they wanted?
> 
> you have your normal tee's, simply add the extra cost for the next level 6010's
> make sure to tell the customer you are not making a dime on the more expensive t-shirts, you are only charging your cost
> ...


He is asking you, knowing the shirt was $7 and the print was 48 cents, what would your per cost have been for the job? I wanna know myself how replacing all shirts would leave him negative means he was "severely undercharging" for this obviously 1 color-1 sided job.


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

my price per tee would have been my normal charge + the extra $425 for the upgraded tee's

when i sell to stores i charge $14/tee for adult up to 2xl, so the new price would be $18.25 with the upgraded tee


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## Thischick78 (Apr 11, 2021)

I did charge more than I normally would but obviously not enough. I price my jobs by profit per shirt, estimate how long it will take to complete the job and then figure out what my hourly rate would be. It has worked out for me so far until now. I guess I need to rethink this method of pricing out jobs bc if I replaced this entire order I would be in the red. The customer wants to continue using these shirts for future orders. Now I’m nervous bc I’ve never had this issue with Anvil or Bella Canvas. They are my normal go to soft shirts for clients that want a premium shirt.


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## Thischick78 (Apr 11, 2021)

Thank you for your advice. I really appreciate it.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Thischick78 said:


> I did charge more than I normally would but obviously not enough. I price my jobs by profit per shirt, estimate how long it will take to complete the job and then figure out what my hourly rate would be. It has worked out for me so far until now. I guess I need to rethink this method of pricing out jobs bc if I replaced this entire order I would be in the red. The customer wants to continue using these shirts for future orders. Now I’m nervous bc I’ve never had this issue with Anvil or Bella Canvas. They are my normal go to soft shirts for clients that want a premium shirt.


This is the correct way to price jobs. Having to replace an entire job is a once in a career happening, if that.

And I see no reason why you have to replace this one. Show your customer your wash results. Be honest with him and let him know he is wearing his shirts too tight for screenprinting to last. And, offer to replace every shirt that his customers return within a specified time after purchase. 

If he wants a design that will not crack, he needs to forget screen printing and go for dye sublimitation. Stretched far enough all plastisol ink will crack, especially white.


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## Thischick78 (Apr 11, 2021)

Joe, thank you. What you said was very helpful and it helped calm my anxiety in dealing with this customer.


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## jayedwin98020 (Sep 2, 2009)

Hi 'Thickchick78',

I was going to make the same recommendation as Joe, with www.splathead.com

In the future, go with '*sublimation*' transfers, if at all possible. 
There are some shirt '*limitations*' as to color and type of shirts 
you can use, but you could virtually eliminate any of your '*image cracking*' problems that you're currently experiencing with this customer.


Good Luck,

*Jim
Spectrum Graphics*
_(Seattle metro)_


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## orangebox (Mar 15, 2010)

Thischick78 said:


> ve had my small business for 4 years now. I work with htv and transfers for bigger jobs. I’ve never had an issue with cracking or peeling. I just finished a big job for a local company and after one wash he said his design cracked. This particular transfer came from F&M expressions. Single color athletic formula on a Next Level 6010 shirt. The customer wears his shirts very fitted. The shirt does have some stretch to it. More so than the Anvil and Bella Canvas I normally use. I think next time I will go with the performance formula that has more elasticity. My question is how do I make this right with the customer? So far only HIS shirt cracked. I did a wash test here (washed and dried 5 times) no issues. When I physically stretched the shirt I did notice small cracks in the design. He is reselling these shirts for his business and is worried. Do I replace just his shirt and tell him I will do the same for any other customers that have the same issue? This is a big order and I am a small business. Refunding all of the money will hurt me. But I also want to stand by my work and not lose this customer. I guess I’m lucky I haven’t had this issue until now. I’m just at a loss of what to do and need some guidance.


Did you ask him how he washes his clothes? 
Did you throw into a wash machine or dryer?
Did he try to turn the print inside out or put it in a washing bag to protect the print ?

You can even suggest him to handwash so that the print last longer. 

Before go into refunding him in full , I will print a few pieces to replace those pieces that crack. Use your best transfer paper that guarantee don’t crack to gain back his confidence.

Just my two cents. 
Hope it helps.

Cheer!
Kenneth 
OrangeBoxasia.com


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## Thischick78 (Apr 11, 2021)

This is still on going. I offered to replace the 2 shirts of his that cracked. I offered a refund for those two shirts. The customer just keeps saying “all I want is the shirt not to crack”. I had my son wear the test shirt I made twice to work (he works construction). I’ve washed it 20+ times without taking care to be gentle with it. I washed it right side out and put it through the dryer each time I do a load. It’s fine. It only cracked where I physically pulled the shirt to its limits. The customer is also saying the design is “too hard and thick”. It feels nice and soft to me.
Someone mentioned sublimation transfers. Where do you order from?


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## into the T (Aug 22, 2015)

sublimation will work well on 100% polyester white tee's

let this guy go and refund his two tee's

or try htv (you can cut some very intricate/detailed designs, see below image) with something like thermoflex xtra
as soon as you open the press and before peeling the carrier sheet, rub the design in with a chalkboard eraser for 5 seconds


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