# Wow are we suppose to work for free?



## Reddawgs (Mar 26, 2008)

I just had a guy come into my shop about softball jerseys he wanted them screen printed on kelly green shirts with a gold outline and royal numbers logo would be the same so I am looking at a lot of screens and the jersey price of the shirts he wanted was almost $7.00 a piece for 15 jerseys I told him $19.00 a jersey with a $15.00 set-up fee for 3 screens he walks out. is that price to high? I think it is a little low myself.
thanks,
Greg


----------



## screamokickkid (Apr 15, 2008)

i think that price is very reasonable and i doubt he'll find it any better anywhere else. i'm sure he'll go somewhere else and either he'll end up paying an arm and a leg or he'll end up jerseyless, haha. 
it's a fair price when you calculate the process and preparation of screens and printing, supplies cost, and of course the labor you put in to it. so i'd say stick with that price (which could even be raised a little bit)


----------



## Matto (Sep 28, 2007)

I agree Your price is very reasonable. I have had customers tell me what they are willing to pay like it is going to make a difference. I have set rates and I stick to those rates steadfastly. I may print a couple shirts for some friends or family for below cost from time to time but to the general public never.


----------



## make_edit (Jan 25, 2008)

Seems like every customer wants a deal. That was way reasonable, no worries.


----------



## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

I have customers like that all of the time. Most are just fishing to try and get a steal. I had a customer approve an order at the price I gave, and then when I went to collect the 50% deposit, he said, "what discount will I get if I pay it all right now in cash?" I was so taken back that I took $20 off just so I could leave and figure out what had happened. That was when I had first started my business and felt like I should bend over backwards to make my customers happy. Now I wouldn't change my prices, but it's hard to stand your ground sometimes when you're starting out. Now if someone says well so and so will give them to me for $7, I say, I think that's a great price, you should use them, I can't go past the prices I've set.


----------



## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

I think that there are a lot of people that feel stereotypically that all businesses have plenty of money and don't think of us as "little guys" like them trying to make a living and pay our own bills.


----------



## perrolocodesigns (Oct 24, 2006)

It was in a different industry, but the same type customer.

I was managing a tire store and we often ran specials on oil changes. $9.95 for the oil, filter and labor. This guy comes in one day with his own oil and filter. He asks how much less it would be to get his oil changed. I told him that we threw in the oil and filter for free when we ran that special and that it would still be $9.95. He got really upset, like I was trying to screw him. He would not listen to the fact that we still had to pay the tech to do the work, pay to dispose of his old oil, pay for the electricity, pay for insurance, etc. etc.

Bottom line, the guy was out to get something for nothing. There are many of them out there simply because some businesses cave in and give them what they want. If that kind of behavior wasn't rewarded, they would stop trying. 

Regardless of what anyone says, the customer is *not* always right. Sometimes they are downright unreasonable.


----------



## xbrandon408x (Jan 24, 2008)

yea i know its insane im just starting and a lot of people are just trying to screw me over or something
like one comstomer i charged 400 for 75 shirts with 4 colors no set-up fee and he wanted lower so i went down to 350 cause i really needed money and i was getting started the funny thing is i gave him the shirts without full payment (bad idea) and he still owes me $65 3 weeks later. haha now i never stray from my prices i got tired of being pushed around


----------



## tman07 (Nov 14, 2007)

The quote was reasonable

Face it, shirts have gone up, ink has gone up, labor has gone up, etc etc etc

People better get used to the idea of paying more for printed shirts.
We are already working more and making less


----------



## xbrandon408x (Jan 24, 2008)

yea i know its crazy i guess you just have to be firm and know that you can't work for pennies cause you have to make money to


----------



## Catbox (Oct 3, 2007)

I can't afford to work for free... There is a small bit of give and take in any negotiation though... If they have been a long time customer or if it's a big job or for a charity...

but overall... you make quality products i presume... with good customer service... so you deserve to be compensated... 

next time someone asks for a deal... ask them what they do for a living and can they give you a deal...lol...


----------



## Reddawgs (Mar 26, 2008)

Catbox said:


> I can't afford to work for free... There is a small bit of give and take in any negotiation though... If they have been a long time customer or if it's a big job or for a charity...
> 
> but overall... you make quality products i presume... with good customer service... so you deserve to be compensated...
> 
> next time someone asks for a deal... ask them what they do for a living and can they give you a deal...lol...


The guy wanted 15 softball jerseys he said his usually screen printer backed up on orders and I told him we were a little behind too never seen the guy before he was not a past customer.

Greg


----------



## Darla (Mar 21, 2007)

ok well i have to chime in here only because this just happened today and i can't seem to shake it so here goes...customer does race shirts did the order last month for client bent over backwords for client was pleased with the order started out 450 shirts ended up 503 2 color front 1 color sponsor logos (23) on the back....this month another race for local town 466 shirts 3 color front my graphic artist designed and 1 color back 21 logos, but the logos keep changing with the client she approved the front design with the color, did up the quote now 466 kelly green shirts and i am suppling the shirts doing all the art for the logo's because she never get the finished art from previous screen printer, created a custom front logo which she approved and said they would be 6.50 a shirt she first said wow i can go to xyz and get them for 4 which i know from past experience with xyz that before the shirt cost the total was 4.71 just doing the printing so yeah right then today she says the previous printer who screwed her out of paid for shirts last year can do them for 3.50 a shirt OK OMG the client either wants a heck of a steal or something isn't right? can ANYBODY touch a 3 color front 1 color logo back on kelly shirts for 3.50 and make a profit? so now tonight i told her i can't do them for 3.50 a shirt no way and here is the kicker the order needs to be done by a week from saturday so starting with a screwy printer who has to do art work and create a new front logo in less than a week ummmmmmmm right now my business is out of my basement and i think that is part of it people do try and take advantage of it and i am looking into a store front...in 3 years this is the first time this has ever happened to me and i am debating what to do about charging for lost time....
sorry for so long but when people don't know what all is entailed with printing and ur pricing it is frustrating was i to high at 6.50 a shirt? that was giving me about $1.05 a shirt profit

thanks for reading this
darla


----------



## [email protected] (Mar 9, 2008)

I guess its everywhere! lol - I made up a price sheet and I stick to it no matter what! I had customers come and say well I can get them for $5.00 a shirt after I said $6.50. I stuck to my pricing and believe it or not they always come back and say oh that deal was for like 12 dozen shirts and I only need 4 dozen so I'm gonna give it to you - Some people do it just to get you to drop your price you have to watch. Just had to say that cause it drives me nuts TOO!


----------



## xbrandon408x (Jan 24, 2008)

wow thats insane haha its funny how people actually can come up and demand stuff like that even though your the one making their stuff. but how were you only getting 1.05 profit for 6.50 a shirt what kind of shirts were you using? but i think that was a really good deal thats about how my prices are to i don't know where she was getting those deals from


----------



## Darla (Mar 21, 2007)

i think she was trying to see if i would come down...this week will tell she didn't ask for the logo that i have or anything so we shall see what happens she didn't ask for the logos or anything and the one she told me to do them for 3.50 ripped her off last year on half the order she paid for never got and she said he was high priced so now all of a sudden 3.50 a shirt come on i am not stupid and the other printer couldn't deliver on time either now why i ask why would u go back to somebody who changes there business name about as often as u change ur underwear cause the printer pisses to many people off...oh and before she had given me the number and when i called it wasn't even that business i called information and that name isn't even listed with information so something isn't right....ugh just been a rotten day

darla


----------



## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

It doesnt' matter if you're in your basement or in a storefront. Those people will be whereever you go. They think everywhere should be a yardsale and everything should be sold for $0.50. I would rather have several quality cusotmers and just be paying my bills, than have a bunch of idiots that just want to haggle with me so that I could possibly make more money.


----------



## xbrandon408x (Jan 24, 2008)

amen to that haha its less stress for you and your not running yourself down trying to please every cheapscape that comes in


----------



## mystysue (Aug 27, 2006)

We Have a sign shop and have people like that all the time.. We won't let our customers or potental customers haggle with us. .. Our prices are our prices.. .. One of the funniest things was a customer asked one day.. when he was qouted 130.oo for a specific sign.. * Can't you give a better price?*.. B answered him.. Yeah.. 145.oo.. Guy saysss.. NOOO I mean better price.. B answered.. Well that IS better for Us.. .. I just about lost it and had to go to the back room..

We tell people up front that we may very well not be the cheapest.. but that they will have a quality product.. and They will have it ON TIME !

We hear all the time about how flakey the other sign makers are lol..


----------



## acanvas (Sep 27, 2007)

we just had a crazy client of ours ask for our schedule so that she can see where her order is and be assured we'll get her art done on time...mind you she worked with me for 2 freaking weeks to get a quote on what she wants. THEN says o.k. sounds good, oh by the way I need that image changed alot!!!!! Sorry chic, when you request art, that's the day your put on the list, first come first served and NO we do not email our clients our sched. Either believe what we say or get out!
We get the price challenge alot and stick to our guns. We consistanytly see our prices as average to below average. This fall we will be having a price increase by approx. 50% on both apparel and printing. We do great work, we need to start getting paid for it.


----------



## perrolocodesigns (Oct 24, 2006)

I don't know where your prices are now, but 50% is a pretty big jump. Don't get me wrong, I think you should be paid for what you are worth and I hope you get that increase. I just would be interested to hear how it goes for you.


----------



## Aces High (Jan 31, 2008)

on an order that size we'd charge $4.28 a shirt, and I am assuming they're white shirts, that would leave me with about $2.93 a shirt after I bought the shirts. $15 each for screens.


----------



## VectorKing (Mar 1, 2007)

Reddawgs said:


> I just had a guy come into my shop about softball jerseys he wanted them screen printed on kelly green shirts with a gold outline and royal numbers logo would be the same so I am looking at a lot of screens and the jersey price of the shirts he wanted was almost $7.00 a piece for 15 jerseys I told him $19.00 a jersey with a $15.00 set-up fee for 3 screens he walks out. is that price to high? I think it is a little low myself.
> thanks,
> Greg


I agree that price is too low! Let em walk. For that quantity of shirts we would be between at least $9-10 plus screens for 2 colors on 1 location and numbers. Your in business to make money and unfortunately alot of people want a handout. Don't take it personal.

Matt


----------



## Peace2TheRest (Feb 6, 2008)

I have been shopping around for a screenprinter for awhile now. Talked with a lot of people. 
What I have learned is that I will pay for honesty, integrity, on time work, and quality. 
Being up front is very nice to deal with also. 
Obviously these traits are not easy to find or I would have made a deal with someone already. 
Problem is, I am looking for someone that can do foil, discharge, the works basically. 

Best thing from a consumers standpoint, is to be honest, post your prices so I don;t feel like you are making them up as we go along cause you think I have money, or can tell I am desperate. Be partial!

I mean, as long as I can get my work done for a reasonable rate and it be quality work you will earn my business time and time again.


----------



## Deodand (Apr 4, 2008)

My company prices by quantity, that's the price, take it or leave it. Our salespeople are authorized to do deals with people who bring a lot of business, but the walk-in customers pay rack rate. You don't want the headache of dealing with someone who wants something for free.


----------



## Darla (Mar 21, 2007)

the shirts she wanted for mine were kelly green not white


----------



## JesusFreak (Jan 22, 2008)

My motto is I can do nothing and make no money instead of working my butt off to make nothing. I have too busy of a life to work for free. It sucks that there are some in my area that will charge such low prices. I don't know how they stay in business. In the mean time they are driving the industry into the ground. I have been a bricklayer the past 9 years. Its happening in the construction trades too. Some people will work for nothing just to get the job and soon everyone wants it for that price.


----------



## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

Darla said:


> then today she says the previous printer who screwed her out of paid for shirts last year can do them for 3.50 a shirt OK OMG the client either wants a heck of a steal or something isn't right? can ANYBODY touch a 3 color front 1 color logo back on kelly shirts for 3.50 and make a profit? so now tonight i told her i can't do them for 3.50 a shirt no way and here is the kicker the order needs to be done by a week from saturday so starting with a screwy printer who has to do art work and create a new front logo in less than a week
> darla


Tell her to go back to the printer who screwed her out of paid-for shirts the last time, and pay him the $3.50 each so he can screw her out of shirts THIS time.

This is incentive for you to drop your price? That woman must think you're nuts. When they pull that crap, ALWAYS tell them what a great deal that is and that they should hurry up and take advantage of it.

What I can't get is people will buy a blank shirt in Wal-Mart for $4.00, and scream rip-off if you charge them $4.50 for a shirt with a custom print on it.


----------



## acanvas (Sep 27, 2007)

perrolocodesigns said:


> I don't know where your prices are now, but 50% is a pretty big jump. Don't get me wrong, I think you should be paid for what you are worth and I hope you get that increase. I just would be interested to hear how it goes for you.


We thought our prices were preety decentforusandthem but recently we keep hearing...your so much more affordable and so much nicer to work with than other printers...charge what the market can bare....


----------



## JesusFreak (Jan 22, 2008)

On another thread that I have been reading "Need help on quote 4 color spot" , the guy who posted gave the customer a price of $.80 per print for 4 colors left chest image for 400 shirts. Am I the only one who thinks this is crazy? By the way I forgot to include, the customer is providing the shirts. If this is where this industry is heading, I'm about to bail.


----------



## Steelheader100 (Jan 18, 2007)

In cases like this We try and sell our strengths. Tell them you may not be the cheapest but the work will be done on time and done right. Show them samples of the quality of your work. We explain that our staff has been with us for many years, they are experienced, we pay a decent wage, health benefits, retirement, etc. If they don't want to pay for our services I recommend a few other printers. Often we get them as customers next time because their shirts looked like crap or they got them the day after the event. You would be suprised how much work we get because other shops have poor customer service, don't know what they are doing, or can't get a job done on time. All these shops that undercut everyone on price will eventually go out of business. That's the time to get bargains on used equipment.


----------



## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

JesusFreak said:


> On another thread that I have been reading "Need help on quote 4 color spot" , the guy who posted gave the customer a price of $.80 per print for 4 colors left chest image for 400 shirts. Am I the only one who thinks this is crazy? By the way I forgot to include, the customer is providing the shirts. If this is where this industry is heading, I'm about to bail.


I read that one, too. Claimed he could knock it out in an hour. His web site states that he has a 6-color press - didn't say if it was an auto or manual, and indicated that he was making between $200 - $300 for an hour's worth of work. To print that many shirts in one hour, he either has help and/or an auto, plus he still needs to factor in prepress and clean-up time. I think he's kidding himself.


----------



## rrc62 (Jun 2, 2007)

You can get screen printing done for almost nothing if you shop around. One of our sublimation customers said he was quoted $1 per color for quantities of 24 or more. He had a two color design and had them printed for $2 each including the shirt with no screen fees. He wasn't trying to beat me up on price. He knows that our blanks cost twice that. That's why I got rid of the screen printing equipment. I can pay street prices and have it done cheaper than I can do it myself.


----------



## perrolocodesigns (Oct 24, 2006)

> He had a two color design and had them printed for $2 each including the shirt with no screen fees


Sorry, not buying it. Maybe for just the printing. The sales quantities needed to be profitable at that price would preclude taking 24 shirt orders. BTW, would a 1 color print be $1.00 including the shirt?


----------



## Darla (Mar 21, 2007)

here is a kicker to it...the sponser 23 of them she has already told them they can either pay me or her i received to checks how are the sponsers going to be when they find out that she changed printers and the sponsers pay for quality she owes art fees i already spent 2.5 weeks working on all of this and for a custom front design so now what???????? the 2 sponsers that sent payment it is made out to me and i am not sure how many more sponsers will be doing that but there accounting will have to go and reissue a check and a lot of headache i am just at a loss right now.....
thanks for all the input
darla


----------



## BKSARTS2 (Apr 17, 2008)

Give him Vinly he he he I have cut out freekin vinly for years for jerseys and they do seem think that these days we offer fast food service and low prices.


----------



## tpitman (Jul 30, 2007)

Darla said:


> here is a kicker to it...the sponser 23 of them she has already told them they can either pay me or her i received to checks how are the sponsers going to be when they find out that she changed printers and the sponsers pay for quality she owes art fees i already spent 2.5 weeks working on all of this and for a custom front design so now what???????? the 2 sponsers that sent payment it is made out to me and i am not sure how many more sponsers will be doing that but there accounting will have to go and reissue a check and a lot of headache i am just at a loss right now.....
> thanks for all the input
> darla


I'd call the woman and ask her who is getting the print order. If it isn't you, and I wouldn't let her hem and haw about it, I'd tell her I've got two checks from sponsors and she can either come get them or you'll mail them back to the sponsor and explain to them that she decided to use another printer. And whatever you do, DON'T let her screw you out of the art you've done. Make sure she knows that if you're not printing the job, if she wants to use it, she'll have to pay you for it, up front, and make it worth your while. Make sure she understands that YOU own the design, and that she'll have to come up with something completely different if someone else prints the job and she doesn't pay you for use of the art.
DON'T LET THIS NUT JOB SCREW YOU! I'd rather throw a job in the trash (preferably in front of them) than to let them beat me up.


----------



## Darla (Mar 21, 2007)

thanks for the advice....we shall see how this afternoon goes....first time this has ever happened to me in 3 years


----------



## martinwoods (Jul 20, 2006)

tpitman said:


> I read that one, too. Claimed he could knock it out in an hour. His web site states that he has a 6-color press - didn't say if it was an auto or manual, and indicated that he was making between $200 - $300 for an hour's worth of work. To print that many shirts in one hour, he either has help and/or an auto, plus he still needs to factor in prepress and clean-up time. I think he's kidding himself.


 
I believe that is the guy on the screenprinters.net (on the t-jet site) there is a big write up about him and he has auto presses if it is the same guy. I know the name of the company is the same as his user name so I am guessing it is him.
Looks like he does good work.


----------



## quatto (Oct 9, 2007)

I am currently filling an order where I tried too hard to please a customer... They ordered a heather Gildan tee and I gave them a really good quote because this is the biggest job i've gotten so far, then they changed the color to charcoal, which wholesales at like double the price. 

I didn't charge them more than the quote, since I should have known better and told them that darker colors cost more, so after payroll I'm just barely breaking even on what could have been a huge profit.
live and learn, i guess. The customer owns a record label so it's still a killer opportunity.


----------



## pshawny (Feb 27, 2008)

quatto said:


> I am currently filling an order where I tried too hard to please a customer... They ordered a heather Gildan tee and I gave them a really good quote because this is the biggest job i've gotten so far, then they changed the color to charcoal, which wholesales at like double the price.
> 
> I didn't charge them more than the quote, since I should have known better and told them that darker colors cost more, so after payroll I'm just barely breaking even on what could have been a huge profit.
> live and learn, i guess. The customer owns a record label so it's still a killer opportunity.


Where are you getting your t-shirts from? Charcoal shouldn't cost more than heather, they are both color shirts. If they do cost more it sure shouldn't be double. Check around before buying those


----------



## quatto (Oct 9, 2007)

I'm not complaining, light heather isn't a dyed color so it really shouldnt cost the same as colors. 
Heather was the same price as white so I quoted as low as I could go, which is how I got stung when they switched to charcoal.

Anyway, in the end they wanted youth sizes, and Gildan doesn't offer charcoal in their standard youth shirt (at least no supplier I talked to could confirm they existed). So I went with Alstyle, they were helpful and the quality is impressive.


----------



## Peace2TheRest (Feb 6, 2008)

So, what is a decent price for you to make a profit, yet still be marketable to companies on a limited budget that wants really solid work done?

Say 3-4 colors whites 25-50 
and 3-4 colors darks 25-50

I would love to know as a consumer so I won't overpay. 

Also, oversized work how does that affect pricing?
And discharge and multiple locations?

It would be awesome to hear from the source rather then have someone rip me off when it comes to print time. 

I feel like what you guys do is an art, and something that cannot be done by anyone, so you should be paid accordingly.


----------



## AustinJeff (May 12, 2007)

tman07 said:


> ...People better get used to the idea of paying more for printed shirts...


Or stop buying printed shirts.

With gas prices going up, food prices going up, and just about everything else going up, most Americans simply can not afford to keep purchasing all of the things they have been purchasing and paying 10, 20, 30% more. People are going to have to start deciding where to cut. I don't see printed shirts being a huge priority for most people.

I wish I had a solution to offer.


----------



## deuce (Apr 16, 2008)

Yeah I hear yah! I recently had my competition ( that one of my clients was still doing a shirt run through) undercut me by 2.50 if they'd bring that design to them... Unfortunately I've heard them trash talking about me too ( which isnt cool at all ) so I just told my client I'de wave the screen fee on the other design they are printing through the other co. and got all their merch print from there on out...


----------



## Peace2TheRest (Feb 6, 2008)

I'm gunna have to disagree with you. 
T-shirts are the most widely purchased thing on the internet and everyone.....everyone lists clothing as a thing that is necessary to living. 
So shirts will continue to be sold, and as long as shirts are sold uniqe custom and cool printed shirts will need people like you all to make them. 

Where to watch for is if DTG or anything like it gets better, dependable, and affordable to purchase the equipment. Thats where we are headed in my opinion and could be the death of screenprinting over the next 10-20 years


----------



## AustinJeff (May 12, 2007)

Peace2TheRest said:


> T-shirts are the most widely purchased thing on the internet and everyone.....everyone lists clothing as a thing that is necessary to living.


Clothing is certainly a basic necessity. Custom printed t-shirts are not. And, yes, clothing is the largest selling category on the internet, but printed t-shirts are only a portion of that.

But maybe you are right. Maybe t-shirts won't be where people will cut back. In fact, maybe people will buy more t-shirts because they are buying fewer dress shirts. Or maybe they'll cut back in other areas.

I guess I'll believe that when, instead of threads full of stories about customers not being willing to pay reasonable prices, we have threads full of people saying that their sales have not decreased, despite demanding significantly higher prices for their shirts.


----------



## Peace2TheRest (Feb 6, 2008)

Well in my economics class we learned that inferior goods are things that decrease in demand when individuals incomes increase, while it's demand increases when individuals income decreases. So if we are headed for a recession, or at least a place in time where we cut back on spending then we will find out if custom printed and designed t-shirts are a normal good or an inferior good.


----------



## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

AustinJeff said:


> Clothing is certainly a basic necessity. Custom printed t-shirts are not. And, yes, clothing is the largest selling category on the internet, but printed t-shirts are only a portion of that.


That's actually a great point Jeff. If a t-shirt is a necessity, and I don't have a lot of money, I'll probably just go to Wallyworld and get 3 for $10. The way things are going now, I certainly wouldn't pay $25 for a t-shirt, much less $50 or higher. There are however, niches like children's clothing, and those who are geared toward teens and young adults that will continue to thrive. Teens will save their allowances for weeks to get a t-shirt if all of their friends have one too. Or even if they don't have it, he/she will get it to impress the others. If kids beg mom or dad for a spongebob outfit, or dora, or blue, mom and dad will generally cave in to stop the whining. Young adults will still pay a premium if it makes them feel good about having something that no one else has. The older you get, the wiser you get (generally speaking) and the less appealing it is to spend money when it isn't necessary and you're trying to keep the lights on and food on the table.


----------



## Peace2TheRest (Feb 6, 2008)

I could buy into that theory, 

However I believe that we associate safety with more expensive, so if a parent saw a carseat at $25 then one at $50 they will buy the one at $50 because it should be safer right.....? Maybe, maybe not. 

I beleive people will treat clothing in the same fashion, the less money people have the more of a statuts symbol it will be to actually have something that costs money. 

People will always want to stay trendy and cool.


----------



## tim3560 (Jan 7, 2007)

Peace2TheRest said:


> I could buy into that theory,
> 
> However I believe that we associate safety with more expensive, so if a parent saw a carseat at $25 then one at $50 they will buy the one at $50 because it should be safer right.....? Maybe, maybe not.
> 
> ...


So if you had $50 left for the week to buy food and gas.....or a t-shirt. You'd go with the t-shirt. I guess at least you'd look good while you walked hungry down the road to work.


----------



## quatto (Oct 9, 2007)

tim3560 said:


> So if you had $50 left for the week to buy food and gas.....or a t-shirt. You'd go with the t-shirt. I guess at least you'd look good while you walked hungry down the road to work.


i got about three dozen neighbors who do just that. They're idiots, their kids are starving, they're constantly getting their stuff repo'ed... WalMart calls them "brand aspirationals" and has a whole marketing model based on these people who live beyond their means to create a facade of status.

It's asinine, but I have to agree... I'm not really worried about my retail profits when I see my community, I'm more worried that at some point _I _am going to have to cut people off, like a bar owner who sees his patrons drinking their paycheck.


----------



## Darla (Mar 21, 2007)

ok got some info help me understand...
1 color back 23 logos, 3 color front no screen fees, no setup fees, no art fees 3.55 a shirt OMG help me understand this can any of you do it for this? i am just shocked and stunned.....

Darla


----------



## perrolocodesigns (Oct 24, 2006)

If it were me, I would tell her that my original price is good until the end of business today contingent on having a 50% deposit in hand. On Monday, the price goes up 10% since the job just became a rush order. On Tuesday, it goes up another 20%. On Wednesday, I can't have it ready by Saturday.

But that's just me. I can be a spiteful SOB when customers try to push me around.


----------



## TeeMinus (Jan 10, 2008)

I'm a newb to this, so maybe everyone's doing this, but for custom orders I built a spreadsheet where I can enter in # of colors, price of shirts I'm ordering, shipping costs, # of printable locations, and # of shirts, and it'll calculate an estimate of how much ink, emulsion, vellum, and shirts will cost me per item. I can then put in what profit margin I want to make and it will spit out a price per shirt and price for the entire run. It gives me a little bit of leeway to negotiate a price, since I can see at a glance about how much it's going to cost me.


----------



## BKSARTS2 (Apr 17, 2008)

I love this thread. My gosh screenprinting is like blackjack and chess mixed into one. Customer finds a weekness like a wolf to be the alllmighty bargon hunter well not with specialties such as these. I think the they need to understand how much work it takes for sure to produce good prints. We had that prob a few times when the customer would change garment color on us that would pute us in the hole. Then it is time scramble in desperation to get as many jobs done to even make payroll.


----------



## BKSARTS2 (Apr 17, 2008)

All is good though for at this time we are looking into contracting with the millitary prints at the moment.
Hoping and throwing at are sales rep to include Ulano training on professional screen making.


----------



## Archer (Aug 15, 2007)

I heard this one the other day -- I think it fits:

"If you are going to go broke -- go broke sitting down"


----------



## Peace2TheRest (Feb 6, 2008)

I don't get how people can charge so little either, but when you are dealing with something that you can pick up in a month or two of constant practice if you are artsy and good at crafts then you are going to have a flooded market. 
Screenprinting and making your own t-shirts are all over entrpreneur.com how it is fun and how easy it is to make money. 
Anytime something is being advertised as easy and fun with a chance to make money then you will have tons and tons of people trying to break into the industry. 
Look at t-shirts, there are 200 new sites opening like everyday. People jump in throw a fleur de lis or skull on and sell it for $20 dollars. Thats what happens when it doesnt take an over amount of skill to learn something or do something. 
However in all of you alls defense, to get good prints, or ones that will keep people coming back again and again and ones you can build your brand on, you are going to have to pay for that kind of skill. 
Good work is always appreciated, and good work is always rewarded. Let the unskilled people that bid jobs so low they are just trying to corner a market have their day in the sun, you will be the ones left standing in the end. 

Also, if you are marketing to people that only have $50 dollars for gas then you are foolish and have not designed a business plan, or thought out your business very well. 
Teenagers have more disposable income then anyone in the world. And that margin is growing every year. 
So, I do not think we will ever have a problem selling a $20 shirt to a kid, or his parents. 
And to keep those kids and his/her parents coming back for more, you will always find people looking and willing to pay for skilled qualified printers.


----------

