# Please Help!!! How to price 50+ t-shirts using the DTG Printer



## ectc

Good Morning,

I am new to using the DTG Printer, and I have a potential customer who wants 50+ shirts for a school reunion, BUT they want to buy them to use as a fundraiser. It is a full front t-shirt one color with a full black and white image and one color 2 lines on the back. They "STRESSED" to keep in mind that this is for a fundraiser. Even before purchasing the DTG printer, I never had a fundraiser customer. 

Can someone give me advice on how to price this request?

Thanks in advance


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## FJG

What printer and/or software are you using?

The first thing you need to do is figure out the cost of ink, pre-treat (if necessary), etc.


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## ectc

FJG said:


> What printer and/or software are you using?
> 
> The first thing you need to do is figure out the cost of ink, pre-treat (if necessary), etc.


 I have Epson F2000


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## FJG

ectc said:


> I have Epson F2000


If you're using Garment Creator you can estimate the ink and pre-treat cost with it.

Just because it's for a fundraiser, it doesn't mean you should do it for free or lose money. Add up your cost, production time, etc., and give her a price you feel comfortable with.


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## splathead

One DTG order of 50 shirts is the same as 50 DTG orders of a single shirt. Same amount of time and resources either way. Keep that in mind. Not saying you should be charging single shirt pricing but don't let the fundraiser angle sway you. It means they are selling the shirts for more than they paid for them, that's all.


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## ectc

FJG said:


> If you're using Garment Creator you can estimate the ink and pre-treat cost with it.
> 
> Just because it's for a fundraiser, it doesn't mean you should do it for free or lose money. Add up your cost, production time, etc., and give her a price you feel comfortable with.


Oh okay, thank you so much!


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## TABOB

FJG said:


> Just because it's for a fundraiser, it doesn't mean you should do it for free or lose money. Add up your cost, production time, etc., and give her a price you feel comfortable with.


Good case for comparing printing methods 
Lets say the shirts are sold for $20... So the amount raised will be $1,000 

SCREEN PRINTINGDTG*Setup: $80 + $10 in materials *($15/screen x6).*Setup: N/A**Ink: $5* (10 cents per shirt).*Ink + pretreat: $300* ($6 per shirt).*Shirts: $100* ($2/shirt).*Shirts: $100* ($2/shirt).*Work: $100 + $80* ($3.60/shirt).*Work: $100* ($2/shirt).*Time needed: 2 hours *($90/hour)*Time needed: 6 hours *($16/hour)*TOTAL COST: $295**TOTAL COST: $500**Funds remaining for Fundraiser: $705* ($1,000 - $295).*Funds remaining for Fundraiser: $500* ($1,000 - $500).

*Conclusion:*
DTG will be a bad option for the fundraiser ($205 less money) and bad for the printer.


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## ectc

Great breakdown. I do vinyl or DTG, not screen print. So are you saying to direct them to a screen printing company? It would be to much labor if I do vinyl.


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## TABOB

ectc said:


> I do vinyl or DTG, not screen print. So are you saying to direct them to a screen printing company? It would be to much labor if I do vinyl.


obviously vinyl is even slower than DTG.

If you cannot screen-print them yourself, outsource it or buy screen-printed transfers.
Both options will be cheaper and much faster than DTG.

It's just not worth to DTG with the expensive Epson inks.
Buying them from printful would be cheaper, and you don't have to do the work.


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## FJG

ectc said:


> Great breakdown. I do vinyl or DTG, not screen print. So are you saying to direct them to a screen printing company? It would be to much labor if I do vinyl.


What color are the shirts they want? If they're white or light-colored, your ink cost per shirt could easily be under $1.50 per shirt, pre-treatment isn't necessary, and you could print them in 4-5 hours or less.


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## ectc

FJG said:


> What color are the shirts they want? If they're white or light-colored, your ink cost per shirt could easily be under $1.50 per shirt, pre-treatment isn't necessary, and you could print them in 4-5 hours or less.


They are gold


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## FJG

ectc said:


> They are gold


Gotcha, then pre-treat and white ink is definitely necessary. Again, it depends on the design, but it's definitely doable. Did you figure out your print cost?


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## CaptDave1963

Question, I’m reading 50 DTG 1 side is 50 shirts worth of labor and supplies. But 2 sides is like printing 100 shirts minus the cost if a second set of shirts . So 2x the labor and in and pretreat etc?


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## NoXid

As @TABOB illustrated, screen printing would be a better option for that quantity, especially since the art is low color.


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## TABOB

NoXid said:


> As @TABOB illustrated, screen printing would be a better option for that quantity, especially since the art is low color.


Actually there was an error in my screen printing calculation (now adjusted). 
The screen setup is obviously 90% profit. So the total profit for screen printed shirts would be $180, and that's ($90/hour).

I don't recommend giving itemized quotes to customers by the way.
Just give them a single number... in this case $6 per shirt.


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## GimmeeTees

Do you do heat press? If yes, then simply have custom stock prints made by Stahls or 6123 Originals, Midwest Lettering, and press them onto the shirts. Affordable and easy. And customer gets a long lasting t shirt as well.


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## 13 Stitches

ectc said:


> Good Morning,
> 
> I am new to using the DTG Printer, and I have a potential customer who wants 50+ shirts for a school reunion, BUT they want to buy them to use as a fundraiser. It is a full front t-shirt one color with a full black and white image and one color 2 lines on the back. They "STRESSED" to keep in mind that this is for a fundraiser. Even before purchasing the DTG printer, I never had a fundraiser customer.
> 
> Can someone give me advice on how to price this request?
> 
> Thanks in advance


I am terrible at pricing at DTG-wish there was a guideline out there!


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## 13 Stitches

GimmeeTees said:


> Do you do heat press? If yes, then simply have custom stock prints made by Stahls or 6123 Originals, Midwest Lettering, and press them onto the shirts. Affordable and easy. And customer gets a long lasting t shirt as well.


I use Transfer Express, but they are so expensive. 613 is not taking new customers. F&M I have heard bad things about. So are you saying Midwest Lettering is great? Thank you!


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## GimmeeTees

13 Stitches said:


> I use Transfer Express, but they are so expensive. 613 is not taking new customers. F&M I have heard bad things about. So are you saying Midwest Lettering is great? Thank you!


I never had an issue with FM. I used to use Midwest a while back. Midwest for the most part was fine to deal with.


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## DrivingZiggy

Don't forget https://versatranz.com/


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## 13 Stitches

DrivingZiggy said:


> Don't forget https://versatranz.com/


I did forget about them. Any trouble at all with peeling and cracking? These will be repeat orders, so do not want to be embarrassed and customer not call again. Are they a "rubbery" feel, or plastisol? Thank you!


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## DrivingZiggy

13 Stitches said:


> I did forget about them. Any trouble at all with peeling and cracking? These will be repeat orders, so do not want to be embarrassed and customer not call again. Are they a "rubbery" feel, or plastisol? Thank you!


I have never printed a shirt in my life. All of my knowledge has been from reading/studying this forum. But here's what I know about Versatrans: Dan from Versatrans (Z in the web address) is frequently on this forum to answer any questions. When I was on my quest to build my YouTube channel, he was the _only_ one to send me a t-shirt. And they don't even normally make t-shirts, just the transfers.

Several years later and on this black dri-fit t-shirt the huge white lettering on the back is starting to crack. I don't see any cracks in their logo that they put on the front. Yes, several years. I'm sure I've washed it at least 30 or 40 times, but I haven't counted.


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## TABOB

DrivingZiggy said:


> Several years later and on this black dri-fit t-shirt the huge white lettering on the back is starting to crack. I don't see any cracks in their logo that they put on the front. Yes, several years. I'm sure I've washed it at least 30 or 40 times, but I haven't counted.


If you have not pressed it yourself... How do you know this is a transfer?
If true however, these are really good transfers.


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## DrivingZiggy

TABOB said:


> If you have not pressed it yourself... How do you know this is a transfer?
> If true however, these are really good transfers.


Of course I don't know. However, it was 2 shirts. Then my musical director asked for one. After that, my guitarist asked for one. So it was 4 shirts total. So I'm guessing they were NOT screen printed in the traditional manner.


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## TABOB

DrivingZiggy said:


> Of course I don't know. However, it was 2 shirts. Then my musical director asked for one. After that, my guitarist asked for one. So it was 4 shirts total. So I'm guessing they were NOT screen printed in the traditional manner.


Never seen white plastisol transfers with no cracking after 40 washes.
They are probably polyurethane or silicone based ink.


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## MAtty121

Did you figure out your print cost?


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## zoey595

13 Stitches said:


> I use Transfer Express, but they are so expensive. 613 is not taking new customers. F&M I have heard bad things about. So are you saying Midwest Lettering is great? Thank you!


I can say their material is very good and holds up very well..


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## Azizjafri

I never tried screen printing or DTG printing system, I do shirts on sublimation, I have tried it only on poly shirts. Don't you think its a better choice?
Aziz


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## kcinnick

TABOB said:


> Good case for comparing printing methods
> Lets say the shirts are sold for $20... So the amount raised will be $1,000
> 
> SCREEN PRINTINGDTG*Setup: $80 + $10 in materials *($15/screen x6).*Setup: N/A**Ink: $5* (10 cents per shirt).*Ink + pretreat: $300* ($6 per shirt).*Shirts: $100* ($2/shirt).*Shirts: $100* ($2/shirt).*Work: $100 + $80* ($3.60/shirt).*Work: $100* ($2/shirt).*Time needed: 2 hours *($90/hour)*Time needed: 6 hours *($16/hour)*TOTAL COST: $295**TOTAL COST: $500**Funds remaining for Fundraiser: $705* ($1,000 - $295).*Funds remaining for Fundraiser: $500* ($1,000 - $500).
> 
> *Conclusion:*
> DTG will be a bad option for the fundraiser ($205 less money) and bad for the printer.


I was at one of my screen printers yesterday and looked at the retail list. He isn't selling shirts near that price. A basic good quality T (like a soft style) 1-2 colors was $10-$12 at 48...


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## TABOB

kcinnick said:


> I was at one of my screen printers yesterday and looked at the retail list. He isn't selling shirts near that price. A basic good quality T (like a soft style) 1-2 colors was $10-$12 at 48...


People are free to charge whatever they want.


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## kcinnick

TABOB said:


> People are free to charge whatever they want.


You are free to undersell your work, that doesn't make it smart. It doesn't bother me, I never want to compete at the bottom of the market.


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## TABOB

These are not my prices... They are the prices I pay when outsourcing.
Artwork is where the real money is and that's not something everyone can do.



kcinnick said:


> I was at one of my screen printers yesterday and looked at the retail list. He isn't selling shirts near that price. A basic good quality T (like a soft style) 1-2 colors was $10-$12 at 48...


spreadshirt is cheaper...


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## kcinnick

TABOB said:


> These are not my prices... They are the prices I pay when outsourcing.
> Artwork is where the real money is and that's not something everyone can do.
> 
> 
> spreadshirt is cheaper...


This person had a retail client... contract pricing is much cheaper than retail pricing.


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