# price for custom designed tees



## Mocha Tees (Dec 9, 2008)

can u help me with price for rhinestone tee?
I custom design shirts for customers with rhinestones and i am having difficulty with the pricing..

i had a local DJ come to me with hand drawing of himself with dreads, headphones, etc..very detailed..
he also wanted his signature & his company logo all n the regular tee shirt..front & back..

i never did this type of work before but i made it happen & it came out beautiful..the only thing i do not know what price to say...now i know what price i want and i know its worth but is $150 too much for a customized rhinestone and it is NOT an ed hardy design, smile...
this is the drawing he came with..please check the details..
i would loove to hear your thoughts & ready to learn the biz the right way
thanx

mocha


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

> now i know what price i want and i know its worth but is $150 too much for a customized rhinestone


Why have you taken a job without agreeing on a price?? 

Why do you think $150 is too high? How many hours do you have in it? What was your cost of materials? Have you got any equipment that you need to pay for? Any overhead expenses?

My advice... settle on expense and get paid BEFORE you start a custom job. Now that you have made it, he might change his mind or not like it and walk away from the deal (because he has nothing in it!)


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## Mocha Tees (Dec 9, 2008)

will answer all those questions in a hot minute..
looking for the finished product to show..
mocha


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## Mocha Tees (Dec 9, 2008)

OK here is the complete story..
he left the drawings to see if i could do it...he did not care how much i charged..he has been wanting someone to do it for over 5 years & when he saw my work with another DJ's shirt he knew i would be able to do it before i knew i could do it..
i was very proud of the detail i was able to catch with the rhinestones and now i am able to take on more detailed jobs..

but the time it took me was about 6 hours (within 3 days) to complete from start to finish

it was over 1000 stones..3 diff colors, 3 diff sizes... that i individuaLLY PLACED TO CREATE THE design..

i agree with u on agreeing with price before i start but i was so wanting to see if it was do-able and once i sat down..i had the whole outline of the dread boy done and almost 2hrs had gone by...

i have learned a lot of lessons from this one shirt especially dealing with customers, pricing, deposits, etc.. 
but i mainly wanted to show his design, what i designed & to know is the price too extreme being that it is not an Ed hardy Design..and i absolutely love ALL of his designs!

and if he does not get the shirt, it will be one of my best samples to show what i can do because my pictures just show the design it doesn't show the bling!

thanx for any help
mocha


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

Then tell him it is $150 for one and $125 for the other.


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## Joshica (Nov 12, 2008)

The finished product looks great! Did you actually individually place -glue- each rhinestone?


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## Mocha Tees (Dec 9, 2008)

thanx joshica..yes i did all the individual stones myself!
i absolutely love doing it..i do it in my home...will be looking for a store-front by spring..
since u like it what do u think about the price tag?

jiraby...i really do not understand ur 2 prices..my price ($150) was the total for the shirt front & back..didn't quite understand ur answer..

mocha


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

I thought you had two separate shirts.


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## Joshica (Nov 12, 2008)

I don't think the price was to high! I'm in the same boat right now trying to start my vinyl business at home. The price is the one of the hardest things to get down, don't want to be to high but don't want to lose money either. Hopefully, I can work on completing some kind of catalog so I can get myself out there and make some money!


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## Mocha Tees (Dec 9, 2008)

Thanx..i'm glad u didn't think it was too high..he is supposed to come pick it up this week..

i feel u on the catalog thing...i have always wanted to do one..
right now i do flyers..i do a flyer for every event i do...i guess i could do a pamphlet until i can afford the catalog..

what is vinyl lettering? is that for signs?
i'm home sick for the next few days so i hope i am not asking too many questions?


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

Mocha Tees said:


> thanx joshica..yes i did all the individual stones myself!
> i absolutely love doing it..i do it in my home...will be looking for a store-front by spring..
> since u like it what do u think about the price tag?
> 
> ...


The way I see it you can demand whatever price you feel like charging especially when it took so much time to get the job done. I once did an embroidery on 5 black hoodie sweatshirts for a DJ. He can't find anybody to do the embroidery because it involved a marijuana leaf in the design. It took me at least 2 hours to embroider each shirt. Just a large design in the front. I charged him $65.00 each. I would have charged more if it was front and back. He did not complain with the price and was very happy with the embroidery that I did.

BTW I have seen rhinestone designs in trade shows that the sale price ranging from $30.00 up to $300.00 and that is not even on the shirt.

Custom design like you have deserves a high price.


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## bob emb (Apr 5, 2007)

Hi Mocha,

Beautiful job but 6 hours of staring and gluing would make my old eyes see triple.

Another way to do it is to have the design done by someone who has the software and a machine that will set the stones automatically. Something like your design would probably take about 15 minutes even with 3 colors and 3 sizes of stones.

You could put your time to better use and still turn a very tidy profit.

Best of luck,


Bob


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## DTFuqua (Jun 26, 2008)

Charge him the $150 and let him know your giving him a discount and you expect him to steer some more business your way. Its worth it for that kind of GOOD work and its all custom. Good luck.
Terry


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## Mocha Tees (Dec 9, 2008)

Thanx u guys...i am so happy to have a tee shirt support group i was soo lost for weeks not knowing what to do when all these situations come up..

hey bob..non-stop 6 hours..no..i just did it in my own time no rush..but i was soo excited to get the job done that time was passing & i didn't even realize it..

but this machine u are talking about..what isit called? how much does it cost (i'm almost scared to hear the price)
but this definitely sounds like something i will need because i plan on specializing in customized orders...

so can u direct me on more info on this machine.. 

Thank u Lnfortun..im glad to know designs like what i am doing can get a big price because that is what i am shooting for..Look out ed hardy
naw i'm just kidding..i definitely love to keep things affordable..but it is good to know that i can get the bigger ticket price for customized pieces....
where are the trade shows u are talking about..any on the east coast coming soon??


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## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

Mocha Tees said:


> Thanx u guys...i am so happy to have a tee shirt support group i was soo lost for weeks not knowing what to do when all these situations come up..
> 
> hey bob..non-stop 6 hours..no..i just did it in my own time no rush..but i was soo excited to get the job done that time was passing & i didn't even realize it..
> 
> ...


I saw some in DAX trade show in Kansas City. There will be one this month Feb 6 & 7. I also saw some in ISS Schaumburg, IL. We go to these shows every year. It would be benificial for you to visit some of the trade shows near you. 

Speaking of outside source, here is a link for you: MADE IN TEXAS BY DZYNS UNLIMITED, FLING THAT BLING

The company has a low minimum of 5 pieces custom design order. 

Unless you are concentrating in one offs dzyns unlimited is the way to go.

The company will be in ISS Orlando, FL this year.


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## Joshica (Nov 12, 2008)

Mocha Tees said:


> Thanx..i'm glad u didn't think it was too high..he is supposed to come pick it up this week..
> 
> i feel u on the catalog thing...i have always wanted to do one..
> right now i do flyers..i do a flyer for every event i do...i guess i could do a pamphlet until i can afford the catalog..
> ...


The vinyl is for signs and window decals but also wall lettering for home decor. Such as qoutes, and things like butterflies, trains, etc for childrens rooms. The list is actually rather large of all the things you can do!


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