# Should I buy an Ipad for the business?



## 360_Apparel (Oct 1, 2010)

Just curious to see if any screen printers are using the Ipad or Ipad 2 for business. I can see where it can be good for sales rep to show a portfolio, but how about for anything else?


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## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

We do full service print marketing campaigns as well and I've been using the Ipad for presentations since april 2010. I love it, my prospects like it. Its a great way to deliver a presentation 1-on-1 without creating a wall between you and your prospect with a laptop.

I'd recommend it, but only you can decide if you need a $500 sales tool. 

I will say mine paid for itself the first week though....


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## tablepad (Aug 29, 2011)

Good designers copy; great designers steal.


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## ikonicapparel (Oct 17, 2008)

I agree with headfirst. I use it for show and tell with the clients and its great for promotional events. Costly but well worth it.


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## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

Also, if you get a 3g Model you can use the Square app and service as a portable wireless terminal from anywhere.

It also works with Android phones too, but clients seem to get a kick out of signing on the ipad.


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## perzazz (Aug 30, 2011)

im not in screen printing but i have been using my ipad to show designs offline for a while now its an invaluable tool to me , and now ive started work on the website i will be showcasing the site to customers on it aswell


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## thutch15 (Sep 8, 2008)

I bought an iPad 2 for business, but in the end my kids play with it about 99% of the time. I just don't have that much use for it.

Besides the TSF app!


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

I fell ya Troy, my 15 year old son has mine and I may have used it twice. I got it thinking it would be a great business tool, and I am sure it is, I just never got around to incorporating it into my business.


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## rbforrest (Mar 20, 2010)

It is a priceless tool. My wife and I both do outside sales and we each have one. It is great to be able to whip out a few pics of your work and product lines. Also, it is invaluable when you "run into" a potential customer. I can't tell you how many times I've been fueling up and walked over to a guy in a pickup truck to show him a few pics of how we can letter his truck, put his guys in company shirts, biz cards, etc. All it takes is a picture of his competition with graphics or shirts and you've got a customer.


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## rtfulk (Nov 30, 2007)

The iPad is great for business. We use 2 for order taking one at the counter and one for our help to carry around in the store to help customers. Not only can she take orders, she can show the customer all our embroidery fonts and thread color. We take vinyl monogram orders and rhinestone orders right from the floor. We have a wireless printer behind the counter and when the order is finished the customer signs on the ipad and the order is printed in duplicates and waiting at the register for when the customer comes up to pay. This frees our help to move on to the next customer.

Our register is also an ipad, it connects wirelessly to a star TSP100 LAN receipt printer and it is connected to a cash drawer. Every sale is itemized on the receipt. When the transaction is completed the printer prints the receipt and sends an electronic signal to the cash drawer to open it. The good thing about this system is there is no NO Sale button on the screen, the only way to do a no sale is to log into the backside management system and it is password protected.

The next feature I am working on for our order for is to be able to type out a name or monogram in the font and color the customer wants, that way they can see exactly how it will look.


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## Naptime (May 19, 2011)

i'm not cool enough for an ipad... but i do have an HP touchpad.. which i love far more than an ipad, i just have fewer apps 

at any rate. i use mine as a sales tool also. i use it to show customers, and prospective customers our work, when i am out and about.

i copy all customer invoices, quotes, mockups, etc.. to my cloud drive so i always have access to them with the touchpad.

i always have my email when i need it. i have it on my android phone as well, but its much easier reading 10" email than 3" email.

i use it out in the shop when i'm starting a job, and maybe i forgot a detail like specific number of a certain size, or details of a print, etc.. i just pull it up on the touchpad.

and of course, when im taking a break.... you'll never believe how amazing angry birds is, in hd at 10"


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## PCSTEES (Nov 6, 2011)

You have to ask yourself... can the business afford it? how many shirts do I have to sell to pay for it? will this gadget generate those sales?

If the answer is yes, then go for it!


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## PKshirts (Sep 13, 2011)

the iPad is great for a lot of things, and it really is very helpful to be able to take out quickly to show designs and products, they just are not nearly big enough on the iphone, so it was a worthwhile upgrade for me in that respect. there are certainly enough personal uses for it to hopefully balance out its expense as solely a business tool.


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## rtfulk (Nov 30, 2007)

I understand what people are saying is it worth it and how many shirts you have to sell to make it worth it. We mainly sell monogrammed purses and our average sale is 35.00 - 40.00. During the holiday seasons when we have lines in our store and you start seeing people put stuff back because the person at the counter can't decide what they want monogrammed, you start thinking of ways to keep those sales walking out your door.

Our solution was iPads, now our sales people can hold the customers hand and help them with their order, while the girl at the counter keeps just rings people up and sends them on their way. I can say the ipads has paid for their self and has increased sales for us.


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## PCSTEES (Nov 6, 2011)

That's a terrific use for the ipad!!!


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## ArmandoG (Oct 16, 2011)

Another iPad lover here (We have 2). They are great for presentation. I just wish they showed flash, since many online designers use flash.

Thnx
mondo


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## rbforrest (Mar 20, 2010)

In addition to sales presentations we are phasing out the cash register and credit card machine due to the Square app. We literally swipe the customers card, they use their finger to sign, Square emails (or texts) them a receipt, then Square transfers the money to our account. No minimums, no monthly fees, etc., just a percentage.


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## yssemhair (Jan 22, 2009)

Hi Everyone

Was curious about apps that people use on the iPad for business. I just posted in the screen printing forum about possibly writing an app for giving quotes. 

Would this be something someone with an iPad might be interested in? Are there apps that you wish existed to make work easier? Android or iOS.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. 

Thanks


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## rtfulk (Nov 30, 2007)

I would use Numbers for qoute writing. You can set up a template with your company logo and have spaces for the the company you are giving the qoute to. You can also use formulas in Numbers to automate the process so you would just enter the information and Numbers does all the math for you, plus you can save the qoute in iCloud for yourself and email or print the qoute out for your client.


I also use an app called FormConnect. It's a database app that is really flexible. You can print or email from that app too, plus you can do signature capture right on the ipad.


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## VeeLove (Jul 18, 2010)

[thutch15 *Re: Should I buy an Ipad for the business?*
I bought an iPad 2 for business, but in the end my kids play with it about 99% of the time. I just don't have that much use for it.

Besides the TSF app! ]

[veedub3 *Re: Should I buy an Ipad for the business?*
I fell ya Troy, my 15 year old son has mine and I may have used it twice. I got it thinking it would be a great business tool, and I am sure it is, I just never got around to incorporating it into my business. ]


Well Troy or Katrina, if you ever decide to sell your iPads, I would surely be interested in buying it for my business.

As others have referenced, the square app is definitely better on the iPad. I have an android and the app is basic, swipe and sign. On an iPad you can set up a store, list your items and interface with your register.

You can also download apparel wholesaler catalogs like SanMar's to show your customers.


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## Basikboy (Aug 28, 2007)

Wish they showed Flash!


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## [email protected] (Dec 26, 2010)

My wife wants to do point of sale, prepare orders/invoices, and inventory coordination on hers, but we are confused with all the app options. Any app suggestions for something like this?

Thanks,
Mike


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## Hegemone (Oct 18, 2011)

I use invoices2go for invoicing and invoice tracking on the iPad and it's good and looks Clean and professional and will even email a PayPal button with your invoices. Messed with "Ring it up" for pos on the iPad but I can't see the value of it for me and the shows I do. I just do a pre and post inventory and then order and print to maintain threshold inventory levels. If the show is slow I will just run an invoice on invoice2go with items to track the show sales. I won't pay a monthly subscription to use invoice2go desktop so I just do a simple invoice in quicken to track sales, deposits, payments, invoices, and taxes. It's simple but it works for me to maintain a good level of accounting for taxes.


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