# Should we offer a preorder on our online store to help pay for our inventory?



## signal20tees (Aug 5, 2007)

Ok so we just approved our site design, took a little longer than expected but hey its a small setback. Our real delima now ( were hoping for some suggestions ) is tshirts cost money. We've been doing some word of mouth marketing and some over the internet and people say they want to buy our shirts. So I guess our question is, would it be smart to put our designs up on our site, advertise something like a pre-order now, and once money is in our account order the shirts, and while were on this subject, just out of curiousity, any recomendations on where to buy tshirts for a good price?


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: So we have another question.*

if you are running so close you can't buy shirts before money in hand...you are going to have a rough time..you might get by with 50% up front...balance on delivery.

best place to buy depends on type of shirt, shipping costs...some places ship free over a certain dollar amount. To get wholesale prices you need to have an account set up with sanmar, broder etc...or you can order without sales permit from jiffyshirts.com


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## tcrowder (Apr 27, 2006)

*Re: So we have another question.*

I can't imagine that you have designs and a website all set up and ready to go and are just now thinking of how to print them? 

You need to have a printer lined up and or have stock on hand or print on demand for your orders.


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## signal20tees (Aug 5, 2007)

*Re: So we have another question.*

we have a printer lined up, my thing is to go live with all the shirts that i would like to is a little out of my budget right now so i was thinking of alternatives.


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## rrc62 (Jun 2, 2007)

*Re: So we have another question.*

I wouldn't take money if I could not produce a shirt. I'll take an order and a CC number, but I won't charge the card until just before the product goes under the press. Basically, if I have to order inventory to cover the order, the customer doesn't get charged until the inventory is in-house.

What happens if you take pre-orders is that money will get spent on other things. You'll have customers waiting for their orders and no money to buy the inventory to produce them.

I was involved in the experimental aircraft business a few years ago and this was common practice. It was also the kiss of death for every company who did it.


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## 2STRONG (Oct 17, 2007)

*Re: So we have another question.*

Im just getting started also not as close as you with a website though. but will purchase equipment in a week or so. doing my reasearch i notice most people love fast shipping. and if you try what you are saying will probably take along time for the final product to get to the customer. it's not like that third party printer will be waiting for your jobs he will have some of his own and then try to sqeeze yours in also. good idea if you would be doing it in house it;s always good to try and save as much money as you can until it starts coming in but an unhappy customer waiting and waiting for their shirts will not be back. IMO


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## karlking85 (Sep 26, 2007)

*Re: So we have another question.*

Wow. You can't sell what you don't have. I'm sorry, but you should definitely get at least a minimum amount of product in stock before you complete any orders.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

signal20tees said:


> Ok so we just approved our site design, took a little longer than expected but hey its a small setback. Our real delima now ( were hoping for some suggestions ) is tshirts cost money. We've been doing some word of mouth marketing and some over the internet and people say they want to buy our shirts. So I guess our question is, would it be smart to put our designs up on our site, advertise something like a pre-order now, and once money is in our account order the shirts, and while were on this subject, just out of curiousity, any recomendations on where to buy tshirts for a good price?


Actually, tshirthell did very well with a similar sort of business model.



> any recomendations on where to buy tshirts for a good price?


Lots of recommendations on this in the Wholesale T-Shirts section of the forum. http://www.t-shirtforums.com/wholesale-t-shirts/


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## signal20tees (Aug 5, 2007)

Thank you, We could actually sell as a pre order now, and use use the rush delivery and still send out shirts within 4-5 days.


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## Rodney (Nov 3, 2004)

> and use use the rush delivery


Remember that will cut into your profits.


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## GameFaceChicago (Oct 2, 2007)

You might want to think about an inventory for _some_ of you select designs...say 5 or so, and have all your other designs set for "Pre-Order". This will let you test the market to see if people are willing to wait 2-3 weeks for a shirt. 

Kevin


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