Outsourcing embroidery should I expect a better deal than the regular customer?
I have a screen printing business that I started a little over a year ago. Lately the requests for embroidered apparel have become abundant. Recently I began taking the orders and began purchasing the garments wholesale and taking them to a local embroiderer to have them decorated paying the same price as any Joe would... I have not let on to the embroiderer that I am reselling the garments through my own company. My question is when you want to offer embroidery and need to out source the work, should I be looking to get a better price than a regular customer since I can bring in more consistant work to his business? I'm just starting to offer embroidery so my orders aren't huge but can be consistant. Also, when I negotiate giving them my business what should I look for as far as better deals? Anybody who out sources they're embroidery or any embroider than works with screen printers feel free to respond please. Thanks
Re: Outsourcing embroidery should I expect a better deal than the regular customer?
yeah i also do the same thing.
i only do screen printing and decals in-house but on my business card i list many things
i out source the majority of the things that i do and make good money, im pretty much the middle man.
people pay me to do the designs, and i just send the art work and money to my printer. its the easiest work ever.
my printer gives me dirt cheap prices so that i can bump them up.
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Re: Outsourcing embroidery should I expect a better deal than the regular customer?
First thing I would do is to tell the embroiderer that you are selling them on. That way he should give you a lower price and maybe you could work together. You pass your embroidery work to him and he passes his print work to you.
Earl
Re: Outsourcing embroidery should I expect a better deal than the regular customer?
I would discuss it with the embroiderer. They may or maynot be willing to give you a better price. If they don't want to work with you check around for a contract embroidery shop. There are many that do only contract and love working with shops like yours. And they don't have to be local to utilize them. Just have the merchandise shipped directly to them and they ship it back to you.
Re: Outsourcing embroidery should I expect a better deal than the regular customer?
I did embroidery for the trophy shop across the street from my shop for some time, and I found that it really wasn't profitable for me to offer him lower than retail pricing.
First of all, I wasn't selling him the goods, so all of my profit had to come from embroidery.
Secondly, the jobs were difficult because he didn't understand the details of embroidery such as characteristics of various fabrics, what fonts and font sizes work best, or how a graphic design will translate to embroidery. So I found I had to spend alot of time educating him. It's challenging when you're not dealing directly with the customer. The point is, all of that took time, and since I was making money only on the embroidery, time is money.
As someone else pointed out, you can find a contract embroiderer who will accept drop ship orders from certain vendors, but you will have to pay shipping again to have the finished goods delivered to you, so you may not be better off in the long run.
Also, with a contract embroiderer, you are going to get exactly what you ask for, so you'd better have some knowledge of embroidery.
Talk with your current embroiderer; it's very possible they already realize that you are reselling. Even if they can't give you a better price every time, perhaps you can negotiate a discount when you spend more than $xxx per month with them.
Re: Outsourcing embroidery should I expect a better deal than the regular customer?
Gary,
As an embroiderer who does work with two print shops doing their stuff, I would definitely tell them. I have found it very profitable to give better pricing as it keeps my machines running without the hassle of me dealing with customers. Less time fussing with customers means more time embroidering. As mentioned though, be sure you know the parameters of embroidery for what is and isn't possible, know how to relay those orders so there are no misunderstandings as to colors, placement, size, etc., and don't promise unreasonable delivery deadlines. For me, if I found someone was reselling my stuff behind my back, I'd cut them off in a minute. Now for a moment of recognition: Finally read my Nov edition of Stitches magazine and saw Jane Swanzy's (lizziemaxine on this board) pants embroidery. Congrats Jane. Nice job. We too, have been doing that for years(although I tend to stay away from the high stitch count designs like that for pants), so it's hard to believe that is considered thinking out of the box. It's always nice to see someone you banter with get recognition. Well done.
Re: Outsourcing embroidery should I expect a better deal than the regular customer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by imeccentric
Now for a moment of recognition: Finally read my Nov edition of Stitches magazine and saw Jane Swanzy's (lizziemaxine on this board) pants embroidery. Congrats Jane. Nice job. We too, have been doing that for years(although I tend to stay away from the high stitch count designs like that for pants), so it's hard to believe that is considered thinking out of the box. It's always nice to see someone you banter with get recognition. Well done.
Thanks. I was so surprised to win. The judges comments were interesting.
Re: Outsourcing embroidery should I expect a better deal than the regular customer?
Try Atlas Embroidery and Screen Printing in FLA. Contracted out to them for hte past two years for both embroidery and screen printing, great prices and service...just make sure you follow their instructions to the letter and if you do not understand something ask!!!
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Outsourcing embroidery should I expect a better deal than the regular customer? 
