How to handle the business end. Any recommendations on software packages to keep track of orders, inventory, customers, accounts receivable\payable, etc. Any recommendations on what forms to use when ordering, (blanks, printed shirts, etc.), handling orders from customers (individuals ordering shirts, (online and in person), retailers ordering shirts for resale.
Maintain all info on web site database, or on my own PC?
How to do business. Walk into a retail shop, they want your shirts, leave some then, check their credit first, (how\where), get paid then or later, who pays shipping, etc., etc., etc.
Selling shirts to individuals on the street, accept personal check, etc?
Any recommendations on books that cover all this, hopefully a book that deals with retail clothing business end, ( I doubt that there is a book specific to t-shirts).
We use Quickbooks Pro accounting software (multi currency). I like it. It allows us to keep track of inventory, accounts receivables/payables,customers, vendors, open orders etc.
I am not real keen on keeping our info online in a database, I much prefer to have it on my PC.
We do both retail and wholesale, we will take a cheque from both businesses & personal checks. we get a credit card # for the personal cheques. To tell you the truth, we have never had an NSF cheque (lucky I guess). You need to decide whether you are going to set up accounts with terms for businesses. You need to come up with a Credit policy. Example would be ours. Our policy:
Businesses, Orders are COD, if they purchase on a regular basis then we offer 30 day terms after we have checked them out. Overdue accounts are charged a flate rate service charge then a % each month.
Personal accounts we do not offer terms, all are COD.
Online of course is pre-paid.
In our company, customers pay for the shipping.
I don't know about where you are, but here lots of shops will only take your products on consignment. If so we charge a higher cost amount if they want consignment, and once we have "proven" sales history then we offer them a cheaper cost if they start buying.
As far as cusotmers ordering online, we let paypal handle the order form, we then print it and manually key it into quickbooks.
This is a discussion about Business 101, accounting and forms question that was posted in the General T-Shirt Selling Discussion section of the forums.
Business 101, accounting and forms question 
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