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jiarby · May 20th, 2008

I have a engraving/sign/banner retail shop. I keep getting customers that want shirts so I bought a heat press (16x20 Phx Phire).

We did a business card for a guy and he wants the design on a shirt. It is a 5-6 color print on the back and a one color pocket print.

36 pieces.

I quoted him $10/each. The blank is a Gildan 5000 - Royal

He thinks that is WAY too high.

So, my question is this...

What should this guy expect to pay for this kind of job.

My costs for the FM Transfers and the blanks & shipping are about $7.33 each.
(3.85 for the large back print, and the pocket is 91¢ + shipping).

Then I gotta actually press the shirts 72 times (front & back) for to make a $90 gross margin.

Seems like there's alot easier ways to make $90... but even so the guy thinks that's too much.

I'll bet even if it was $7.50 he'll think it's too much.

I believe that he has it in his brain that he paid $5 for some 1-color job a few years ago and doesn't see the value in the 5-6 color design, on top of the de-valuing US dollar making blanks cost more and $4 gas making shipping expensive.

So...

Whaddyou charge this guy for this job. I think it should have been $12-13 and that he was getting a deal on 5-color and only 36 pieces.

Darklight · May 20th, 2008

Im no expert, but I have learned that there will always be customers who never get a good enough price. (in their eyes) Ive tried to learn to base my prices on what i can do and still stay in business, not what i can do to match every price for every person and shut my doors in a year. Be willing to let one walk from time to time. Just my 2 cents! Good Luck!

out da box · May 20th, 2008

tell him to walk.

Unik Ink · May 20th, 2008

I would have charged him more than that + a setup fee, but I would be doing printing instead of doing transfers. That is alot of work to print 36 shirts. I always tell customers that question the price that the majority of what they are paying for is not the actual print time, but everything that happens before and after printing. Printing 5 film positives, burning 5 screens, taping the screens up, lining everything up, THEN printing. After that you have to reclaim 5 screens, and clean 5 squeegees also.

baqi · May 20th, 2008

Hi, I think that you must show him the cost breakdown, and finally how it makes $10. Then you ask him what to do. Customer doesn't have much insight that you have. So, you job is to give him insight and show him that you are not asking high price. If you make him understand, he will buy.
Thanks
Baqi
Dhaka, Bangladesh

pshawny · May 20th, 2008

I would say about $15/each would be a fair price. $10 sounds like a deal.

mystysue · May 20th, 2008

It would be 15.00 for those shirts.. .. with the transfers ordered in..
Since im in the same business primary.. signs/banners and also do engraving.
I tend to think of what i could make doing signs in the same amount of time.
These people really need to realize that shorts orders of shirts are really a premium item,,,
and they cannot expect the same prices as if they were getting hundred or more shirts

2STRONG · May 20th, 2008

not sure what the image is but can you do this on a inkjet transfer. that willl save you some money.

COEDS · May 21st, 2008

I will say this and leave it at that. If he doesn't like your price then let him walk away because PROFT IS NOT A DIRTY WORD AND YOU ARE ENTITLED TO MAKE MONEY. I never hear nobody bargin at Mcdonalds. You want ot , you buy it or you go somewhere else. ..... JB