Getting Samples from Your Outsourced t-shirt printer
Many of you outsource your shirts and my question is: How do I go about getting my printer to give me a sample before I give the go-ahead for the whole order? Is it common to ask for one, and how much should I be charged for it? I would never approve a whole order, sight unseen, so I just want to know a tactful way to ask for a sample.
It would depend completely on what type of oursourcing and what type of sample..
For example if You are talking about screen printing and an sample of your shirt screen printed..
For that One shirt.. you would have to pay the screen charges and the sep fees..
so that one shirt could cost you a couple hundred..
of course if you turned around then and ordered you shouldnt have to pay the screen charges again or sep fees.. (if it was right away that you ordered..)
If it was digital printed then expect to pay what the retail of the shirt would be from that person..
as many people try to get one shirt at wholesale cost with the promise of orders to come in the future..
Many of you outsource your shirts and my question is: How do I go about getting my printer to give me a sample before I give the go-ahead for the whole order? Is it common to ask for one, and how much should I be charged for it? I would never approve a whole order, sight unseen, so I just want to know a tactful way to ask for a sample.
If you're talking about screen printing, some screen printers offer paid samples of your design actually printed on a t-shirt, but many don't.
Most all screen printers will be able to show you a "digital" proof of what your t-shirt design will look like printed. For many customers, this is all that's necessary to approve the order.
If you require seeing a sample, you would just need to ask the printer you're working with if they can provide paid samples.
If you're running an order for 50 pieces, they may be less likely to do it. If you're running an order of 1000 pieces (same design), then you are more likely to get a sample of out most screen printers.
If seeing a sample in person is a priority for you, then you may want to try to establish a relationship with local screen printers to see if you can work out a way to proof your finished printed designs before the full run is printed. Some call it a "press check".
If you're talking about other types of t-shirt printing (Direct to Garment, Heat Transfers, etc) where the setup time required to print one t-shirt is MUCH less, then it's more likely that you'll be able to see a printed proof from your t-shirt printing vendor.
If seeing a sample in person is a priority for you, then you may want to try to establish a relationship with local screen printers to see if you can work out a way to proof your finished printed designs before the full run is printed. Some call it a "press check".
I've done this, and I think it's the best solution. Example your printer tells you he is running your job at 2pm on Thursday. You are there at 2 and see the first shirt off the press. No wasted set up for the printer, you get to immediately approve your job and get your order faster than other approval methods.
I really like that idea. Perhaps I can set that up with my print guy. I think this might be a 'belt print' job, so I hope I can still use this idea in that application.
I really like that idea. Perhaps I can set that up with my print guy. I think this might be a 'belt print' job, so I hope I can still use this idea in that application.
Oh my, I would have hated to see the cost for you to get 1 sample done and sent to you for approval.
Absolutely, you should do, especially with belt printing.
Last edited by splathead; May 22nd, 2008 at 01:20 PM.
Re: Getting Samples from Your Outsourced t-shirt printer
This is this with screen printers.. If they are doing a job and say the screens are 15 each (some are higher some are lower).. they have done the sep work.. and the screens before the print the first one..
so you go look.. and something about it you want changed.. You arnt gonna have a very happy screen printer.. lol..
Ive had trouble with the last print job i had done with a new guy. but normally my regular guy i just send to and he does with it..
Im not sure what the set up fees are with belt printing.. but make sure you get all the rules per say down as to when you come check it out..
.. what if you do require changes etc..
..
Im just not sure how many printers would go along with this.. without you paying all the set up charges for that One piece
Also.. if there is a time between the printing and then you checking and oking.. You can very well be charged for the machines downtime..
just make sure you dot all your I's and cross your ts in this arrangement
Re: Getting Samples from Your Outsourced t-shirt printer
Pre production samples are very expensive for a screen printer to do. It's a lot of prep work to get a job on press and very costly to leave a job set up on press waiting for a sample to overnight to the customer. The other alternative is to take the job off the press and re set it up. This takes time also. The best way I believe is to have a good relationship with a local printer if you will need to approve each image. Schedule a press check to approve the first print then let them run it if it's correct. On press is when you should be checking ink color, placement, etc. Design or spelling checks should be done with an art check long before it makes it to press. That's how we do it with our customers at least.
Re: Getting Samples from Your Outsourced t-shirt printer
Man, it would be great to have customers at your press when they want a sample! Most people don't realize how much time and money it takes just to get a design ready for print, nor the value of a operating- I call it spinnin - press. The press must stay spinning in order to make money. You ain't making money with screens sitting in the press and none coming out the dryer.
This is a discussion about Getting Samples from Your Outsourced t-shirt printer that was posted in the General T-Shirt Selling Discussion section of the forums.
Getting Samples from Your Outsourced t-shirt printer 
