I have spent hours and hours looking through all of the posts and links etc..however no luck with this...
I have a heat transfer business...(a small one) LOL Well, I have been approached by people to do shirts for events and conferences and they say that they can get shirts done for like 6-7.00 a shirt...I buy my shirts wholesale but there is still no way to sell them that cheap..What in the world are they doing to sell shirts that cheap? And from what I have read on screen printing they use a lot of stuff..Please help..I really want to gain their business.
Well, How many shirts do they want? Maybe they are pulling your chain because they want you to come down on the price.
There are some people that are willing to come down on price, but usually only when they are printing in Bulk and when supplying them with a cheaper quality garment.
But if you really want to take the job, they are ways around that. Charge them 7 or 8 bucks a shirt, but add the difference in your set-up fees, Art work fees Etc.
If you are going to go down on your price Negotiate for a happy Medium, Do not let them Low Ball you!
I have spent hours and hours looking through all of the posts and links etc..however no luck with this...
I have a heat transfer business...(a small one) LOL Well, I have been approached by people to do shirts for events and conferences and they say that they can get shirts done for like 6-7.00 a shirt...I buy my shirts wholesale but there is still no way to sell them that cheap..What in the world are they doing to sell shirts that cheap? And from what I have read on screen printing they use a lot of stuff..Please help..I really want to gain their business.
They may be trying to lowball you. Give them the price that you are comfortable doing the job at and walk away if they think it is too high. There are enough serious clients out there, that you shouldn't have to stress over the "Wal-Mart" shoppers.
Also, what kind of quantity and design are they talking about? Is it $6.00-$7.00 for a single color line of text after paying a screener's setup charge?
I f they are buying a large amount of shirts, They can get them printed cheap. I bought some 6 color shirts in seatle for souvenirs and got then for $4.00 each. I know it is depressing , but it can be done. The small time guys, can't compete. I f you want to provide shirts for the big events, you need to be able to produce them in mass volume. The onesie twosie guys are not ever going to compete against the big automatics. ..... JB
I have the same issue in my sign shop...
I have a 20K printer that does beautiful work but now and then people want 150 one color yard signs. They want to pay $2 or less each.... The printer is not the right tool for that job. They need tp be direct printed or preferably screen printed. PLUS... you have to be doing enough volume to buy blanks cheaper. When you buy 1000 sheets of coro you pay less than the guy buying 25.
In your case, you have to buy blanks... and you are probably paying the highest price that your distributors charge (not the 10000 piece price). Then you have to buy transfers, then you have to pay two batches of shipping (shirts & transfers). NOW you have the labor of actually doing the transfers.
I guess the short answer is that you CAN'T compete with people buying in bulk, and screening themselves if you are buying only dozens and doing transfers. Your costs are just higher.
If you compete for that business then you have to do what they do.
You can't buy a spoon and a skillet then pay retail for you food and call yourself a caterer....then complain about McDonalds selling a burger for 99¢
How in the world..??!! 
I have spent hours and hours looking through all of the posts and links etc..however no luck with this...
