Discuss the process of getting your t-shirt line into brick and mortar stores and selling offline. Topics include industry tradeshows, events, line sheets, sales reps and other retailing tips and advice.
American Apparel tees, average about 2 - 3 colors per design. My logo will be printed on the back, and I will be custom printing my own necktag on the inside collar, after removing the AA tag. 3 placements per t-shirt, I'm doing the printing myself.
Average cost, including time & labor, could be anywhere from $6 - $8 per shirt. I haven't printed any yet, so I won't know for sure until I actually get them done.
Hopefully you will know way before they are done. Like before you place the order!
$14 sounds right for an $8 production cost.
Although $28 seems high for an AA tee.
I've got a few more months to go before my website goes live, and I'm officially open for business. So yeah, I'm still crunching numbers, coding my website, drawing artwork, etc...
I'll be using custom packaging and custom hangtags, plus.. a percentage of sales will go a charity foundation (one that means something to me for personal reasons)
So, I don't know if all that justifies a $28 price tag, but I'm soon going to find out
plus.. a percentage of sales will go a charity foundation (one that means something to me for personal reasons)
Be careful on this issue. Depending on where the charity is based, you may need a Commercial Co-venture agreement drawn up and filed with the state's Attorney Generals Office. Fees, and sometimes a financial guarantee bond is required.
It's not as easy as saying ___% of sales goes to ___Charity.
I'm in the same boat, trying to figure a wholesale price. I think I won't be able to until I get my production costs down. A Direct threads #104 t, with a 2 color front and 1 color back is going to cost me 10$, not counting any custom tags. I was planning to do 20-25 on my retail price.
Oh, you guys are going all out w/the custom hang tags & packaging! I'm just now working on my private label inside tags. I haven't even considered the others. However, that's a great idea for me if shipping items out.
I'm in the same boat, trying to figure a wholesale price. I think I won't be able to until I get my production costs down. A Direct threads #104 t, with a 2 color front and 1 color back is going to cost me 10$, not counting any custom tags. I was planning to do 20-25 on my retail price.
Does that price sound high for my cost?
How many pieces are you getting printed at that price?
Usually wholesale is half price, if a retailer can make 2.5 on they like that better so if you could do $11.20 which is 2.5 between that and $14 you should be good
I have been selling retail for 15 years. It has changed more in the last 2 years than the first 13! Keystone ( doubling costs) used to be the norm.Now they want more. They want to double costs including frt, and do not want to experiment with non proven products. Now retailers are buying wide but not deep.If you can offer a couple per size per design and offer to exchange slow sellers that will really help. You may eat a few shirts , but it will help get you placed, and if not placed you have nothing. I would suggest selling local at first to service the accounts and get retailer feedback on designs and pricing. Deliver the shirts in a plastic bag with a logoed sticker...both really cheap...because presentation is everything , especially on a $28 tee. Be prepared for questions about UPC codes, fair trade, and eco friendly. If you are wanting reps to sell for you , the standard is 15 % of wholesale. That has to be added into cost of goods..Retailers may also ask you about signage and display. They do not want to have to do anything but open the box...and ring the register..get ready to learn, be flexible, and change plans if necessary.
And thats why retail is quickly going downhill. Greed and poor customer service. I dont know about you guys ,but down here shirts have gone up in price to $60 for surf/skate lines, some are $50.
I had a quick look and was shocked. No, didnt buy any shirts.
And thats why retail is quickly going downhill. Greed and poor customer service. I dont know about you guys ,but down here shirts have gone up in price to $60 for surf/skate lines, some are $50.
I had a quick look and was shocked. No, didnt buy any shirts.
yeah, i'm still debating wheather or not to even bother with retail stores. big or small, they're often a pain to work with. they usually want the best quality product, at a dirt cheap price. and so many retail stores these days hold some sense of entitlement, thinking they hold all the cards and have all the negotiating power. which IMO, is like trying to maintain a relationship with a high-maintanence girl, where you just end up feeling used, and beaten down at the end of the day.
my parents had a t-shirt company a few years back, and they sold their shirts wholesale at $8.00 a peice. it was amazing the sheer number of stores that didn't want to pay that amount, roughly 3 out of 5 stores tried to negotiate better pricing. what these stores didn't seem to understand, was that even at $8.00 a shirt, they weren't making much money. they were printed on gildan tees, 6-color front, and 6-color back. not exactly inexpensive when you're outsourcing your printing.
they eventually ended up selling the business, having been left with a general disgust for retail outlets as a whole.
Wholesale pricing for $28.00 t-shirts? 
