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.
So, I received an email recently from Steve, with ZB & Sons in Malta. If this is a spam form letter that other people have received, please let me know. While there's nothing wrong with me sending a couple of samples, I am worried that this is a scam that leads to "HEY SEND US 300 SHIRTS WE'LL PAY FOR SERIOUS".
Here is the letter, "xxxxxxxxxx" being where I x'ed out his email address:
From: Steve ZB (xxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Dear Sirs,
We at ZB & Sons take pride in importing only the best quality products
to the island of Malta. Upon browsing the net to find t-shirts/shirts
that would appeal to the adolescent market, we came across your website.
Your products look great and we think they are just what we are looking
for to add to our growing range of clothing. We would like to start
importing some of your designs in bulk, however we usually ask you to send
us some samples to see the quality etc. This is because we previously
were very disappointed in the t-shirts/shirts that some companies sent
us, which were bad quality and made cheaply.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Best Regards,
Steve
Email: xxxxxxxxxxx
(Mailing Address Below)
-
Mailing Address:
ZB&Sons
5, Caradon Court
Triq il-Wizna
Swieqi
Malta, Europe
-Samples should be sent in size M due to the sizes of our models.
Package should also be marked as SAMPLE-
__________________ SEIBEI - put a monster in your closet.
Follow me on Twitter @davidSEIBEI
My first gut reaction is that it reads like a scamity scam scam.
My next step was to use my handy dandy Google desktop search to see if I have received any of the same emails. A search for "5, Caradon Court" pulled up 2 matches that I received earlier in may to 2 different email addresses (both t-shirt related).
While that doesn't mean 100% scam, it does mean that they are sending out a form letter to multiple businesses.
Sounds like someone just wanting free t-shirts, but I could be wrong. Their ISP is from Malta, so it *could* be a legitimate store in Malta trying to find designs.
I would do some more thorough investigation before sending them any samples. Get pictures of their storefront, more business information that you can verify, etc.
I just got one of these too. Same letter, submitted via contact form on my site. I'm about 99.9% sure it's a scam, but if I were to give the benefit of doubt I wonder what kind of information I could ask for that could be easily verified. There doesn't appear to be any trace of them on the web, including the Malta chamber of commerce directory.
I got the same thing as well. Funny thing is they said they liked the designs I had on the site. Even funnier is that site has no designs on it at all, only a "Coming Soon" splash.
__________________ Everything tastes better on a stick
I would recommend you make him/her pay for any products they would like to sample with a written statement of intent (your email...) that your organization will refund the purchase price of he/she paid for the samples once their check for the full amount of the bulk order has fully cleared. That way, you're protected and you haven't given away any free merchandise for nothing.
These people contacted my company as well and that was the deal I offered them. If they are legitimate, then no problem, we would be more than happy to do business with them. But always protect yourself. Always.
I have been directed to this forum by a person that I contacted regarding his t-shirts, saying that I have received "sketchy press"
My name is Steve and I am indeed the owner of ZB&Sons.
Indeed, it is true that my company has recently been sending multiple emails to selected t-shirt companies regarding their designs, as we thought the internet would be an ideal medium for scouting new brands/designs.
However I do not recall asking for any samples for FREE.
We have always paid the wholesale cost for samples that we wanted to acquire... along with the costly shipping to Malta.
Also, you would probably not find any information on our company as it is a newly established one and we do not have...our need a website...due to the fact that Malta is an island and not a massive country like the US, Canada or the UK. So a website would do very little for us.
What is even more disturbing is that now...if anyone had to type in my company's name...he would ONLY find this post...which implies that my company is a potential scam etc. Which I believe isn't too fair...
Anyway...in a nutshell...I never asked for any FREE SAMPLES...my secretary simply sends emails to companies that SHE thinks have potentially sellable designs...and I review the websites when somebody replies to my email. (90% of the time, SHE is wrong and the designs are not potentially sellable in Malta).
I hope I have clarified some points, especially the point that I DO NOT want anything for free...if you emailed back saying that I should pay for the samples etc and I did not reply...it is not because I was put off by the "should pay" but probably by the actual designs on the website.
I would appreciate it if you would remove this post, which is the ONLY mention of my company on the internet...and please do not send me any tshirts.
For the record, Steve from ZB and Sons in Malta has corresponded with me directly regarding this bad press. His organization does appear to be legitimate and my company is considering doing business with ZB and Sons in Malta. But, as mentioned previously, a business owner always needs to protect him/herself first and foremost. While I cannot blame anybody for their skepticism to Steve's bulk emails, I can personally testify that I have yet to encounter any adverse dealings with him or his organization.
Indeed, it is true that my company has recently been sending multiple emails to selected t-shirt companies regarding their designs
If you have been sending targeted e-mails in response to specific designs, and not blanket spam-like e-mails, why did the person above (Moonie) receive such a message, despite not having any designs available on their website?
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevez
I would appreciate it if you would remove this post, which is the ONLY mention of my company on the internet...
While it's up to Rodney, my personal opinion is that that would be totally inappropriate, and if this thread is the only mention of your company on the internet, then all the more reason it should stay. As well as the posts asking whether or not your company is legitimate, it has your posts stating that it is - people are free to judge for themselves.
The general sentiment of this thread is one of caution. Thus far that still seems entirely justified.
I'm not sure it's entirely fair. It certainly isn't particularly nice that the sole reference to the company is negative. While it doesn't look like a scam per se, it does appear that a slight unprofessionalism has resulted in a disproportionate injury to the company's image.
I think Rodney could consider making this thread non-spidered, as with the Member Introduction forums.
__________________
For every post I aim for 3 or 4 typos per line
I'm not sure it's entirely fair. It certainly isn't particularly nice that the sole reference to the company is negative.
It's not negative, it's questioning.
For example:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rodney
My first gut reaction is that it reads like a scamity scam scam.
That's a simple statement of fact: one person's gut reaction (which I agree with completely), clearly stated up front as a personal opinion based on a lack of evidence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by monkeylantern
While it doesn't look like a scam per se, it does appear that a slight unprofessionalism has resulted in a disproportionate injury to the company's image.
It's more than a slight unprofessionalism: the current story is we have a secretary, whose opinion the owner doesn't at all trust, representing the company and sending out form letters which read like spam.
If they were interested in buying samples... these sites are e-commerce sites... they can simply buy them.
The injury is currently that people will read a few facts (namely, that form letters have been sent out, that some people think it looks like a scam (but no-one has proof), that no-one has said they've done any business with them to verify it one way or the other, and that the owner is around to say it's legit).
The thing is, if the business is legit it should be extremely easy for Steve to prove it, and we can all sit around chuckling and saying "Oh how silly of us, clearly we let paranoia get the better of us! I'm so sorry Steve! Next time try not to look like a total form letter internet scam and we'll try not to jump to the obvious conclusion."
Quote:
Originally Posted by monkeylantern
I think Rodney could consider making this thread non-spidered, as with the Member Introduction forums.
Well, it could be moved to the site review section easily enough... on the other hand I for one wouldn't want to deprive those people Googling because they have doubts about the company from hearing what Steve has to say in his defense and reconsidering those doubts.
I would appreciate it if you would remove this post, which is the ONLY mention of my company on the internet...and please do not send me any tshirts.
I actually think this thread will help others. It seems like several of these form emails went out, even to people without any products on their website.
This thread lets others know that they are not alone in receiving this email, it lets them read a response from the owner of the company sending the emails with an explanation of why they went out. It will allow people researching your company to have "some" information rather than zero information.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevez
we do not have...our need a website...due to the fact that Malta is an island and not a massive country like the US, Canada or the UK. So a website would do very little for us.
I think that might be all the more reason why you need website. The companies that you're trying to do business with aren't on your island. They don't have the luxury of dealing with you face to face to know that you are sincere. Since they are in US, UK, Canada, etc, they have to have some way of finding out if the company contacting them out of the blue is legitimate.
With no website or business presence out there, the only resource was for David to post here asking others in the t-shirt community if they have dealt with your company. It was a logical thing to do, and I don't think the responses were overly critical.
When scouting new brands via the internet, they will want to make sure they are dealing with a legitimate business. It doesn't cost much to get a starter website up, and it would at least let the potential brands to research your business a bit more. Maybe show pictures of your beautiful country, your business storefront, about the type of designs you're looking for, etc.
ZB & Sons in Malta? 
Everything tastes better on a stick 
Re: ZB & Sons in Malta? 
