[aspliz]

I psoted last nite but can't find my post! need help with quote for 10 customer supplied drifit henleys. The want a large team name and 6" number on the front (I will recommend and quote 3") and a 6" number and a 2" x 12" name on the back all in white. My first instinct was to Direct print the front and then cut and apply vinyl for the rest. Then I thought I would just cut and apply all of it. When I started thinking about the setup, cutting and weeding time and material cost involved it, I got my catalogs out for athletic lettering. If I order everything I
need it comes to about 10.50 a shirt with approx. frt. If the name and number are cut together I still have to organize shirts to name and number. Then I have 3 applications per shirt. If i charge 2.00 per application $(60.00) it doesn't seem like enough for the overall time spent on the job. Plus the chance of ruining a shirt even though I will tell them I won't replace. Their cost will be 16.50 and it seems like alot.
They probably bought these thinking they were going to save money but I am not in the business of working for free and truthfully thinking of not even taking it. Now I remember why I try to steer clear do contract printing.
Anyone body have any suggestions or advice?

 

[Rodney]

It sounds like you have a good handle on how to price to make sure you are getting paid for the time you put in.

I think there are a few pricing calculators that have been posted to the forum, but it sounds like you're on the right track.

 

[aspliz]

THANK YOU!!! I have now been here 7 hrs. I've decided to figure time instead of placement and break it to them gently. If they fall over dead, so be it. My dad always said, "I can sit home and watch TV for nothing!"

 

[royster13]

How are your materials costing that much?...I can not imagine it taking more that 1 lineal foot of vinyl per shirt....

 

[bern]

Royster I do not think he is actually cutting the vinyl himself . When he said he gets the catalog out for athletic lettering . Not sure now after rereading post . Disregard my post altogether it is the result of posting after just waking up

 

[royster13]

Well in any event, his materials costs seem real high.....I have numbers in stock but if I did not, I am sure I could get the required elements out of 1 lineal foot of 20" material....And they would take no longer than 10 minutes per shirt to weed.....

 

[aspliz]

It's she, haha. Let me clarify. I can cut everything but I have 15" material that cuts about 13.5".
If I want name and number as one pc and fit the 3" numbers in there somewhere, I still have the
large team name w/tail to do. My original thought was to direct print team name but since I was cutting everything else decided I would just cut them. That's when I started thinking about ordering them, so I got out the catalogs and priced what I needed. That is where the 10.50 came from
(including approx. frt.) You are right it is high. I don't normally do contract stuff. What is the going rate for doing the cutting and applying in house? What about just the application charges if I purchase from outside source. (by the way, the 10.50 above had no markup on it).
If I do it in house and use the catalog pricing, I have the material cost and the cost of layout, weeding, organizing by size and name and then applying. All the little tasks add up. What if one gets trashed? So even in house 15.00 sounds reasonable to me, am I crazy? you are allowed to say yes!

 

[royster13]

Hello Liz (sorry I thought you were a he).....

Depending on how bad I need the work and who I am competing against, I might go as low as 8.00 or 9.00 each....I think buying materials the way you are is putting your price over the top before you even cover your costs....

Pre-printed numbers are less cost and less work than cad cut vinyl...For colours like white and black you should have 20" material in stock....So even if you have to cut all 3 pieces I think your material cost should be less than 3.00 a shirt....

 

[binki]

For something like that on customer supplied shirts we do the cutting ourselves and charge about $15/shirt for a one color if they supply the shirt. We are on the high side in our area for this type of work though.

If your cost os $10.50 (does that include shipping to you?) then if it were me, I would quote $25/per shirt. If you have to pay shipping in addition to the $10.50 then I would mark that up as well and add it to the cost of the shirts.

 

[aspliz]

We are a small business in a small town. We started as an apparel printing business and bought the cutter 5 years later for signs. I was never into the team stuff because of a sporting goods store 2 blocks down so I never had a need for 20" material, so I would have to fit this on 15".
I could save money by not cutting the back in 1 piece but then have more time in making sure they are straight. Also I was reading that the dri-fit shirts (these are Henleys) are trickier and
I have a feeling that they bought these thinking they were gonna save money. I would be willing to bet they bought exactly what they needed, 10. Anyway I know I sound like I am whining but I
said I send a quote and wasn't liking what I had, so I was curious as to what other shops were doing. If I did this all the time, I would feel differently. I really appreciate the feedback, it's does put a different perspective on things and by the way, I never thought about printed transfers. Thanks for that.