[buy4now1]

I recently did a job for a customer and he hated my work.
24 total shirts...This is the breakdown....

A. design 1 on front center 16"x 15 ", design 2 on sleave ( 13" x 3" )
-4 white shirts(L,XL,2X,3X) with 2 ink colors on both designs..Black & Grey
-4 white shirts(L,XL,2X,3X) with 2 ink colors on both designs.. Red & Grey
-4 Grey shirts(L,XL,2X,3X) with 2 ink colors on both designs.. Black & White

B. design 3 on top center under collar 19" x 8 ", design 4 on right sleave 4" x 4", design 5 on left sleeve 4" x 4" with 2 colors on all 3 designs
-4 yellow shirts(L,XL,2X,3X) with 2 colors on all 3 locations..Black & White
-4 white shirts(L,XL,2X,3X) with 2 colors on all locations...Black & Green
-4 white shirts(L,XL,2X,3X) with 2 colors on all locations...Black & Grey
Also Tags Printed on inside of shirts....
All this in a rush and for a giveaway $ 318...And I shipped them FREE.

He hated all of them and does not want the shirts. He said he wants me to give him his money back less $ 100 for my time.

I have to say , I thought the shirts came out awesome. My teen and his freinds loved them so much that they wanted me to make some for them(which I did not)

I spent 20 hours on this job, between color seperating the pictures, burning 7 screens, cleaning screens to change colors between each color change.........tags.

What would you do to remedy this. Do I tell him send them back and just give his money back or what.

This guy emailed and called me 3 x's a day just to see how they were coming along. I even sent him pictures of the work as I finished each design and color change. [media]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-3/1249984/1.JPG[/media]
[media]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-3/1249984/2.JPG[/media]
[media]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-3/1249984/3.JPG[/media]
[media]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-3/1249984/4.JPG[/media]
[media]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-3/1249984/5.JPG[/media]
[media]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-3/1249984/6.JPG[/media]
[media]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-3/1249984/7.JPG[/media]
[media]http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2007-3/1249984/tag.JPG[/media]

 

[sunnydayz]

Wow I too think they look good. What exactly did he say that he didnt like? Do you have pics of the artwork he sent you. That is actually a fairly cheap price for that low of quantity and the amount of setup you had to do. I think the reason would have more of an impact on what I would do. If they dont represent the artwork he sent you, I could see his problem. I guess I dont exactly understand what his problem is with them.

 

[CSS]

WOW I think the shirts looks awesome. Unfortunately there are some people out there that are not going to be happy no matter what you do. If I were in the situation I would only offer to refund half the money since you have all that time invested and not to mention the cost of the shirts, ink, etc....
Good Luck and keep us posted!

 

[HelpRunMyShop]

Thats why we do approval system they sign on dotted line! If needed they can do a press check "we call it" to see what the first one looks like. One other thing we do is count all the shirts before they leave with them. Its allways the small orders that call back saying we shorted them!!! but if you count them with them they admit they didnt order enough.

If it was me I would just keep the money tell him thats what he ordered and dont do business with him again! Some times people are just better off going some where else. ALso there are people out there that do think that if they complain (even when it looks great and you did what they wanted) That you will cut them a deal. Again i would just ask them to go some where else.

 

[HelpRunMyShop]

If they dont represent the artwork he sent you, I could see his problem. I guess I dont exactly understand what his problem is with them.

Make them Approve everything! Most mistakes are a result of miscommunication between you and your customer.

 

[buy4now1]

Wow I too think they look good. What exactly did he say that he didnt like? Do you have pics of the artwork he sent you. That is actually a fairly cheap price for that low of quantity and the amount of setup you had to do. I think the reason would have more of an impact on what I would do. If they dont represent the artwork he sent you, I could see his problem. I guess I dont exactly understand what his problem is with them.

This is his email.....

"I am thoroughly disappointed with the shirts. When we talked in the beginning, I explained to you exactly what I wanted and what quality I was looking for. If you can look at these shirts which blotches of paint missing from portions of the designs, globs of paint stacked and dried on the shirt, etc and say this is store quality then you have a serious problem. I left you a voicemail and heres you email. I don’t want the shirts and I want my refund asap!

You can subtract the shipping and your paint cost and send me $275 that’s $100 for your time. The job may have took a while but if you know you couldve have provided store quality you shouldve have wasted our time. Your know my number? Ill be looking for your call."

 

[HelpRunMyShop]

Did you have him approve anything?

 

[TshirtGuru]

I don't see anything wrong with those. It seems the customer is a chump. Who gives him the right to tell you the amount of refund you should give him? You need to take power of the situation and let him know whos boss, otherwise people will continue to run over you.

 

[Emeraldimages]

nice work i agree i'd keep the money and cut your loses because of your time and materials ink does not grow on trees neither does talent

 

[HelpRunMyShop]

Ok i think he wanted all over printing when you had screen printing over the sleeve it left more ink then it would on a shirt. We do not print on the seem cuz it doesnt work with or equipment maybe just give him a refund and move on to the next customer.

No refund without him sending the shirts back!

 

[90chevytruck]

I personally would not wear them because its just not my taste.

But I do think they came out very good. If that was what he wanted and if I were you I would just keep the money and never do business with him as well.

I just don't think its right for him to ask for his money back after all the work you went through.

Its true, if the customer isn't satisfied because something you did wrong then thats when giving the money back comes into play. But if thats the way he ordered thats his fault not yours.

I can't believe people can think they can just change their mind for no reason.

Good luck

 

[skdave]

Tell him to enjoy the shirts. You did fine work.

 

[out da box]

Man, I hate that!!!!! Damn shirts look good! I know the amount of time and work that went into that job. Next time charge a lot more. Also-this is advice to myself also- get a press check or some kind of approval to cover your bases. It's just impossible to please some folks. As of this morning, I started taking 100% pay on order.

I recently did a job of 100 white tees with a full color image. I burned 5 screens- 4 color process plus a white highlight screen.... It didn't work. I redid the artwork simulated process with 6 screens, set the job up, played with the ink for half-a-day, fedexed a sample out of state....
then finally did the actual order a week or two later- burned 6 more screens.
The customer was not satisfied, but we thought the shirt was beautiful.

See if you can reason with the customer, ask him to show the shirts to some folks and ask them what the objectively think of the shirts. If he's still unreasonable, it's your call. I don't think he deserves his money back, but it's your headache this time. Good luck. And you did an EXCELLENT job.

 

[A Perfect Pixel]

This is his email.....

"I am thoroughly disappointed with the shirts. When we talked in the beginning, I explained to you exactly what I wanted and what quality I was looking for. If you can look at these shirts which blotches of paint missing from portions of the designs, globs of paint stacked and dried on the shirt, etc and say this is store quality then you have a serious problem. I left you a voicemail and heres you email. I don’t want the shirts and I want my refund asap!

You can subtract the shipping and your paint cost and send me $275 that’s $100 for your time. The job may have took a while but if you know you couldve have provided store quality you shouldve have wasted our time. Your know my number? Ill be looking for your call."

Sounds like a real upstanding citizen there...

based on the designs, and that email I can kinda tell who you're dealing with... some punk @ss wanna-be thug

my favorite part of the whole deal: "The job may have took a while but if you know you couldve have provided store quality you shouldve have wasted our time."

where'd he learn how to speak? let alone type or structure a sentence?

Anyways, I have two questions:

1. Who provided the art? (my favorite saying in the business: "sh*t in, sh*t out")

2. Did he sign off on some kind of proof? If so, he isn't entitled to any refunds

Good luck

 

[pegasus69]

I feel so bad for hard working entrepereneurs that have to go through this kind of experience! Customers seem to think these shirts just "pop out" of some magic cauldron on their own. Unless they have any experience themselves, they have no clue the amount of time and effort that goes into producing a custom product.

I would make darn sure I got ALL those shirts back, because I would want to know what this customer sees that I missed. I would want to show the shirts to other t-shirt makers in person and let them feel and scrutinize them. Not any of his "objective" friends! I would need to sit and think if he has a valid point while I go over them with a fine tooth comb.

I would bite the bullet and be professional and give him what he wants this time. I would apologize and be courteous to his face. (What you say about him after you hang up the phone can't hurt you in the business world) Bad word of mouth can cause problems for your business though. There is a statistic about every dissatisfied customer telling at least 7 people about it.

But don't just stew in this, you got to learn from it. In the future, get an artwork fee and authorization form, maybe a first piece sample or non refundable deposit--whatever.

I would make sure I updated my business plan or whatever for any future possibilities of this happening again.

Then I would take those great shirts and sell them to your sons friends to recoup some of the loss!

Also, there's always eBay--great way to advertise what you CAN do.

We all live and learn. That is just what I would do, even though it would nearly kill me!

Let us know how you handled it!

 

[martinwoods]

This is his email.....

"I am thoroughly disappointed with the shirts. When we talked in the beginning, I explained to you exactly what I wanted and what quality I was looking for. If you can look at these shirts which blotches of paint missing from portions of the designs, globs of paint stacked and dried on the shirt, etc and say this is store quality then you have a serious problem.quote]


I think the shirts look great unless there are some that don't look like these. I think you did a fine job and do not refund any money.

What did he mean by ink stacked and dried on the shirt?

direct him to this post and he can see what everyone's opinions are
I agree totally though that you should have customers see a shirt that is printed. We have one customer I will not print for until I print one and she comes and approves it because she is very picky and tells me she wants one thing and then she decides she likes it a different way after it is printed.

Just cover yourself

 

[buy4now1]

Anyways, I have two questions:

1. Who provided the art? (my favorite saying in the business: "sh*t in, sh*t out")

2. Did he sign off on some kind of proof? If so, he isn't entitled to any refunds

Good luck

He provided the art.
I emailed the same pics you see, and he said that they look great.

 

[martinwoods]

I would not give a refund. I know someone else said they will tell others but you know what they may still do that and you will be out the money plus get the bad remarks so just keep the money and tell him he provided the art and said the shirts looked great. Do you still have the email where he said they looked great?

I try to always email instead of speak on the phone so I have record of every conversation. I have over 11,000 emails but at least when I need something I can look back and find it

 

[Catbox]

sounds like the guy had cold feet or he needs the money for something else... the shirts look great to me...
I would give him the money back... less the 100
and sell the shirts to the kids you said thought they were cool.... maybe even make more money that way... and never do business with the loser again...lol... and make sure to get everything in writing in the future so you will have full recourse... good luck

 

[buy4now1]

Thank you all for your input and encouragement.

He is in a different state, so his approval was from the pictures.

My next problem will be that he paid his deposit and the balance due via Paypal. All he has to do is complain and Paypal will take the money back.