[Ripcord]

I'm doing my first plastisol transfer job ordering the transfers for about 100 shirts - 4-color process plus an underbase. Part of the design is a photo.

So I need to buy 100 transfers upfront before I can show a printed sample to the customer for her approval. I'm a little worried that she will compare the actual print on the shirt to the bright colored image on the monitor and ask me to fix something.

I'm trying to come up with a way of explaining to her that due to limitations with the ink and fabric that there isn't a way to make the final print look as crisp as the jpeg proof. Also that I'll require a 1/2 deposit to order the materials and that it will be non refundable since a third party is printing the transfers.

I normally don't use formal contracts but in this case I think I need to protect myself since I'll be spending several hundred dollars on the transfers. If she doesn't like the proof I won't finish the job or charge her for the shirts, but I don't intend to refund the money I spent on the transfers.

I'm wondering what others experience with this type of job is and how you explain the quality limitations and payment policy with a customer?

 

[ejnrby]

Why not have it printed on a print and cut vinyl?

 

[into the T]

i'm thinking along those same lines as ejnrby

at least you could get a single proof to show the customer

 

[Ripcord]

I've never seen that for shirts. I'm imagining it looking and feeling like a sweat patch. Have you guys used this? Where might I order it?

 

[ejnrby]

I'm not sure a screen transfer with UB + 4 colors would feel much better. I know Apex does digital transfers, but any sign shop that does print and cut could do the same if they can get the product. You might want to try the Siser ColorPrint Soft Opaque, which is a bit softer than most print and cut HTVs.

 

[Industryps]

If you can find out the linescreen they will use on your transfers, make a halftoned version for a mock up and let the client judge from that.
HTV would be good, but old-fashioned plastisol transfers would look better in the long run and be more durable.

 

[Ripcord]

I thought I'd start by asking the transfer company for some 4-color samples and do a shirt to show the customer. That way she can get an idea of the quality of a process color print on fabric. If she balks at all I'll refer her to a DTG shop and she can pay $15 per shirt.

(Actually I don't know if she's going to be picky or not but after I showed her a digital proof she asked if I could get more definition in the photo. I was like, no the print will actually have less definition by the very nature of the medium...)

 

[Industryps]

Not a bad idea but if she's like a lot of the customers we encounter, she won't be satisfied unless she sees her own work sampled. If you get the impression it's going to be an uphill battle getting her to be satisfied with the results of your final method, maybe it's not a bad idea to pass her on to the DTG...

 

[Ripcord]

Yeah, I'm going to make it absolutely clear that we need to order all the transfers at once and we're getting them from a reputable company that will do the best they can to make them look good, but we won't be able to make any changes once they're done.

I'll also do one shirt for her to look at after I get the transfers just to be sure she knows what she's getting. I think I'll explain it that it's the same as if she ordered the transfers herself. She pays for them upfront and they will be her property if she decides not to order the shirts.

But between now and June when she plans to order I'm going to get a feel for what type of expectation she has. If there's any doubt in my mind whether she'll be satisfied with the end product I will send her to a DTG shop.

 

[ABM]

I'm totally confused as to why you think you need to use transfers when 100 shirts with 5 screens can be screen printed for a reasonable price and still room for you to profit? Plus if it's screen printed locally you'll be able to go in and do a press check and if it needs fixing they or you can rework the art/seps. If you need a sample before she approves the order tell her there's a $100 sample fee or whatever the printer is charging you. Most printers who run a sample will keep the screens if you ask therefore if it's approved you won't be charged for new screens. JM2C.

 

[Ripcord]

No need to be "totally" confused. I have a 4-color press and for screen printing I specialize in 1-2 color work and that's been my business model for 20+ years. I'm not old fashioned but I realized years ago that I make my profit by printing shirts, not making screens.

So I'm not equipped for a 5-color job and I really don't want to be. I'd rather pay for 100 transfers and charge a reasonable price for my own labor than to set the whole thing up to print myself.... In that amount of time I can slam out three or four easy jobs and make twice as much money. That's what I'd rather spend my time on.

(Reading back over this, maybe I AM old fashioned LOL, but there's still a huge market for spot color printing and I think a lot of customers prefer the look...)

 

[ABM]

Alright, I see where you're coming from but I think I'd still rather farm the job out to a local printer than deal with the time investment and upfront costs of the transfers. To each his/ her own, aye?

 

[Ripcord]

I guess so, but I priced it to make a $500 profit, and I don't mind doing a days work for that. I just want to be sure she will be happy with the shirts...

(And if I farmed it out to another printer I'd still be in the same position I think...)

 

[webtrekker]

Surely you have an old t-shirt lying around with a plastisol print that you can show her to give her an idea of the finished quality?

I myself wouldn't contemplate any order where the customer supplied a photographic image. Been there with dyesub and regretted it.