[Bugmeister]

When ordering shirts to complete an order, how many extras do you order in case of failed decoration? Do you include the cost of those shirts in your costs for the quote?


For example, I'm quoting for an order of 120 shirts of mixed sizes, about 75% mens shirts and 25% the ladies equivalent style.


How many (if any) extra shirts would you order and how would you charge for them?

 

[splathead]

What is your spoil rate for the printing method you're using?


That should dictate how many extra to order.



We don't charge. We use leftovers for other jobs.

 

[Bugmeister]

What is your spoil rate for the printing method you're using?

That should dictate how many extra to order.

I'd like to say zero spoil rate :-D


The reality is I don't know...this will be my first job of this size. Sublimation on 100% polyester shirts.

We don't charge. We use leftovers for other jobs.

Do you include any spoilage expense in your quote and adjust downwards on delivery if the costs were lower, or just eat to the cost? I haven't charged for leftovers in the past but was curious how others handled it. Thanks for the reply!

 

[KelceyW]

What is your vendors turn-around time. We can get shirts delivered in a day or two so we tend to order just what we need knowing we can replace any failures in before the order is due.

 

[binki]

We used to order extras but not any more. We buy so often we can make it up on the next order.

 

[Amw]

If you have a good (close) supplier you shouldn't need to get extra.

We put orders in for shirts 3-5 days a week. Delivery is next day. For dye sub we rarely need to replace a shirt.

The more jobs you do the better you get, the less you will need to replace any. When we hire a new person and train them on a press, I give them jobs that use our "in-house" shirts. These are shirts that we stock all the time, so if there is a mistake you just get another off the shelf. We stock a few styles in toddler sizes up to 5XL.

We do NOT directly charge the customer for miss prints, that is our fault.
Its all figured into the original price that was quoted.
If we have a bad day and mess up 20 shirts...well we loose some profit.
You cant expect the client to pay extra for your lack of experience.

 

[Bugmeister]

Thanks all, that's the sort of information I was looking for.


Vendor turnaround time is anywhere from 2 to 5 days depending on my source. I'm not yet at the point of making regular orders that I can tack anything onto so have to be cognizant of shipping costs.


I wasn't keen on passing costs of rejects on to my customers but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing a common business practice or anything.

 

[splathead]

I wasn't keen on passing costs of rejects on to my customers but wanted to make sure I wasn't missing a common business practice or anything.

It is common business practice to have a spoil rate for customer supplied goods. I've seen anywhere from a 1 to 3% rate with a minimum of 2 items.



It's not fair, nor common, to charge customers for mistakes on your own product.

 

[and3008]

I always order an extra shirt in each size, but I live close to my wholesaler and can return them. And, as someone else said - I have been known to eventually use them for other projects or practice with them and hand them out to friends and family. For me it takes away the stress of not fulfilling an order.