client is asking for copies of their art files

[Denis Kolar]

Send them a JPG file

[lemorris]

send them the files

cut bait

move on

anything else just means you get to continue dealing with a pain in the ass.

Not worth it IMO

[Inkworks]

^^^ This.

[3Deep]

Cutting a pain in the ass is the best way to go, but that invites more pain in the asses as they know they can bully you into whatever they want from you, sometimes you have to make a stand.

Darryl

[Screened Gear]

We had  client that asked us to make some things for them, (hats, tees, and stickers). Client was a NIGHTMARE to work with. Several of the files were not print ready, and we charged them for our time to make them print ready.

Now they are asking for us to send these files over. I don't think we should have to send them files that we worked on, as they are our artwork, but i didn't know what standard protocol is with this type of situation.

what would you all do?

If you bills them for art they own it in my opinion.  If you did not.....then I would not send it.

I agree on this.

Now what do you have to send them? If its layered art you can send them a flattened art file. If its vector you can send them a flattened Jpeg file. They did not pay for your working files did they? You don't have to send them the layered and separated files since that is your normal process. They just paid for you to get the crap art they sent to the point you can print it. They didn't pay for the separating that you normally do on jobs. It really comes down to how much of a dick you want to be. I personally send everything I don't care if they paid for it or not. I am not in business to try to hold customers hostage. If they want to go elsewhere fine.

[Joe P Racefan]

But, what if the designs, although not "print ready", were in fact already conceived and laid out in a state that could be viewed as completed logos/artwork?  In these cases, all the screenprinter artist is doing is taking the complete design and adjusting it to be compatible with the very limited parameters that screenprinting allows.

My advice...if you do not want to hand over the printready files you generated film/screens from, do not charge for it and build that cost in elsewhere.

What if you charge for film? Imntbho, the client then owns that film.

[Inkworks]

That's part of the reason i tend to quote a unit price on shirts that includes everything, but isn't itemized.

[Maxie]

Why fight with the client?
Maybe someone gave them a cheaper price, they will try them  and maybe they will not be happy with the results,
If you give them a hard time they will never return.       Keep the door open.
We often have customers who don't understand that we charge for our quality and service, they try someone cheaper and come back after getting lousy results.

[GraphicDisorder]

Why fight with the client?
Maybe someone gave them a cheaper price, they will try them  and maybe they will not be happy with the results,
If you give them a hard time they will never return.       Keep the door open.
We often have customers who don't understand that we charge for our quality and service, they try someone cheaper and come back after getting lousy results.

Cheaper does not always mean worse results.... So there is the possibility they leave Shop A and find out Shop B is better and cheaper. It happens.

Remember a customer will pay more for more, they will not often however pay more for less. It's possible some people that perceive they are charging more for more and actually aren't.

[ericheartsu]

Why fight with the client?
Maybe someone gave them a cheaper price, they will try them  and maybe they will not be happy with the results,
If you give them a hard time they will never return.       Keep the door open.
We often have customers who don't understand that we charge for our quality and service, they try someone cheaper and come back after getting lousy results.

what was stated above. Also this client was a giant PITA

[Underbase37]

You have to love when they come back & the other shop won't give them the art back, & now their asking if you are going to charge to redo it. Priceless

[mk162]

i've lost more customers that eventually find their way back..some of them more than once or twice.