Why do folks that work so hard to build their business, do things that drive business away?....For example no small orders, no special colours, no names/number, slow turn around. etc., etc....
Not 100% sure where you are coming from on this, but I'll take a stab.
More WORK doesn't necessarily mean
More PROFIT. It might, or might not.
There are plenty of people who are young, or just starting out, or just more hungry, that are willing to do the stuff that a big slice of folks just aren't willing to do any more. Many shirt printers work out of their parents basement and will do whatever they need to do. Myself, I have to pay for a storefront and employees and thread..... and rent.
My family used to have a sign company in a teensy weensy town. 50 years of saying
"YES, WE DO THAT" and then trying to figure out how, didn't make for lots of profit, but it is simply impossible to say "no" and survive IN
THAT MARKET. We closed in 08, sold the cranes and the welders, the sheet metal shop and paint booth and the associated equipment---you get the idea. Then we bought a garment decorators shop in The City. Nowadays, we are more and more aware of the the fact that you don't have to say "SURE, WE CAN DO THAT" to every potential customer that comes through the door. We don't really need more work during most of the year. We want to choose more
profitable work, whenever we can. Call me a capitalist.
If you've missed it, do read this thread:
http://www.theshirtboard.com/index.php?topic=5514.0. It is a valuable
clinic on
"more work doesn't necessarily equal more profit"....its just more work, unless you can skillfully navigate some very difficult waters.
If you can get 25 bucks for a PMS color match, I say, "Go Get'em Tiger!" That doesn't completely fit our business model just yet, but I'm certainly not trashing it,
<edited>I'm sorta old, and just sorta tired, I guess. The screenprinting part of our operation is ME. (and whatever part-timers I can drag in) And I take a dim view of 5 color jobs with 30 pieces, and another one color location, when I can't even sell the shirts, so we "Stick'em" a little on those jobs. We do that so we don't have to do any more of those than we have to do, and if they are willing to pay, well alrighty then.... I'll bet you do the same thing, Royster, it just might not be the same triggers that determine a "no thanks".
Charging "whatever your market will bear" is ultimately a good thing...for everybody, (yes,
everybody) and I think can support that statement....but it might take a long lunch to convince you.
You might be able to do those things you referred to for cheaper than I care to. I'm willing to bet you have lots more experience in printing than I do.
<EDIT: WHOA! I read this after a good night's sleep and it sounded condescending to Royster. It's what I get for posting so late. FIXED....>
