One more Shirt? I need a good response!

[Specialts1]

After 25 years in this business, I still don't have a good customer friendly response on why I can't set up to print one more shirt.  I have a completed order that is 5c/4c and they need one more 4XL.  Do you overprint your quantities to allow for this?  Do you have a set % of over/under? I'm torn beween $$$$ for doing one piece as opposed to the bad vibes  >:(created by not doing what they want.

Any insight will be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Homer]

I usually say, it's like making one cupcake. you still have to go through the same steps as if making the whole batch...Or I say one slice of pizza, same deal...Try to relate to their business or find a common ground that any idiot can understand. it's funny when the light bulb goes off and they go oohhh, I see now....

[Frog]

I have two answers for you.
1. tell them exactly how much one shirt would cost. Even without an exorbitant printing fee, the set-ups alone, even at a discounted rate would be way over $100
2. DTG

In the future, cover this possibly eventuality in the order taking process in the first place.

[kirkage]

Tell them upfront. Or stick to the 2 dozen minimum.

[Frog]

Especially on a job like this, with 9 screen set-ups, I'm glad that I do itemize that part of the bill.
As I kinda' said in the post above, even if I threw in the shirt and the actual printing, at even with my discounted re-run set-up charge, we're looking at $153.

Some folks really are thinking it's like what they are used to on their desktop computers and printers. Heck, even DTG is not as simple as hitting the "Print" tab.

[Denis Kolar]

It depends why they are doing.
If they own a gym, ask them if they would be opening a gym every day for 1 person at the time.
If they own a pizza, will they be making a dough for each pizza or they would make a dough for the whole day at the time.
And so on, they seem to understand only if you tell them something they could understand

[Inkworks]

I always tell them going in that they are better to have a few extra than to need 1-2 more later and explain why.

[Shanarchy]

I tell customers that when a job is completed the screens are cleaned out and re-used for the next job. We could print you one more, but you will be looking at several hours of labor to set the job back up, which would unfortunately make this a very expensive shirt.

If they still MUST have this shirt, send it out to a DTG guy and explain that it will be digitally printed so it will look a little different.


My question is what is everyone telling their customer before hand? I need to start working in "be sure to order all you need now, maybe throw in a few extras, as a reprint will be a minimum of 25 and at a higher rate."

[Sbrem]

I tell customers that when a job is completed the screens are cleaned out and re-used for the next job. We could print you one more, but you will be looking at several hours of labor to set the job back up, which would unfortunately make this a very expensive shirt.

If they still MUST have this shirt, send it out to a DTG guy and explain that it will be digitally printed so it will look a little different.


My question is what is everyone telling their customer before hand? I need to start working in "be sure to order all you need now, maybe throw in a few extras, as a reprint will be a minimum of 25 and at a higher rate."

Ditto Shane. When a job has a lot of colors on multiple sides, it's ridiculously insane to set up for one or two pieces. Unless you have a real good reason, like you do six figures with the customer, you just need to tell them it's too much work for one, and it would cost a small fortune. Now recently, we did a 1/5 for someone; they loved them, but have requests (not "need") for about 10 more. I told him they would be close to $20.00 each, which he thought would be OK, and no rush, that's "what the idiots get" for not ordering in the first place. DTG...

Steve

[Specialts1]

Thanks for the feedback.  There never seems to be a thorough way of getting through to people.  This was a school group, and no one ever wants to order too many shirts.  I stand here looking like the bad guy, but I will give the DTG a try. 

I've often thought of posting a sign, but then I'd still have to read it to them lol.

[Frog]

Thanks for the feedback.  There never seems to be a thorough way of getting through to people.  This was a school group, and no one ever wants to order too many shirts.  I stand here looking like the bad guy, but I will give the DTG a try. 

I've often thought of posting a sign, but then I'd still have to read it to them lol.

Rather than a sign, or along with a sign, actually broaching the subject at ordering can help, though with your 4X it's a little different
Something like:
"You know, we often find that with orders like these, there's always one or two kids who didn't get their order in on time, or change their minds after they see the shirts. Orders after the fact are often impractical or impossible to do, especially with the extensive set-ups this particular job requires. Have you considered getting a few extra? You could spread that cost out over the whole order if needed. Otherwise, there is a digital method for "fill-ins" that won't look exactly the same, but works in a pinch. They may still run considerably more than these did, but a helluva lot less than if I were to set this sucker up again on my press."

I generally do it as part of the ordering conversation, but printed out could do the trick as well.

[Gilligan]

Also, like the Pizza analogy... if you walk into a pizza shop right after they close... how likely are they to make you ONE MORE SLICE.

They won't, because they have the ovens off, the ingredients put away, everything cleaned up... they aren't about to dirty everything and fire everything back up for ONE MORE SLICE!

[Lizard]

I think the best approach is when they are placing the order educate them on the process of screen printing.  For example, "Mr. Customer, Let me walk you through the process of printing this job".  Go through all the steps of printing a two side multi color job and at the end, "Are you sure you have everyone covered?  Need any more shirts?"

Now when they come back it is much easier to recall the conversation of how a shirt gets to completion. "Mr. Customer, remember blah, blah blah?  Well for us to print one more shirt we will have to charge X to cover our costs".  People will be much more understanding.

Also separating out your setup from your shirts will let them know what part is for each process.

[Inkworks]

Any order over 50pcs. gets the speech: "You're better off to buy a few extra of the most common sizes now than to need a few more later and have to pay set-ups again"

[screenprintguy]

After 25 years in this business, I still don't have a good customer friendly response on why I can't set up to print one more shirt.  I have a completed order that is 5c/4c and they need one more 4XL.  Do you overprint your quantities to allow for this?  Do you have a set % of over/under? I'm torn beween $$$$ for doing one piece as opposed to the bad vibes  >:(created by not doing what they want.

Any insight will be appreciated.

Thanks.

We made a habbit of over printing at least 1-2 shirts per size of a run, For more than one reason. 1. the reason you are describing, but also, what happens if you rock out 500 shirts, pull your 5col design down, start running backs, get half way through the run to find a seem torn, or a hole or such on the other side, at least with the over print you have coverage. I'd say 95% of the customers we have will gladly pay a reduced price for the over prints, I'm about to run a job right now where we accidentally ordered tooo many overs. The shirt is an off the cuff color so my wife called them, offered the overs cheap, they took them, better than paying a re-stock fee, and put a couple extra bucks in the ole bank. I'd always rather be safe than sorry. Nothing worse than having to set all that crap back up for a couple shirts, or worse yet, the customer doesn't open their box for a week or two, finds out they need a couple more and you have to re-shoot the screens. That's just how we cover our butts.