customer used another printer now wants help

[sweetts]

So a church that I have printed for before had 400 shirts printed by one of their members, its a nice design but on thin shirts. One of the people I have worked with before called me and wanted to know if I would print the same design on the back of these shirts only bigger. She said they did not want to work with the other guy again for numerous reasons. SO I am going out of town this week end and have a ton of orders this a 4-5 color design about 400 shirts. I am thinking of printing it because I like this custy she has referred a bunch of work my way. Now I am thinking of contracting it out make a quick $300 and not have to rush through the other orders next week. So what are your guys thoughts??? Should I print on a shirt someone else printed on before me?? What could the pitfalls be?  I would print them myself but I really have no time to do a 5 color 400 shirt order in the next two weeks. Whats your thoughts?

[Croft]

I'd do it if it was me , but I would have a hard time having someone else doing it for me because of Murphy's law ! it usually rules my life on scenerios like this.

[sweetts]

I'd do it if it was me , but I would have a hard time having someone else doing it for me because of Murphy's law ! it usually rules my life on scenerios like this.

It would be my first contracted job but the guy by me is Pro so I think I would be ok.

[Denis Kolar]

Take it few miles to the east and you should be fine
If you are busy, 5 colors/400 shirts on manual would be an overkill. Work on smaller jobs and give that to "the guy"

[sweetts]

Take it few miles to the east and you should be fine
If you are busy, 5 colors/400 shirts on manual would be an overkill. Work on smaller jobs and give that to "the guy"

Yep I am gonna use "the Guy" I heard he is good LOL just waiting on the artwork. Trying to work smarter not harder you know

Sent  from samsung gem(the worst smart phone ever)

[Sbrem]

Being a contract printer, I would say contract it out to someone who does good work, and you can trust. They want your repeat business, so it's their job to make you look good.

Steve

[blue moon]

as you mentioned, there could be several issues here. . . for example, what happens if your print is better than the original? They are going to have two prints that have the same art but look different (on the same shirt). That would seem kinda odd to me.

On the other hand, if you want the back to look the same, than a. what's the point in getting somebody else to do it and b. it will take sampling time to match the front (which can get expensive in a hurry!).  Your customer will not understand that trying to match some other manufacturer's ink color and other print shop's methods is not easy.  And when you provide shirts that look the same they will not see the difference and will wonder what is it that you really bring to the plate.

After thinking, I would say, tell them you'll print them the way you normally do and it will not look the same. Set up the expectations correctly and you should be OK.  Definitely have that conversation with them before taking the order.

pierre

[Gilligan]

as you mentioned, there could be several issues here. . . for example, what happens if your print is better than the original? They are going to have two prints that have the same art but look different (on the same shirt). That would seem kinda odd to me.

On the other hand, if you want the back to look the same, than a. what's the point in getting somebody else to do it and b. it will take sampling time to match the front (which can get expensive in a hurry!).  Your customer will not understand that trying to match some other manufacturer's ink color and other print shop's methods is not easy.  And when you provide shirts that look the same they will not see the difference and will wonder what is it that you really bring to the plate.

After thinking, I would say, tell them you'll print them the way you normally do and it will not look the same. Set up the expectations correctly and you should be OK.  Definitely have that conversation with them before taking the order.

pierre

Yeah, that seems like a win win... When it's all said and done, you have a better print than the other guy and they know why they need to just stick with you and stop futzing around with a (possibly) cheaper guy.

But do have that conversation, especially if you KNOW you will out shine the other printer.

[royster13]

Will your contract printer "touch" this job?......Most do not want to go anywhere near someone else's work for fear that even though they did not wrong they will be blamed for some problem with the original work.....

[Dottonedan]

When working with large company's that have multiple designs and multiple printers, it's common to have 2 or even 3 printers doing the same print the same week.

For example, A company like Disney who has many designs on the floor, may re-order from X company one week and the next week, order from B company because X company cannot handle the production all at once. Also, price is an issue. They get one price from A and another price from B so they try to use B more often.

The tricky part is separations & sampling and getting your print to look like the other. Sometimes we can make it look "better" than the other, but that might not be what the customer wants. Sure, that makes you feel better, but then the end result is the the customer had to put two different looks on the rack of the same design. That in the retail theater is called a bad show. Sometimes, they can kick it back to you for not making is look like the other (if a sample is provided).  If a buyer is green and does not know that we can have differences, they are the worst!!

[RICK STEFANICK]

as you mentioned, there could be several issues here. . . for example, what happens if your print is better than the original? They are going to have two prints that have the same art but look different (on the same shirt). That would seem kinda odd to me.

On the other hand, if you want the back to look the same, than a. what's the point in getting somebody else to do it and b. it will take sampling time to match the front (which can get expensive in a hurry!).  Your customer will not understand that trying to match some other manufacturer's ink color and other print shop's methods is not easy.  And when you provide shirts that look the same they will not see the difference and will wonder what is it that you really bring to the plate.

After thinking, I would say, tell them you'll print them the way you normally do and it will not look the same. Set up the expectations correctly and you should be OK.  Definitely have that conversation with them before taking the order.

pierre

PIERRE, That is exactly the thing to do. then theres no worries or extra cost involved for the screen printer.  i'm sure "THE GUY" would agree.

[blue moon]

as you mentioned, there could be several issues here. . . for example, what happens if your print is better than the original? They are going to have two prints that have the same art but look different (on the same shirt). That would seem kinda odd to me.

On the other hand, if you want the back to look the same, than a. what's the point in getting somebody else to do it and b. it will take sampling time to match the front (which can get expensive in a hurry!).  Your customer will not understand that trying to match some other manufacturer's ink color and other print shop's methods is not easy.  And when you provide shirts that look the same they will not see the difference and will wonder what is it that you really bring to the plate.

After thinking, I would say, tell them you'll print them the way you normally do and it will not look the same. Set up the expectations correctly and you should be OK.  Definitely have that conversation with them before taking the order.

pierre

PIERRE, That is exactly the thing to do. then theres no worries or extra cost involved for the screen printer.  i'm sure "THE GUY" would agree.

yeah, I think he would. But he probably would not have an issue with matching it if it was necessary either. I guess we'll find out . . .

pierre

[sweetts]

Well I talked to the customer and she has a complete understanding that the prints may look different, I have not talked to "the guy" yet about this job but plan to this weekend     I am waiting to get the art files before I send it to him for final pricing but quoted her a price range depending on the art files and exact number of shirts. I think it makes good sense to move forward like this everyone wins.

[sweetts]

So listen to this pile of crap. Customer that has used me many times requests a sample print to make sure the group will go with the design printed by me, I tell her I will need a deposit to cover the costs and will credit to the order once the order is placed, she tells me this weekend I should do it for free because of our history. I tell her I will print it once I get an order. She placed an order for one shirt 5 color so I quoted her $135.00 25 a screen and 10 For ink. She said her group who didn't like the other printers work did not wanted to spend more money on the shirts because they are cheap shirts,,,they should have came To me first, I offered 500 new shirts 5 color back with one color front for $4.90 a shirt ....no sale sometimes its hard being Mr. Nice printer guy

Sent  from samsung gem(the worst smart phone ever)

[blue moon]

So listen to this pile of crap. Customer that has used me many times requests a sample print to make sure the group will go with the design printed by me, I tell her I will need a deposit to cover the costs and will credit to the order once the order is placed, she tells me this weekend I should do it for free because of our history. I tell her I will print it once I get an order. She placed an order for one shirt 5 color so I quoted her $135.00 25 a screen and 10 For ink. She said her group who didn't like the other printers work did not wanted to spend more money on the shirts because they are cheap shirts,,,they should have came To me first, I offered 500 new shirts 5 color back with one color front for $4.90 a shirt ....no sale sometimes its hard being Mr. Nice printer guy

Sent  from samsung gem(the worst smart phone ever)

actually, I think you are doing the right thing. Stick to your guns and do what you enjoy doing. If they like you they will pay (as they are going to now). If everything works out, you will have a customer that will not question your pricing (when they do, just mention the other guy and they'll stop!).

pierre