How to Avoid Costly T-shirt Ordering Mistakes.
There are three common mistakes people make when ordering t-shirts, and they can come back to haunt you later if you’re not careful. Fortunately, these mistakes are easy to avoid if you just remember to plan, check your numbers, and make sure everything is spelled right before you start handing out t-shirts with your logo or slogan printed on them. What are these mistakes? Let’s look at each one in more detail now.
Before you order your t-shirts
1. Don't hire a printer without first checking their quality and turnaround time for your specific order. 2. Don't choose a printer based on price alone, because you may end up paying more in the long run with hidden fees, or low-quality print jobs. 3. Don't forget to find out what types of printing they can do before placing an order! 4. Don't forget that not all t-shirts are created equal: some have better fabric and construction than others, so it's important to know what materials you want as well as how many color shirts you need! 5. Don't forget the proof. 6. Lastly, please reconsider bringing your own shirts.
Don't hire a printer without first checking their quality and turnaround time for your specific order
The first mistake to avoid when ordering custom t-shirts is hiring a printer without first checking their quality and turnaround time for your specific order. During busy periods of the year, it is not uncommon for a printer to be backed up for a week or two. It's always best to do your research and compare reviews of all the printers you're considering. Look to your network. Ordering t-shirts for work or play is quite common. More than likely someone you already know who has ordered from a printer in your area, ask them about their experience. Once you've narrowed it down to the best options based on price and reviews, request samples or visit their shop for each printer then compare their quality. You'll want the images to be crisp and clear so take note of how bold or light the print appears.
Don't choose a printer based on price alone, because you may end up paying more in the long run with hidden fees, or low-quality print jobs.
Trying to save money on print jobs by choosing a printer with the cheapest prices is tempting, but don't make this mistake. You may end up paying more in the long run with hidden fees, or low-quality print jobs. When reviewing price quotes look for any added charges. Some printers don’t charge strictly on piece pricing. There can be screen, unboxing, rush, Pantone matching, and art fees. When accepting any quote make sure you understand the fees that are being assessed. The cheapest printer up front may not be the cheapest printer in the long run.
Don't forget to find out what types of printing they can do before placing an order!
There are three printing processes that a company might offer - four color process, simulated process, and spot color Additionally, these are some of the ink types that a printer may print in water-based, plastisol, and discharge printing. Knowing the difference between these will help you make informed decisions about what types of shirts you want to order. For example, if you have artwork that is only one or two colors then spot color printing may be for you.
Don't forget that not all t-shirts are created equal: some have better fabric and construction than others, so it's important to know what materials you want as well as how many color shirts you need
It's important to know the difference between poly shirts, cotton shirts, tri-blend shirts, and 50/50 blend shirts. Polyester is an especially durable and easy-to-wash fabric, and moisture wicking and wears on the skin more easily. Cotton is easy to clean and breathable, so there are advantages to wearing it, too. Tri-blend and 50/50 blends are a mixture of the two fabrics and offer a balance between durability and breathability. There can be a vast difference in pricing for each type of fabric that may be printed on. Whatever your t-shirt needs may be, it's important to know what you're ordering before you order them, so you don't end up with something that doesn't suit your needs or expectations.
Don't Forget the proof
When ordering t-shirts, don't forget the proof. Proofs are important because they're a way for you to see what your final design will look like before you send it off for printing. If the proofs aren't up to par, then there's a chance that the shirts won't be either. This mistake can lead to costly mistakes and delays in production. A printer will have to reprint an entire order if they receive an incorrect file from their client. Even if this doesn't happen, printing mistakes happen often enough and clients should always get their proof before the actual print job is initiated.
Please Reconsider bringing your own shirts
Once you have decided on your printing company and process, we ask to reconsider bringing in your own shirts. D2C (Direct to Customer) has become more prolific, and it is easy to get blanks often cheaper than what a printer may quote. Printing is an art and companies know the right shirt for each client. The best printers in the world make mistakes. Replacing shirts can be hard, especially when there are different sizes for men and women. If the order was only one color and size, then this would be easy because we could just order more in that same size or color. Although humans don’t all come in one size and the same color of the shirt isn’t fun either. Orders will have multiple sizes and may have multiple colors of shirts it’s hard to predict where a mistake will be made. Additionally, each shop has processes tailored to its clientele. As we mentioned earlier different fabrics have different processes furthermore, they require different processes to print on them. Bringing in a shirt that a printer is not familiar with could lead to disaster for the client and the printer. While most printers will honor a customer’s request for printing on client-supplied garments additional fees or lead times may be applied to the order. Saving money upfront may not lead to total savings.