LLaurence 12 Posted February 21, 2014 Hello Everyone! A few months ago I posted about needing a go-to contact person for some of my customers looking for t shirts and other heat transfer vinyl products. I have my hands full with signs and car wraps and other random things and I don't really have the customer base that wants those products on a regular basis so I do not want to go and purchase all of the equipment . Anywho- I had a lot of responses to the last post and went through everyone websites and reviews as well as prices to see who I would feel the most comfortable sending my customers to. I decided on this guy who had a shop based out of his garage (not a problem) he had stellar reviews and the prices were reasonable (not cheap but not over the top.) I sent him somewhere between 13-16 customers over 3 months each of them looking for anywhere between 50-200 shirts/tanks/sweatshirts. The first few customers were happy and at the end of the day thats all I really care about.But then things went downhill he tried to poach some of my customers, In one instance he told them he would do the work I was doing for free because they were paying for t-shirts. So I lost out on a company that brings in 14% of my yearly income. So after that I was pissed and only sent him jobs that were strictly products I could not make. Well after that customer he poached he started sending out product a month after the purchase orders would be sent and this last customer I sent him paid for her blankets 3 weeks ago and hasn't heard back from him and I had to refund her all of the money she paid him to have them done because I felt terrible for sending her to him (she was paying out of pocket to make each of the volunteer fire fighters children a jersey material blanket with their parents names on them)So I am looking for someone new. I would like someone trust worthy that can handle/ keep up with the customers I send them. I will not process your orders. I will not quote your orders. I do not take money for or from your orders. All I do is give my customer your contact info and they will work with you. I am not asking any special rates for my customers. The only exception to us working as two individual companies is if someone is re-doing their logo and I am making the signs/ doing the car wraps and they want t-shirts or anything else with their logo on it then I will send you a copy of their new logo in any format you need but in that instance I will still not quote, process or take payment for your end of the order. Sorry to make this so long and formal (maybe even a little negative?) but I really do not want to be skrewed over again. When I send customers to you It is not just your reputation that is under scrutiny its mine as well. I treat all of my customers like they are my number one priority and I would like whoever chooses to reply to this to have that same mindset. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blue Collar 1 Posted February 21, 2014 Hello, Sorry to hear about your luck. My name is Ian Green and I own the Blue Collar Shirt Company in Bradenton, FL. Wasn't sure if your looking for someone locale or willing to look out of state. You can view some of my work at www.bluecollarshirt.com. I do not work with vinyl so in no way would I ever take a customer away from you. I work strictly with apparel. My customers are my main focus. Word of mouth advertising is the best way to receive new customers. I take time with each of my customers to make sure that they are happy with the final product. If you have any questions for me please feel free to message me or you could also contact me through email at bluecollarshirtco@gmail.com. Thanks, Ian Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jay2703 704 Posted February 21, 2014 Don't send them to someone else, sub it out to someone else. That way you are dealing with the other person and and they don't have contact with "Your" customers. If you send them enough business you should get a discount and you both make a little profit off of the jobs for yourself. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LLaurence 12 Posted February 21, 2014 Don't send them to someone else, sub it out to someone else. That way you are dealing with the other person and and they don't have contact with "Your" customers. If you send them enough business you should get a discount and you both make a little profit off of the jobs for yourself. I do not understand what this means? I do not want a partnership I am a sole proprietor what is wrong with the way I deal with the other person? If I have a customer that would like to purchase something from me and I do not have the ability or equipment to produce their order I don't understand why I would sub it out to someone and take a percentage of their sale without doing any of the work. What is wrong with sending them to anther person? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted February 21, 2014 What her is saying is go find a local shop and start up a relationship where hopefully they will give you a decent price break so you can have them build the products for you and then you give them to your client. That way YOU are the one dealing with the other shop and handling the problems if they arise and your client hopefully won't even know the difference. I don't think most people even care all that much as long as they are dealing with you whom they trust, I don't do digital and when I get a request I tell them I have to sub that part out and they don't seem to mind. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LLaurence 12 Posted February 21, 2014 Wildgoose- I understand what you are saying now. I have a few questions though. If I placed an order from another shop for my customer and then sold that product to the customer how would I then mark that sale on a balance sheet. No inventory was lost or gained but my accounts receivable would gain and lose that amount of money. So If I profited from that sale by up charging my cash value would go up?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jaybyrd 3,770 Posted February 21, 2014 Sub out the work. We do it with business cards all the time I send them the files and pay them (receipt goes in the books) and them I sell them at my price Invoice goes in the books. You just treat the price you pay the same as you would for say a roll of vinyl in your books. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jay2703 704 Posted February 21, 2014 Wildgoose- I understand what you are saying now. I have a few questions though. If I placed an order from another shop for my customer and then sold that product to the customer how would I then mark that sale on a balance sheet. No inventory was lost or gained but my accounts receivable would gain and lose that amount of money. So If I profited from that sale by up charging my cash value would go up?? You purchased an item for resale just like buying vinyl. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted February 21, 2014 You will have to collect sales tax on any mark-up plus the cost of the product like normal. You would be basically buying the item from...Say "Joe's Shirt shop" rather than Jiffy or Sanmar or whomever you would normally use and they are going to come already done with the graphics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LLaurence 12 Posted February 21, 2014 I see..... And most places are okay with me placing the order and then turning around and reselling it? Does there need to be some kind of written agreement? I just don't like trouble. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wildgoose 4,200 Posted February 21, 2014 There is a guy in y town that does nothing, NOTHING himself, just a major salesman and subs out everything to others and I think he does pretty good. I think you should be upfront with them but if you tell them that SOMEONE is going to be doing this for you and it might as well be them then if they are smart they can cut you a decent price and gain that much more business volume. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coaster36 327 Posted February 21, 2014 I see..... And most places are okay with me placing the order and then turning around and reselling it? Does there need to be some kind of written agreement? I just don't like trouble. Whos to say your customers aren't turning around and selling what you made to another customer? Would it bother you if thats what was happening? I doubt it. It wouldn't bother me. I still got money in my pocket and a happy customer. If that customer made another person a happy customer then all is well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Go-C Graphics 856 Posted February 21, 2014 When you sub it out it's simple an expense and when the customer pays you that's revenue. Pretty simple in the books. Now think of it this way. You do vinyl signs................... What if I had a company and I had a customer that wanted the shirt design on a sign. I would send you the file and how big I needed it. You would cut me alittle break on the price because I've done the sale and design for you, You simple make the sign knowing I'll be back in 2-3 weeks with another sale making you EASY money. If you think about it you're simply paying a person to be your salesman and designer by cutting him alittle break in the cost. You win because you didn't even have to make the sale I win because I make alittle bit of money making the sale. I sub out my printed vinyl to Dakota. He makes alittle money and I can offer my customer a complete one stop solution. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Monkey 252 Posted February 22, 2014 Yeah I do sub work for someone where I give them a better then retail deal cause they come to me and he sells for retail and we both make money and he never really has to do anything but take the order. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xpaperman 719 Posted February 22, 2014 ....but. if your still looking for someone to add to your rolodex, keep me in mind. I do vinyl on shirts (no screen print) so I am good for smaller runs and personalized stuff. I promise I will take good care of your customer and not take them from you. (to be honest, I just don't need them, I am kept busy sign wise locally) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rdrgrafix2 30 Posted February 27, 2014 Most places you subcontract to will be willing to sign a no compete form. It can be made by your lawyer for a few bucks and basically guarantees that they do not take your customers. Then you just send them the job and have them do it and give it to you in "blind boxes" ( no shipping tags or anything with there info in or on the box.) Then you take and give it to the customer with your info on the box. Once the customer takes the box somewhere its not just advertising you for screenprint but will advertise you are a sign shop also. It will raise your profit and customer list by having new customers come in that see you can do this service and will be great for contractors and landscapers and people like that where they want there truck lettered and some shirts. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PointOfExpression 53 Posted February 28, 2014 I can help you out with full color transfer on shirts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
