Succesfull first venture

[j-hova]

Hello all,
i have just finished my first buisiness venture and hope to build on it. I am a university student and set up a custom t-shirt business in my residence where different sections can get theyre own design printed on a t-shirt. I was referred to a manufacturer through a family friend and was pleased with theyre quoted prices. AS expected the final sale price was somewhat higher than the quote. I placed my order and paid for the order all at once. When it came time to pickup the final product i was told that an "art-charge" of 45$ was to be paid. I argued but to no avail. I plan on going through with this venture next year and was wondering what i should do about my disatisfaction with the supplier. I was told to either tell them i was going to use someone else, or email them with my concerns. what do you think?

[jasaunders]

Why can't you tell them your concerns face to face or on the phone? you have much more negotiating power when speaking to someone live. Too many people rely too heavily on email, especially for situations like this. It is too easy for your supplier to brush off your concerns in an email. Like any successful business, you need to build good partnerships and supplier relations, and sending an email like this won't help.

[ChaseManset]

If $45 is going to make or break your business, there is something seriously wrong with your strategy.

[woho]

there are quite a few custom tee shirt designer out there

[The Stealthy One]

Doesn't sound very successful to me. Anyway, this design fee is normal. If you want to bypass it, use a vendor like CafePress.

[Franakapan]

I agree with Stealthy - everyone and his dog are into custom t-shirt design and this means that competition is pretty fierce.

The only way I would get involved with custom t-shirt design is if it was catering for a niche market and even then you probably wouldn't be able to leave your day job. An example of niching would be to print of a load of t-shirts with the name of your Collage football team (or whatever) and flog them at matches.

Tbh, creating a brand of t-shirts is a more appealing way to get involved with clothing design (at least to me) even if it is more difficult to become sucessful. It is actually something my sister and I are looking into.

[j-hova]

I by no means am considering becoming a custom t designer. i saw oppurtunity and acted on it. If anything im selling these people convinience. At my school contrary to other schools, there arent any section t-shirts available.

[mjohns]

If $45 is going to make or break your business, there is something seriously wrong with your strategy.

every last penny counts and if you have some quarms, big or small, with people youre doing business with them try and talk it through with them, if these doesnt suceed take youre business elsware, as the saying goes.

[mjohns]

P.S. Only do business with people if you are 100% happy with what they are offering.

[greggomatic76]

Well first, congrats on grabbing hold of an opportunity and going for it...that is much more than most people can say! There has been some good advice so far. Avoid email, talk to them face to face and threaten to go somewhere else. Maybe get a few quotes from other suppliers that you can use to prove to them that you aren't scared to use another company. Other than that, just stick with it, the second time is almost always more successful than the first.

[mjohns]

Thats some good advice, and my advice to you j-hova is to take his advice. Good luck with all your future ventures.

[nordicnomad]

Hello all,
i have just finished my first buisiness venture and hope to build on it. I am a university student and set up a custom t-shirt business in my residence where different sections can get theyre own design printed on a t-shirt. I was referred to a manufacturer through a family friend and was pleased with theyre quoted prices. AS expected the final sale price was somewhat higher than the quote. I placed my order and paid for the order all at once. When it came time to pickup the final product i was told that an "art-charge" of 45$ was to be paid. I argued but to no avail. I plan on going through with this venture next year and was wondering what i should do about my disatisfaction with the supplier. I was told to either tell them i was going to use someone else, or email them with my concerns. what do you think?

Did you sign a contract with them that indicated you would pay a design charge?

If you did than you are a sucker who didn't read a contract before signing it.

Take your lumps and negotiate better next time. Hell, take the contract with you once the details are hammered out, don't sign it, show it to a lawyer, and see what he says. It shouldn't cost much, and it'll force you to read and interprete all the little words on the back so you'll know what they mean before being obligated by them.

If they try to throw extra fees not within the agreement on at the end, either sue for breach of contract or file with the police stating that the company is running a bait and switch scam. That'll get there attention and keep things where you want them.

[j-hova]

no contract was signed, i was told that there would not be an artcharge on designs that do not involve a graphic. originally the "art charge" was 67.50 but they gave me a "deal" becuase i wasnt informed of it.

[j-hova]

ps thank you for all the advice it is greatly appreciated

[rekid]

try finding creative marketing strategies if you really want to go ahead with this idea...

i believe there are variations of latent possibilities in everything...it just takes thinking and awareness.... let us know if you've changed your mind and if you have ny new ideas... we'd love to help out where we can