spoilage or damaged embroidery items

[Impressions Embroidered Apparel]

Hi,

Just trying to see what others do when you have 2-3 shirts that don't sew right out of say 100.

So if the client orders 100 shirts (S, M, L, XL)
and for whatever reason your machine eats one, you sew the wrong color on one and the third you sew shut. Do you send the client 97 good shirts and eat the cost of the three you messed up?

We have been re-ordering the extra shirts if we mess a few up. The only issue is the cost to place the small order and pay shipping again.

I noticed when we outsourced an order the company we sent our shirts and hats to messed up 3 or so shirts and two hats, and just wrote that they were damaged when they tried to embroider them and sent use back our items minor the ones they messed up. Is that what the standard is?

Thanks,
Steve

[Steve]

If the client orders 100 shirts, I make sure they get 100 shirts. That is what they ordered so that is what they get. 2%-3% is not uncommon for a spoilage rate. I just save the old shirts for something to run off sample designs on until it is filled up then I throw it out.

[signman]

'Industry standard' for Ad Specialty companies is anywhere from 5% to 10% (+ or -) to fulfill an order-many companies will actually charge EXTRA fee to give you 'exact quantity' ordered.
I have ALWAYS ordered extras on shirts and sweatshirts and hats since you never know what will go wrong-and there is always a customer coming through the door that only needs 1 or 2 and can pick from your 'backstock'. I also have some screenprinting customers (lawn mowing service, contractor, etc.) that come in every spring and I give them 10% to just pull from my 'in-stock' odds and ends for their order-so I can clean it out.
Jackets, expensive stuff-no, too much$$ to buy extras, but I do plenty of 'test sewouts' before I throw a jacket in a hoop.
When I send stuff up to Dick and Pat for them to do, I always order to the next 'half dozen' or 'dozen' quantity and they will run to the exact order and send me the left overs. So if they screw up one, they have the replacement right there. I don't pay for the sewing on screwups, just the replacement.
Since they aren't marking up or supplying the 'product', there isn't as much to 'eat' on my end.
And you should ALWAYS build in a markup over cost just to cover screwups-at least add 10% to your normal markup!
Small quantities-you should at least be making double the cost of the goods, plus freight, plus another 10%...