What to do when your printer sends a bad shirt
A bad shirt is not your fault, but fixing it is your job.
Test the printer first
Order one sample and read the reprint rules before your first sale.
Buyer first, printer next
Reply to your buyer the same day, then send the printer one full message.
Promise less, tell early
Show honest delivery days and message buyers before they ask.
Know the printer before you sell
- Order one sample of the exact shirt.
- Find the deadline and proof the printer needs for a reprint.
- Keep photos of what you approved.
You sell the shirt, but someone else makes it. When a print is faded, crooked or the wrong size, your buyer blames you.
So test the printer before the first sale. Order one sample of the exact shirt, colour and design you plan to sell. Wash it. Look at the print up close. Check the size against the size chart.
Then read the printer's rules on reprints and refunds. Find out how many days you have to report a problem and what proof they want. Write both down. Photos of what you approved and what arrived are your proof.
Do this even if the printer looks famous. A sample costs little. A box of bad shirts costs a lot more, and it costs you buyers too.
A seller who read through printer reviews online saw the same complaints about every printer: bad prints, late parcels and silent support. Changing printers alone did not make them go away.Real example
When the bad shirt arrives
- Reply to the buyer the same day with a clear fix.
- Send the printer one full message.
- Follow up in writing until it is done.
Do these in order.
- Buyer first. Say sorry, ask for a photo and promise a reprint or a refund.
- Printer next. One message with the order number, photos and the fix you want.
- Then follow up. Keep every message in writing so you can show the dates.
Do not wait for the printer before you speak to your buyer. A quick, kind reply helps. Silence is what makes people angry. And if the printer stays silent, you still have your written trail to push with.
Be kind and clear with the printer too. A message that says exactly what went wrong and what you want gets answered faster than 'my order is bad, help'.
Keep a simple sheet of every problem order, with the date and the result.
One seller wrote that a bad order came back to him as an angry customer, the printer's support went silent, and he paid the refund out of his own pocket.Real example
Late orders: promise less, tell early
- Show honest delivery days on your store.
- Message buyers before they ask.
- Confirm cash on delivery orders before printing.
Late parcels are one of the most common complaints. You cannot make a printer faster, but you can control what you promise.
Show honest delivery days on your store, with some extra time. A buyer who gets a shirt early is happy. A buyer who gets it late is not.
If an order slips, tell the buyer first, with a new date. Around festivals and events, order earlier and keep a sample from a second printer, so you have somewhere to go. Confirm cash on delivery orders before you send them to print, so you do not print shirts nobody takes.
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Sellers wrote that late orders hurt most around events and festive seasons, when a missed date means a missed event.Real example
T-shirt Business AI System: Basic is opening soon. Take the free checklist now and join the list.