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General => General Discussion and ??? => Topic started by: jvanick on November 24, 2014, 10:42:54 PM

Title: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: jvanick on November 24, 2014, 10:42:54 PM
we were chitchatting today while boxing up some shirts, and trying to figure out why tshirts come by the dozen.

most of our customers order in multiples of 10... and it seems like it would be much easier to count in a factory by 10's...

so why is it?

Anybody have any insight?
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: Frog on November 24, 2014, 10:51:50 PM
No answer, but why stop at shirts? How about eggs or donuts as well?

Fortunately, most suppliers do not hold us to dozens, and of course, we can establish our own tiers for pricing if so inclined.

This subject often reminds me about how you young whippersnappers have never had to order by scale (or pay the penalty for ordering too many larges or XL's))
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: mimosatexas on November 25, 2014, 05:23:21 AM
I pack by 10s for my customers.  I haven't had more than a handful order in dozens or understand that suppliers and manufacturers use that as the standard vs tens.
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: Sbrem on November 25, 2014, 07:52:18 AM
We always pack in dozens, tradition I guess, and I have to say, I've never considered the question. We've also never been asked either, come to think of it...

Steve
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: bimmridder on November 25, 2014, 07:58:08 AM
I tried to get our shop to bundle by tens years ago. I figured with some of the geniuses I had coming through, it might be easier. You know, 1 times ten is ten, two times ten is twenty. Count the bundles and add a zero. Not too difficult. Just couldn't get the change through people's minds. So we went back to "all my fingers and thumbs and two toe taps is twelve". We literally have little "times tables" (you old guys like me might remember these from grade school) taped to the tables in the catching sorting areas.

I won't say it was all due to my employees and temps either. We had many customers call and say they were short on their orders, even though we stated "Now bundled in tens". I guess something so deeply engrained in people's minds is very difficult to change.
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: mooseman on November 25, 2014, 08:31:38 AM
here is your answer be sure to read it 12 times

http://www.dozenal.org/files/A1%20BRIEF%20INTRO.pdf (http://www.dozenal.org/files/A1%20BRIEF%20INTRO.pdf)

mooseman
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: whitewater on November 25, 2014, 08:35:43 AM
we fold in 6.. easier for my employees to count...but also they fit soo nicely in a box..
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: Gilligan on November 25, 2014, 09:49:48 AM
No answer, but why stop at shirts? How about eggs or donuts as well?


Funny, I literally thought about this just last night as I was explaining to my four year old what a dozen was. Using eggs as the example I went into thought, why do we have dozens of eggs anyway?  I was driving so my next thought was why are those two lights coming right at me and what is that annoying sound? CAR! ;)

I had a client order a dozen dozens... When he sent me the screen shot for his sizing break down I called him up and said "sir, you mentioned a gross of shirts but I'm only seeing 12 here.  He said, "those are dozens."  OH! 

But who does that?!
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: jvanick on November 25, 2014, 10:56:36 AM
Certainly not our 35k shirt customer...

EVERYTHING they did is in 10's

30 men's hoodies per case
40 women's hoodies per case
(ish), the chinese are REALLY bad at counting.. sometimes it's 29, sometimes it's 31.

all their orders are in 10's... 100 for size X to city Y... etc.

LOL.

Don't even get me started on sizing and/or quality... if this was a standard order that came in from Gildan, we'd probably be at a 40% MINIMUM reject rate...

- sizes packed in the wrong boxes in the wrong bags.
- sizes marked wrong (how the heck do you put a Women's 3XL label on a Women's S)
- sizes wrong in general (a woman's XL fits like a small, Literally)
- holes
- stains
- mis-sews
- a few cases they came in wet and moldy inside of the bags they packed them in.

Luckilly the last of them are outta here on wednesday morning!!!

Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: Command-Z on November 25, 2014, 11:11:25 AM

Because T-shirts are the donuts of clothing.
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: 3Deep on November 25, 2014, 11:50:29 AM
I like this question it let's give you my stupid answer LOL, but 12 has been a standard for measurement for many of years, example rulers, yards, a man's foot, feet etc.  12 is an even number and can be divided equal in 2,3,4, if you building a house your using 12 making cookies your using a measure of 12.  Next time you go to a store and buy bread look at what measure they use 6, 12, 24 ,48 it's just the STANDARD!!!! ;D  told you guys I got to get all my stupid out on this one  ::)

darryl
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: Prosperi-Tees on November 25, 2014, 12:22:51 PM
Small sticks of gum come in 5s.
Why are pants called a pair?
cigarettes come in 20s or cartons of 10
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: 3Deep on November 25, 2014, 12:42:32 PM
Small sticks of gum come in 5s.
Why are pants called a pair?
cigarettes come in 20s or cartons of 10

Gum ...they can't count
Pants...you only have two legs? LOL
Cigarettes... got me on that one, I don't smoke

what else you got smart azz :P
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: Prosperi-Tees on November 25, 2014, 01:19:21 PM
Light bulbs were in 2 and 4 packs.
Cassette tapes came in 3 packs
KFC Chicken, 2,3,6,9,10,12,15,21 piece combos
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: bimmridder on November 25, 2014, 01:22:40 PM
12 packs in twelves!!!
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: bimmridder on November 25, 2014, 01:22:47 PM
12 packs in twelves!!!
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: Sbrem on November 25, 2014, 01:25:26 PM
I tried to get our shop to bundle by tens years ago. I figured with some of the geniuses I had coming through, it might be easier. You know, 1 times ten is ten, two times ten is twenty. Count the bundles and add a zero. Not too difficult. Just couldn't get the change through people's minds. So we went back to "all my fingers and thumbs and two toe taps is twelve". We literally have little "times tables" (you old guys like me might remember these from grade school) taped to the tables in the catching sorting areas.

I won't say it was all due to my employees and temps either. We had many customers call and say they were short on their orders, even though we stated "Now bundled in tens". I guess something so deeply engrained in people's minds is very difficult to change.

Yes, when math was taught successfully, like the thousands of years before then. We have dozens tables too for the help; most don't need it fortunately. I think the dozens concept is indeed very deeply ingrained...

Steve
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: mimosatexas on November 25, 2014, 01:43:49 PM
I've always read that base 12 comes from using your thumb to count the knuckles on your fingers (3 knuckles on 4 fingers) which gives you a superior method of keep track of fractions etc. while being easy to follow visually by someone you're transacting with.  Shrug.
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: Prosperi-Tees on November 25, 2014, 02:23:38 PM
Chicken Mcnuggets 6,9,12,20
Some sodas now come in 20 packs
Paper comes in 100s
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: jvanick on November 25, 2014, 03:09:43 PM
.. and here we were thinking it was a manufacturing thing...

like the reason hot dog buns and hamburger buns come in 8 packs.

Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: Sbrem on November 26, 2014, 08:25:27 AM
 ;D
.. and here we were thinking it was a manufacturing thing...

like the reason hot dog buns and hamburger buns come in 8 packs.

While the dogs come in tens...

Steve
Title: Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
Post by: mimosatexas on November 26, 2014, 09:22:07 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYIHLUxzRr8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYIHLUxzRr8)