What are your "whoops"

[tonypep]

Just heard from some former employees of mine that has caused the unwarranted but perhaps worth discussing angst on my part. Ever buy an eighty thousand dollar auto reclaim unit but cant buy the chemicals due to bankruptcy? Ever get into high density/lenticular printing without costing it out and price accordingly? Ever waiting to your compressor completely dies and have to rent an outside gas one? Ever acquire a company that while having a book of business, loses money? Ever thought of moving ink inventory to an upstairs out of access area? Ever bought a larger/over engineered piece of equipment? Ever take on low minimum business with no or slim margin and then have to reburn a screen and actually lose money?
Obviously I need a nap but share if you like. Believe it or not these and other stories can be positively helpful

[tonypep]

Ever take out a loan for $85 K with zero ROI on equip? Sometimes "I saw it on the internet and went to a trade show" perhaps does not always be proven to be sure your business will be successful. Been there. Does not always work as advertised or work with too many issues. There are so many times I visit/work at companies that have equip under the dryer gathering a considerable mount of dust lint and, when explained, owners and employees stated that they do not work (or have too many unforeseen issues) and shrug their shoulders. How is that a good business model? That said, cudos to those who try to break the technology barriers albeit soon to be short lived. The small/ medium shops that RH help rebuild are in jeopardy. Thank You Cricket and the Internet (not) and God Bless the Big Boys who are still out there but not necessarily here in the US where we pretty much knocked it out of the park back in the days of your (did I spell that right? No matter)
BTW theres a quite a bit of used equip on digitsmith and facebook does that tell you anything?

[Dottonedan]

As you know, we have been some different times of industry shifts. This most recent one we are seeing is apparently the phase of COVID people getting checks and using them to start a shop and now phasing out (selling their equipment). Still as always, a revolving door.

[3Deep]

This business now thrives on ignorance of people and companies that make this crap equipment know this, while DTF is a game changer in many ways it's still marketed for the unskilled IMHO. The side hustle biz is now flooded with unlicensed stay at home mom's and people out to make a few extra bucks for whatever and don't really care about ROI or profit margins I could go on and on but I let someone pick it up from here.

[Homer]

This business now thrives on ignorance of people and companies that make this crap equipment know this, while DTF is a game changer in many ways it's still marketed for the unskilled IMHO. The side hustle biz is now flooded with unlicensed stay at home mom's and people out to make a few extra bucks for whatever and don't really care about ROI or profit margins I could go on and on but I let someone pick it up from here.

aaaaaaaand those CriKet Karens completely suck out the value of a QUALITY printed shirt because a BC3001 they bought at Jiffy Shirts "Wholesale" with a stupid phrase typed in Bleeding Cowboy is a "good design" to them that should fetch a premium of ohh say, 6.00 on marketplace....... good business model Karen, love it........Then when I send an invoice for a 5 color discharge print on the same shirt at 12.00 ea they go whhhaaa? WHY so much?...... My making a "whoops" was getting in this industry when I shoulda been G like snoop Dogg

[ebscreen]

In twenty years we've had maybe twelve clients that asked about specific print methods and eight of those have been
in the last two years specifically asking for "not whatever that transfer stuff is".

[balloonguy]

I know I started complaining about the home vendors… My wife is on a neighborhood wives page. There was a huge blow up at one of these “business”. There were over 100 comments about problems and issues. She stayed out of it but I so badly want to chime in with “you get what pay for”. What do you expect for less than half the cost of any real shop out there! I hate to see everyone gang up like a mob but at the same time these home vendors kill the fair market value!

[GaryG]

How about using a torpedo heater in a small garage with xylene everywhere?
Man, it could of went sky high. Harry across the street says, you can print these 8' panels of foamboard for the store. Risk upon risk, dumb upon dumb for money just staring out 30 years ago. 

[R8R]

Just heard from some former employees of mine that has caused the unwarranted but perhaps worth discussing angst on my part. Ever buy an eighty thousand dollar auto reclaim unit but cant buy the chemicals due to bankruptcy? Ever get into high density/lenticular printing without costing it out and price accordingly? Ever waiting to your compressor completely dies and have to rent an outside gas one? Ever acquire a company that while having a book of business, loses money? Ever thought of moving ink inventory to an upstairs out of access area? Ever bought a larger/over engineered piece of equipment?

On behalf of the shop I currently work at, I feel attacked.

 

[tonypep]

The small little companies tend to have little loyalty and pay just over minimum wage. I make more on SS. The large ones are corporate driven
So, if you if you are one lucky enough to find a good job, prepare for a new one. Sorry but true

[tonypep]

OH, All the former employees have all left, talent all gone. This industry has gone to great to shitty IMO. I do not trust anybody anymore. There is no faith in me but the love of God. Bless TP

[tonypep]

And the stampinator......does not work well with many substates without adjustments, which no one seems to know. So, it's a dust collector. Too many misprints on extremely expensive garments. Perhaps it was me, but I can't be everywhere at once.