How Much Should You Charge for Printed T-Shirts? 💰👕
Hey Bestie,
Pricing your t-shirts shouldn’t feel like a wild guessing game, but let’s be real—it kinda does sometimes. 🤯 How much is too much? How much is too little? How do you find that sweet spot where customers gladly pay while you still make a solid profit?
I’ve got you. Let’s break it down step by step so you can price your shirts with confidence and make that money without second-guessing yourself.
The Pricing Struggle Is Real… But We’re Here to Solve It
If you’ve ever wondered:
💭 “How much should I charge for my t-shirts?”
💭 “What’s a fair price that won’t scare away customers?”
💭 “How do I make sure I’m actually profiting and not just working for free?”
Then keep reading, because I’m about to answer all of that and more!
Step 1: Know Your Costs (Because Free Labor Ain’t It!) 💸
Before you slap a price on your shirts, you need to know your costs. Here’s what to include:
🔹 Direct Labor (A.K.A. Paying Yourself!)
• Even if you’re a one-person show, your time is valuable!
• Example: If you want to pay yourself $15 per hour and you can press 60 shirts per hour, your labor cost per shirt is $0.25 each.
🔹 Material Costs (The Stuff You Actually Use!)
• Blank shirts? ✅
• Transfers? ✅
• Shipping costs for materials? ✅
Pro Tip: Don’t forget about little things like heat tape, parchment paper, or anything else that helps bring your designs to life. Those pennies add up!
🔹 Overhead (The “Not-So-Obvious” Costs)
• Rent, utilities, software subscriptions, website hosting—yeah, all that boring but necessary stuff.
• A good rule of thumb is to add 15% to cover your overhead costs so you’re not accidentally losing money.
Step 2: Factor in Your T-Shirt’s Quality & Perception 👕✨
Let’s be real—not all t-shirts are created equal. The type of shirt you sell should match your pricing:
💎 Premium shirts? Price accordingly—people expect to pay more for high-end apparel.
💰 Budget-friendly shirts? Keep prices reasonable so customers feel they’re getting a fair deal.
👉 Bottom Line: Your price tells customers what to expect. Charge too little, and they’ll think your shirts are cheap. Charge too much without the quality to back it up, and they’ll peace out. 🚪
Step 3: Wholesale vs. Retail Pricing 🏪
Where and how you sell your shirts matters.
💥 Wholesale Pricing (Bulk Buyers)
• Selling to teams, businesses, or events? That’s wholesale.
• Your goal: Lower price per unit, but more shirts sold at once.
• Formula: (Total Costs) x 2 = Wholesale Price
🛍️ Retail Pricing (Selling to Individuals)
• Think Etsy, your website, pop-up shops—where people buy just one or two shirts at a time.
• Your goal: Make a solid profit on each item.
• Formula: (Wholesale Price) x 2 = Retail Price
🚨 Example Pricing Breakdown:
Let’s say your total cost per shirt is $5.00.
• Wholesale Price: $5.00 x 2 = $10.00 per shirt
• Retail Price: $10.00 x 2 = $20.00 per shirt
(See how easy that was? Now you’re officially a pricing pro. 💪)
Step 4: Pricing Strategies (Pick Your Approach!)
🔎 Competitor Pricing – Check out other brands selling similar shirts to see what the market expects. (Example: Compare with sites like Custom Ink!)
💰 Cost-Based Pricing – Add up your costs, multiply by 2 for wholesale, then multiply by 2 again for retail.
🚀 Hybrid Pricing – Start with cost-based pricing, but adjust based on demand, brand perception, and what your customers are willing to pay.
Want to Boost Profits? Try This!
✨ Use Gang Sheets! Print multiple designs on one transfer sheet to lower your cost per print.
✨ Buy in Bulk! The more blanks you buy at once, the cheaper your per-shirt cost.
✨ Increase Perceived Value! Fancy packaging, handwritten thank-you notes, or cool branding let you charge more.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Undervalue Yourself!
You’re not just selling t-shirts—you’re selling your time, creativity, and expertise. So price your shirts in a way that:
✅ Covers all your costs
✅ Pays you what you deserve
✅ Keeps customers happy and coming back
And if you need a quick and easy way to calculate everything, there are plenty of online pricing calculators to help!
Now go out there and sell those shirts with confidence! 💪👕