Twelve mistakes new t-shirt importers make

The mistakes below are neither rare nor complicated, and they recur in almost the same order with every new importer. All of them are prevented by one step taken before signing rather than after arrival.

Mistake one: starting from price instead of specification

Asking for a price before writing a specification produces numbers that cannot be compared, because each factory has priced a different product. Write the specification first: fabric and weight, fit, sizes, colours, printing, packing, quantity.

Mistake two: comparing two quotes on different delivery terms

An EXW price is always lower than FOB and further from your real cost. Ask for every price on the same term.

Mistake three: skipping the pre-production sample

That sample is the only reference in a dispute. Skipping it saves a week and can cost the entire order if the goods differ.

Mistake four: approving from a photograph

Screens render colour differently. Approve fabric, colour and print from a physical sample only, and sign it with the date.

Mistake five: not writing the permitted tolerance

Every production run varies. Without a written figure for tolerance on weight, measurements and defect rate, every deviation becomes a matter of opinion rather than measurement.

Mistake six: assuming an L is an L

Asian charts run roughly a size smaller than European ones. Attach a measurement chart in centimetres for every size; letters alone mean nothing.

Mistake seven: paying one hundred per cent upfront

It removes all leverage. The sound structure is 30% deposit and 70% against the bill of lading, tied to passing inspection.

Mistake eight: transferring to an account that does not match the company name

The beneficiary name must match the business licence word for word. Any change of bank details is confirmed by a call, never by email.

Mistake nine: skipping pre-shipment inspection

It costs one working day and protects money you cannot recover once the goods have sailed. Inspect a random sample from sealed cartons, not what the factory presents.

Mistake ten: a generic description on the invoice

The word garments instead of a precise description matching the HS code stalls clearance and generates daily storage charges.

Mistake eleven: ordering equal quantities of every size

Demand concentrates in the middle sizes. An equal split ends as dead stock at the extremes and a stockout in the middle.

Mistake twelve: counting forwards instead of backwards

Asking when will my goods arrive instead of when must I sign misses the season. Count back from the selling date: distribution, clearance, freight, production, sampling.

Three further, less famous mistakes

• No allowance: order 3% to 5% above your need, because acceptable defects, damage and samples consume part of it.
• Not buying labels for later orders: woven labels fall sharply in price with quantity and do not spoil in storage.
• Changing the specification after cutting begins: it means rescheduling, wasted fabric and extra cost.

Frequently asked questions

Which mistake costs most? The absence of a signed production sample. Without it nothing can be proven.

Is the problem price or planning? Almost always planning. Importers rarely lose because the price was too high.

How do I start with least risk? A small trial order at the minimum, one model and one colour, with full inspection.

We walk you through this list line by line before you sign any order.