We're thrilled to share an inspiring success story with you. Recently, we had the pleasure of teaming up with Merch Bunny to install the Epson SC-F3000 (the 20th in the country), marking a significant milestone in their journey.

James embarked on his DTG adventure a few years back with the Epson SC-F2160. Despite being new to the t-shirt printing realm, he dove in headfirst, pouring his heart and soul into building his business, Merch Bunny. And boy, did he soar!

Machines Plus has been by James' side from day one, providing not only top-of-the-line equipment and consumables but also invaluable technical expertise honed over decades in the printing industry.

When James approached us seeking ways to streamline operations and boost efficiency, we were eager to lend a hand. With the Epson SC-F3000 now in place, Merch Bunny's production has skyrocketed, tripling their speed and efficiency!

After the installation of the SC-F3000, James graciously sat down with us for an interview about his journey with Machines Plus. You can catch the video on our YouTube page or read the full transcript below.

James, here's to your continued success and growth! And to all aspiring entrepreneurs out there, remember: with the right tools and support, anything is possible!

Machines Plus: “How did you find the installation process of the Epson SC-F3000 today?”
Merch Bunny: “Pretty good. Good. Pretty good. Pretty great. No issues. And I guess I was pretty happy because, the machine was set up pretty much on, arrival with lots of things. So it didn't take us very long, we got some good prints, pretty much straight away, so pretty effortless.”

Machines Plus: “How long you been working with Machines Plus?”
Merch Bunny: “I think about three years. Somewhere in the three years? Yep. My first machine, which was a 2160. So upgrade it now to the 3000.”

Machines Plus: “Prior to this, have you had any experience printing t-shirts yourself?”
Merch Bunny: “No. So, before this machine. Yes. I've spent a couple of years with the Epson 2160 which has been great, but before that, no, I never printed shirts before. I did so me research, but learned a lot from Gus and the team, and, it was pretty easy to do. Bar a few nuanced things. But yeah. Haven't had any issues since. It’s been pretty good.”

Machines Plus: “What motivated you to choose to do business with Machines Plus?”
Merch Bunny: “I did a lot of research on the types of printing, what to do, what you can do at home. You know, what people do with, vinyl and all types of stuff, and then I found obviously a lot about DTG. Then I started to look what was available, then I started to do research and what was reliable, and obviously that there's two different brands that came up and Epson was one of them. And then I basically found you guys pretty easily through your website site, and then I called you and we had a discussion on the phone here if you recall, and you said, come down straight away, and have a look. So, the reason I decided to go with you is mostly because of the customer service. I wasn't that far away at the time, and you said come on down now. So I was like, all right, I'll come down and may as well have a look. So it was just that, connection and that, you know, sort of willingness to help and sort of got me, interested in your business.”

Machines Plus: “Has machines Plus been a reliable presence for you?”
Merch Bunny: “Yeah, absolutely. You've always been there when I needed you. Theres been periods that we've had, I've had challenges of things I had to deal with, with any personal or, you know, with, with certain technical things. And you've always been there to help me and, and gone above and beyond, with if I've had problems with equipment and stuff like that, you’ve loaned me things, you help me out. You've done lots of different things, that you didn't have to do, and supported me and. Yeah, you partner well with people, you don't just leave them in the lurch and sell them a machine. Which is really good, so that's not only why, I didn't sense that from the beginning, but obviously that was how it was approached from the start. And then that was realized as you go through the journey that you guys are always there and willing to partner, you know, when you put your tagline create with with you...”
Machines Plus: “Creating with you”
Merch Bunny: “Yeah, Yeah, you live that value. I see that in how you approach business."

Machines Plus: “What would you consider the Plus in Machines Plus?”
Merch Bunny: “You know, you can easily sell a machine and go, there you go, there’s your machine. Help you set it up. Good luck to you. Yeah. Where's the next one? You know, but you don't do that. So that's important for people like me who are doing it like this on their own. Need someone to call. And it's part of the reason of having someone that is reputable that I felt comfortable with because I knew I would need that service, need that would help, and, if I need help, sometimes I need help now. If I don't get it now, I'm screwed, and every time I've been in that position, Gus has always helped me. So, And, yeah, I'm not one to ask for things. He's just giving it to me, you know? And I'm like, yeah, I'm blown away by that generosity."

Machines Plus: “Could you provide an example of a time when you experienced the ‘Plus” in Machines Plus?”
Merch Bunny: “When I first got the 2160 machine. There's was some dramas with it. That 2160, it's Christmas time. Near Christmas time. It wasn't. It was something minor, but no one could really work it out. Everyone was available because Christmas time, Gus came and dropped off your machine from your office to me over Christmas time and a couple of weeks after Christmas"
Machines Plus: “No, I think it was before New Years eve, it was more like the 27 or the 28”
Merch Bunny: “Something like that. Yeah, and I printed because I had orders to print over Christmas, and then when, Epson were able to come in and fix mine, we did a swap over. So I didn't lose out, and I used your machine to print a couple hundred t-shirts. You know that he didn’t have to do that, he did it on his own time, during the holidays. So, yeah, I mean, that helps, you know, obviously with trust in other things, to know that if, you know, I guess, you don’t only want to create, you want to support your customers and believe in that, if you, if you're there for them, they'll always continue. And obviously, those are the types of customers you want to deal with as well. Not loyal, but respect and want to succeed together.”

Machines Plus “Why did you make the leap from the SC-F2160 to the SC-F3000?”
Merch Bunny: "Well, for me, time, and it’s going to be different for everyone. Doesn't mean I don't want to make money. Sure, but I can make money, I can't get back time. So if I can save time, then I can use that time to live my life or do whatever I want, I can make more money in that time. But at least I get the choice. And the reason for me switching is time. I want to have more time to do whatever I want to do and yeah, this is just, with the print time on this, it's it's going to change, it's really obviously going to change my life. It just is. So, we just have to get in the tunnel dryer to keep up with this, because press’ is just not going to keep up with it. Yeah."

Machines Plus “How does having the right tools at your disposal impact your ability to perform your job effectively?”
Merch Bunny: “A lot of it's to do with quality of life for me, given what I've been through in my challenges, personally. I want more time to live my life. I enjoy this, but I want more time to do the important things. And this will afford me that, and still being able to grow and do these things, you know, without freaking out when I get lots of orders, you know. Sure, that'll happen still at some point but with the 2160 like at the moment, it's like I have to hold, that I have to sort of push people's expectations down a bit. Whereas now it's gonna allow me not to have to do that and get things done quicker, but also more volume as well, when I need that."

Machines Plus “What are your initial comparisons between the SC-F2160 and the SC-F3000?”
Merch Bunny: “Obviously the speed, you can't get past the time difference. You know, it's almost basically halved it, you know, that's going to be huge. I guess, to be honest, like, with a little bit of time, it's not complicated, you know, even though it's bigger, it's not complicated. If you used the 2160 and you're familiar with that, which is very easy to learn, this is just a bit bigger version of it. The cleaning process is the same, the maintenance is pretty much the same. Obviously the panel, the display, and stuff and stuff like that makes things a little bit easier to see. And I noticed that, you know, when you do the maintenance stuff, it also it steps you through it. So it's pretty idiot proof, if I can use those words in that sense. But looking at it, if you're experienced with the 2160 jumping to this is not really a jump from a knowledge learning point of view. I'm like, even right now, I'm pretty confident with you and you haven’t been here that long, and I've done a few things. I'm pretty confident that this is just be another step up. It's just easy for me to manage. It won't be any different, really, to be honest."

To view the interview and see the SC-F3000 in action, head to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBDtxqzrYjg