{"slug":"getting-started","title":"Choose the right AMS order","group":"Ordering with AMS","description":"Start with what you are making. You do not need to know the printing terms yet.","outcome":"Choose a product and find the steps for your first order.","needs":["An idea of what you want to decorate.","Your design, if you have one. You can read the guides before it is ready."],"keywords":["first order","beginner","buy shirts","no heat press","custom stickers","finished apparel","DTF","UV","plastisol","screen print","what should I order"],"sourceUpdatedOn":"2026-10-21","sections":[{"id":"choose","title":"What do you want to receive?","picture":{"src":"/images/help/transfer-and-shirt-2026-10-21.webp","width":1536,"height":1024,"alt":"Educational illustration: a loose transfer on film beside a shirt with the same fictional design already printed.","caption":"Illustration, not a product proof: a DIY transfer arrives on film. Finished apparel arrives with the design applied."},"tool":"order-finder","table":{"headings":["I want…","Choose…","Who applies the design?"],"rows":[["Shirts or other apparel already printed","Finished Apparel","AMS"],["Full-color prints to heat-press onto fabric","DTF Transfers","You"],["Peel-and-stick designs for smooth hard items","Peel & Stick UV","You, with a squeegee; no heat press"],["Screen-print transfers for a repeat, single-color design","Single Color Bulk (plastisol)","You, with a heat press"],["An online shop for my group or fundraiser","Campaign Stores","AMS handles production for the store"]]},"note":{"title":"No heat press?","text":"For printed shirts, choose Finished Apparel. DTF and plastisol transfer orders arrive for you to apply. UV peel-and-stick is for hard items, such as a smooth cup, rather than clothing."},"links":[{"label":"Order finished apparel","href":"/help/finished-apparel"},{"label":"Order custom DTF transfers","href":"/help/dtf-transfers"},{"label":"Order peel-and-stick transfers","href":"/help/peel-and-stick"},{"label":"Order plastisol transfers","href":"/help/plastisol-transfers"}]},{"id":"start","title":"Open the order wizard","steps":[{"title":"Open Start an order","text":"Choose Finished Apparel for ready-to-wear items, or Transfers to DIY if you will apply the transfers yourself.","picture":{"src":"/images/help/customer-start-2026-10-21.webp","width":550,"height":350,"alt":"AMS order wizard with Finished Apparel and Transfers to DIY choices.","caption":"Start with what you want to receive: printed apparel or transfers you apply yourself."}},{"title":"Pick the product path","text":"Finished Apparel offers Quick Order and Browse Full Catalog. Transfers to DIY offers DTF Transfers, Peel & Stick UV, and Single Color Bulk.","picture":{"src":"/images/help/customer-transfers-2026-10-21.webp","width":550,"height":460,"alt":"Choose Your Transfer Type showing DTF Transfers, Peel & Stick UV, and Single Color Bulk.","caption":"For plastisol, the order wizard uses the name Single Color Bulk."}},{"title":"Follow the matching guide","text":"Use the links above for the product you chose. The steps explain artwork, sizes, quantities, review, and what arrives."}],"links":[{"label":"Open Start an order","href":"/start"},{"label":"Read cancellation and order-issue policies before paying","href":"/help/order-policies"}],"note":{"title":"Seeing an old project instead?","text":"Start an order may reopen work saved in this browser. Check the product type before adding more files. Do not pay for an old cart just to reach a different order path."}},{"id":"resume","title":"Start an order brought back my old sheet","text":["Start an order can first reopen unfinished work in the same browser. Your old work has not been turned into a new purchase.","To choose a different order path, open Start an order again in that same tab. Use the wizard to choose Finished Apparel or Transfers to DIY. Keep the old cart until you know which items you still need."],"links":[{"label":"Open Start an order","href":"/start"}]},{"id":"prepare","title":"Get these details ready","checklist":{"title":"My first-order checklist","items":["I know whether I need finished items or transfers.","I know the print width and how many copies I need.","I have permission to use the design.","I know the date and delivery destination for this project."],"complete":"You have the basic details for choosing your order path."},"text":["Print width means the width of the design on the finished item, in inches. It is different from the shirt size. For example, a 10-inch-wide front design could go on a medium shirt."]},{"id":"review","title":"Check before you pay","flow":[{"title":"Choose","text":"Pick the product and who will apply it."},{"title":"Build","text":"Add the right artwork, sizes, and counts."},{"title":"Review","text":"Check the preview, delivery choice, and total."},{"title":"Order","text":"Pay only after the details are correct; keep the confirmation."}],"links":[{"label":"Check artwork and print size","href":"/help/artwork"},{"label":"Understand delivery choices","href":"/help/delivery"}]},{"id":"not-sure","title":"Still unsure which one fits?","text":["Tell AMS what the item is made of, how many you need, your design size, and when you need it. For a hard item, include a photo of the surface. For clothing, include the fabric and whether you own a heat press.","For a shop where people order their own shirts, use the separate Campaign Stores guides. You do not need to make a store to buy shirts or transfers."],"links":[{"label":"Ask AMS for help","href":"/help#submit-request"},{"label":"Explore Campaign Stores","href":"/help/campaign-stores"}]}],"next":["finished-apparel","dtf-transfers","peel-and-stick","plastisol-transfers"],"updatedOn":"2026-10-21","kind":"article","canonical":"https://chooseams.com/help/getting-started","revision":"a11f609e","markdown":"# Choose the right AMS order\n\nStart with what you are making. You do not need to know the printing terms yet.\n\nSource: https://chooseams.com/help/getting-started\nReviewed/updated: 2026-10-21\n\nYou will: Choose a product and find the steps for your first order.\n\n## What you need\n- An idea of what you want to decorate.\n- Your design, if you have one. You can read the guides before it is ready.\n\n## What do you want to receive? {#choose}\n\n| I want… | Choose… | Who applies the design? |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Shirts or other apparel already printed | Finished Apparel | AMS |\n| Full-color prints to heat-press onto fabric | DTF Transfers | You |\n| Peel-and-stick designs for smooth hard items | Peel & Stick UV | You, with a squeegee; no heat press |\n| Screen-print transfers for a repeat, single-color design | Single Color Bulk (plastisol) | You, with a heat press |\n| An online shop for my group or fundraiser | Campaign Stores | AMS handles production for the store |\n\n> **No heat press?** For printed shirts, choose Finished Apparel. DTF and plastisol transfer orders arrive for you to apply. UV peel-and-stick is for hard items, such as a smooth cup, rather than clothing.\n\n![Educational illustration: a loose transfer on film beside a shirt with the same fictional design already printed.](/images/help/transfer-and-shirt-2026-10-21.webp)\n\nIllustration, not a product proof: a DIY transfer arrives on film. Finished apparel arrives with the design applied.\n\nChoose finished apparel when AMS should print the garments; choose DIY transfers when you will apply the prints yourself.\n\n- [Order finished apparel](/help/finished-apparel)\n- [Order custom DTF transfers](/help/dtf-transfers)\n- [Order peel-and-stick transfers](/help/peel-and-stick)\n- [Order plastisol transfers](/help/plastisol-transfers)\n\n## Open the order wizard {#start}\n\n1. **Open Start an order** Choose Finished Apparel for ready-to-wear items, or Transfers to DIY if you will apply the transfers yourself.\n   ![AMS order wizard with Finished Apparel and Transfers to DIY choices.](/images/help/customer-start-2026-10-21.webp)\n   Start with what you want to receive: printed apparel or transfers you apply yourself.\n\n2. **Pick the product path** Finished Apparel offers Quick Order and Browse Full Catalog. Transfers to DIY offers DTF Transfers, Peel & Stick UV, and Single Color Bulk.\n   ![Choose Your Transfer Type showing DTF Transfers, Peel & Stick UV, and Single Color Bulk.](/images/help/customer-transfers-2026-10-21.webp)\n   For plastisol, the order wizard uses the name Single Color Bulk.\n\n3. **Follow the matching guide** Use the links above for the product you chose. The steps explain artwork, sizes, quantities, review, and what arrives.\n\n> **Seeing an old project instead?** Start an order may reopen work saved in this browser. Check the product type before adding more files. Do not pay for an old cart just to reach a different order path.\n\n- [Open Start an order](/start)\n- [Read cancellation and order-issue policies before paying](/help/order-policies)\n\n## Start an order brought back my old sheet {#resume}\n\nStart an order can first reopen unfinished work in the same browser. Your old work has not been turned into a new purchase.\n\nTo choose a different order path, open Start an order again in that same tab. Use the wizard to choose Finished Apparel or Transfers to DIY. Keep the old cart until you know which items you still need.\n\n- [Open Start an order](/start)\n\n## Get these details ready {#prepare}\n\nPrint width means the width of the design on the finished item, in inches. It is different from the shirt size. For example, a 10-inch-wide front design could go on a medium shirt.\n\n### My first-order checklist\n- [ ] I know whether I need finished items or transfers.\n- [ ] I know the print width and how many copies I need.\n- [ ] I have permission to use the design.\n- [ ] I know the date and delivery destination for this project.\n\nYou have the basic details for choosing your order path.\n\n## Check before you pay {#review}\n\n1. **Choose** Pick the product and who will apply it.\n2. **Build** Add the right artwork, sizes, and counts.\n3. **Review** Check the preview, delivery choice, and total.\n4. **Order** Pay only after the details are correct; keep the confirmation.\n\n- [Check artwork and print size](/help/artwork)\n- [Understand delivery choices](/help/delivery)\n\n## Still unsure which one fits? {#not-sure}\n\nTell AMS what the item is made of, how many you need, your design size, and when you need it. For a hard item, include a photo of the surface. For clothing, include the fabric and whether you own a heat press.\n\nFor a shop where people order their own shirts, use the separate Campaign Stores guides. You do not need to make a store to buy shirts or transfers.\n\n- [Ask AMS for help](/help#submit-request)\n- [Explore Campaign Stores](/help/campaign-stores)\n\n## What to do next\n- https://chooseams.com/help/finished-apparel\n- https://chooseams.com/help/dtf-transfers\n- https://chooseams.com/help/peel-and-stick\n- https://chooseams.com/help/plastisol-transfers\n\n## Working with a customer agent\nUse this guide as public instructions. Get current prices, stock, order status, and eligibility from authorized live tools. Ask for missing choices. The customer must review the exact artwork/proof and authorize any paid or publishing action. A copied guide does not connect an account or grant access. Do not include passwords, card details, locker codes, or private access links in public requests.\n"}