Comes under "you changed your mind, your issue".
“I guarantee to make you what you asked me to make. I do NOT
guarantee that what you asked me to make is what you thought you
wanted.”
You own it, pay me.
This is precisely why I don't do custom orders. It's not worth the hassle.
Well your sales much be much better than mine to turn away custom
work. There is good money in it. Some jewelers make a living on only
custom work. It doesn’t have to be as painful as all that. There’s
doing custom orders and there is being taken advantage of. Carla by
her good nature is being taken advantage of. I have had customers
walk all over me and have the scars to prove it. Like Richard Hart
said, I’ve moved on to other lessons in life.
People by their very nature will try to take advantage of you
whether it is consciously or subconsciously. Passively or
aggressively. I had to fire a customer last week and she was shocked
at my attitude until I listed all my reasons. She had bought a bunch
of rock slabs and wanted them cut into cabs. I did the work, gave her
my best price, and all the sudden she can’t pay for them. Add to the
two previous bounced checks and sending me stone from her friends for
me to process as a separate batch and under my original price
agreement, (she was subcontracting me to her friends), and that was
it. I was trying to be Mr. Niceguy helping out a fellow artisan but
I couldn’t bend over backwards anymore. She said she didn’t realize
she was being such a difficult customer. Like I’ve said before, some
people who own a small business have no business being in business.
So now I’ve had to toughen my skin and set some basic ground rules.
Unless you are a brick and mortar business or an established customer
50% down payment is required. Payment on delivery. Full payment is
due within 30 days of completion. If no payment within 30 days I keep
your stone and your deposit. I don’t like being in the business of
being a bill collector. When customers balk at my rules I tell them
to try and have your car repaired and ask to drive away without
paying. One needs to value their time and be paid accordingly.
[Stepping off soapbox]
Rick Copeland
Silversmith and Lapidary Artisan
rockymountainwonders.com
This is a situation that is not isolated to the jewelery industry-
many of the electronic and big-box stores have folks that buy gadgets
and cameras for trips (GPS, Video Cams, Travel Fridges…) and then
return them after the trip. Best Buy and several retail shops have
very strict re-stock fees and policies for this. It is unfortunate,
but this is the turn of the society when people accept they can abuse
the system and have a clear concious because “They didnt break the
rules” attitude… I know of some retailers that allow rental of
pieces for wear or “day fees” of sorts. Cash- Cash- Cash- if they pay
by check- no merchandise till it clears- if they pay by credit-
beware the charge-back that will tie your hands (and funds) so add
admisistrative and re-stock fees you can keep, and in the interest of
time to anyone- If you need it now like this customer did- cash only.
In the interest of economy to yourself as the creator or marketer, or
the seller- or whatever your position may be- Caveat venditor (Seller
beware!) Get a good lawyer in her neck of the woods- mark her credit
record- and take her to court.
Best of luck getting it back.
Also I don't stop my work for an new customer with a need for hurry.
Well, I would stop and ask myself how many times this has happened
and how likely it may happen in the future. Your next customer
shouldn’t suffer the consequences of your last customer. Your next
customer just may turn out to be your best customer. If you required
full payment before shipping with ‘no returns on special orders’
(like the rest of the business world) you’d protect yourself while
still serving the needs of your next(perhaps best) customer. Suppose
you got a call for six of these rings for bridesmaids’ gifts, would
you really turn it away because you had to eat half a ring once?
She will get an email telling her ..... what grief she caused us with her demands and returns.
Maybe its better to take the high road. This being the web, your
recent travails posted here are available to any curious prospective
customer who knows how to google.
Well your sales much be much better than mine to turn away custom work. There is good money in it. Some jewelers make a living on only custom work.
For sure. And you also got to know what you doing.
I work my business on the MacDonalds hamburger principle.
You drive in
You give me the order
You pay me
Then I give you the quarter pounder ring.
Hans Meevis
Lol.
Okay my turn.
A couple are walking down the retail district, and they passed a
furriers.
“Oh darling”, says the lady. “That mink coat looks lovely”.
The gentleman reaches into his coat and pulls out a house brick, and
throws it through the window. He dusts off the mink coat and puts it
on his lady.
They then pass a handbag store and see a lovely Gucci handbag. “Oh
darling”, says the lady. “That handbag would go nicely with my new
coat”.
The gentleman once again reaches into his coat and pulls out a house
brick, and once again throws it through the window. He picks up the
handbag and gives it to his lady.
They walk further and pass a jewelers, and in the window is the most
beautiful diamond solitaire.
“Oh darling”, says the lady. “That ring would look superb with my
new bag and coat”.
The man turns to the lady and says :-
“What do you think I am??? Made of bricks!!!”
sorry for the late response - no internet at new house yet. I’d like
to offer a different advice than the consensus. 2 years ago, I got a
new consignment account in another city. 3 months in, I called and
asked what I could do to address the fact that nothing had sold.
That’s how she found out her assistant was stealing from her. $700
worth of my jewelry had gone into her assistant’s pocket. She would
send me a check when she figured out how to access her checking
account (!!) - months later, no check. To make a lon= g and
convoluted story short(er), I pleasantly but firmly spoke with her,
or left a message, at least 2x a month, long after I felt like
stopping. I found a template for a “demand payment” letter online,
and sent it “Return Receipt Requested”. It was returned unclaimed,
but the next week I received a check for the full amount owed.
You get to choose how to react to your “cheating customer” - I chose
to refuse to be ripped off, even though the evidence said otherwise.
However you choose to react, I hope the outcome is painfree and
educational.
Blessings,
Susan “Sam” Kaffine
I’m late to the party on this one as well…
I work in the bad debt collection industry for my “day job”.
(Administratively - I’m too much of a softie to get on the phone).
Anyway, if you want, I can come up with a ‘pre-collection’ notice
for you to send to her. Might do some good.
Let me know.
Lynn
I work in the bad debt collection industry for my "day job". (Administratively - I'm too much of a softie to get on the phone). Anyway, if you want, I can come up with a 'pre-collection' notice for you to send to her. Might do some good.
This sounds like something that should be included in those packets
of forms that are sometimes offered to artists, along with
consignment contracts, etc.!
If you are willing to post your sample letter in the forum, many of
us, might have a use for it sooner or later. Thanks for the offer!
Noel