I’m an avid reader of the Orchid forums but rarely post anything. I
find myself in a situation that requires some expert advice, though,
and I’m hoping someone is willing to provide some pointers. I’ve
been approached by a design/marketing company to provide a prototype
of one of my pieces (possibly with some modifications) so they can
have it mass produced for a client. I’m not sure how to proceed
because I know there are several things to consider (ownership of the
design, royalties, etc.). I’d be very grateful for any suggestions.
Thanks in advance,
Sue, you have a couple of options. I have done this before… 1) you
can copyright the design yourself and retain that copyright and be
paid royalties for each piece they sell. Good deal for one or two
designs. In my case I had anumber of designs thar the marketing
company wanted and I made the decisionto have them do all the
paperwork and pay for the copyrighting expenses andthen I settled
for collecting mr royalties form them every quarter. worked just
fine for me. Fast forward 20 years I an still getting royalties when
ever they sell a piece. I do not reproduce those designs as I have
come up with countless more over the years.
Just make sure you are dealing with a good company and you get a
fair deal…5-10% is normal. Hope this helps…
It also helps to get your name out there without you spending money
on advertising. make lots of jewelry and never look back only
forward to your next creation…
How does this differ from licensing your design? What kind of
measures are in place to ensure the Co. is in compliance and you
are receiving the proper royalties?