I completely agree with you on the subject of poor customer service.
You are right; you just never know if that person who confesses to
making jewelry might also be in the market to buy jewelry.
Recently I was in Carmel, at one of my favorite galleries,
“Concepts” enjoying the work of some of my favorite designers and in
particular, a piece by Carolyn Morris Bach. It was immediately placed
into my hands for my closer inspection even after I identified myself
as a jeweler. Both Jackie Steakley and Michael were gracious and
friendly and made me feel welcome in their place of business. I spent
a leisurely time browsing and felt comfortable asking to look at
other pieces more closely. They made the experience a completely
enjoyable one.
I have a working studio/retail shop in San Diego, and now and then
find myself in conversation with people who make jewelry. It is
important to me to treat all customers with respect, because I truly
believe that what goes around, comes around. Karma. However you want
to state it. It never hurts to be nice.
In the end, I left Concepts with the Morris Bach piece I had first
admired. Had I been made to feel uncomfortable by the staffs’
paranoia, the purchase would not have been made.
When you broached the topic of technique you crossed the line
between customer and something else.
I have had similar responses from some galleries or jewelry stores
that snub me as soon as they learn I am a goldsmith and not in their
domain to purchase. If I am treated correctly, I will be happy to
pass their name to a gallery that is approachable and cares beyond
just making the sale.
Who better to recommend a piece of jewelry to purchase than another
jeweler. Take care of us, we will take care of you.
Karen Christians
M E T A L W E R X
50 Guinan St.
Waltham, MA 02451
Ph. 781/891-3854 Fax 3857 http://www.metalwerx.com/
Jewelry/Metalarts School & Cooperative Studio
What a frustrating experience!! Yes, I make jewelry too but would
still love to have another artist’s work. I would never expect to be
treated the way you were if the gallery knew I was a jeweler; very
unprofessional and very rude! I work in a very isolated environment,
at home, all day, every day. So when my son and I travel we go to
galleries to see if my work is up to that gallery’s standards to
maybe approach them about carrying my work. We also check out how
were are treated to see if we would want them to carry our work! I
check out prices as well to see if my prices are in line with the
rest of the world. My son, 11, also makes jewelry and sells it
through galleries, so we have quiet conversations on what kind of
stone that one is, how that piece was put together, etc. We do absorb
ideas from what we see, everything we see, not just from other
artist’s jewelry, but from our entire environment, outside our
window, on the internet, on TV… I would never copy another
artist’s work because I know how I would feel if I knew my work had
been copied! I just love to examine and admire masterful or
inventive technique. Be pissed and get over it, be glad you are a
better person than that. Maybe we should copy all that has been said
here and forward it on?? Look how much damage has been done here to
their reputation over one incident, they need to wise up.
A friend of mine sent them a link to my blog (where I posted the
same letter that I wrote here). She also sent it to the artist...
We've heard from the artist.
Good ! Too often, during several years of regular personal
appearances, customers in this particular high-end, high-profile
store (part of a major chain) would somehow see me as the “safe”
sounding board to complain about the rudeness of a sales associate -
90% of the time, it was the same sales associate, a jackass who had
one prime skill, that of ingratiating himself with the dept manager.
I had a boatload of issues with this arrogant twit myself - as a
vendor, yet - and my mantra to these steaming customers was to
please - PLEASE - SAY something to the store manager - or, at least
to the dept. manager. Too often, they’d reply with - “Oh, but I don’t
want to get anyone fired.” Actually addressing someone in authority
(as opposed to a nice, sympathetic jewelry artist) seemed to be
regarded as either too aggressive or too much trouble.
Well, let me say - although firing his a** would have improved the
atmosphere in multiple ways, that would have been an unlikely
consequence. (In fact - clearly not!) What it would do, hopefully,
is address the complaints where they belong, where they can’t so
easily be dismissed or ignored, so that improvements - or
adjustments, if need be - are made, thus saving future customers (and
vendors) from suffering. Incompetent, indifferent, or sullen sales
associates = angry customers = lost sales/future business + very bad
PR for the establishment. I know this guy queered a lot of business
for me, because I would sometimes hear about it after the fact - from
the customers. (Thus, I am glad that your Judaica artist also got the
alert. S/he deserves to know how his/her work is being marketed.)
There is no wakeup call like finding thousands of copies of your
work in perfect, or near perfect facsimiles at retailers
throughout the United States.
With all respect, I would love to have the above happen to me. It
would show me on the right track
I have been reading this thread with great interest.
There is little we can do with people of this paranoid nature. They
see themselves and project it onto an undeserving human being.
Some years ago a dealer and good friend of mine had a booth at a
large show. He had on consignment some fine wire art jewelry from a
very successful and known artisan. Some other friends of mine that
also do wire art complained to me that this dealer would not allow
them to “see” this jewelry.
When I spoke with him, he told me he was protecting the interests of
the wire artist. Hmmm. Some time later, I was in Tucson where the
wire artisan regularly has a booth. I engaged him in conversation and
spoke about his technique. He spoke with me willingly and openly.
I had some of his pieces in my hand and mentioned what I thought he
had done, and he immediately verified my notion. It was not an easy
task, and for sure not one that would be undertaken by most wire
wrappers. He even described to me how he did it.
There was no reason at all for the original vendor to withhold this
jewelry from anyone he knew used wire and stones in jewelry. I am no
longer comfortable with this man and although I see him at many
shows, I rarely speak with him.
His behavior told me he was not the type I really want as a friend.
I made the comment “When you broached the topic of technique you
crossed the line between customer and something else.” I should have
been clearer; I was assuming the position that might have been that
of the “rude” person. But since I wasn’t there…
But, suggesting that one go directly to the artist is unethical. The
gallery and the artist have an agreement in place. The gallery is
expending time and money ( well or poorly ) on the artist’s behalf
and are entitled to their commission.
I too have been following this thread and the range of thoughts and
ideas is very interesting.
I work in a gallery which represents artisan made jewellery, it is
in a very visitable town and do have many situations arise that have
been described here. I also see items which do pop up from time to
time in other places that are quite similar to a particular
artist/artists we represent.
One thing that comes first and foremost for me is courtesy and
having a customer feel comfortable about looking around and asking
questions about the artist’s work. The artist’s expect us to sell
their pieces otherwise they would not ask us for representation and
in my mind this includes answering a potential customer’s questions
about the work. This is the difference between someone who could
become a customer and someone who may feel insulted and never come
back. Many of my customers are artists buying other artist’s work
because they like it, not necessarily to copy it.
I never try to size someone up before engaging them, everyone is
welcome. I have had customers who some people would never imagine to
be a customer who later I find out that they came to visit our town
in their private jet! A few well-known designers in jewelry and other
fields come in to buy for their friends and family and could easily
have taken the work back home and have it copied, but so far have
not. I have encountered the range of people from those who are
genuinely interested in how something is made, those who may get
inspiration from the work that they see in the gallery and those who
definitely want to go home and get to work copying work that they
see.
My attitude is that whomever walks through our doors is my guest and
it is my job to show them around if they so wish and to answer their
questions regarding what they see. Most of the artist’s work would
be difficult to really copy anyway, and the world is getting so small
these days it is not too difficult for more than one person to have
similar design ideas, technique is the key.
But, suggesting that one go directly to the artist is unethical.
The gallery and the artist have an agreement in place. The gallery
is expending time and money ( well or poorly ) on the artist's
behalf and are entitled to their commission.
The artist does retail through their website, and they do deserve to
be applauded for their very fine work. The fact that I refuse to do
business with that gallery does not mean that I should penalize an
artist who has done nothing to me.
But not doing business with the gallery, the only person I hurt is
the gallery.
suggesting that one go directly to the artist is unethical. The
gallery and the artist have an agreement in place. The gallery is
expending time and money ( well or poorly ) on the artist's behalf
and are entitled to their commission.
Unfortunatelly, that is exactly what many do - they go directly to
the artist, rather than through galleries. Maybe that’s exactly why
the person in the gallery was rude? And this practice may be a new
topic of discussion. Why do so many artists sell “wholesale” to what
should be “retail” customers and raise prices when they are being
represented by a gallery???
But, suggesting that one go directly to the artist is unethical.
The gallery and the artist have an agreement in place. The gallery
is expending time and money ( well or poorly ) on the artist's
behalf and are entitled to their commission.
I’m sorry, but in this case I have to disagree. If the gallery
refuses to sell an artist’s work to a customer who wants to purchase
it, the gallery is abrogating its obligation to the artist.
It is not a museum; it is a sales venue—and the gallery has no
business making value judgments about prospective customers’
motivations. The gallery is there to present the artist’s work for
sale to whoever wants to buy it at the going price. Period.
If you can deal directly with the artist, you would probably get a
break on the price anyway, and do the nasty middleman out of his
cut.
I think many artists and galleries would find this suggestion less
than advisable. It would probably be considered as unethical behavior
to contact the artist directly, with the intention of purchasing
something cheaper and/or depriving the gallery of their commission.
If a client has seen the work in a gallery first they really
shouldn’t try to track down the artist and bypass the venue that
represents the artist’s work.
If you can deal directly with the artist, you would probably get a
break on the price anyway, and do the nasty middleman out of his
cut.
I was told by the first gallery owner I talked to that undercutting
gallery prices was the quickest way to get dropped. I don’t know an
easy way around it though. The trunk of my car is a lot less
prestigious than the gallery interior. I have since pulled out of
galleries and sell privately until I can learn enough about pricing
my work to have it in stores and still make a profit. There seems to
be much miscommunication on pricing because I have been told by more
than one person that there is the wholesale price, the “I’m
comfortable with this price and I charge my customers this when they
approach me privately”, and then there’s the retail price that is
charged at shows and galleries. Seems very confusing and if I have
more than 5 products in the line, I would have to carry a cheat sheet
at all times to figure what to charge who. I don’t know if it’s
really good for business to refer to the gallery owner as the nasty
middleman.
Unfortunatelly, that is exactly what many do - they go directly to
the artist, rather than through galleries. Maybe that's exactly why
the person in the gallery was rude? And this practice may be a new
topic of discussion. Why do so many artists sell "wholesale" to
what should be "retail" customers and raise prices when they are
being represented by a gallery???
Typically if you see this kind of behavior it is an amateur or
beginner. Any professional will know that you can not act this way
for long. The galleries will find out and stop caring your work. I
know that there are some who don’t fit the amateur or beginner
category but for the most part that it is a good definition of those
who engage in this behavior. A professional will refer the client
back to the gallery or if the client is unwilling to deal with the
gallery at least send the gallery a finders fee on the sale. You
cannot control others behavior but you can behave in an ethical
fashion yourself. Don’t underprice your work on your web site, at
least keep it at a keystone markup above your wholesale prices if
not even higher. Doing anything less is just not ethical professional
behavior.
James Binnion @James_Binnion
James Binnion Metal Arts
You’re absolutely right, Michael. If a gallery is selling an artist’s
work, it would be unethical to attempt to cheat the gallery out of
its due. I was being mean-spirited when I made the suggestion re the
contemptible behavior of the salesperson at the aforementioned
gallery…but the whole situation was very unpleasant.
Don't underprice your work on your web site, at least keep it at a
keystone markup above your wholesale prices if not even higher.
Doing anything less is just not ethical professional behavior.
Having a lower price when you sell your own work is not just a poor
ethical choice, it is stupid! As I see it (and as I’ve said here
before), half the price of the work is for making it, and half is
for selling it. If a gallery sells it, they get their half, and they
earn it. If I sell it, then I get that half-- and I earned it. Why
would anyone do the work of selling, then not pay themselves for it,
when they could? This is not rocket surgery!
If I sell it, then I get that half-- and I earned it. Why would
anyone do the work of selling, then not pay themselves for it, when
they could? This is not rocket surgery!
It’s absolutely correct that selling for a lower price is a poor
choice, but you have to admit that there is a whole lot of pressure
out there to do just that. I was doing business with a local gallery
and was in to drop off some of my work. One of the employees actually
said to me on the sly “I’ll pay you your wholesale price if you’ll
sell me one of your bracelets. What’s the difference to you? You
still get your money” We all know the difference to me was integrity,
but it was a super-sticky situation! The wholesale price to me for
that particular bracelet was 65 dollars. Big deal. My reply to her
was “whatever is ok with Cindy (store manager, fake name) is ok with
me” She dropped the subject right away. Yes, I was ethical, and yes I
lost 65 dollars. What if the wholesale price to me was 500 dollars
and I desperately needed some rent money?
I think there are a lot of creative, talented people out there with
good artwork who don’t have a clue about how to run a business. It’s
not their fault, but it is a fact. That’s why I’m going back to
school. I’m 37 and a little older than the other students, but I only
go around once and if I have a dream, I’m going to pursue it wisely
(and right away too, for crying out loud I have wrinkles)
I was doing business with a local gallery and was in to drop off
some of my work. One of the employees actually said to me on the
sly "I'll pay you your wholesale price if you'll sell me one of
your bracelets."
Some stores that I sell to let their sales staff buy items from them
at their cost, as a perk (extra little benefit). One store has
ordered severaI pieces for a staff member, tagged on to their regular
orders. I routinely let anyone who helps me sell at a show, or work
in the studio, buy whatever they want at my wholesale price. And I
sell to the sales staff at my local Art Center’s gallery at wholesale
price, too. They really appreciate it, and the Art Center doesn’t
mind. But this should all be done honestly, not on the sly. Besides
compromising yourself, you might get someone fired!
I like to have sales staff who like my work so well that they want
to own it. It’s a great endorsement. I’d say, ask the Buyer or owner
of the store how they feel about it; it might be okay with them, too.
I think it boosts sales of your work, for both you and the gallery,
to have staff loving it and wearing it! These people are on the front
lines, presenting the work to the public when I am not there, and
they are very important to me. I do whatever I can for them.