Jul
26
2008
For offline stores, booths, or other venues, state your upfront payment policy in writing. Displaying it will not only let people know your rule, but it will also say, “I’m willing to do custom work”. It clearly tells any potential custom order customers that you have a hard and fast rule for everyone, not just their order.
Don’t be afraid of how people will react to your request. So many sellers are asking for at least part of the total payment before they start a custom project now! You will be in the majority, not seen as shady or suspicious.
Realize that you and your time and money are worth protecting. When you take a custom order on faith, you are the one taking a financial risk. Along with the honest buyer who’s handshake is golden, you will find flakes, scammers, time-wasters, and fickle consumers. Protect your bottom line!
Jul
25
2008
I did a few blog posts about ‘why’ to ask for at least partial payment upfront on custom orders. Some people want to know ‘how’ to do this! Here are a few tips for online sellers.
Know your own policy first, and stick to it. This prevents you from having to flounder for a reason if a customer asks why you want money in advance.
State your policy clearly in your online store, your profile, policy page, or in whatever appropriate spot. Copy and paste your policy into the first email you send in response to a custom order question. By putting it out there early on, it doesn’t come as a surprise after tons of design details and corresponding!
Next: What about face to face?
Jun
23
2008
I’ve talked with some vendors –usually new ones– that feel awkward about doing this. It feels strange to ask for money before you have a finished item to turn over, but it’s the best way to keep from getting burned.Getting stuck with a custom ordered item can be a hassle for the seller. What if the item is a special size, odd color combination, monogrammed, or otherwise hard to sell with the rest of your work? If you’ve had to buy materials specifically for this order and the customer changes their mind, are you out of luck?
In my experience, getting at least partial upfront payment for a custom order is the best way to go. Thirty percent of the purchase price is what I require before beginning custom work. This covers the cost of materials and is non-refundable. If the buyer flakes or has to cancel for some reason, all is not lost. I may be stuck with a hard to sell item, but at least the materials didn’t strain my budget.
To avoid making this into an awkward issue, why not spell it out in your store’s policies? If it’s clearly stated on your order forms or webpage, it won’t come as a surprise and you won’t feel the need to explain it to death. Also, post what your policy is regarding a cancelled order. Putting it in writing will help to avoid any misunderstandings later on.
Jun
20
2008
Someone has to take the reins, so it better be you, the seller.Don’t be bashful about setting your price and the payment terms. If you seem wishy-washy about this, some customers assume that you want to haggle, or that they can call the shots.
Just because you love what you do doesn’t mean you need to do it for free. Charging a fair price shows that you’re confident in the quality of your work. So many crafters have trouble asking for a reasonable amount of money for their time, but that’s another topic!
You’ll need to decide if you want to be paid upfront, in installments, or after the work is done.
If you don’t receive any money until the job is finished, you are really taking a leap of faith. Go to any crafting forum, and you can find people who have gotten stiffed after doing custom work without asking for money upfront. I once got stuck with over $400 worth of items, and this was working with a repeat buyer!
More on why to charge part of the price upfront tomorrow!
Jun
19
2008
Many artists and crafters hate to take on custom orders. Some refuse to consider doing them at all.
Why turn away potential business? Likely, they’ve been burned before.
There is a lot of money to be made by doing custom work. It’s also a good way to attract customers that really appreciate your work. Sadly, it can also attract flakes and bargain hunting scammers.
I plan to write some blog posts dealing with common custom order problems and how to avoid them. If there’s a particular aspect of custom orders you want to discuss here, lemme know. Or, if you have a custom order horror story or a shining success to share, please do!
