1/6 Indy Customizations: Image Thread

[Rorywan]

Whilst I agree in theory that collecting payment when a job is done is probably good, I would also add that once you start dealing with people on an open forum like this, you have no way of knowing what type of people you are dealing with. Seriously the crazies and fakers are rampant. If I could show you some of the PM's I've gotten since I started doing commissions, your jaw would drop. Repeat spamming as well, asking the same question over and over. I try to reply politely once then ignore. Will you sell me this, I want that thing that you are not selling, over and over... it's crazy. People sending stuff then backing out, or reselling items before they have even gotten them back, you start getting PM's from strangers who have bought a resold, resold item from someone who paid for a commission and sold it before it was finished. My point being, I wouldn't trust payment on a minority of people, all that work for nothing then they could disappear? Don't know guess it depends on the project. If it's got resale value or not. There are so many customisers around now, that people just stick their names down on lists willy nilly, never to visit the threads again.

But of course the correct way of dealing with any commission, is to offer a full refund service, should the project not be completed or agreed. Or the client has a genuine issue with something. That's just fair trade really.

Met a lot of really great people as well though.

 

[Rogerbee]

The other things that get annoying are projects where interest threads get started and then never materialise or are cancelled like the mj12 Indy head that sounded so promising. Then there are projects that look great until you get them in hand like the WGP heads.

Someone somewhere must have the nous to keep a project going and to make sure that it stays on track from start to finish. Actually, now I think of it, one such company does exist, and that is Modern Life.

 

[Figure5901]

This may not work for everyone but, I pay all the upfront cost on my projects and I don't take any money until the person's item is ready to ship. This policy has worked great for me up to this point without a single dissatisfied customer. I don't plan on changing what works for me.

 

[Pixelpiper]

If you're doing something that has appeal outside of one specific customer, then it's typical and expected that the seller maintain their investment in inventory, parts, whatever, until it's time to ship the goods. If however you're dealing with custom commission work, maybe a customer's own portrait or something else such as rework on the customer's supplied parts, then it's totally reasonable, and in my opinion expected, to take a non-refundable deposit. That's the way things work almost everywhere else. You shouldn't be working on spec. If the customer decides to back out, you keep the deposit which should have been an amount great enough so you don't lose money (or significant money) and you call it a wash. If they simply don't want to pay, well you keep deposit and and anything they've sent you to be worked on.

The majority of stuff I do, I like to format like production work and not commission work. Trying to make it as close as possible to how I handle daily sales in my other business (even though that one is automated online). You ask any questions up front, you place your order, I issue a numbered invoice, you pay the invoice and the product ships. If it's something like the recent lightsabers, then after I issue the invoice, the customer sends their base hilts with a copy of the invoice and doesn't pay until I receive them, verify they're the correct parts and tell them I'm ready to ship. I'll probably integrate my custom shopping cart with a new site to handle most of these things too which will make it much easier to track and send automated emails for status, payment, etc.

 

[Figure5901]

I agree with Pixelpiper, one off custom commissions should require some upfront non-refundable money. Just make sure who you are dealing with and the time to completion. Before 45 days you have some recourse with Paypal after that you are on your own. Sometimes these things can be a gamble. Don't gamble more than you can afford to lose.

 

[mfisher]

For what it is worth.. I have been making the belt/gear sets now since the Sideshow Indy line hit the market… Have no idea at this point how many belts and holsters I have sewn ! I just know they are literally all over the world… But.. I get a LOT of requests.. can you make me this.. or can you make me that.. If I were to have started all of the requests made with "promises" to pay upon completion I would have made a LOT of gear that would have sat… Over the years I have done most of my orders within a 2-3 week time frame of getting payment until the items shipped… But then again I valued the reputation I built amongst collectors.. which unfortunately is not as common as it should be.. I have seen a good deal of great talents on here over the years who simply had very shady business sense.. which is a shame… because in the end the community loses out..

 

[Pixelpiper]

I get a LOT of requests.. can you make me this.. or can you make me that.. If I were to have started all of the requests made with "promises" to pay upon completion I would have made a LOT of gear that would have sat…

Exactly this. No one in their right mind should start time consuming custom work without some type of payment up front. This is not the same thing as producing inventory/stock, it's a one-of a kind item most of the time. I think most customers will understand this.

 

[hokietwo]

Exactly this. No one in their right mind should start time consuming custom work without some type of payment up front. This is not the same thing as producing inventory/stock, it's a one-of a kind item most of the time. I think most customers will understand this.

Agreed. Customer needs to be engaged and committed with consideration.

 

[bmarz1000]

For what it is worth.. I have been making the belt/gear sets now since the Sideshow Indy line hit the market… Have no idea at this point how many belts and holsters I have sewn ! I just know they are literally all over the world… But.. I get a LOT of requests.. can you make me this.. or can you make me that.. If I were to have started all of the requests made with "promises" to pay upon completion I would have made a LOT of gear that would have sat… Over the years I have done most of my orders within a 2-3 week time frame of getting payment until the items shipped… But then again I valued the reputation I built amongst collectors.. which unfortunately is not as common as it should be.. I have seen a good deal of great talents on here over the years who simply had very shady business sense.. which is a shame… because in the end the community loses out..

Sovereign Studios comes to mind. Shawn was a genius when it came to 1/6 Indy jackets but in the end he made bad choices that hurt a lot of people financially.

 

[Mr. Fusion]

Guys, can we get back to Indiana Jones?

 

[stshammgod]

Guys, can we get back to Indiana Jones?

https://youtu.be/iAHIZB93WQk

 

[mfisher]

^^^^^^ Oh…. my…. God….. ^^^^^^ My eyes and ears… I feel like I just looked right at the ark as they opened it….

 

[Mr. Fusion]

^^^^^^ Oh…. my…. God….. ^^^^^^ My eyes and ears… I feel like I just looked right at the ark as they opened it….

You got further than me. I could almost hear Indy telling me to keep my eyes shut.

 

[stshammgod]

Lol! Classic. He has one from Tron too.

 

[punisher1974]

Oh that's terrible. I never about that song before now.

 

[Rahmier84]

Ready for paint soon!

 

[Cavlcade]

Please paint one and then sell it to me.

 

[Mr.E]

Damn those turned out great! Lucky man whoever commissioned that one!

 

[Rahmier84]

Please paint one and then sell it to me.

Ha ha I wish I could buddy!

Damn those turned out great! Lucky man whoever commissioned that one!

Thanks Mr.E!

 

[Cavlcade]

Ha ha I wish I could buddy!

Shame. Thought I'd try the direct approach.
Look's very promising, can't wait to see the paint up, your artwork is amazing.