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Stitching & Crafting Room:  Question for those of you who sew for a living  |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 11 2010 : 05:42:44 AM
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I am beside myself. . . for the first time I am not sure what to think, let alone do. I did up some samples for a company in another state, everything ships through the mail. They send all the materials and patterns to me, I make their product and ship it all back to them. Well, they love my work. . to quote her " Your sewing is perfect! I love the way you did everything, however, I am not sure we can afford you."
Sigh, I already discounted my labor by quite a bit to secure the work, now they feel the shipping cost would be to great. . . it is actually cheaper to ship it than it is to drive ( like her former seamstress did) to drop off and pick up. I have offered a couple of solutions to the problem. . . hoping it will remedy the situation. . .still waiting to hear back from them.
Have any of you experienced this? If so, how did you work it out without loosing your shirt!
Joanna #566
"Keeping Traditions Alive A Stitch At A Time"
JojoNH
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CountryCents
http://CountryCents.Blogspot.com
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jill skane
True Blue Farmgirl
853 Posts
jill lillian
stacyville
maine
USA
853 Posts |
Posted - Jul 11 2010 : 06:23:17 AM
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the sad thing is u do all the work, running around for materials, sew, ship, and they take your price and mark it up 100% no matter what u tell them they still mark it up the 100%, it does not seem fair.
jill |
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bellagirl
True Blue Farmgirl
129 Posts
Carmen
Holland
MI
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Jul 11 2010 : 4:30:35 PM
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Sad to say but these days "they" want to make all the profit. Remember that you are a talented and gifted sewer, so never sell yourself short. In the past, I have given an itemized statement included everything and then add their 100% markup. I then send that to them and ask how You and them can make it work for the benefit of both parties.Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn't. But in most cases I've had good results. Good luck.
MJFG #1443
Carmen
Blessings from Heaven and Earth |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2010 : 04:53:20 AM
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Thank you Carmen and Jill,  One thing I will not do is work for free. . . I can do that for myself! I did explain the shipping fees vs driving to and from. . . she actually spent more money driving to and from her previous seamstress than it will cost shipping back and forth with me. . . I hope that will resolve the issue. . . if not, well, she is off to find someone else.
One thing that I find funny is how they always try to talk you down on your prices. . . I simply reply, " hmmmm, do you do this when you buy gas or food?" which stops them dead in their tracks! LOL!! I may need to make a career change if I cannot find steady sewing work that pays. . . hmmmm, wonder what that would be?? 
Joanna #566
"Keeping Traditions Alive A Stitch At A Time"
JojoNH
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CountryCents
http://CountryCents.Blogspot.com
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
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Lizabeth
True Blue Farmgirl
560 Posts
Washington
560 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2010 : 3:58:12 PM
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Good for you, Joanna, sticking up for yourself, and your craftmanship. it isn't easy to stand firm--I am glad it paid off (literally) for you.
http://www.handcraftsbyheather.com
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bellagirl
True Blue Farmgirl
129 Posts
Carmen
Holland
MI
USA
129 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2010 : 4:51:29 PM
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That's wonderful Joanna. I'm glad you stood up for yourself, too!
MJFG#1443
Carmen
Blessings from Heaven and Earth |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
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nynancy
Farmgirl at Heart
3 Posts
nancy
ny
3 Posts |
Posted - Jul 15 2010 : 08:53:09 AM
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Glad it worked out. Remember that you *always* have to set a price that will keep you and your family fairly fed. It's about treating your business... well, like a business!
To try to encourage your shops to make a purchase, remember to remind them that it's quite popular now to buy items that are made in America. You can make items that are customized for only their shop, so they're exclusive. If you don't think it will hamper future sales to OTHER shops, you can offer them exclusivity within a certain area (a radius of x miles around their shop). All these things they will not be able to get with "made in China" products.
Best of luck to you!
Visit my website: www.welldressedkitchen.com |
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nitere
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Amy
Hickory
NC
USA
482 Posts |
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JojoNH
True Blue Farmgirl
1984 Posts
Joanna
Dunbarton
New Hampshire
USA
1984 Posts |
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Stitching & Crafting Room: Question for those of you who sew for a living |
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Question for those of you who sew for a living
