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I think a deposit is a very good idea. It would at least cover your fabric. It might make it easier for them to pay for it also that way. Not so much at one time.
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Is it possible that these ladies lost jobs? or had an illness in the family? With the job market the way it is, who knows what happened. I would have made a payment arrangement with the lady and held the quilt until it was completely paid for.
You could also draw up an actual contract and have signatures on it. Makes it a legal deal, not just word of mouth. |
People - I am sorry you are having this problem. I agree you need to get a good deposit and something in writing. Good Luck
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Originally Posted by cosyquilter
I ask for $100.00 deposit at time of order, balance paid upon completion. If not picked up within 30 days of completion, I reserve the right to either sell it or donate it. Part of the paper work signed at time of order. I have one customer who pays me in full at time of order. I work real hard to get his order done fast. No one has ever complained about this policy and no one has ever defaulted.
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Originally Posted by joan_quilts
Ok, I have 2 quilts people wanted. I told the one lady her quilt would be ready to ship the first of November. She saw it back in July, and she knew the price back then. She asked me last week if I would take payments. I said NO.
She has ordered from me before, but this quilt is a twin size, all hand quilted and won 3rd place at a quilt show. Her story is she has bills and just can't afford it all right now. I told her that was ok, because I would hold onto the quilt until December and then I would offer to sell it to someone else. Another lady, after seeing this quilt, asked me to make her a full sized quilt kind of like it. Her husband just loves John Deere and these quilts had a John Deere theme. So, I make this quilt, it also placed 3rd in the contest under its category, and I called the lady who wanted to come by and get it. She stopped by on Friday, said how much she loved it, but "just can't afford it" right now. Uh-huh, that meant she wanted me to lower my price, a price she agreed on BEFORE I made it. From now on, I am going to ask for a $100 deposit, non-refundable, on my quilts. I have close to that much in the fabric and other material needed alone. Why do people "ask" for things, offer to pay and then "change their minds"? If they can't afford a quilt, don't ask me to make one I guess this is another lesson well learned, sigh. I had a similiar situation many many years ago. Our oldest DS had a friend come in & saw me hand quilting my mom & dad's double wedding ring. He just fell in love with it. So he asked me to make him one. I told him a double wedding ring wouldn't be a good choice for a single guy & I showed him a sampler quilt I had on hand & he agreed he'd like that pattern. So I shopped for fabric that pertained to a guy, no brights, no flowers, nothing girly. I got the quilt done & kept track of every piece of fabric I bought down to the quarter yd. If I bought a yd of fabric & only used 1/4 yd, that is all I charged him for. When I told him I have $100 in this quilt & I think my labor would be worth $100 he about swallowed his teeth! AND THEY WEREN'T FALSE! So I pulled out the little note book where I'd kepts the receipts & showed him. He said "Mrs Z I had no idea it cost that much to make a quilt" & I told him how carefully I kept track. I sensed he couldn't afford it so I told him if he didn't want it, that was fine, I would just add it to my collection, no problem! So now that quilt is called "Greg's quilt" I didn't think of it but he just got married about a yr ago, I should have given it to him for a wedding present! But this is how quilts get their 'history or stories' behind them! |
I don't think that asking for a deposit is unreasonable at all. You shouldn't have to foot the bill for the fabric out of your own pocket unless you are making quilts for "inventory" to sell. Custom made products are always treated differently and thats what these quilts are- custom made products.
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I agree that you should ask for 1/2 upfront. When I have mine quilted she always asks for 1/2 & I don't have a problem with that.
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Yes, you get ask for 1/2 up front or at least $100. I think a simple written contract would be good. At least you would know they are serious about it.
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Lots of advice for what she SHOULD have done.
I think I would have considered payments for the first lady - just not handed the quilt over until it had been completely paid for. It didn't sound like she was trying to get out of the deal. Stuff happens. (If you are sufficiently interested, you could maybe find out what - if anything) The second one would have ticked me off and I think my response would have been in the Forget You category. |
Originally Posted by joan_quilts
Ok, I have 2 quilts people wanted. I told the one lady her quilt would be ready to ship the first of November. She saw it back in July, and she knew the price back then. She asked me last week if I would take payments. I said NO.
She has ordered from me before, but this quilt is a twin size, all hand quilted and won 3rd place at a quilt show. Her story is she has bills and just can't afford it all right now. I told her that was ok, because I would hold onto the quilt until December and then I would offer to sell it to someone else. Another lady, after seeing this quilt, asked me to make her a full sized quilt kind of like it. Her husband just loves John Deere and these quilts had a John Deere theme. So, I make this quilt, it also placed 3rd in the contest under its category, and I called the lady who wanted to come by and get it. She stopped by on Friday, said how much she loved it, but "just can't afford it" right now. Uh-huh, that meant she wanted me to lower my price, a price she agreed on BEFORE I made it. From now on, I am going to ask for a $100 deposit, non-refundable, on my quilts. I have close to that much in the fabric and other material needed alone. Why do people "ask" for things, offer to pay and then "change their minds"? If they can't afford a quilt, don't ask me to make one I guess this is another lesson well learned, sigh. |
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