Custom Makers Network?

[billymac814]

Would it be possible to start some sort of network, possibly maybe a seperate section on the forum where members can post what items they make or would be willing to make? This way say I get a customer who wants a wallet and its not something that I either specialize in or have the time to take on I could go find another member who does that would be willing to take it on. At this point I could either turn the customer over to whoever I'd recommend from the list or somehow mediate the transaction depending on the situation. I'm sure there would be some potential problems with something like this but if done correctly the problems should be rare and no different than normal business problems. I have somewhat of a local network similar to this where I do work for other companies, I charge my full rate and I'm sure they mark it up from there and they dont have to worry about their customers going somewhere else and others who just refer me to the customer and the customer comes directly to me and the other way around. It helps us all better serve our customers better by either providing more services or at the very least being able to refer someone who can. I don't have any other leatherworkers that make things though.

Any thoughts on this?

[Cyberthrasher]

We kind of have that with the "help wanted" section, but I'm always up for anything more specific between us all. If nothing else, I'll put my name out there right now as someone willing to take referrals.

[billymac814]

I thought about the help wanted section and maybe that can work but the problem I thought that that had is it isn't exactly instant. So if I get a customer in my shop that wants a wallet the best I can do is take their name and then create a post and wait to get a response then either send the customers info to them, send the makers info to the customer or explain what they want get a price contact the customer, get paid, go back to the maker... It just seems kinda hard for everyday business and frankly too much effort for most cases. Also who's to say who would respond, I wouldn't want to send a customer to someone who's just going to assemble a Tandy kit(no offense to those that use them). If we had a list of people who each had a list of services along with some pictures of their work, website, current wait times and any other pertinent info I could simply pull up the list, find someone and give them the contact info.

You could almost even choose someone in the customers price range if need be. Maybe I get a customer who doesn't want a super expensive item and isn't as particular about it, I could possibly pair them with a newer member who may be just starting out or someone that does just assemble Tandy kits who's price is lower.

If it were a seperate section of a forum I would think it should be somewhat blocked as far as posting in it so that it doesn't get jumbled up with posts, it should simply be a list of sorts, maybe with each participant having their own thread.

I turn down a pretty considerable amount of work which is what's making me think of this. Work that others may love to get and these customers may get something factory made or just forget about their idea when I turn them down.

We'd obviously have to use some common sense and not be trying to drop those "bad" jobs on people, like the customer who wants a holster than can be worn IWB, OWB, in the pocket, holds a spare mag and shoots spiderwebs.

Make sense or is this too big of an endevour?

Edited January 29, 2013 by billymac814

[Cyberthrasher]

It makes sense, I'm just wondering about the feasibility of it. it almost sounds like we would need a separate directory listing like we have for the vendors.

Now, tell me more about these holsters that shoot spider webs!!!

[billymac814]

Yes come to think of it I think there is some sort of directory for the members.

I may have exaggerated about spiderwebs but I certainly get my share of customers who have some pretty ridiculous ideas involving holsters. Usually ones that are more transformers than Spider-Man. I normally say that if you can't find the type of holster you want its because its probably a bad idea. There are very few truly original ideas left by now, good ones anyway. Everything is basically variations of some other design.

I do seriously turn down quite a bit of work though. Unfortunately though I can't take it all so I usually take either things that interest me or things I can make money on easily and I know that others can make things more efficiently than I can if they specialize in them. My main thing is holsters and belts where someone else may be bags and wallets and someone else may be guitar straps and rifle slings.

I could certainly build up my own network by checking out everyone's work on here and contacting them personally but I thought it would make more sense if we all could benefit from the idea.

[Cyberthrasher]

Yeah, I just found the directory listing for leatherworkers and checked it out. I think that might be the best thing to do, then maybe just keep a list of your preferred people. But, I'm up for something more out in the open on the forum too.

I'll add you to my holster list right now

[lowlife]

I also build turkey calls and am a member of someof the turkey hunt and custom call forums. There is one feller that is a collector. He compiled a list several years ago of all the call makers that we on the forums and posted them on the forum. He is religious about up dating them once a year as there is always call makers coming and going. But most of the guys that have been around awhile stay on it. most of know each other for the most part and I have folks that call and order something that I aint really good at making or dont have the supplies for refer them to someone on the list that I know is trust worthy. It works out really well. I dont refer them to anybody that Im not sure of or I havent heard or used one of their calls. I get some buisness from it and give some also. Works really well but you have to know who you are dealing with and the quality of their product.

Kehl

[EmbossingDieCompany]

Maybe the Admins (or someone else) could create a list of people that want to be on it by category (ie. holsters, purses, etc.) and then pin the list to the top of the Help Wanted section. Not sure if you would want it to be alphabetical or first come first serve,,,,,,because the people at the top of each section will always get contacted first.

[Cyberthrasher]

Here's the directory we already have. It's just a little cumbersome to find if you don't know about it. I had forgotten all about it until I went searching earlier.

I need to get my information added to it soon.

http://leatherworker.net/pmd/category/finished-leather-goods/

[billymac814]

I forgot completely about it as well until we started talking about it. Mine probably hasn't been updated in 2-3 years and I'm sure others are the same. Out of site out of mind kinda thing. I guess we will see what others think and who all would be interested in utilizing such a list. It sounds like a couple so far.

Here's the directory we already have. It's just a little cumbersome to find if you don't know about it. I had forgotten all about it until I went searching earlier.

I need to get my information added to it soon.

http://leatherworker.net/pmd/category/finished-leather-goods/