Permanant sales shop (do you have your buisness locally?)

[Bayou Bengal]

I work out of my garage. The whole space, minus 4 shelves in the storage room and a freezer, has been turned into a workshop. People always call and want to come by, and I have to set appointments. I’ve thought about setting up a shop, with a register and some stock items to display and sell; BUT, I don’t feel like I’d make it big. A lot of the time I get the “I can get this/that on Amazon for $10, why would I give you $30?” Most people want it now. So even if I didn’t have orders backed up 2-3 weeks, I still feel like the price for quality would shun most people in my area away. I do enough business where if someone says something costs too much or takes too long, it doesn’t hurt my feelings. 
 

What I HAVE thought about, also, is selling my wares, and then selling kits and leather bundles. The closest Tandy is almost 3 hours away. I do make a pretty good bit on scraps and useless (to me) leather. Lotta folk wanna buy leather that’s sub-par (to me) to try their hand at leather crafting.

interesting topic. 

[JLSleather]

Oh, and don't forget... NEVER FORGET... LIABILITY.  EVERYBODY wants to sue SOMEBODY.  And it doesn't' take much.  If you have space "accessible to the public" you got an issue.  And if you have a business, people in general will auto assume that you have vast piles of stored money - thus you are a target for this (excessive and sometimes ridiculous) litigation.

Up here we got the obvious... somebody slipped on the ice on your sidewalk ("path" for you european folk) -- now you're in court "proving" that you did everything reasonable and slightly beyond to prevent that from happening.  

Somebody will say "that's why you have insurance"... which is correct.  But as soon as you "hang a shingle" your insurance just got WAY different - that's my point.

And then you have that one (or 10) who doesn't think anybody should have guns, thus no need for holsters, so they're "browsing" your store for ways to wreak havoc.  That guy who likes to be called "she" will be there to swear you discriminated somehow and people who have never been here before will be standing there trying to "return" something.

And if by some series of events you get big eniough you need some employees.. ughhhh don't even get me started on employees ....  still have flashbacks.... 

Edited February 9, 2020 by JLSleather

[mikesc]

No public allowed ..atelier is attached to the house..( had retail shops and ateliers before..PITA )..now..since 10 years or more..online sales and some limited wholesale only.
Design work..meetings ( I don't like meetings, or consults..so charge very highly for them per hour, so as to dissuade them ) at their premises or external venues only..or via internet and or phones.

All any of us has ultimately is time..many customers like to waste it..if you give them the opportunity..so I don't give them that opportunity..

No market stalls, Ren fairs etc..last market was St Tropez over 25 years ago.., decided to wholesale to the luxury shops on St Tropez instead..cut out the potential time wasters..get paid COD..no cash..no product..

Nowadays..if the computer behind me ( which is reserved only for notifying of sales ) "rings" a sale ( someone's credit card got authorised on a site ) ..then the item is sent..They can spend as long as they want "thinking about it"..before they authorise their card..While they are doing that..I don't know that they exist, nor do I have to..I can be on the beach, or asleep, or working, or painting, sculpting or reading a book, watching the clouds etc..

We have liability insurance ( obligatory) ..but no one ever gets near enough for it to be activated.

And if by some series of events you get big enough you need some employees.. ughhhh don't even get me started on employees .... still have flashbacks

Yep..been there..headaches just wondering what they might do or not do ..so haven't had any for 25 years now.

Edited February 9, 2020 by mikesc

[Handstitched]

44 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

Oh, and don't forget... NEVER FORGET... LIABILITY.  EVERYBODY wants to sue SOMEBODY.

Its not that bad here, its not ' Sue City'    Anyone thats comes through our gate might....get bitten by an ant at best or step on a 'double gee'  at worst  ( google that) '  or ....break a nail on the gate latch   My customers come here to make inquiries, or to pick up or drop off jobs to be done. I'm not permitted to have a 'shop front' , but thats a blessing .  However, in saying that, I did feel discriminated against by a wholesaler  in NSW , because I didn't have  a 'shop front'  , their loss though   ,  because I found another wholesaler that doesn't discriminate .  

HS

[chuck123wapati]

9 hours ago, JLSleather said:

Oh, and don't forget... NEVER FORGET... LIABILITY.  EVERYBODY wants to sue SOMEBODY.  And it doesn't' take much.  If you have space "accessible to the public" you got an issue.  And if you have a business, people in general will auto assume that you have vast piles of stored money - thus you are a target for this (excessive and sometimes ridiculous) litigation.

Up here we got the obvious... somebody slipped on the ice on your sidewalk ("path" for you european folk) -- now you're in court "proving" that you did everything reasonable and slightly beyond to prevent that from happening.  

Somebody will say "that's why you have insurance"... which is correct.  But as soon as you "hang a shingle" your insurance just got WAY different - that's my point.

And then you have that one (or 10) who doesn't think anybody should have guns, thus no need for holsters, so they're "browsing" your store for ways to wreak havoc.  That guy who likes to be called "she" will be there to swear you discriminated somehow and people who have never been here before will be standing there trying to "return" something.

And if by some series of events you get big eniough you need some employees.. ughhhh don't even get me started on employees ....  still have flashbacks.... 

ditto and if your by yourself some will steal you blind while your back is turned.

[topazann]

Not enough to support myself, but it pays for something I like to do. It also prevents my building up a pile of projects in the corner gathering dust.
I place goods in an artisan store. This is covers for planners, wedding invitations, etc. It gets me commissions.

[Mark842]

Yep, what Mike said. I have a shop but no retail store front. No signs, no nothing. We do zero face to face dealings with customers. I did that before in the past. Had 2-4 hours a day wasted by people asking stupid questions, telling me I'm over priced, giving me product suggestions, and thinking I want to spend 30 minutes talking about their awesome motorcycle rides while I have a six month back up on custom orders. 

I'm too busy making product to have to stand around and answer silly questions. We do business online only. Every great once in awhile someone will find my phone number and call saying they want to talk to me about ordering a custom leather dohickey. I text them back at the end of the day when I'm done filling orders and give them my email address and explain that we do not accept orders by phone. Reason for this is in 30 years of making stuff, I've never had one person be able to explain a picture over the phone. I also explain that we like to have the details written down so we both have a record of all the details. I know this turns a lot of potential customers off but that is fine. From March to October we have a 3 person shop pulling 14 hour days 6 days a week and 3 contract jobbers used as needed. After October we stop taking new orders till March and just try to play catch up.

[Brianm77]

On 1/26/2020 at 6:35 PM, fredk said:

 

* In the UK it is illegal to refuse to supply or make anything for anyone based on their colour, ethinicity, disablement or sexuality - even if I tell them I don't make that item its seen as a refusal

could you not simply say I don't know how?

[Handstitched]

On 1/27/2020 at 8:35 AM, fredk said:

I've been asked (too frequently) to make leather 'life style' items - you know what I mean

I too was asked if I was interested in making some of that....' stuff'  a long time ago. I flat out said "nope!! and never will."   The response I got was " but  you'll make a killing!! "  That maybe the case , but I do live in a small country town with around 1700 people,around half of which are elderly and   where everyone knows everyone...and everything.   Reputation is everything in business . Hate to think what would happen to mine if I started making that  ' stuff' .

HS 

[Mark842]

* In the UK it is illegal to refuse to supply or make anything for anyone based on their colour, ethinicity, disablement or sexuality - even if I tell them I don't make that item its seen as a refusal

 

That's ridiculous. How could they force you to make a product you don't currently make? I can see if you have a table full of widget arms sitting in front of you and they want a widget arm and you tell them you don't have any. But if someone walks into my shop and asks me to make them a saddle, it ain't happening. I never have  and don't know how. Can't see how they can say that is refusal of service.