[Jewelry making - Article 00040] - Re: [Orchid] Refund of custom made jewelry

[Karen Goeller]

========[ Invite a Friend - http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm  ]========


Edith,

    Wow, what an uncomfortable situation.  In my experience, it all
    comes down to your contract with your customer.  That contract should
    be a written one, but may also be a verbal one (hopefully not).  

    If that contract stipulates that you do not accept returns on custom
    work once the customer has accepted and paid for it in full, then
    you are well within your rights to stick to it.  If you don't have a
    written contract, then you are on significantly shakier ground,
    particularly if he tries to claim that he never "accepted" the work. 

    For an example of what I've got plastered all over my work orders,
    invoices, and receipts, here is the actual text from my website
    payments page... 

          	"By submitting this order you are indicating that you
          understand that custom jewelry is not returnable.  However,
          there is a full satisfaction guarantee for replacement or
          repair of the piece if it does not match your specifications as
          agreed to in this order, or if there is a defect in materials
          or workmanship." 

    I've not had any significant challenges to this, and I make sure I
    point it out to customers prominently PRIOR to accepting their 50%
    deposit on custom work. 

    Having said all that, there are points at which you might wish to
    "bend a little" with a good customer in order to maintain the
    relationship. You have to take care not to set a bad precedent in
    your business, but sometimes it's just the "right" thing to do.  But
    ONLY with a GOOD customer who you want to retain over time; not with
    a pain-in-the-butt complainer who your business and life would be
    healthier without. 

My $.02.
Karen Goeller
kgoeller AT nolimitations.com
Hand-crafted artisan jewelry
http://www.nolimitations.com


____________________________________________________________________
T h e   O r c h i d   L i s t
Open Electronic Forum for Jewelry Manufacturing Methods and Procedures
____________________________________________________________________
Orchid FAQ:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/faq.htm
Orchid Archives:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/archive
Orchid Galleries:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/orchid/gallery.htm
Invite a Friend:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/invite.htm
____________________________________________________________________
Tips From The Jeweler's Bench - Article Archive
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/tip_sear.htm
The Jeweler's Selected Bibliography List
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/jewelry-books
Buy Orchid Jewelry:
~ http://www.ganoksin.com/shop
____________________________________________________________________
-Unsubscribe:
-Email: orchid-request AT ganoksin.com Body=unsubscribe subject=blank
____________________________________________________________________