[Jewelry making - Article 00374] - Re: [Orchid] To Charge or Not to Charge?

[David Phelps]

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    We have been struggling with this issue for several years now. I
    have been very interested in what other people have had to say about
    this, and I have at one time or another said virtually everything
    everyone else has said on this thread. 

    We have come up with a solution (I think?). If we can do something
    in less than three minutes, while they wait, we generally don't
    charge for it unless it requires something that costs us money (like
    watch batteries and ring sizers etc). Examples are adjusting clasps,
    rounding up a ring shank, quick check, clean and polish, that kind of
    thing. Anything that requires more than two or three minutes or has
    some kind of possibility of problems we keep and charge at least $20.
    If it stays in our shop, it's $20 or more. The only exceptions to
    this are warrantee type service on things we made or sold. 

    In Noel's specific case, extensive modification to an existing ring,
    I used to do it for free. I have found, as many on this thread have
    noted, that people begin to expect this kind of work for free, and
    instead of fostering good will, it can eventually end up as bad will
    the next time that customer comes in expecting a freebie only to be
    charged. This has a tendency to make someone mad as opposed to happy.
    People expect to pay for quality work, and therefore feel that work
    they don't pay for isn't quality or is of low value. The result is
    that you'll end up doing a lot of free stuff for people that will go
    elsewhere for anything they consider to be of value. This is not a
    formula for long-term success. 

Dave
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