TAB Studio
New member
So what is the expected
Do you take a down payment before you start a commission?
Do you take a down payment before you start a commission?
Commission Down stroke
- Thread starter TAB Studio
- Start date
I got burned once on a comission, never again.
I always take payment up front, and thats the way it is.
I\'m more polite in explaining it to clients, though.
If it\'s a big job, I\'ll do it 50% to start, 50% on delivery, but in general the total has to arrive with the miniature.
I take my work seriously, and I explain that to potential customers. I want to keep doing what I like to do and so it is in my interest to keep a solid reputation, and not rip them off or anything. I offer them email addresses of past clients for reference, no one has checked up on them, but no one has balked at sending me their cash once I produce the reference list. That, and if you point out that you are a regular around here, and not some shady person who\'s going to dissapear that tends to assuage their fears.
I did my early comission biz before cmon, and before ebay was especially viable for it, so the feedback security wasn\'t there. Most of it was all negotiated through word of mouth, r.g.m.w/h. and bartertown.. . .things were a little more lawless and so my adamant stance on the matter probably reflects the atmosphere when I got started in it.
I also offer clients my phone number, etc. Basically if they aren\'t comfortable with all I\'ll offer them for assurance, they are a) looking to get something for nothing and try to rip me off, or they are just exceptionally nervous. . .and really. . .the internet is not the place to do business for them, in my opinion.
Hope that helps. . .
I always take payment up front, and thats the way it is.
I\'m more polite in explaining it to clients, though.
If it\'s a big job, I\'ll do it 50% to start, 50% on delivery, but in general the total has to arrive with the miniature.
I take my work seriously, and I explain that to potential customers. I want to keep doing what I like to do and so it is in my interest to keep a solid reputation, and not rip them off or anything. I offer them email addresses of past clients for reference, no one has checked up on them, but no one has balked at sending me their cash once I produce the reference list. That, and if you point out that you are a regular around here, and not some shady person who\'s going to dissapear that tends to assuage their fears.
I did my early comission biz before cmon, and before ebay was especially viable for it, so the feedback security wasn\'t there. Most of it was all negotiated through word of mouth, r.g.m.w/h. and bartertown.. . .things were a little more lawless and so my adamant stance on the matter probably reflects the atmosphere when I got started in it.
I also offer clients my phone number, etc. Basically if they aren\'t comfortable with all I\'ll offer them for assurance, they are a) looking to get something for nothing and try to rip me off, or they are just exceptionally nervous. . .and really. . .the internet is not the place to do business for them, in my opinion.
Hope that helps. . .
P
provoke_me
Guest
the commissions i do are for art.(eventaully minis...hopefully)
used to be with a family members friend who saw some of my work i gave to the relative as a present.recently, it has been for ppl i have not met directly in person. over the internet and such.
as for upfront money. i dont trust myself enough to ask for it upfront. but i am thinking about starting to ask ppl for a little upfront.
used to be with a family members friend who saw some of my work i gave to the relative as a present.recently, it has been for ppl i have not met directly in person. over the internet and such.
as for upfront money. i dont trust myself enough to ask for it upfront. but i am thinking about starting to ask ppl for a little upfront.
Valloa
New member
I do it one of two ways, depending on the customer and who\'s supplying the mini. It\'s always either half up front and the rest after the mini is painted, approved and before I ship it. Or all of the cost upfront. I\'ve found that this gives me alot less problems with people who aren\'t serious, who change their minds about wanting a commission or who abandon mini\'s they\'ve bought and wanted me to paint.
W
Wolf_Fang
Guest
ive only had one commision so far so cant really put a good thought on this but.... i simply said... yes i will paint these (explained i was a bit buesy wich he is ok with) then i also explained.. not to be rude but i dont want to get jipped so once i am paid i will return the minis then and not before... other words swap the painted minis for the money at the same time
I only have done commission stuff for people I know pretty well. One of my friends recently wanted to pay me all up front, because he was more comfortable with that. My other friend wanted to hold off paying until it was finished, in case there was cost overruns he could just make one payment. If it were someone I don\'t know at all, however, I would probably ask for 25-50% down. I think people would be more liable to pay then, since they\'re already invested.
Commissions I\'ve done have mostly been for people I know face to face. Which means that for me I can track them down easily. Having said that I\'ve never been jipped or stung. (Yet)
I would consider it good business practise to ensure that you get at least a down payment for the work. I would also try to ensure that the client knows that if they should fail to pay for the completed commission they will be blacklisted.
If however the client disappears leaving you with a completed commission and you make every effort to try to contact them I would suggest that after 6 months or so you declare that the commission becomes your property to dispose of as you see fit, in order to recoup your costs.
I would consider it good business practise to ensure that you get at least a down payment for the work. I would also try to ensure that the client knows that if they should fail to pay for the completed commission they will be blacklisted.
If however the client disappears leaving you with a completed commission and you make every effort to try to contact them I would suggest that after 6 months or so you declare that the commission becomes your property to dispose of as you see fit, in order to recoup your costs.
