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Rant, Customer using my artwork.
A few weeks ago, I designed some van signage. The customer wanted a huge logo going over the sides and wrapping around to the rear, so I quoted and he had a cheaper, on the breakdown I mentioned cast vinyl and he questioned this. I explained the difference in calendered and cast vinyl, explaining cast is going to be better for him. Of course this is a little more expensive and I mean little.
He said that another company quoted £40.00 cheaper. I advised him to find out what vinyl type is being used and he came back to me and said standard. Again, I explained that to use a standard over deep reassess is a risk and a short cut I am not prepared to take as I take pride in my work.
I advised that I will match the price, more for peace and quiet and after a few emails he was after more little bits here and there, I then draw the line in the sand and explain the price will now increase. He then said to me I have agreed to match the price of the last guy so i politely pointed out more stuff is added since then.
Any hows, just seen the van, with my design…. very annoying but I am glad I stuck to my guns.
But these guys are just undercutting and doing poor quality work, which in the short term makes them more favourable.
When will customer learn, you get what you pay for?
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3 Replies
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Its very frustrating indeed
It is something that i encounter day in and day out with people wanting wraps, graphics or window tints.
Joe up the street will do it cheaper… but uses the cheapest material known to man, mostly from ebay!
I have lost countless jobs in the last 9 months because i refuse to fit the crap that people supply me from eBay.
I did fit one guys roof and bonnet with a material he bought from eBay, and also made him sign a disclaimer saying that regardless of the material my fitting standard would be the same as if it was a quality product BUT when it leaves the building and fails due to cracking etc its not my problem..Needless to say 6 months later im being slatted for his bonnet failing (under tescos to all his friends might i add)
It took me actually showing them (while under tesco) when i doing my shopping the diff ween good quality materials and the cheap stuff.
as you have said tho… Pain in the butt when you get undercut by someone who clearly is just throwing out anything they can find to get the job 🙁
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Why for the love of God did you design for him without a deposit?
He sounds like a tyre-kicker and even if it was free it still wouldn’t be cheap enough for him.
Yet you GAVE him a free design.
I would sue his tight @ss in small claims court!
Take it as a lesson learned…remember how crappy and used you feel right now the next time you design without a deposit, print a sketch or email a proof without a deposit.
😳
Love….Jill
PS
One thing you might do is to take photos of local failed wraps and make sort of a "wall of shame" display so that you can point out how the cheap stuff fails. -
Like Jill says don’t give away designs, mine don’t leave my computer unless it’s a customer I know well & trust not to hawk it about. To be honest I don’t want the sort of customer that’s going to do that to start with. If this guy could get a cheaper job done down the road then that’s obviously what he has done.
People like this are always the first to complain so you might have done yourself a favor although it doesn’t feel that way at the time.
If the customer isn’t prepared to listen to your advice about materials then there is really nothing you can do, at least you didn’t compromise which is good. Like Jill has suggested I have a few pictures of failures which I can show customers, they are close up pictures that just show the failures, did it that way so as not to show any company names or anything that could get me into any legal trouble. You would be surprised at just how many people have seen this sort of thing themselves but it doesn’t register until you show them something.
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