(grumble, grumble) cheap people

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Rozmataz

Rozmataz

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Posts
2,773
Loc
Fingerlakes Region of NYS
Today must be the day for cheap people. I have had 3 people already that are getting my blood boiling - and I am trying to keep a smile on my face (or in my voice on the phone!).

Last one - a phone call... and wants a mat cut for a picture that was real "cheap" ($4) but wants the size she wants and the color she wants and thinks $12 - $20 is too much money. I explained that a mat whether it is surrounding her cheap pix or a $4000 picture - is still going to be the same price - you have to look at the entire package.

2nd one wanted the same thing - but bit the bullet - realized she would have to run all over town and drive herself nuts for a few bucks. We are not talking alot of money here.

1st one - pricing the framing of a poster and I have an economy line that I think is pretty darn CHEAP - so when I told her the price - I thought she'd be happy as could be - but no, the response was - oh my that much. It was $40.

Oh, boy - where do they come from!!

I will take one "difficult or demanding or hard to work with" paying customer over a cheap customer!!

Thanks for letting me grumble!!

Roz
 
Frustrating, isn't it?

We all have those customers from time to time, who think the frame should cost less than the $5 poster, and so on.

Sometimes they're hopelessly caught up in the cheap mindset, and may never become custom framing customers.

But sometimes they're just regular folks who have not yet been through the thought process that goes into custom framing. Once acquainted with the VALUE of our work, they become good customers. Education is the key.

The trick is to separate the good possible customers from the hopeless ones -- without wasting your time.

I use a few quick analogies, for example:

"People put $2,000 window treatments on $200. windows every day."

"A lot of $200 tires roll on $20 rims."
 
Hi Roz,

We've had a lot of 'those' customers lately too. One guy wanted us to just drop everything and cut a mat for him for free... he had a "cheap frame and wanted a cheap mat to go in it..." LOLOL.!?!?!? I said we would never ever ! cut a mat without being able to measure it, etc... but he wasn't happy... (oh well!)

I love using humor when people don't 'get' what they are buying in a custom frame shop.

Customer: "I don't want to spend any money on this, it's just a...."

Me: "Here's some thumb-tacks! HA HA HA!"

Or if they want to spend very little because it's "not worth anything"or "it was free" I ask if they'll spend $40,000 on framing if they inherit an original Jasper Johns someday.... we all laugh, and most of the time they come around to a more realistic viewpoint... (or not!)

Life is an adventure, especially in retail.

lauralisa
 
I had one convert yesterday. She had picked up a really lovely little colored etching in a horrible frame at a yard sale for $35. I took it out of the awful frame and showed her some nice ones.

She was hesitant about how much framing costs. I pointed out that it was like getting a really great gown on sale. "You still have to buy a good pair of shoes for it to look right!" She brightened up and laughed. "Of course." And she didn't worry about the cost after that.

I think she had the idea that she was doing something "wrong" or foolish by spending "too much" on framing. Once she had gotten around that, she was happy. We picked out a flattering mat and frame combination for a little over $100. She's excited to see how her find loooks when it's done.
 
I once had an artist bring me his 16x20 prismacolor to frame. He was your obvious penny-pincher but I didn't realize how much so until he picked it up....

"Well, where is the rest of the mat?" He was angry that he didn't get the leftovers from the 32x40 matboard since he "bought the whole piece".

I explained that it doesn't work that way and offered him a great price for the ugly gold remains. He left with only his lovely framed artwork. Trust me, he'll never spend that kind of money again! I just know it! :rolleyes:
 
Unbelievable people!! I had a local lawyer come in today, picked out a higher end design frame/enhancer/fabric mat with a lift/enhancer all acid free materials, etc. When I gavem him the quote, his reaction "what has custom framing come to!!" I bit my tongue, because I wanted to ask him how he would feel if he quoted me a price for his legal services and I reacted the same way!
I told him that I could bare bones it for $200 pplus tax :D


The "haves" are usually cheaper than the "have-nots" :D

Elaine
 
Elaine

I couldn't agree more. I actually tried to send someone to Pearl or Michaels because there was no way I could frame her almost 24 by 36 poster for 40 dollars - "that's my budget". When we finally arrived at a working number and she left the poster she mentioned that it was a pleasant memory from a "weekend" she had just spent in Holland and proceeded to jump into her BMW and drive away!!!!

AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

P
 
It seems there is a need for an icebreaker with most of our customers. Once I give a customer a more realistic quote (over $500 or $1000), all of those smaller numbers in between aren't so scary. Plus it prepares them for my next quote on the "difficult one".

This IS custom framing, we can give them something they can't get anywhere else!
 
I get annoyed at people who have just come back from an expensive trip, and get cheap on framing their memories. But, they are only cheating themselves. This is their memory, and if they want to treat it like "poster of the moment", fine.

We also get college students, they aren't cheap, they are broke. When I tell them that a basic frame for their poster is $100, they really are shocked. It just never occured to them! I will then gently tell them that they can get a plastic poster frame across the street for about $30, and at least protect it until they can save up for something nicer. It gives them a graceful way to leave without seeming cheap, and keeps me from looking like an art snob.

At least the college students don't try to argue with me about my prices.

Next time someone drives up in an expensive car, wearing designer clothes, I think I will try the, "Of course it costs more, it's better" approach.
 
Have you ever noticed how much discussion on clients that think your prices are high (they are high!) always seem to be lawyers driving luxury, expensive cars?

Let's see, they are educated, they are successful, and they clearly have no trouble spending money-but you can't close the deal?

Maybe the problem lies closer to home

Jim Miller has spoken to this very problem many times, and it seems to come down to salesmanship-selling the sizzle more than the steak.

How in the world did that BMW or Ferrari salesman do what you can't? And they had so many more zeroes to deal with....

Maybe instead of calling these people cheap (they spent $50-60k on a car, or more), maybe they felt you simply didn't offer any value for the money. Take a look at why you didn't close the deal. It really might be very helpful.

But, then again, it is easier to blame someone else....
 
Originally posted by Bob Carter:
(they spent $50-60k on a car, or more), maybe they felt you simply didn't offer any value for the money...
Click to expand...
BINGO!

It's not that they're cheap. They just don't recognize the V-A-L-U-E of custom framing.

When the Hummer is glistening at the curb (Don't they always park at the curb?), and they want to buy a frame that costs less than the poster, I look 'em right square in the eye and say:
"If you bought cars the way you want to buy picture frames, you'd be driving a Yugo. You really don't want a Yugo frame on the wall, do you?"

And then, to put it more into context, we talk about the bar stool at our design table. I point to it and say, "That stool you're sitting on cost $29 at Target. If you asked a custom furniture maker to build one like it, what would you expect to pay? Probably ten times that price, but you'd get exactly the design and finish you want. That's the value of custom built anything -- you get exactly what you want. And that's the business we're in -- buinding framing the way you want it."
 
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