Sorting

[Randy Jordan]

I just purchased some tools and small items on ebay and when I picked them up, the owner said he had some other items I could have, just take them with, there was about 300-400 pcs. of Cresent mat board, and mat samples. I'm trying to sort the samples in some sort of order, how do most of you sort them? (number, color, etc.) Randy J.

 

[seido]

By color...Crecent, Artique and Bainbridge mixed together, makes life much easier when putting them back, especially for those interior designers who like to look for themselves.

I've got dividers labeled for each color

Joel

 

[Dave]

I keep Artique separate. The first boards I go to are Artique because it is a more limited range and therefore I'm building up an inventory of usable scraps that also is limited this way.

In no way will I compromise a design by limiting myself to just Artique though.

I also sort my Bainbridge and Crescent in several different racks.

- Suedes
- Fabrics
- Rag Boards
- Faux Rag boards and textured boards
- Black Core and colored core (Which all have v-grooves cut into them)
- 6 and 8 ply boards
- Samples of Frank's Fabric Board wrapped mat corners
- Under the counter I have Crescent paper mat samples

In addition I also have an extra set of Artique samples that I plan on cutting v-grooves into so that I have them with and without v-grooves.

 

[framah]

By the numbers and by the company.

When you pick a mat out front, you use the number on it not the general color to refer to it later.

Having everything set up based on color will depend on where you decide a color goes. Not all colors are clear cut in one or another group.

Having the corner samples in a color based set up helps in designing but not in finding it later in the rack.

Use the numbers and you and anyone else will always find what you need.

 

[Mrs.B]

By color, Cres. Bain and Art all mixed together. I used to keep my suedes and fabrics separate, but rarely sold them. Once I mixed them with the regular ac I began selling lots of them. When you're looking through a handful with a customer, they like the richness of the suedes and many times will chose them over paper.
Dave, I like your idea about cutting v-grooves into the black core samples. How do you deal with the "flimsyness" once they've been cut and taped back together?

 

[Dave]

...
Dave, I like your idea about cutting v-grooves into the black core samples. How do you deal with the "flimsyness" once they've been cut and taped back together?

I don't cut the v-grooves so deep that they have to be taped. By cutting a narrower groove and not going all the way through they stay quite rigid. It's fairly easy with a CMC.

Dave (FrameMakers) was the one who suggested cutting v-grooves in samples. He's done all of his and it really does help to sell the service. I find that it can be just as hard for customers to visualize a mat without a v-groove as it is to visualize it if it isn't there. That's the reason for the double set of Artique.

http://thegrumble.com/showthread.php?t=31192&highlight=v-grooves

 

[Bill Henry-]

In the corner sample display rack on the design counter, I have them sorted first by manufacturer then by color that are kept separated by plastic dividers. I keep the oddball corners like suedes and silks, etc. also separated by dividers in other racks.

As far as stock is concerned, they are sorted by manufacturer then by number.

 

[Jeff Rodier]

Wow, you guys are organization freaks. I seperate by Manuf. and Type but like my colors all mixed up.That gives me a chance to ask a few questions while I shuffle through them. By the time the customer is through answering the questions I have a pile thrown down on the counter and the rest back in the rack.

I have found that the whole process moves faster for me this way. In the past when I had them by color I found that the customer wanted to see every one against the piece.

 

[TopGun]

I've found that also Jeff. With the colors mixed, you can guide the client easier towards colors that work instead of giving them the option of wanting to see and decide between 25 shades of "white". At the gallery I'm at now, colors are divided, but when I worked at a "box" frameshop, your system worked better to move the sale along and free up my time for framing.

 

[Jeff Rodier]

I've also found that if you ask them questions that make them think they are unable to scrutinize the choices that you are narrowing down. Scientifically the human mind stores information in different areas of the brain and are accessed through eye movement. When a person accesses memories their eyes move up and to the side.

My series of questions requires the consumer to look away from the ar and mat samples so I can get to the colors I know work with the art. I start by asking the wall colors and then ask them about the accent colors such as sofa, chairs and wood tones. By the time they look up and away to access these memories I have typically 3 or 4 options of mat combinations layed out on the corners of the artwork. I shuffle through the corner samples quickly with the paper surface facing me so they only see the white backs when they glance down.

I also ask them what they had in mind for the frame and again they access the same area of the brain to get the results and as they tell me what they are thinking I have scanned the wall for my choices. I grab the best matches for their choice along with what I am considering. I always lay out their choice first and then lay down my choices and say that these are what came to mind when I saw the art.

As long as they are talking and answering questions they feel confident that I have matched what they described. In most cases I can design, enter the info in the computer and collect the money in 5 to 10 minutes.

My one price package for all frames helps make it happen quickly also because they are no longer trying to find the least expensive of the frames they like.

 

[Shayla]

My mat samples are by company, then by color. But only in terms of generalized color groups. A rack usually has whitish/creamy mats at the front, then the 'red' group (yellow, orange, pink, red, brown), the 'green' group, the 'blue' group and lastly the 'gray/black' group. Whites are always in the front, but the order of the groups varies from rack to rack. And within each group, the colors are in no particular order.

Our matboards are by company, and then by number within those areas. Storing them by color alone would drive me up the wall. Speaking for myself only, here, as it sounds like others find it workable. When I cut a mat on the Wizard, I write the number on the leftover scrap and on the fallout right then. It's so much easier to store by number.

 

[John Ranes II CPF GCF]

The question is really....

How does your head work?

Do you prefer to sort (inventory) by color or numerical sequence?

John

 

[Framar]

COLOR

 

[BILL WARD]

"By color...Crecent, Artique and Bainbridge mixed together"


yes yes yes BUT edge mark/code them(crescent= blue, etc) it will make your life alot easier in the loooong run when you go fishing for that funny red artique or so, ya know? makes it sooooooooo much simpler doing it on the front end

 

[Al E]

mfg. & # I use the specifiers to choose possibilities and easily find them.

 

[framah]

To specifically answer John's question, inventory whether full sheets or shorties, have to be sorted by the numbers in each company. Any other way, and you will spend way too much time going thru the rack to find a certain number mat.
That is just common sense. Ask any distributor how they have their inventory set up. It's that way for a reason.

 

[Ylva]

I haven't figured this one out completely yet either. I have two sets of Artique (find the colors very easy to work with without overwhelming the customer). One set on each of my design tables. I do like the idea of V-grooves in the samples. Great idea (and something to do for January/February...).

I usually sell on color, not on number. For me it's easier to quickly 'run' through some colors. I love the Bainbridge system (with the cut outs on the side) and have fabrics and texture mixed in with the 'normal' colors. I find it easier to sell it that way. While the customer lays the piece on the table, I start asking questions and run through the colors real quickly. Usually come up with 4 different combinations and then ask which one speaks to them the most. From there on you can easily make new combinations. Yes, it takes a bit more time, but I feel it's worth it. I would say about 75% of my customers expect me to give them advise on what color works best with the piece. I just 'throw' some different options on the table and let them think it over.
Same with the moulding. We usually chose moulding after mat color, or leave some mat colors on the table and put some different moulding around it.

I love the designing process! I don't mind spending a bit more time there.

 

[Shayla]

I design by the colors, but refer to them by number. The good thing about doing it this way is that when there are other people storing or pulling the mats, the number saves so much time. There are so many shades that are close, and I'm so exact in the colors I choose for a piece, that it needs to be just that number and not another one. That said, John Raines is right. It must depend a great deal on how someone's brain works.