Customers who DON'T PAY
08-31-2010, 04:19 PM
#61
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: The Finger Lakes of upstate NY
Posts: 3,532
What a terrible experience. It's bad enough that a non-quilter doesn't realize what actually goes into a quilt, but for a "friend" who does - or did - quilt??
As she's indicated to you that she's not going to pay and that you should keep/sell it, I'd say you have every right to do so.
I do kind of like the donating it to a charity idea. Something good comes out of the whole mess. If you itemize your taxes, you could also list it on that as a donation & recoup a bit that way.
It's awful to see what the pieces donated by others have sold for. Yikes!! You might look into donating it to a charity that would not be selling it. For example, a shelter, a hospice, a Ronald McDonald House, etc. Depending on the quilt, and what the style is, you could request that it be given to a child, abused woman, homeless person, etc.
Look at it this way: You've learned a lot about doing business from this "transaction," and have the opportunity to make a sour project have a sweet ending.
As she's indicated to you that she's not going to pay and that you should keep/sell it, I'd say you have every right to do so.
I do kind of like the donating it to a charity idea. Something good comes out of the whole mess. If you itemize your taxes, you could also list it on that as a donation & recoup a bit that way.
It's awful to see what the pieces donated by others have sold for. Yikes!! You might look into donating it to a charity that would not be selling it. For example, a shelter, a hospice, a Ronald McDonald House, etc. Depending on the quilt, and what the style is, you could request that it be given to a child, abused woman, homeless person, etc.
Look at it this way: You've learned a lot about doing business from this "transaction," and have the opportunity to make a sour project have a sweet ending.
08-31-2010, 04:42 PM
#62
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gladstone, Oregon by way of Washington(the state)
Posts: 1,018
And there ya have it......
08-31-2010, 04:43 PM
#63
Power Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Front row
Posts: 14,646
I always have the person asking me to make a quilt for them meet me at the nearest quilt shop. I tell them how much yardage is needed for the pattern they want and then let them start selecting the fabrics. I then say we need batting, piecing thread and quilting thread. My cost to make the quilt will be 3 1/2 times the cost of supplies that you will buy today and you will get the finished quilt when your check clears or I have cash in my hand. This way if they don't pay me for my labor, I have a very nice quilt to keep
08-31-2010, 04:58 PM
#64
Super Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 1,779
What a sad mess. It's really unfortunate that this happened to you. I would not continue to work on it and would probably just tuck it away for a 'time out' until I cooled down about the whole situation. I would probably just send it back to her or give it to a charity, chalk it up to experience and then try to forget it.
08-31-2010, 04:58 PM
#65
Power Poster
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Idaho
Posts: 11,375
Originally Posted by Hindsight
Originally Posted by ghostrider
Is this right?
A friend asks if you'd finish a quilt she started.
You give her an estimate, discuss what she wants, and start working on it.
You then give her a firm price of $250 because you will have to buy backing.
She balks and is rude to you, in your opinion (we cannot hear her tone of voice remember, it could easily have been sarcasm).
Now you are confiscating her quilt, plan to sell it and keep the proceeds for yourself.
Is that all a friendship is worth to you? Nine hours of doing something that you say you love to do anyway?
Return it to her, as is, and chalk it up to experience. All you have lost is time. Never again do business with someone before you have a written agreement in hand.
A friend asks if you'd finish a quilt she started.
You give her an estimate, discuss what she wants, and start working on it.
You then give her a firm price of $250 because you will have to buy backing.
She balks and is rude to you, in your opinion (we cannot hear her tone of voice remember, it could easily have been sarcasm).
Now you are confiscating her quilt, plan to sell it and keep the proceeds for yourself.
Is that all a friendship is worth to you? Nine hours of doing something that you say you love to do anyway?
Return it to her, as is, and chalk it up to experience. All you have lost is time. Never again do business with someone before you have a written agreement in hand.
OK let me clear THIS air. She insisted that I keep the quilt. She TOLD me to try and sell it, if I do actually sell it I will send her $$ she paid for the shipping. No! honey, friendship is worth a LOT more then that. Rude ~ yes, sarcasm ~ no.
I don't normally do business with friends because 90% of my friends quilt....
08-31-2010, 05:01 PM
#66
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Jackson, TN
Posts: 538
It really sounds to me like she sent you the quilt and probably expected you to say "Oh, you're a friend, I won't charge you" or probably charge much less- again, because you were friends.
I think all the advice on here when dealing with "customers" is very good advice. A hard lesson learned, but maybe it will save some of us heartbreak on down the road.
I think all the advice on here when dealing with "customers" is very good advice. A hard lesson learned, but maybe it will save some of us heartbreak on down the road.
08-31-2010, 05:42 PM
#67
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,688
Originally Posted by Sadiemae
With more information, I have changed my mind. You have a right to do anything you want.
08-31-2010, 08:55 PM
#68
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gladstone, Oregon by way of Washington(the state)
Posts: 1,018
I think it was all on how it was interpreted, no big gaps at all.
08-31-2010, 09:01 PM
#69
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: currently central new jersey
Posts: 8,623
Originally Posted by ghostrider
Is this right?
A friend asks if you'd finish a quilt she started.
You give her an estimate, discuss what she wants, and start working on it.
You then give her a firm price of $250 because you will have to buy backing.
She balks and is rude to you, in your opinion (we cannot hear her tone of voice remember, it could easily have been sarcasm).
Now you are confiscating her quilt, plan to sell it and keep the proceeds for yourself.
Is that all a friendship is worth to you? Nine hours of doing something that you say you love to do anyway?
Return it to her, as is, and chalk it up to experience. All you have lost is time. Never again do business with someone before you have a written agreement in hand.
A friend asks if you'd finish a quilt she started.
You give her an estimate, discuss what she wants, and start working on it.
You then give her a firm price of $250 because you will have to buy backing.
She balks and is rude to you, in your opinion (we cannot hear her tone of voice remember, it could easily have been sarcasm).
Now you are confiscating her quilt, plan to sell it and keep the proceeds for yourself.
Is that all a friendship is worth to you? Nine hours of doing something that you say you love to do anyway?
Return it to her, as is, and chalk it up to experience. All you have lost is time. Never again do business with someone before you have a written agreement in hand.
08-31-2010, 09:14 PM
#70
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Gladstone, Oregon by way of Washington(the state)
Posts: 1,018
AGREED!!!!
POO POO
POO POO
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