Customer shopping your design around?

[wickedinhere]

I had a person send me a photo of a design that he claimed he drew. When i started looking at it i saw the file extension .pcm so i knew it was a plasmacam software that it was drawn in i questioned him on it and he finally fessed up that he was shopping the design around to different people. I told him he should use the guy that designed it since he already had time invested in the design and most people wouldn't copy the design. He got all mad and called me a few names. LOL HAs anyone run into this?

[CNCCAJUN]

I have learned it is a waste of time to confront people like that.
I would simply tell him, "since you are the "artist", please convert it to a dfx.
That should keep him busy for a while . . . lol lol lol

Besides, do you really want him for a customer/

Steve

[JJsCustomDesigns]

I had a lady send me a pic of a farm scene she told me her son drew on the computer several years ago. I went straight to Jasons site and found the exact picture. She was a little let down that her son didnt actually draw it. Jason helped me out on the file and she still got the piece she wanted. Ive always wondered if i should have kept my mouth shut and let her believe her son drew it....

[wickedinhere]

I am sure it happens to most of us more than we realize. I have designed a lot of simple designs and emailed the customer
and never hear anything back you would at least think they would say something. I have been blessed with plenty of work to keep me busy so i can't complain too much.

[tnbndr]

When I do designs, I only email a pdf print of the final design for review. If they want to shop the other guy at least has to trace it and will hopefully add that to his/her cost.

[beefy]

If I've got this correct I think some PDF files can be vector. I've got a lot a vector drawings in PDF files.

I heard there's different types of PDF.

Keith.

[SignTorch Vector Art]

a pdf can have raster and or vector content

if a pdf file is not password protected against editing

and if it contains vector content

then it can be imported into a vector editor (like corel draw)

same as if you sent them a dxf in the first place

typically it is easier to just send a raster image embedded (not attached) in email so the recipient can see it and if they reply it will still be there

any decent pdf publishing program should have security options, corel draw shown below, typically you would allow opening and printing, and deny editing and copying permissions.

pdf-security2.jpg

[Largemouthlou]

I take a semi distorted picture of their drawing on the computer screen and send that to them

[kbenz]

I take a semi distorted picture of their drawing on the computer screen and send that to them

lol...I do that too

[DWD]

I use a transparent overlay on the artwork that I send the customer....It does not stop all the copying but it will with most.
Done in Corel Draw but can be done in most imaging software. Here's an example.

[Gamelord]

I watermark all samples with a tranparency, like what was done above. I also send out not to scale and very low resolution. It doesn't keep people from copying, but most end up having to redraw it which they normally charge the customer artwork time for, usually making it cost more than just having me do the work for them.

[dustywill]

I do a screenshot with a program called greenshot (free) and it makes the design into a jpg right on screen. I even do that when I use the dxf file preview site. Then it is easier to trim and get to the customer so they can view it.

[MetalheadRK]

When I do a design I print the picture (drawing) right from my plasmacam. Then I scan it into a file then email it to them as a pdf. I always write the dimensions and the cost of the project on the picture. Now that I am reading this I am wondering if this is a good idea?

Kemarie

[Gamelord]

I wouldn't think that would be too wise. I often take images and copy/scan them on the copier. This turns them into black and white, then import them into Corel and do a quick trace. If you put the sizes on there that just makes my job sooo much easier. If you are printing the image straight from your cutting software, then that would be even more simple to copy. I have even taken steel brackets, laid them on top of the scanner with the lid open, scanned them into my computer and made a DXF from them in a matter of seconds.

A decent black and white drawing with sizes would take me about 30 seconds to copy.

[MetalheadRK]

I watermark all samples with a tranparency, like what was done above. I also send out not to scale and very low resolution. It doesn't keep people from copying, but most end up having to redraw it which they normally charge the customer artwork time for, usually making it cost more than just having me do the work for them.

Thanks Gamelord, I think this will be my new process. At least they will have to work for it this way. Appreciate all the help guys! You're the best.

Kemarie
Metalheadrk

[Arcs.sparks.art]

I am just getting started as a business. I have worked for 32 years as welding, agri teacher. I have purshased 2 plasma cam machines for the schools I have worked at. The simplest way I have found for showing some one what their piece will look like is to take a photo of the computer screen and send it to them via text. I can make small changes after we compair notes via phone call.

[mr.stickerz]

I already dealt with this enough with my past sign business. Whenever i design a logo or something for someone they don't get a copy, email or nothing of the design till at least the art charge or deposit is made. Just like a tattoo shop. After that they can do what they please with the art and i don't worry about it. But usually since they already paid into it they stay with me.
One time i had a customer take a design i made to another shop. They told the shop they had workable artwork, the shop actually quoted them a better price on the sign so they went with it. I was driving through town one day and saw the sign and instantly LOLed cause i could tell they did a half ass trace job of my artwork. I also LOLed a few months down the road when i ran into on of the business partners ( business already went under) and come to find out the sign shop added a art fee onto the bill taking the total $20 higher than my quote. Idiots!!!!

[Magic Rat]

I don't think there is anyone who is immune from this. It's got to a point where I just bite the bullet. It's hard enough getting customers to pay in advance for the work without the art. I tried a $40 minimum design charge for a while and the work just dropped off.

The way I have to look at it these days is that a lot more people are becoming competent with drawing programmes and will often provide art that just needs the odd tweak. Hopefully it will even its self out over time. When I was younger I would spend my winter evenings working on some freezing farm in the back of beyond to scratch by. Spending an hour or two in front of the fire with a brew, tapping a keyboard probably isn't really that much of a chore in the grand scheme of things.

[beefy]

I already dealt with this enough with my past sign business. Whenever i design a logo or something for someone they don't get a copy, email or nothing of the design till at least the art charge or deposit is made. Just like a tattoo shop. After that they can do what they please with the art and i don't worry about it. But usually since they already paid into it they stay with me.

That sounds ideal, and is certainly how I would like to operate, but wouldn't most people lose work if they operate like that. This means the customer has to physically come to your shop to discuss the design, come back to view the completed design, come back again if changes have to be made, etc. Wouldn't that system only work if you are a well established business with an excess of demand for your service, and you are happy to lose customers that don't accept that method of woking.

I have an excavation business, and I eat crap like you wouldn't beleive. I get booked, then turn other clients away who want me on the same day. Then later on the client I am booked with cancels me and all the other clients are already fixed up. I'm out of work on that day. I get no booking deposit in this backwards industry. Every businessman with half a brain says I should take a booking deposit but the only result of doing that is I would lose customers at a very fast rate. And beleive me that is only the tip of the iceburg.

Keith.

[mr.stickerz]

I try and meet with people face to face at least at first. Either at the storefront i work out of or at a coffee shop or wherever. Usually if they aren't willing to meet and give a deposit they aren't serious, just tire kickers. Of course i only go through these measures if the piece(s) the customer wants are custom to the point where i cant sell them to anyone else like names, addresses, portraits, etc. Any items that are stock designs or things i draw like farm or mountain scenes ill make right away and if the customer doesn't come through i just sell it at the next show. ( i display this stuff and market as custom one of a kind pieces! people eat it up!)

BTW all these experiences im speaking of come from my sign and sticker business, I haven't had any custom metal art orders yet

[AnotherDano]

A customer ordered a piece that was 'sorta' generic; a Welcome sign with a Dachund in blue. I didn't require a deposit and they never came back to pick it up. Not something that just anybody would want - I hate it!

So, I keep it in the display but in the background. When someone questions my request for a deposit, I pull the piece out and ask if they would want to buy it. When they say No, I just tell them that it was a special order that was never picked up, and things like that are the reason I require a deposit.

Another customer wanted a totally custom piece - very personalized. I know the asshat from other dealings in the past and asked for the full amount up front. He said he wasn't used to paying anything until it was done.
I offered to give him contact information for other cutters in the area with the full impression that I was ready to drop the project.

He is the type that will never accept what was done and ask for a discount because 'that isn't what I wanted, will you take less'.

In a case like that, I'd rather put the completed piece in the scrap pile, keep the deposit and walk away.
That's why I required a 100% deposit - from him. Usually, it's 50% or 30% from known buyers.

[abmetal]

I guess I oughta' consider myself lucky. We've been in this business for 7+ years and haven't been "hung out to dry" YET. We've never asked for any money up front and, so far, no one has quibbled on the prices. We make signs for a realtor that opens up new offices in different states and when he does, he emails a new order, we make and ship it and he sends us the money. We've never even met him. I know our time is coming but I'm keeping my fingers crossed...and then again, maybe we're too cheap.

Allen