?? For Other Pro Sewers Discounts?

(SewStorm)
"Does she pay for the fabric or is that coming from you?"
The problem that Cea mentions is that the customer is paying for the
fabric, and the designer is marking it up. So a 20% discount of the
fabric is not as much skin off the designer's nose as the same discount
would be off Cea's service price.
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Cea replies:
Exactly! She will be getting a huge markup on fabrics, (if she stays
true to the usual interior dec practice), and also a markup on my labor
costs, in addition to her design fees and whatever else the client buys
from her stock of lamps, home dec items, etc. I don't fault her for
markups; overhead can be brutal, especially when one is just starting in
business.
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You get the picture? It's not fair, really, for the designer to ask
this, IMO. Apparently, she doesn't "get" the whole concept of making a
profit--unless it's the concept of herself making one.
Karen Maslowski in Cincinnati
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Well, working with her really appeals to me on several levels. One is
volume of work, another is that she is oddly without gratuitous ego, in
a business which attracts snobs and bad attitudes--prima donnas all
around. She's well-mannered, in the true sense of manners, and more than
willing to admit when she makes a mistake. I think she will be a
pleasure to work with, once we get the issue of discounts settled.
During our interview, the first thing she addressed was payments--my
main issue, and it is agreed that I will be paid upon delivery of the
product. I was prepared to be adamant on this, but she had the right
answer. : )
Actually, she thinks it is settled, as I firmly voiced my opinion of
giving discounts. She indicated that she would absorb the discount, but
something in the way she nodded made me think perhaps those plummy jobs
might go to another out-source, instead of to my workroom.
It's not actually settled, though, as I plan to work my persuasive
magic, and encourage her not to give over a 10% discount, since it will
come from her pocket. If she wants to give 20%, I think she should give
it on one particular thing; say, the fabric. Then she could build a
profit margin into her prices.
I got home, though, and started mulling it over, and realized exactly
how much I don't know about the ins and outs of interior design, and
needed reassurance that I wasn't being too hard-headed, cutting off my
nose to spite my wallet. It occurred to me that perhaps this was a
standard industry practice--had I known, I would indeed have revised the
prices on the price list I left with her. I did indicate that, if I am
too low priced by far than other interior dec labor, that I would be
revising the price list, so that is covered.
Thanks for the addresses, Karen. I see that have homework to do.
I want to thank all of you for encouraging me to stand firm. You've
reinforced my gut feelings. I'd hate to begin a business relationship
feeling as if my work was going to be undervalued.
(In a oyster, that irritant would make a pearl.)
Many thanks to everyone.
Cea