Mouldings Range

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iorek
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Mouldings Range

Post by iorek »

Hi Folks

I'm renovating a shop front to open a framing business/gallery. I have gallery experience but I'm new to framing.

I'm looking to get some chevrons to show customers and will build them over time, but presently I'm thinking of having about 50 to show a nice range and then also a catalogue for further options.

So, would you mind letting me know what your best selling frame mouldings are? Or are there any in particular that customers swoon over? Previous experience has proven the idea of upselling to me, so should I get a larger size for each frame where applicable?

Many thanks

David
JonathanB
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Re: Mouldings Range

Post by JonathanB »

Hi David -

If you have gallery experience then you'll know that white mouldings are always popular, particularly with artists. I sell quite a bit of Lion, and like the fact that they are willing to provide free samples which are already fitted with velcro. Their 'Domino' and 'Mono' range in white and black will cover all the everyday stuff. If you want something a bit nicer, 'Osborne' has always gone well, as has 'Harper' for some nice lime washed effects. 'Leonardo' is good for contemporary looking golds and silvers that don't look too stuffy and sells really well, although the pewter doesn't seem to go so well. I would also include their very well priced 'Revival' range of 'L' shaped floater frames.

I like Wessex for unfinished oak, and if you want a good range from narrow to wider, the best sellers for me are PW35, PW90 and PW185. They join really well and Wessex will gladly give you some short lengths that you can turn into sample chevrons. This is always the best way of judging a new moulding because you can see how it cuts and joins and reject things that you can't get on with. If you have a few reliable oak mouldings you can also start hand finishing and increase your range that way, but there are others on this forum with much more experience than me so I'll leave it to them to comment. If you find oak tricky to work with, Wessex Fine Art will cut and join for an additional charge and send the frames out on their van service.

It's difficult not to get carried away, but try and keep the selection modest to start with. Everything is only a phone call away these days, so it doesn't make sense to over commit early on.

Hope this helps - lots of luck

Jonathan
Jonathan Birch GCF (APF)
Justintime
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Re: Mouldings Range

Post by Justintime »

I'm confused by your approach.
I'm assuming that you have done some market research and know what kind of framing businesses are currently operating in your area and which part of the market each one is aiming at. If you have already figured out your USP, then choose moulding samples that suit your design style and customer base. From personal experience I appreciate how difficult it is to build a personal design style, it takes time, but many of my customers expect me to show them some good design ideas whilst discovering what their tastes are. When done right, they end up with a piece that they love, which has taken their picture to a whole new level.
Upselling takes many different forms. Simply offering a larger version of a moulding (at a higher cost) will not improve the finished product or ensure repeat business, if it doesn't suit the piece in the first place. Being able to recognise the sentimental or monetary value of the piece in front of you can help you design a better finish. For example, a design with a double or triple mount, with shadow gaps, spacers or fillets appropriate to the piece and educating the customer on the importance of UV protection in the glass is actually upselling, but it is also selling a much better product for an understandably higher price.
In my opinion the days of hard sell are long gone. I offer customers the best design option and price and if necessary work downwards until we reach the price point that they are happy to pay. Very few customers want to down grade their choices once we have put the time and effort into creating something that they are excited about.
Due to delivery costs, I would suggest starting with one or two moulding suppliers who will sell to you both in length and chop service.
Customers don't seem to enjoy looking through catalogues. In my experience, it should something lacking in my service, that I couldn't provide a sample. The exception is with very expensive mouldings, where I have shown them every suitable option I have.
There is no hard and fast rule about how many chevrons is the right number. I have built mine from around 100 to around 300 and it's still not enough for me. I am always looking at new offerings and update my walls every 3 to 6 months.
Bear in mind that barewood Oak and Ash are always popular and are simple to sand and stain/wax. They became my staple product when I first started.
Justin George GCF(APF)
Insta: georgetheframer
Justintime
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Re: Mouldings Range

Post by Justintime »

Or what Jonathan said! :lol:
Justin George GCF(APF)
Insta: georgetheframer
JonathanB
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Re: Mouldings Range

Post by JonathanB »

Or what Justin said !
Jonathan Birch GCF (APF)
Not your average framer
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Re: Mouldings Range

Post by Not your average framer »

Like it, or not there are often practical considerations to consider which mouldings that you will want to offer ans which mouldings you will want to avoid. Some mouldigs are not always easily to cut and join, some mouldings are not of consistent quailty and some mouldings result in excessive wastage. Don't forget the practical issues, as these can have a major impact on you profitability. These days, many suppliers are only too happy to supply you will ready made moulding chevrons, this may sound great, but in the days when you had to make your own chevrons, you were very often able to find out if a moulding was going to be a problem moulding to work withans if necessary choose the consign that particular chevron to the bin.

What you choose to display, offer, or stock is quite important in these difficult days. It is part of you business survival strategy and that's why it is so importannt. It is not helpful to spend large amounts of time fixing chipped corners, or trying to fill corners which don't join nicely, this is unproductive time which is costing you money and you can not get back that wasted time and money. A large part of how you run your faming operation, will determine the overall profitability of thewhole business. Sorry to tell you this, but there's plenty of mouldings out there, which will cause you unnecessary grief if you let them. Don't forget that you are there to make money for you, that is your main priority and choosing the mouldings you offer is going to be part of that.

Some moulding profiles only cut well with newly sharpened blades and may mean that you are going to be spending more money having blades sharpened more often. This is to be expected when cutting harder wood mouldings, but when the shape and the quality of mouldings with softer wood mouldings in cheaper woods, that don't necessarily generate much profit are dictating using newly sharpened blade to get a nice clean cut, they can be costing you more money than you might be thinking. I like mouldings that look reasonably chunky from the side profile and I think that mouldings which look too skinny when viewed side on look quite cheap, even when the front profile looks o.k. Experience has shown me that customers relate quality and the side profile of the moulding as much the same thing.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
iorek
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue 17 Apr, 2018 9:42 pm
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Organisation: A Picture Framing One
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Re: Mouldings Range

Post by iorek »

Thanks, I really appreciate the thoughtful answers and excellent information provided. Hugely helpful!

Just need to memorise it now.... :)
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