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I finally get it!

Posted: Tue 08 Jan, 2019 9:37 am
by kartoffelngeist
It's taken three years of framing but I've just worked out that (a lot of) customers think mounts come in from the edge of the picture rather than out from the edge.

Suddenly so many conversations I've had with customers make a lot more sense!

Did everyone else know this?

Re: I finally get it!

Posted: Tue 08 Jan, 2019 11:02 am
by prospero
You would be amazed (or maybe you wouldn't) what daft ideas people get concerning mounts.

I've shown people corner samples only to be asked if I had any a bit narrower, or washline sample corners where
they wanted one without the lines. :roll:

Never happened to me but I've heard of framers placing chevrons against the art only to be asked by the customer
if they had one that goes all the way round. :Slap:

Re: I finally get it!

Posted: Tue 08 Jan, 2019 12:07 pm
by Bobble
Crumbs, had that question several times in my 28 years behind the counter. And the customer is always right even when dopey! Gentle, reassuring correction required :? and 'Carry On' with the sale.
We do have hard water in the South East, furrs up everything...

Re: I finally get it!

Posted: Tue 08 Jan, 2019 1:35 pm
by Steve N
Often get phone calls ( and the odd one in the shop) wanting a mount to fit a (lets say) 12"x16" photo, okay I say, what's the full size of the mount you want "IT's to fit a 12"x16" Photo" comes the reply, :head: "Okay, but what size is the frame you want it to fit" I ask, "I don't have a frame, just want a mount to fit 12"x16" photo" they reply, I normally end up telling them, we don't sell holes, but we do sell mounts with holes in them, soI need to know what the overall size of the mount is, ( this can often go on for hours).................

I had, an email, want a price for a A3 mount with 2 A4 windows ...................

Re: I finally get it!

Posted: Tue 08 Jan, 2019 2:54 pm
by prospero
Steve N wrote: I had, an email, want a price for a A3 mount with 2 A4 windows ...................
I wish I sold more of those. :lol: Very economical on materials.


My old workshop was in an upstairs room previously occupied by a hairdressers. They moved downstairs mainly to save the older customers
from having to go up the stairs. For several weeks I had a very frail old lady who must have been 90+ come up and ask for invisible hairnets. :P

Re: I finally get it!

Posted: Tue 08 Jan, 2019 3:53 pm
by kartoffelngeist
prospero wrote:
My old workshop was in an upstairs room previously occupied by a hairdressers. They moved downstairs mainly to save the older customers
from having to go up the stairs. For several weeks I had a very frail old lady who must have been 90+ come up and ask for invisible hairnets. :P
Did you order a few in for her? ;)

I remember reading about someone seeing a rural shop with a sign saying (something like): "we do NOT sell light bulbs or nails". They pointed out that this is the difference between how shops operate. Some would get so annoyed by people constantly asking for them that they have to put a sign up. Others would just order a stock of light bulbs and nails if that's what people are looking for...

Re: I finally get it!

Posted: Wed 09 Jan, 2019 11:04 am
by prospero
:lol: I knew a chap once who was the Basil Fawlty of the framing world. He seemed to be a magnet for the headbangers of
this world and had lots of little signs in his shop saying "We don't do this..." and "We don't do that...",etc I think he had more
signs than pictures. Every time I dropped in to see him he had another story to recount. One day he was in the process of selling
a painting when a very entitled lady pushed in. He politely told her he was serving the painting lady and he would be with her
presently. But she persisted so he excused himself and asked her how he could help. "Can you tell me the way to the Eastgate Hotel?",
she asked. :roll: So he marches her to the door and points down the street... "You see that building on the corner?". "Yes", says she.
"Well that's the ********* Tourist Information Office". :lol:

Re: I finally get it!

Posted: Wed 09 Jan, 2019 3:07 pm
by poliopete
Many years ago a customer walked into a shop, sat down, and said to the shop keeper "do you mind if I smoke" :D The shop keeper replied, " no, not at all, do you mind if I f++t" :o

Probably the same framing shop, Peter.

Re: I finally get it!

Posted: Thu 10 Jan, 2019 10:10 am
by prospero
Just remembered another story from my Basil Fawlty mate. He was one for bright ideas and decided that it would be great
to have a stand at the Lincolnshire Show. Expensive exercise. Lots of visitors, but they go to look at tractors and livestock, not
to buy pictures. Anyway he was there three days and hadn't taken a penny. :(
As he and his wife were packing up (him being not in the best of moods) a lay sidled up and pointed to an oil painting propped
up a table on the floor. "How much is that?" he turned round and said "£1.50" (*It should have been about £750). The canvas was
unframed, so she asked if that included a frame. "Oh yes!", he replied and pointed to a stack of gold frames. "Take your pick".

She didn't take him up on his tempting offer. :clap:

His wife nearly had kittens apparently, but he obviously had a good handle on customer behaviour. :P