The Framers Forum

Hi - Just wanted to canvas opinions on customers bringing in their own frames. I do a lot of needlework framing and sometimes they come in with the 'Wilko' bag and pull out the cheapo frame. I've always done the work through gritted teeth - after all, a job's a job, but always felt like it's an incredible cheek. Obviously I've never minded when it's an antique frame or one of sentimental value. So, does this happen to you and how do you approach the situation?

It is a cheek but the little old lady with the wilkies bag won't see it like that. I usually charge them for a mount and a bit of labour, and just hope she doesn't tell her freinds about the excellent job you did at her embroidery class.

I've no qualms as long as the frame is suitable in a practical sense. I had a little old lady bring in a framed print. 1/2" gold hockey. Problem was she wanted an old gramophone record putting in it together with photograph. The resultant sandwich would have been at least 15mm deep. The frame rebate was about 7mm. The only satisfactory way of doing it was to find some moulding exactly the same and rout off the rebate and fix it to the back. I said I could use the frame if she absolutely insisted, but it would cost about £150. If she let me do it with a new frame it would be around £80.

She left in a huff......

We get plenty of this, but in 90-something % of cases, the artwork, be it a print, photo, needlework, whatever, is out of proportion - from rectangular work in a square frame to vice-versa and rectangular frame with rectangular artwork but leaving skinny borders left and right and proportionally huge ones top and bottom, or vice-versa.

I'd say that we talk 75% of these customers in to a complete frame job and 50% of the rest get away with some bottom-weighting, the remainder looks like carp, but a job is indeed a job and we tut and sigh secure in the knowledge that the choice was an informed one, not everyone has class

What's 'wilko' and 'wilkies' anyway

I don't mind doing things like this at all and I will offen do this sort of thing as a quick while you wait job, but I don't let them leave it and come back when they feel like it. For me it's an opportunity to get to know a new and potential customer, perhaps a new friend too!

O.K., so they don't want to spend too much money , I have a big pile of mountboard, glass and backing board off-cuts. I am equiped to do do things in a rush when the need arises. Do it right and your scraps turn into a quick and easy profit.

In the case of needle work, it's unlikely that the frame they brought with them will be suitable and if it needs stretching and lacing, then I will have to charge my normal price for such work and I will require a deposit.

Some of these customers may be convertable into serious customers who are willing to pay the extra to have something special framed to really look the business. It's up to us and how we choose to use our opporunities.

Roboframer - 'Wilko/Wilkies' = Wilkinsons - purveyor of high quality (?!!) inexpensive homewares. Maybe you don't get them in the south! Thanks for your replies. Mark

Roboframer wrote: What's 'wilko' and 'wilkies' anyway

It is a chain of stores called Wilkinsons that sell stuff cheap - think LIDL, Poundland etc.

Or don't they have those in leafy Sussex?

Heres a link to their picture frame section:

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/browse/43? ... atid=exact

Sorry what I should have siad is they sell cheap stuff not sell stuff cheap

I was up North once and went into a Wilkinsons to buy some sparkling water....that was funny, they didnt sell it and looked at me like I was an alien.
Sorry to go off track.
I had to make a customers frame smaller in one direction. (ie height) I will never do that again.

Wilkinson's is nothing like Poundland or Lidl - it is more like Woolworths, or like Woolworths should have been - good hardware store selling good quality branded products as well as some cheaper brands - very good for decorating and gardening stuff, Dulux and Crown paints. They do sell some cheap tat and picture frames fall into that category. The branch in Preston is very good - ex C & A spacious and well managed, other branches are a bit claustrophobic (Southport for example)

We had market stall selling cheap photo frames a few year ago, and when we took them out of the cello wrap the corners fell apart - since then we charge two prices for mounts - 1 for just the mount and a higher charge if they want us to put it in the frame for them, and we unwrap the frame with the customer present. We ask for payment upfront and do them while the customer waits - its quick and easy profit.

We do have Wilkinsons down here, I didn't relate. Nearest is Worthing and I hardly ever go there - NCP car parks can go stuff 'emselves!

ceebdub wrote:I was up North once and went into a Wilkinsons to buy some sparkling water....that was funny, they didnt sell it and looked at me like I was an alien..

What's sparkling water ours is flat when it comes out of a tap, mind you up north we like a head on our beer, flat caps and whippets.

I framed a big painting for Mr.Wilko last year and it didn't go in a ready-made either.

I was down south once - it was really odd - the water was fizzy, but the beer was flat

Strange that you would have thought if the water was fizzy then the beer would be .

Nothing worse than fizzy water and a flat pint.

We drink fizzy white wine down here too....

White wine spritzer do you still drink those

Graysalchemy wrote:
Nothing worse than fizzy water and a flat pint.

What about being whipped with red-hot barbed wire?

Given a choice I'd plump for the flat pint.