IKEA 0 : Bespoke Framers 1

[CalicoFraming]

Just saw a woman who'd bought two rubbery 'frames' from ikea for £5 each. she wanted some mounts cut. She's just left having spent £665 on some bespoke framing. So, one in the eye for cheap mass market crap i believe

Interestingly, she'd already been down to the local high street framers who'd given her a price on cutting mounts no problem. No advice on the shabby rubber frames, conservation issues, etc. etc. Just a kerching and see you later. Well, their loss, but what the hell kind of service is that they're providing?!

Anyway, it's been a good morning

[Jonny2morsos]

Much respect!

Turning a couple of £5 IKEA frames into a £665 bespoke order quite an achievement.

[Dave]

Kinda customer we could all do with.

Dave

[strokebloke]

Kinda framer I could do with

[Not your average framer]

I'm impressed! That's some serious up selling!

[Clarry]

Good man!

I do like to see Ikea frames being shoved where the sun don't shine

Serious upselling though, just curious as to how many frames she ordered from you?

[Steve N]

You were lucky, she might have taken offense and walked out, if you called her frames " shabby rubber frames"

[CalicoFraming]

Ha ha, well the coda to this story is it was IKEA 0 : Bespoke Framers 1, but unfortunately IKEA scored twice in extra time, as it were....

I posted in the Business part of the forum about this, but basically having persuaded the customer that framing wasn't 'expensive' because it was necessary to protect the artwork, bespoke, quality of finish, la da da..., and having taken an order for 7 frames, she came back the next day because her husband had told her she was 'mental' to pay that much for framing, and also that her daughter's art teacher, who is no doubt an expert on such matters like all artists, said the frames I had proposed were unnecessary and I should build a cradle instead. Whatever that means.

So, lesson learned: buying cheap from IKEA is a state of mind which can only be temporarily changed. Once a cheapskate, always a cheapskate.

[IFGL]

not always true, I break them in gently , and have converted many ready made fans to the way of the bespoke .

[Tudor Rose]

I agree - you can bring people round to bespoke framing, sometimes it takes a bit of time but in the meantime you earn the money cutting mounts to fit their IKEA frames. It doesn't always work, some people will always want the cheapest option but potential customers are always worth cultivating - it isn't just their business you could be earning, but other people they know who they might recommend you to. And if all you are going to earn from those who want to stick to IKEA frames is the cost of cutting a mount for them, well at least you have earned some money rather than nothing at all.

[Jonny2morsos]

I would love to know how the conversation went between husband and wife.

"So did you pick up a couple of cheap frames while you were in IKEA darling?"

"Well I spent a tenner on a couple of frames but on the way home I called in to see a framer and spent £665.00 on some besoke jobbies"

"What the ****!!!

"err, problem, dear?"