bren Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Hi all I have read your posts for a long time. Still dreaming of owning my own machine someday. My question is the LQS wants me to do their quilting on their longarm. I am very excited, but they do not want to pay they want to trade. I will meet with the owners on thursday, but I would like to Know what would be fair for both of us. Any suggestions or thoughts would be really helpful. Thank you Bren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Mitchell Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Do they barter for their products? In a business you need to work for cash. I'll bet they only accept cash, checks or CC. You can not pay your bills with barter. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinneaMarie Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 Good point John! Barter only works if you both have inexhaustible good that the other person wants. Cash is still king in my book! I used to go to a longarmer that worked out of a shop, but they took a commission and then paid her. Just my 2 cents, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bren Posted March 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 yes they want to barter. In the past I have worked in the shop for them. They pay 1 yard for every hour I work I like batics so it was ok but now they don't get much in I like. This is a small shop with I paid employee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoleneK Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Do you use 25 - 40 yards of fabric PER WEEK? To keep up with the long-arm it would require you working 25 - 40 hours per week. Any less hours would put your waiting list months behind. When I had my shop I paid the girl that did the long-arm by the hour (actual $$$) and she worked four days a week and still we were 4 weeks waiting. The machine was mine from prior to owning the shop, she just supplied her time and I kept her in threads, needles, etc... Worked out great for both of us, but she didn't work for fabric. Ask her if she pays her gas & electric with fabric. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 I couldn't see it working for me and I buy a lot of supplies through the shop I work with. Even in an expensive month I don't come close to spending my pay. I think you are going to have to insist on cash. I hand in a bill once a month for my teaching work, then we deduct my purchases for the month and whatever is left is paid cash. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Here's a deal to offer them-- If the customer pays for their quilting, you also should be paid in kind--a percentage decided upon by both parties. If the customer barters with them, you get paid in kind:P. If the customer pays for her quilting with pigs and cows, flowers, baked goods, whatever--you get your cut from that!! Business is business!! If they get paid, you get paid. If they want to barter, offer to barter quilting of the shop samples for fabric. You should still get paid somehow for those--no freebies please! Access to their longarm may be a dream come true for you. Either ask for an hourly wage with the rental of the machine figured in, or a percentage of the "take" with the machine use also figured in. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBQLTN2 Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 it really seems like an absurd request to me. Do the customers that they have pay the LQS in barter as well, maybe a massage, a haircut, a cow who knows . If they collect cash for your work so should you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bren Posted March 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Thank you for replying. I couldn't think of a way that bartering would work. I knew this wasn't fair. I guess what I wanted to know is what others who work shops were getting --a commission or a straight salary or an hourly wage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheri Butler Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 It's not fair. She buys her fabric at wholesale, which is usually 50% of what a customeer pays. ex" $4 per yard, so, in essence, she's paying you $4 per hour. Get it! Now, barter from there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Bren, this "bartering" seems a little odd to me. I've never heard of it before. I'm not sure about the legalities of this situation, but you might want to get a different opinion (even on the internet through online legal advice and this can be free) or even Google "bartering for services" and see what comes up. Enquire about that, just to protect yourself. And, if it's OK to work for trade for this type of situation, then I would definitely get something in writing to protect yourself. Without me knowing any details, this type of "bartering with fabric" pretty much bypasses all the reasons why we have labor laws and tax codes in which small businesses to operate. You should protect yourself so you aren't on the losing end of the deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa Mullins Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Bren, Bartering could work only if you are willing to work for 4 to 6 dollars an hour. That is what most quilt stores pay per yard of fabric. Not the 9 to 10 dollars a yard that we are paying. Most of us set our prices so that we make more per hour but we also have all the overhead to pay for as well. You would still need to count the fabric as income, and that will be difficult to calculate. Shana is right about protecting yourself. You need to make that the most important thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Bren, what happens if you get hurt or injured while using the longarm machine while at the quilt shop? Are you covered by their insurance? I doubt it. The insurance company probably doesn't even know you exist as an employee because in a sense, you are not an employee of that shop... really you are a person who volunteers to quilt for free and in return the shop owner gives you a few yards of fabric for that volunteer work. What happens if you break that longarm machine or cause damage to the machine while using it? Would the owner make you pay for this because you damaged the machine? What if you accidentally tore a hole or ruined a customer's quilt? The customer is probably going to sue for damages. Does the customer sue you or the quilt shop? Is the shop going to cover you for repair or payment for damages of a customer quilt? You should get everything in writing to protect yourself from being sued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anita Posted March 31, 2009 Report Share Posted March 31, 2009 Good points Shana... Anita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bren Posted April 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 OH WOW! I am freaking out. You guys have scared me to death. I will print this off and bring it with me to the meeting. But thank you this is what I needed to think about before I went any further. I knew this wasn't the same as answering the phone and handling a couple of customers at the store. Thank you so much I knew you guys would help me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 This is so unfair to you! I agree with everyone else, she's getting stock for wholesale. I love fabric but 40 or 50 yards a week would add up, not to mention when would you get time to use it. You could buy your own machine and pay for it through your own quilting business. You could then "barter" with the LQS to collect quits for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeoldeforest Posted April 1, 2009 Report Share Posted April 1, 2009 Yep, I'm so cheap at times that I squeak! But, if I want my step-son or own teenagers to help me in the quilt shop, they don't barter! We have thought about letting my step-son help with customer quilts - he's in college and needs money. We are thinking of paying him 40% of what we charge the customer. We take the customer order, provide the thread, maintenance, pay the rent, machine loan, etc. As he learns, he can then re-negotiate what his percentage is... At 40% with no overhead expense, he is making much better than minimum wage. He would get paid when the customer pays us...so there would be no issue with cash flow. On the other hand, I have two dear friends that I let use my machines on their own quilts for free and they get a decent discount on fabric, notions, etc from the quilt shop at all times. They give me ideas on how to run my business, show up on Saturdays to help with promotions and are there to help if I run off to do a road show/vending gig on an occasional weekend. They don't want money and will work for fabric! They also have fun running a quilt shop when I'm not around! This relationship works for all of us. You definitely need to research what others in your area are getting paid to do customer quilts. Also, find out how long the waiting list is for getting a quilt completed in your area. If you were to purchase a Millennium, your annual payments would be around $300/per month. When you negotiate, don't forget, however, that the quilt shop does have overhead expenses to pay including a possible machine payment. Good luck with your negotiations! Remember to keep the conversation real, remain professional, be honest and have an open mind! Small LQS are struggling right now. The fact that she came to you with the offer means that she values your work ethic. She may not be as educated as you are now with what you have learned on this forum so that will be your job to negotiate successfully! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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