Hello Sundial Sellers and Buyers: I was reading about Jim Tallman's wonderful desk top Spectra Dial on his new website and was reading that his payment policy requires a customer to pay 100% in advance because of "the custom nature of the product".
I used to be afraid to ask my clients for 100% thinking that it might scare them off from purchasing. So, I only collect a 50% deposit from my customers when they order. This worked fine until my last order when my customer got fired from his job as an American Airlines pilot and then couldn't afford to pay the remainder (a thousand dollars) after I finished his dial. So here it sits, unclaimed. (It's for Bixby Oklahoma, so I'll never be able to sell it to someone else). This is the first time after 76 dials that someone has reneged on an order after paying the 50 % deposit. Do you think I should change my policy to 100% like Jim does? What do you do Tony or any of you other sellers? Do you think that it makes a difference if the sundial is very expensive (Jim's sundials cost about one tenth what mine do). Do you think the shaky economy means that 100% is advisable? I'm really stuck on this and don't know what to do. Any comments? John p.s I had another customer die on me last summer during the design phase before his sundial got built. His name was Paul Ecke Jr. (a very famous poinsettia grower and my former boss) and he was going to fund a monumental sundial to be built at California State University in San Marcos. He didn't provide for it in his will, so it's unfunded and probably won't get built. John L. Carmichael Jr. Sundial Sculptures 925 E. Foothills Dr. Tucson Arizona 85718 USA Tel: 520-696-1709 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Website: <http://www.sundialsculptures.com> -
