Business offer i can't refuse...or?

[BorkBork]

I just wanted to share this with you guys. A friend of mine is in the process of opening a webshop, mainly for computerstuff but there will also be a section for gadgets and cool toys. Now, he's offered me to sell my puppets there. Basically i will be doing some charachter designs, 3-4 of them and put up photos of them, and then people can order them and i will build them as they are ordered.
Now this guy told me he thinks they can go really well, because of a certain "nerd-coolness-factor" of owning a puppet that's similar to the muppets. They will be muppetstyle but original charachters. This is a great opportunity for me to get going with my puppetbuilding and getting payed for it.
What do you guys think, should i go for it?

 

[renegade]

Borkbork
Sounds like a great and fun challenge . But set up some rules right from the very start on how you want to do bussiness.
I include this rule when I do any kinda of Business!

all communication about the project must be only handled in emails ( I had one fella calling me at all hours of the night it was brutal)

but the rules are up to you, but just make sure you make them and all have agreed to work by them

It will protect both of you
I hope that helps

 

[BorkBork]

I am going to do a written contract with the guy. He's entitled to a certain percentage, but most of the income will be for me. Custumers will pay when they order, and i will not start any building of the puppet until i get atleast half in advance. In any case of me not getting that money the contract will state that the delayed delivery is their responsability, not mine. Things like that will be worked out.

 

[Vic Romano]

Sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me, go for it!

 

[BorkBork]

Sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me, go for it!

I'm really concidering doing it. BTW, your frog is upside down

 

[PuppetMom]

Personally, I think this sounds like a great business venture for you...Like an opportunity has dropped in your lap. But I agree with renegade that you need to set up some ground rules (put it in writing so neither you or your friend have to fight it out later) & I would also include in the rules that you can withdraw your business anytime without any problems, that way if it's not working for you, you can always get out with minimal fuss. Good luck to you!!

 

[BorkBork]

Thanks for the tip. I will put that in the contract. You never know.

 

[puppetsmith]

Hey BorkBork! My only advice would be to carefully design the 3-4 puppet options. Making 3-4 puppets over and over again can get very old real quick. Design them to be appealing to your customers but easily built in the quickest amount of time possible. Otherwise, you'll lock yourself into working all the time with no room for personal projects and/or growth in your building skills (because you'd be repeating the same 3-4 puppets).

And, as always, don't under-price the puppets. Buck posted a link the other day to this story:

Legend has it that Pablo Picasso was sketching in the park when a bold woman approached him.

"It's you -- Picasso, the great artist! Oh, you must sketch my portrait! I insist."

So Picasso agreed to sketch her. After studying her for a moment, he used a single pencil stroke to create her portrait. He handed the women his work of art.

"It's perfect!" she gushed. "You managed to capture my essence with one stroke, in one moment. Thank you! How much do I owe you?"

"Five thousand dollars," the artist replied.

"B-b-but, what?" the woman sputtered. "How could you want so much money for this picture? It only took you a second to draw it!"

To which Picasso responded, "Madame, it took me my entire life."

I thought the story sums it up nicely (whether it's true or not) especially when it comes to puppet building.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

The only advice I have would be to build them and display them in the store, not just put up pictures. No one goes in to a computer store to buy puppets. I think your friend is right, it's a unique, cool idea for his store but if the puppets are there and can be physically touched and used by customers they are much more likely to make an implulse buy on the spot.

If people see them and want one, they're going to want one on the spot. Waiting to have one built-to-order is a pain.

Just my two cents.

 

[BorkBork]

Thanks for all the tips!
Buck, i would display them if he had a physical store. But it's a webshop that he runs from home.