Retailing

[Ricky]

Just been ordering some bits & pieces from The Lion Catalouge, & was browsing thru when i noticed the retail section at the back featuring the RECTANG range of Picture Frame Accesories.
Seems like a good idea to have these on hand (ie "would you like some wall fixings to go with your newly framed picture sir/madam.) The thing is, would it be viable or would people just go to a cheapie pound shop to purchase these things. Does anyone here stock these & how do you do with them?
I have a small open Gallery/retail unit on the Main St, also my workshop is in full public view from behind the counter but sectioned off so no one can enter without my permision.

[Jonny2morsos]

I have been tempted to get one of those displays but somehow it seems a bit mean to ask a customer to pay for a wall hook when they have just collected an expensive job.

If you are on the High St, however, and have passing trade then I would say yes get one and have it close to the door so it can be seen straightaway.

I have been told that if you buy a display unit with the suppliers stock to fill it then a lot of it will be dead stock and a few items will keep turning over. Maybe if you talk to Lion tey will advise you on hich items move fastest.

[Graysalchemy]

If I was retail I think I would give away some hangings for what it would cost. Nice touch the sort of thing people would remember you for. If you were bothered about losing the cost of a picture hook just add a £1 onto the price of the frame, they will go away happy and at no cost to you.

[Not your average framer]

I buy both sizes of courtesy hooks from Lion, which are supplied in bags with pins and I supply them free of charge to my framing customers.

I would not bother about getting a display stand, for the space it will take for just selling wall hooks, it ain't gonna make much money.

If you've got the space to display something for sale, then it makes more sense to display something of very much higher value than wall hooks. Sorry, but small value items don't make any sense for small businesses. You have to sell too many to make anything out of them.

[Roboframer]

We buy wall hooks in bulk, all the normal ones, hard wall (toly) single and triple hole heavy duty, wallbuddies - more. Plus frame hardware, small, regular and double 'D' rings, strap hangers, mirror plates, etc. We bag these up ourselves - far cheaper. Also 3 thicknesses of Super soft strand wire cut in to 2m lengths, plus we'll sell it loose by the metre.

A pair of normal or hard wall hangers are included (not given away) in the frame price but there's nothing wrong with having these things out for sale, they sell, and while they may not be fabulous sales, they are another reason for someone to come through your door and potentially spend more.

Diversify!

[Keith Hewitt]

Surely isn't it just plain sensible to ALWAYS give a picture hook and pin with every
framed job when its collected?
And if the miniscule cost in a concern - then add it into your costs

Years ago I gave a framed print to a good friend. Went to his house weeks later and asked him,
how come its still resting on the floor. " I keep forgetting to buy a picture hook !"

Have a look at the back - I taped a hook and 2 pins specially for you - DUH !!

[misterdiy]

We do add these to each job and have increased the prices to cover the cost and time to bag them. If someone walks in and asks for fixings we just sell these at Lion RRP.

Customers really appreciate those but not enough for a snog.

[Roboframer]

Surely isn't it just plain sensible to ALWAYS give a picture hook and pin with every
framed job when its collected?

Make that, for all but the smallest frames TWO hooks, as per the FACTS diagram posted here many times before, showing the resaons why - the massive stresses that are placed on the frame if only one hook is used, especially with tight cord/wire.

A pair of normal or hard wall hangers are included (not given away) in the frame price

As well as proviing the wall hooks, we mark, on the back of the frame, how far apart they should be placed on the wall to achieve a 60 degreee angle between frame and wall fixing. We know many ignore the advice because we get frames back to duplicate, replace the glass in, etc, with the wire in a tell-tale 'V'! The customer has probably not even used our hooks, but an existing nail in the wall anyway - their (informed) choice and their tough ####!

[Keith Hewitt]

Make that, for all but the smallest frames TWO hooks, as per the FACTS diagram posted here many times before, showing the resaons why - the massive stresses that are placed on the frame if only one hook is used, especially with tight cord/wire.

A pair of normal or hard wall hangers are included (not given away) in the frame price

Thanks John ( aka ROBO) one never stops learning

[JohnMcafee]

Er...


Actually...


Cough...


The stress on the frame has nothing to do with the number of hooks, it is a function of the angle of the supporting cord/wire. That is, the closer to horizontal, the greater the force.

[stcstc]

but by using 2 hooks doesnt that make the angle work closer to 60 degrees?

therefore reducing the stress

[Otters Pool Studio]

I keep just two boxes of X-Hook picture hooks (one single pin and one double pin) on my counter next to the credit card terminal and sell them at a pound a box. Often people will grab a box and ask to add it on to the order. Unless the order is particularly small, I'll often say 'have them on me' and this goes down very well.

I would never include hangings by default with a frame as this suggests that they should be used, and you never know what type of wall they will be fixed into. If the hooks failed, dropping the picture, smashing an antique vase and spraying glass over a retired litigation lawyer (sorry for the exaggeration), then in court the 'well these are the hooks they supplied' would be the end of it all.

[Roboframer]

We ask what sort of walls before handing out wall hooks and if they need anything above normal or hardwall hangers, they are not included in the price. If a customer is not sure about the walls then they get a default set to suit the picture weight in a 'normal' wall; then it's up to them. Normally they'll recognise the type of hooks they have previously used though.

We get asked for advice on purchases of hooks too, we'd not shy away from giving that advice in the fear of being sued.

The stress on the frame has nothing to do with the number of hooks, it is a function of the angle of the supporting cord/wire. That is, the closer to horizontal, the greater the force

True, but using two hooks makes a 60 (or so) degree angle more easily achieved, spreads the load, makes positioning on the wall easier, helps prevent pivoting and costs twice as much as one hook!

To achieve a 60 degree angle with one wall hook would, in most cases, mean either placing the frame hardware too low down or seeing the hook and the wire/cord above the frame. I've had customers bring frames back because they can see 'the hook' above the frame, this after us explaining why two are best, marking their positions on the back of the frame and providing the hooks!

"Ah, but there was already a hook in the wall and I don't want to make any more holes in the wall" Fine - we just tighten the wire for them - their (informed) choice.

[Not your average framer]

An interesting difference of perspective between John (Robo) and myself. John has a very much larger shop than me, so while I don't have much space and try to make every square inch count, John is able to diversify to attract a wider range of customers.

So, if you've got plenty of space to display such items and you think that diversification would work for you, then Robo's advice is clearly the right advice.

It's quite interesting to consider how much our thinking can be influenced so dramatically by our everyday situations. I should get out more!

[Ricky]

Thanks for a great response to this post, it's certainly given me food for thought plus a few other ideas.
As always the nature of this forum lives up to its name. Thankyou.

[Jonny2morsos]

Just taken a look at the Lion catalogue and notice they do mark which of the Rektangl accessories sell best.

If you have a regular demand from non framing customers I would get a display unit to meet that demand and take their money rather than let someone else take it. As someone said earlier it might lead to other salkes. If you look on page 134 of the Lion catalogue (item No 737) they do bags with cards for you to fill yourself and I think this way would be more profitable.

[Roboframer]

It takes very little space to display a selection of hardware, just a small board with one of everything screwed/fixed to it and all the stock somewhere else, like the workshop, where you'll have most of it for your own use anyway.

[RobinC]

We always give hooks with every picture bought, or framed by us. We used to stick a couple of hooks and pins to the back of the frame, but we had a picture returned for a change of mount colour a year or two after it was purchased and there were the hooks still stuck on the back. We now buy small poly bags and put 2 hooks and pins in the bag and make a point of giving the customer the hooks with a few words about using 2 hooks per picture.

We also stock the Recktangl display stand - used to have it on clear view - it doesn't take that much space up - since our refurb it lives in the cupboard out of sight. We obviously sell a lot less now than when it was on display, but it is there for when someone calls in for hooks or cord. I would have it on display, but it annoys my wife so she wins.

It is surprising how much business you do from the stand, and your customers expect you to stock the accessories. Just be careful what you order from the range - single hooks, double hooks, cord, toly hooks, heavy duty screw hooks and picture plates are our most popular items. It also saves us having to go upstairs to cut a metre cord for a customers ready made frame or cheap picture.