Whimsical frames

[rkort]

We’re a small frame manufacturer based in Canada and we are thinking of starting to offer our frames to picture framers. Our product is unique as it’s cut out of a single piece of MDF and available in a variety of shapes and tons of colours. Here’s a link to our website, so you can see what we do: http://bit.ly/zjEPWN.

I’ve got a couple of questions:
1. Do you think this is a product that picture framers would carry, or if this is a bit too “modern” or “whimsical” to be attractive for your clientele?
2. Would you prefer it as a ready-made product or custom-made?

Thanks so much in advance for your feedback!

[pramsay13]

Interesting idea.
If I had a shop I would be happy to carry these as a ready made option and I think they would be popular, mainly for kids' rooms etc.

[DCS]

We would possibly stock some of the twin frames as specials for birthdays for kids

[Dave]

I'd be interested, do you have a UK distributor?

Dave

[Trinity]

They look smart, modern and I think they'd be popular, though I'm not sure about the unique bit.
They also look sort of mass produced, the type of stuff you'd get in our bargain shops. Large volumes, big box outlets, high turnover, low margin.
Perfect for today's Jo Public consumer, my daughters would love 'em.

[Kwik Picture Framing]

I think you will get some success offering those as a ready made option to some picture framers, although many framers tend to be more bespoke and a little more top end of the market (and that isn't to say that your product isn't appealing).

My first thought, however, is are you also approaching other retail outlets as it kind of looks more like the type of thing that a consumer would just grab off the shelf in, say, a DIY store or supermarket as an impulse purchase.

I think for certain applications it has an appeal and if I had room to sell a lot of ready made frames I probably would stock it for its novelty value.

All the best with it, I hope it sells like hot cakes for you.

[prospero]

I wouldn't call them whimsical. There are frames a lot more whimsical in the market.

They are very much a 'look'. This limits the market somewhat - particularly in flat painted colours.

I'm assuming they are cut on an automated router setup. If the cutter were computer controlled and cuts from a digitised pattern then the possibility exists for framers to create their own shapes and send the file so that they can have whatever shape they want. And get them either painted or bare. Rather like a CMC.

Getting away from the flat paint and introducing more traditional finishes would widen the appeal.



* btw. As you are in Canada , try http://www.thegrumble.com/index.php. US based. They like a bit of whimsy. Someone wanted a frame with newts on it recently.
Most members here are UK based which might make shipping problematic.

[Smiffy]

Very interesting - perfect for ready mades.

If there's a UK distributor, i'd definitely consider them as an option for stocking.

[kev@frames]

patterns are more north American than British/European taste imho.

would prefer these unpainted/unfinished.
would expect to sell them well for about two months until Amazon and Ebay were full of them, then online sales would die because everyone wants everything for nothing and they'll buy from the lowest priced seller, and shop sales would die because they've "seen them on the internet at half the price".

Harsh, but that's the way it is. If you were to shift these to retail framers or distributors in the UK, you would need to make sure that none were authorised to sell online. Every single vaguely similar product I have seen over the past five years appears promptly on these two online channels, and rapidly spirals downwards in price until nobody is making any money on them.

you would need each of the designs registered in the UK or EU, and you would need to enforce the IP in online channels. otherwise you might as well just ship direct to retail yourself via an amazon warehouse and save a lot of bother. And if they were good sellers they would be quickly copied anyway. (he says, plugging in the router.....)

But nice stuff, all the same. you also have a great web site and the photography is superb. impressed all round.

[prospero]

Kev's comments put me in mind of the 'wallpaper' frames of the far-off 80's. Mostly used on mirrors. The first incarnations were very up-market and very expensive. >£400 mark for a medium sized one. They did look classy and sold very well though. Then the knock-offs started and they got a lot cheaper and looked it. Finally the wallpaper patterns were foiled on and looked even nastier. Eventually they became a by-word for tat.

Today you couldn't give them away.

[Dave]

It's always warming when somone comes onto a forum with the sole intention of selling it's long standing members their stuff, and they don't even have the decency to reply to any questions or comment on the constructive help / criticism given.

I'm out.

Dave

[rkort]

Thanks everyone for the replies thus far! Appreciate the feedback.

I'm sorry, Dave, we have a number of UK clients, but not a distributor in the UK. And forgive me for not responding sooner. I just went back now to read the replies

[avantime]

Very easy to produce. Setup CNC router, make shapes on CAD package, load 18mm mdf and press the start button!

I miss my old CNC router...........

[guzzijim]

"Very easy to produce. Setup CNC router, make shapes on CAD package, load 18mm mdf and press the start button!"

I don't think you even need a CNC router.

Make a profile, clamp on MDF and use normal router, to finish spray acrylic primer and finish coat of choice.