The Framers Forum

I'm already considering if I need to stop accepting Christmas orders, perhaps as soon as this coming weekend.

I'm already trying to restrict when my shop is open, so that I can concentrate on getting the orders completed.

Added to this I'm getting fed up with timewasters, tire kickers and price shoppers interupting the work flow.

Anyone else thinking the same?

we stopped taking Chrismas orders a few days ago, we have in excess of 200 order to finish , the January list is building nicely.

Including 5 shirts yet another guitar and a WW II airforce jacket with associated stuff .

We are addressing our problems in January with bigger premises and hopefully more staff.

We've never turned anyone away with a Christmas order and I hope we never do have to. Anyone who walks through the door is a potential customer, no matter what the time of year is, even if they seem like a timewaster or however you like to describe them. They may just be checking us out for potential future orders, or seeing what sort of things we can offer before they commit and bring their artwork or whatever in. Quite often people will come in and browse and have a good look round, after a brief chat they then say they have the artwork in the car and then bring it in and place an order. You never know just on a first impression whether they are going to spend money or not.

Our workflow during the day is frequently interrupted, but that's just how it is when you have a retail side. So that is why we have stopped opening on a Monday so that we CAN work uninterrupted with the doors closed (we have shutters so that they can't even see we are in here) and we work early morning and into the evening when the majority of the work gets completed. At this time of year, anything we can do during the day is a bonus.

If there is going to be another downturn in 2013 then surely it is daft to turn away any potential business, because if they go elsewhere to get something framed then they may never come back to you with future orders.

jo

the shutters are for alec to keep you in, and stop you going shopping

Ah Stephen, you clearly don't know me that well. I HATE shopping! Alec chose wisely

But what happens to customers who you have to disappoint by telling them on Xmas eve you have been so busy you haven't been able to get their job done? They wont be back and would appreciate the initial honesty that you are too busy I would imagine?bad press is never good, BUT... Isn't letting them know you are too busy better than a failed promise?

There has to be a cut off point? I stopped taking orders yesterday...

We haven't disappointed any customers - so no bad press, just lots of goodwill Why presume that by doing what we do that we will let people down?

We are honest with people, it doesn't do any good being any different. We are already at the point where we are guiding people on to mouldings we have in stock, so no waiting for suppliers to send things through and we ask from the start of December onwards if people need it before Christmas or not. For those who are happy to wait, then we put them in for January and so we have orders to come back to as well.

We close our doors at 5pm on the 22nd this year and so, if by some freak chance there is anything we haven't managed to get done (and as I said it hasn't happened in all the years we have been open so far) then we still have the buffer of the Sunday and Monday when we could come in and finish jobs.

But we have been known to do jobs on the last day we are open - sometimes while people wait, other times when they can leave it with us for a bit. But most years our last day open has been a day of customers collecting completed orders or buying things from the gallery.

I'm not saying that this method of working would suit everyone and all business types, just what suits us and how we deal with the Christmas rush.

I'm guiding customers onto stock mouldings too! It's amazing how many old favourites I'm getting through. I may be wrong, but perhaps some of the traditional mouldings are making a comeback!

We have always stopped christmas orders 30 Nov - Most of our customers are by mail and we may need to source items such as cap badges ribbons and even medals . All takes up the time and before you know it .................

There's a limit to what one person can do and there's a limit to what two or twenty two can do too - that's a lot of 2's - durraing!

We have up to 3 people that can frame and take orders, all 3 very rarely have to be out front, there's at least one pushing work out 99% of the time.

Wasn't always like this but I've still never had a cut off - wished I had some years mind!

Our turaround time does not increase either - one week bar 'projects'. Having said that, around now we start asking "Is this required by Christmas'? If not we still strive to do it within a week but put a 'by' date on the order followed by 'or ring if sooner'

last couple of years Chris Evans has been on the radio saying it's too late to go to the framers on Dec 1st. I don't know if that's good or bad for the rest of us but it shows many people do stop.

It's going to depend on what type of business you have isn't it. A reasonably remote shop with high prices isn't going to see an insurmountable increase in trade through the door which may be evened outwith early planners and last minuters, and may be fairly relaxed the year through so the upsurge. If you have a prominent website it's only going to get busier as other sites start to cut-off.

Last year we stopped on the 13th but squeezed in local and trade work after that - probably because these are the most potentially loyal - even if not our best paying or easiest customers. With the local we can squeeze in the last few days after the courier cut off. We do barely get a day to do any Xmas shopping but it's marvellous how pressure means you are very decisive when you do go.

Our experience so far is it's a good time to win new customers and see more work through the year. We do have to have cut-offs though as it is dangerous to work too quickly and we wouldn't want to comprimise quality of output. We have quite a few staff but it varies as to how many we have who are keen to help out with overtime even when it is well paid.

There's a lot to be said for having a steady reputation/business and not running yourself ragged at Xmas but it depends what your aim or position is. You might have a prime shop which will be harder to expand than a footloose online business and managing a lot of staff and orders is not necessarily a route to more profit.