What is the best way to label glass so galleries will pay?

The forum for discussion on business aspects of working with glass.

Moderator: Brad Walker

Post Reply
Bonita (Nita) Crawford
Posts: 62
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:17 pm
Location: Montgomery, AL

What is the best way to label glass so galleries will pay?

Post by Bonita (Nita) Crawford »

Dear Glass Friends,

I am a member of a co-op. I have implicit trust in the owner of the
gallery and we have drifted into "settling up at the end of the year"
since I also buy supplies wholesale from him.

He has become extremely busy with high end commissions and has
no interest or time for business. The man who handled it has left
and apparently misplaced my list of sales. There is a sales book,
but my sales often are not entered during a busy show. When I questioned the cashier as to why some of my sales I knew I made
at one open house were not credited to me, she said she didn't have
time to do that in all the rush, that we could check the cash register
tapes at some future time.

I have records of supplies I have purchased, so we can settle up on that
end, but I fear I will never get paid for a lot of my work. I furnished an
inventory list, but it has been lost. My copy was on my computer that
got "fried" recently, including the hard drive. In fact someone in the
computer guy's workroom tossed it out. Drats!

I don't know that we can ever straighten this mess out, but I don't want
it to happen again. I have heard there were two-part labels which can
show the artist's name, price, and brief description. Both are placed on
each piece of glass. When it is sold, one part of the label is pulled off
and attached to a sheet for each individual artist. This is kept in a
loose leaf note book until the account is settled between gallery and
artist.

Has anyone seen these labels, better yet, used them? If they work
well, please tell me where I can purchase some. The year's biggest
show is coming up next week, and I want to inventory all my glass,
re-label it, and try to see that this never happens again. I truly do
not believe the owner is trying to cheat me. He is as discouraged as
I am. He was ready to settle up with me, and while he was out of
town, the records disappeared.

If any of you have a better idea to prevent this problem, please let
me know.

Help!!

Thanks,
Nita
rosanna gusler
Posts: 730
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 2:22 pm
Location: wanchese north carolina
Contact:

Post by rosanna gusler »

wow nita, that is tough. i think that the cashier is stealing from both of you. too busy to write down sales my foot! all i can offer is sympathy. i have seen those labels too but i do not know where. rosanna
Don Burt
Posts: 573
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 8:45 pm
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Contact:

Re: What is the best way to label glass so galleries will pa

Post by Don Burt »

Bonita (Nita) Crawford wrote:Dear Glass Friends,

I am a member of a co-op. I have implicit trust in the owner of the
gallery and we have drifted into "settling up at the end of the year"
since I also buy supplies wholesale from him.

He has become extremely busy with high end commissions and has
no interest or time for business. The man who handled it has left
and apparently misplaced my list of sales. There is a sales book,
but my sales often are not entered during a busy show. When I questioned the cashier as to why some of my sales I knew I made
at one open house were not credited to me, she said she didn't have
time to do that in all the rush, that we could check the cash register
tapes at some future time.

I have records of supplies I have purchased, so we can settle up on that
end, but I fear I will never get paid for a lot of my work. I furnished an
inventory list, but it has been lost. My copy was on my computer that
got "fried" recently, including the hard drive. In fact someone in the
computer guy's workroom tossed it out. Drats!

I don't know that we can ever straighten this mess out, but I don't want
it to happen again. I have heard there were two-part labels which can
show the artist's name, price, and brief description. Both are placed on
each piece of glass. When it is sold, one part of the label is pulled off
and attached to a sheet for each individual artist. This is kept in a
loose leaf note book until the account is settled between gallery and
artist.

Has anyone seen these labels, better yet, used them? If they work
well, please tell me where I can purchase some. The year's biggest
show is coming up next week, and I want to inventory all my glass,
re-label it, and try to see that this never happens again. I truly do
not believe the owner is trying to cheat me. He is as discouraged as
I am. He was ready to settle up with me, and while he was out of
town, the records disappeared.

If any of you have a better idea to prevent this problem, please let
me know.

Help!!

Thanks,
Nita

When your computer pukes, all you can do is resolve to make better backups. Digital photos of the inventory would be quick and easy. But you have to keep them on the computer storage. I'd love to hear Bill's opinion of that cashier.
Kevin Midgley
Posts: 773
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:36 am
Location: Tofino, British Columbia, Canada

Post by Kevin Midgley »

My suggestion for the double/single label problem is to use a large enough single label but using an xacto knife cut through only the backing paper. Peel one side only. You do need a label with a backing paper that can be peeled off easily at the sales desk so the sales clerk doesn't have to waste sales time looking for where to start peeling. Old style tractor feed labels?
Geri Comstock
Posts: 340
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 4:16 pm
Location: Northern CA
Contact:

Post by Geri Comstock »

Whenever I've dropped off work at a consignment gallery, I have two hard copies of the inventory list and ask the person who receives them (usually the manager or owner) to sign for them onthe copy that I keep for my own records. I keep this copy in a file folder, along with each list of payments I've received, in the event any such issues as you describe should arise.

This has helped when there have been discrepancies. When I go to "settle up" with them, I take my copies along to help me refresh my memory and theirs, if there is a question about inventor.

I'm baffled as to the cashier's assertion that there isn't time to record sales when they're busy. How else will they know how much money they owe you and what has sold? It's a strange situation and one I personally wouldn't be comfortable being involved in.

Good luck in trying to resolve this -

Geri
PaulS
Posts: 155
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 6:45 pm
Location: Belize
Contact:

Post by PaulS »

Ouch, that's an expensive lesson!

Geri has the solution.

Keep blank inventory sheets on the computer, print off as needed.

I put a carbon paper between them when I deliver, fill it out in front of the manager. They keep one copy.

Anything that isn't present on the next inventory check/delivery has to be paid for, whether sold, 'lost' or absent.

Girl, I hope you can recover some of your loss, it's a lot of work to put in and then trust someone to look after it for you. Sorry to hear about that.

.
It ain't where you're from, it's where you're at!
Chris H
Posts: 43
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 5:58 pm
Location: Hilton Head Island, SC.
Contact:

Post by Chris H »

I'm sorry to hear of this happening. I also started printing 2 copies and always leave one with the store and one is my copy which I file away under the name of the store, and I always bring my copy with me to find out what has or hasn't sold. Plus then the original is on the computer and very easy to update. I made my invertory using Publisher and it has worked for me for 2 years now. Since going to this type of invertory there is no saying this wasn't there or anything like that. The store owner and I go over it when I come in and we make sure that everything is accounted for.
Kristalwick
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2003 8:21 pm
Location: Denver, Colorado

Post by Kristalwick »

This sounds like a situation that you should handle quickly. I always have 2 copies of the inventory list I'm delivering to the gallery/shop (I do a simple version in Excel). We sign both of them and they get one, I keep one. Do you have a contract with them? If not, write a simple one up yourself, have them sign it. Make sure it's clear what happens if merchandise is "missing".

Here is a place you can get those hang tags:

http://www.tebostorefixtures.com

Good luck!
Msveedub
Posts: 13
Joined: Fri Nov 07, 2003 12:39 pm
Location: Washington, D.C.

Post by Msveedub »

Holy cow. I have nothing new to add, except my best wishes that you will recover well.



Susan
Bonita (Nita) Crawford
Posts: 62
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:17 pm
Location: Montgomery, AL

What is the best way to label glass so galleries will pay?

Post by Bonita (Nita) Crawford »

Dear Glass Friends,

As always, you came through for me! I have just returned from the
gallery co-op with a nice check in my hot little hands. It was very
amicable since the owner is a good friend of many years and we both wanted to do what was right. It turned out to be a win/win situation.

I am removing all my glass, inventorying it (2 copies and one on my
computer) and placing 2 removable price tags with needed info. on
each one before returning any. The cashier will be expected to stick one of the tags on my inventory or sales sheet at the time of the sale. Quarterly, we will settle up.

Thank you all for your input and your sympathy, as well. You are
the greatest group of people I have ever met.

Warmly,
Nita
Geri Comstock
Posts: 340
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 4:16 pm
Location: Northern CA
Contact:

Post by Geri Comstock »

I'm so glad to hear this worked out for you, Nita!

Geri
Bonita (Nita) Crawford
Posts: 62
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2003 11:17 pm
Location: Montgomery, AL

Bonus from my labeling adventure

Post by Bonita (Nita) Crawford »

Not only did the gallery co-op owner and I come to a friendly,
equitable solution about my payments, but he also gave me a
used Covington wet belt sander! I had another thread on this
because I really needed one. Now I have it - free - and that's
a very good price.

Nita
Post Reply