Poll: Placing custom orders

[blingbunny10]

I'm just starting down the custom route, and I sometimes feel TERRIBLE because I have so many questions and ask for multiple quotes. Vendors seem pretty patient (esp. on Etsy) but I can't help but wonder how they REALLY feel. Is this typical? How much do *you* need to talk to the vendor before you feel comfortable placing the final order?

 

[chrono]

I almost always have all the nitty gritty details pat down by the time I request quotations. Depending on the design, I will select a particular group of vendors who either specializes in that type of work or have done something very similar in the past. Even after I've made my choice, there are still details to be tweaked in the CADs, sometimes more than once.

If you don't have a clear idea of what you want, take the time to do so before asking for multiple quotes. Some vendors are very busy or for some, design isn't their strength. Either that, or leave it in the hands of the vendor. Tell him or her you like XYZ elements but dislike ABC elements. Going this route limits you to a single vendor though. The vendor will give you a base price that you'll agree upon and you'll tell him your max budget which he has to work within.

 

[minousbijoux]

I wish I could provide guidance, but I have never had any bespoke pieces made. Some day for sure

 

[chloeishere]

I don't feel like I've got a good enough average to know, yet.

For my engagement ring, the total number of messages between me and the vendor, including both our messages, from start to finish, was 39 (Including my thank you, questions about progress, etc). 9 messages were from me before the order was placed, some of which were things like notifying her of my ring size and that I had sent the stone (and though I had a good idea of what I wanted going in, my fiance came in with an opinion about two messages in, so I changed the style. I also changed the material once when I found out she'd work with 950 palladium, which was my first choice (I was willing to use 14k or 18k palladium white gold)). All designs I discussed with her were variations on stock items found in her store, though, not something that requires CADS-- requesting a different style of bezel, narrower bands, that sort of thing. I felt like she must have been tired of me by the end, but she remained courteous (so I never knew if I was irritating her) throughout.

For my wedding pendant project (a grossular garnet, I haven't been able to get pictures I like enough to post on here, especially since I lost my camera again). :p Once again, going in I had an exact idea of what I wanted (a variation on items I had seen in her shop and knew she'd able able to do skillfully and well), and it still was 9 messages from start to order placement (20 total messages between the two of us). I felt pretty bad because I ended up going for a cheaper "build option" (it cost more than I expected and we have a lot of expenses right now), but though she stuck by her price quote, I think it ended up costing her extra to make. I felt like I was really difficult, even though I really tried not to be. (Again, the vendor was very polite and never indicated that I was irritating her).

For my wedding band (another similar but slightly different style than the jeweler normally does), it was 6 messages from me before the order was placed, but I was also asking some questions about getting a band for him too. I knew the style, but not what I was going to get engraved on the inside. (I definitely don't think I was difficult for this vendor, at least! 23 total messages, but some were chatty, not related to the order or updates).

 

[FrekeChild]

Since most of my stuff is made with Daniel M, we've pretty much gotten a style of communication down. I send them the initial "I want this" email, they return with a quote, I send them a convo to let them know the stones are on their way, they send me a convo when they get it. If it requires CADs, those get a convo or two (I've never tweaked any CADs though!) and then they let me know when it's done, and then I let them know when I get it. So not that involved. Just at certain stages of the process.