Image Designer Archive
Thread: Meeting someone else's price?
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xTown
Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:18 am
#1
I ran into a salon last night to change my hair and eye color, intending on staying just long enough to do that. There was a huge crowd of people gathered around a single Novice ID. He noticed I was there--I had my own Novice ID tag up--and asked if I could help with some of the stat migrations. Now, I'm nice, so I said I would, and I did. I usually charge the seems-to-be-standard 10K+, based on advice from here and from other IDs I've run into. When I asked him what he was charging, he said "Oh, whatever they can afford." Uh-oh.
I honored the price he had already negotiated with the people in line, and walked away with just over 7000 credits after three migrations. I didn't complain, because it wasn't exactly the customers' fault that someone else was doing their migration, but afterwards I wondered if that was the right thing to do. Any thoughts on the matter? I understand that it's within my rights to insist on the usual fee, but since I hadn't negotiated the contract in the first place, I didn't think it would be right; it would have been a bait-and-switch. Or would it?
I honored the price he had already negotiated with the people in line, and walked away with just over 7000 credits after three migrations. I didn't complain, because it wasn't exactly the customers' fault that someone else was doing their migration, but afterwards I wondered if that was the right thing to do. Any thoughts on the matter? I understand that it's within my rights to insist on the usual fee, but since I hadn't negotiated the contract in the first place, I didn't think it would be right; it would have been a bait-and-switch. Or would it?
Syzygy-Gorath
Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:22 am
#2
Bait and switch? By no means. They negotiated a contract that (a) was not with you, and (b) was predicated on a certain expected wait time. I would say that in your situation, state your price of 10K per and if they opt to wait for the ID they negotiated with, so be it, if not that's cool too. In other words, just by providing services you've totally changed the terms of the original agreements, and a renegotiation is more than fair.
xTown wrote:
I ran into a salon last night to change my hair and eye color, intending on staying just long enough to do that. There was a huge crowd of people gathered around a single Novice ID. He noticed I was there--I had my own Novice ID tag up--and asked if I could help with some of the stat migrations. Now, I'm nice, so I said I would, and I did. I usually charge the seems-to-be-standard 10K+, based on advice from here and from other IDs I've run into. When I asked him what he was charging, he said "Oh, whatever they can afford." Uh-oh.
I honored the price he had already negotiated with the people in line, and walked away with just over 7000 credits after three migrations. I didn't complain, because it wasn't exactly the customers' fault that someone else was doing their migration, but afterwards I wondered if that was the right thing to do. Any thoughts on the matter? I understand that it's within my rights to insist on the usual fee, but since I hadn't negotiated the contract in the first place, I didn't think it would be right; it would have been a bait-and-switch. Or would it?
Plagvreugd
Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:30 am
#3
I agree. If you do stat migrations, you do them at your own price. One ID charges one price, you charge another. If the customers don't like it, then that's their problem. I would tell your customers how much you charge beforehand, I do that all the time myself too, to avoid situations like people cancelling after 9 1/2 minutes because they think it's too expensive.
Thewt
TechnoCan
Fri Jul 23, 2004 5:35 pm
#4
I can only add my 'I agree' here, too.
10k is really a reasonable price. It's low enough to allow most newbie to meet it and it's high enough so we can pay our bills easily, too. If someone else takes less and the folks want to wait for their turn, ok. If they choose to take a little shortcut so to say they need to negotiate with you for your prices. There should be no reason for any bad blood there and everyone should be fine with that.
May the Force be with you all!
TechnoCan
IssogiKa
Sat Jul 24, 2004 12:10 am
#6
I completely agree. If they want to wait for the ID that will charge less then that is their choice. To get through the line so much faster I would think they would be more than willing to pay your fee of 10k.
TechnoCan
Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:15 am
#7
FuschiaD wrote:
Yep. I agree too. I'm a sheep. Baa.
*pats FushiaD on had*
Good sheep
TechnoCan
SunsetSam
Sun Jul 25, 2004 11:26 am
#8
Adding my agreement to SG's analysis in the second post, first reply. 
xTown
Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:55 am
#9
Thanks, everyone. That was kind of what I figured. Next time it happens, I'll put my foot down.
Lunablade
Mon Jul 26, 2004 11:33 am
#10
Personally, I inform the person I'm working on about the price for migration and such just pior to actually working on him. I also only inform them of the price in group or in tells, unless they ask. It works to the extend that I'll not clash (too much) in price when there are other Image Designers. Also I'll ask them before I start working in the tents, their fees etc. Still, its not possible to please everyone and its best not to try too hard.
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