Tailor Archive

Since becoming a tailor I can't even COUNT the amount of times I've gotten things like this.

"I'm new on the server.. can you make me ... for free?"

"I want .. and .. and .. and .. but I only have this much.. can I have it for that?"

"Can you make me ... and I will pay you later? I'm good for it I swear!"

"Can you make me ... and I'll give you half now and half in a few days?"

"Can I trade in this ... that this other tailor made because I don't like the color and they won't let me trade it in for another.. and I can't afford to buy a new one"

This is just a FEW examples of requests I've gotten in the past few weeks since getting master tailor. Now I like to help out as much as the next person but people don't understand that I'm trying to run a business.. I will give new players clothes if I feel they want to help themselves.. perhaps if someone comes up to me and asks how they can make money or what they can do to get started, I am more likely to help than if they just walk up and ask me for handouts.

I find a lot of dancers (as I am master dancer as well and travel around to different cantinas dancing and tailoring) ask me for deals. Especially the young ones who want the really nice outfits but can't afford them yet..

How do you say no without sounding rude or mean? I try to be friendly and explain that I like to keep it simple .. people pay, I make their clothes.. but I'm getting kind of sick of people asking for freebies and getting pissy when I don't want to just give items away.

Any advice?

Well, for the "I'll pay you later" crowd I'd just say "I'm sorry, I used to do that but I didn't get paid so many times I just don't do it any more."

For those who want something for free or very cheap, suggest they run some missions.. or check the bazaar for resales.

Trade-in's from other tailors? Sheesh.. maybe tell them you can't take it as a trade-in because you only sell your own products? Maybe suggest the bazaar as well.

It's definitely a learning experience.. I'm slowing crossing "nice things to do for people" off my list because I am getting screwed doing it. Nothing major so far.. and no one has run off with clothes I let them try on.. yet. /sigh

"" Ri'a Ocoli
"" Master Tailor, Kettemoor
"" Fine Attire by Ri'a is 1km north of Keren at 1190, 3770
"" .. my door is always open, stop by any time!

I'm going to be honest: This is a toughie!

The ways I say no are typically:

"Unfortunately I am unable to create any free items because I'm broke and my harvesters are hungry" (True or not, which is almost always not...)
"How about we go hunting together. I get the hide and you can have X for $$ from your earnings." (I discount the price by about 6*6*(Number of missions needed to get the cash) because that's how much the hide is worth to me and I was likely going to go hunting for some anyway)
"I really can't take half you know. Unless you want to pay me full for the item and I'll give you half now and half later..." (Kinda rude, but witty )

Beyond that I have no idea...

That really is tricky, and I have a hard time with it myself. The one thing I do is offer discounts (free dress slippers to match the purchase for entertainers, for instance, is my running standard -- and a reduction in overall cost for larger purchases), and equip folks in a nice set of 'newbie' gear (plain shirt, thin-striped pants, hide boots) -- which usually costs a good deal less, and still looks pretty darn good.

But I cannot get past the notion of folks wanting master-class items for dirt-cheap prices. Fortunately, that's seldom been a problem so far -- but those are items I refuse to give away, or to offer at discounts unless it's a regular customer or a large order, in which case money really shouldn't be a problem for the player anyway.

I haven't gotten screwed over but I've been careful. I have no problem letting people try on items etc as most people I meet (thankfully) are honest.

What bothers me is people thinking I am just going to give them free clothes like it's my responsibility or something. Like I said, I do it quite often when I *Choose* to but I *never* do it when someone asks me or acts as if I'm obliged to in some way.

I do feel bad when I get the sob stories about how broke people are and ask if they can pay me later.. in other cases I just don't get it.

An example.. this morning I log in and a character is standing there asking for my help. I ask how I can help and she said she was new to the server and could I make her an outfit because she had no money. She was standing there with master tattoo's / hairstyle and a flight suit and I'm like.. err yeah right...

I don't know I just never quite know what to say ..

That person sounds like a professional beggar for sure! And with quite a high skill! :-)

I won't say I've gotten "screwed" necessarily.. but I will no longer discount items based on the promise of future orders. I quoted a very competitive price for 20 flightsuits, now the person has emailed me that they have finally chosen the color, and he will let me know how many they initially need. Why do I feel like it's going to be two or three?

/sigh

"" Ri'a Ocoli
"" Master Tailor, Kettemoor
"" Fine Attire by Ri'a is 1km north of Keren at 1190, 3770
"" .. my door is always open, stop by any time!

Try this:

NO, get the *edit* outta my shop you n00b.

I find it works pretty well.

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AnitaSWG wrote:

I quoted a very competitive price for 20 flightsuits, now the person has emailed me that they have finally chosen the color, and he will let me know how many they initially need. Why do I feel like it's going to be two or three?

/sigh

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Why not just say "The price I quoted was for an order of twenty flightsuits. If you want less than twenty, the price per suit is X", where X is greater than the bulk price. If you're looking to make money, don't go for that "I'll pay you tuesday" crap.

I'm at the point where I only give discounts to frequent buyers and PA members. Everyone else can pay my prices or go somewhere else. If you can't afford the high-level clothes, there are plenty of nice, less expensive items to choose from. Just because a Master Dancer can afford a fleshwrap doesn't mean a Novice Entertainer is entitled to one. They get short-shorts and shortsleeve jackets like everyone else did at the beginning (ok, this does not count as "nice", but it is less expensive).

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Ill_Omen wrote: Why not just say "The price I quoted was for an order of twenty flightsuits. If you want less than twenty, the price per suit is X", where X is greater than the bulk price.

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That was basically my response to this last email. The whole thing just gives me a headache because I also sold 3 suits at a discounted price (not the low, low price) so they could choose a color.. well this guy then tells a random guy on the street that I sell flightsuits for that price all the time.I just need to grow a thicker skin. :-)

"" Ri'a Ocoli
"" Master Tailor, Kettemoor
"" Fine Attire by Ri'a is 1km north of Keren at 1190, 3770
"" .. my door is always open, stop by any time!

Wow, I must be a major jerk. If someone tries to haggle or beg off me, I just say no haggling and no freebies. Maybe that's why I make all my credits off powerups. No tolerance for the BS that comes with tailoring. I had a guy last night ask for something 'funky but not expensive'. I made him a couple of trial items, he didn't like anything and wouldn't give me any input so I told him all the funky stuff is expensive and he went on his way, probably to another more customer-service oriented tailor. More power to them.

I think my prices are more than reasonable and if someone wants something they can't afford right now, it's not so hard to go do a few missions and earn it. Of course..I'm nice about saying something like that. In addition, I've got a vendor in my workshop (which is NOT where my main vendor is) and I use it for custom and special orders. I'll tell that person that I'll make their item and put it on the special order vendor with their name in the description. That way, they can pick it up at their convience. Now, I DO check that vendor very regularly to make sure the items are still there if the person requesting it hasn't purchased it. So far this has worked very well for me.

If the person is obviously just lazy, I try to have some fun with it. (This probably isn't good for business but...) I like to string them along as long as possible making them explain to themselves why their request is out of the question.

Now, if it's possible that the person is just inexperienced, that's a different story. I don't just tell them, no, outright. I'll kindly explain my situation and that's worked out so far. Just be straight forward with them. Don't act sorry and don't be condescending.

I learned some of these "NO" techniques in EQ. For instance:

EQ Beggar #1," Got anything free you can give a level 1druid?

Me,"No, got anything free for a level 65 chanter?"

this changed to.....

Beggar #1 says,"Do you have any free clothes I could have?"

Joli says," Hmm, I might, do you have any free harvestors(or credits)I could have?"

Beggar #2 says,"I just started playing, can you give me any free clothes?"

Joli says,"Just do like everyone else, go to the Tusken Fort, the Tuskens give away free Master Tailor clothing there!"

Beggar #3 says,"Can you make me ... and I will pay you later? I'm good for it I swear!"

Joli says,"Sure, when you bring me the credits, I'll have it ready, I'm good for it, I swear!"

Beggar #4 says,"Can I trade in this ... that this other tailor made because I don't like the color and they won't let me trade it in for another.. and I can't afford to buy a new one"

Joli says,"I'll take that item off your hands if you'll take this CDEF pistol off my hands for that FGW5."

Beggar #4 says,"I don't want that CDEF!"

Joli says,"Ah... so now we understand each other."