'First Look' at the new League of Augsburg range!

[Chad]

What about those gamers who do not field such large units?

Chad

[clibinarium]

As Leon says I don't get a lot of time for 10mm sculpting, but it pretty much balances with the Pendraken budget anyway. This month I have AWI stuff on the desk, infantry, including the Guard's command, hatmen and flankers. The batch after that will be LoA, grenadiers being first on the list.

28mm work is what pays my bills, or at least that's the idea (at the moment my invoices are unheeded, making me disillusioned with the whole thing).

[Wkeyser]

Hi Clib
As I have mentioned before regarding the French Rev range, I think there is a real possibility to get buy in from gamers on a range.

What is needed is Pendraken to give us the number of packs of figures need to sell in order for the range to break even, this is the break even point for Pendraken, all sales after that will be cost of manufacture plus profit.

I still don’t know why this is not done.

Lets say you would take 500 pounds to do x number of figures in a range. Then Pendraken only has to figure out what that cost is plus manufacture of that many figures, that is the break even point where they have paid for you sculpting, molding, and casting.  So say it takes 1000 pounds that is really do able with the quality of the figures that you do in the 10mm scale, take a look at the number of hits for this discussion it is way over most any other topic, this has to say something about the desire to get your figures.

So what would cost be to complete the range that is your sculpting cost, the mold making. Now that number needs to be covered by making x number of packs, with the cost of casting figured on top of that, easy right!

I am willing to put in a preorder with Pendraken for 200 pounds for the rest of the League of Augsburg range and 500 pounds for a complete French Rev range. Now if the boys at Pendraken buy into this (they have not yet) then we could go around the web pedaling the range for preorders. So the people that pledge are charged once the molds are done. So hopefully no delay in paying you clib.
William

[Colors]

> at the moment my invoices are unheeded, making me disillusioned with the whole thing

Don't be. Instead (from personal experience, perhaps obvious, but still):
1- never accept an order if there's still n outstanding, but mention with every order what that n is
2- use a 50-50 or 33-33-33 approach: they pay 50% when you confirm the order, only then do you go to work. With the 1/3 you add a 'project finished' step, eg with photos proving you've done your job, then they pay the 2nd 1/3 and only then do you ship.
3- if your image and reputation allow: always 100% up front. And certainly ALWAYS do this with new customers.
4- often people simply forget to pay, so use early reminders, but never in writing: call or visit
5- sometimes they are in a rough spot and want to pay but cant, so when you do 4 and meet too many uhms and ahs, offer a payment in installments, it will take longer, but you'll get your money
6- these days there are quite a lot of businesses that really only pay when you threaten with legal action, very impolite, but that's life. So find out what the legal procedure is (some countries require a reminder by post before you can start sueing for example), then send the official letter, not yours, but a lawyer's. They charge a small fee for this kind of standard letter, but 9-10 times they work and almost always their fee is included in the letter, so the late-payer pays it (put that in your order agreement)
7- there's always some that start out with the plan do scam you, often these people are likeable but still somehow rub you in the wrong direction. Almost always they're in a hurry and usually they have the legal thing sorted out. To avoid being duped, always do 3 (and even then they know how to get you ... and me ... several times)

If potential clients respond to any of these with a "I won't accept that, do you want to do business or what!?" simply respond that as a personal favor you'd like to comply, but successful experts say personal and business don't mix, so business is business and that means 1 to 7. Don't back down because in at least 30% of such cases you'll lose money.

Never take it personal and always offer cash payment discounts. It goes both ways. I once lost my IT supplier, because he was angry that I always paid too late. It was silly: I never realized it was such a big thing to him, I simply hated to do the paperwork, I would have gladly paid him cash everytime (his office was close to mine). But instead of talking he got angry.

Cheers, keep the good work going. We are lost without you!

Colors

[clibinarium]

Don't worry, nearly all the precautions you list I take already. Where I have not been paid it is never out of malice, but out of difficult circumstances I believe. Recently I have been very frustrated by it and probably I spoke out of turn because of it.

One thing I must make clear, if it was in any way ambiguous in my post; all the folks at Pendraken have never given me any problems, indeed they are a joy to work with.

[Leon]

I don't get company's that deal that way.  If you've got a talented sculptor, who's producing good work, for a range you'd like to expand and grow, why risk p***ing them off by messing about when it comes to paying?

Ah well, there'll always be work in 10mm...    

[andymac]

I have painted up figure samples from 8 of the first 10 packs and have posted images here http://s347.photobucket.com/albums/p456/Andymacs/60%20-%2010mm%20LOA%20figures%20Pendraken/.  They were a real treat to paint.

Andy Mac

[goat major]

bloody lovely as ever Andy !!!!! 

[Frantic]

Great painting Andy

Looking forward to getting some figs to paint at Sheffield 

[Leon]

Looking forward to getting some figs to paint at Sheffield 

Have you pre-ordered them, cos I don't know how if I'll have time to get many of the packs cast up!

[Frantic]

No not pre-ordered, if none available I will no doubt get something else 

[Leon]

No not pre-ordered, if none available I will no doubt get something else 

I'll see what I can get cast up then, but you'd better pop by our stand early to make sure there's some left!   

[Leon]

Missing codes are now available!

And pictures are coming soon!

http://www.pendraken.co.uk/Renaissance-c12/NEW-League-of-Augsburg-NEW-sc258/

 

[Steve J]

The link doesn't work Leon, possibly due to the thumbs up smiley?

[Leon]

The link doesn't work Leon, possibly due to the thumbs up smiley?

Bah, stupid html tags...!  All fixed now.