Charging for design time...

[bikerjohn]

Sometimes we charge, and sometimes we don't. It depends on the customer.

If there is a potential for, say, fifty vans, then we wouldn't worry about a £50 design/layout fee. It's only a pound per vehicle after all, and we can build that in.

The single figure volumes are more difficult and if it's quick and easy then, again, we don't bother itemising it separately. However, if there is more involved, then I tell them that their first van will be £x and that subsequent ones will be £y.

We always charge for digitising logos.

[simon c]

Its such a grey area, i think Eco knocked the nail on the head about using the design for letter heads etc, but the design remains yours, unless paid for..

A friend of mine worked for a major playing in design game, they would charge millions for their design work. the likes of SEAT, BT and many more big blue chip companies

What does happen when you do a design for free or even charge £50 and get the job but the customer then goes to another company to get their fleet of 100 vehicles done?
I do know of one guy, he got designs done by one company, he then when else where to get the job done, the first company found out and sent him a bill for £300, in the end he ended up paying the first company for the design, but how many of us would bother?

[James Kelly]

Originally Posted by Mamos

What I find annoying is you do nice simple layout for a vehicle and then the client starts using this layout on other things like business card, adverts etc.

Customers are fairly certain to use their new logo on stationery, work clothing, etc. Another good reason for charging properly for it in the first place. T&C's for logo design, copyright and usage is something that design agencies usually present and something that, to be honest, I haven't been bothering with but should.

A while back a local company came to us fgor van graphics and as they had 6 vans needing done plus needed new signs for their premises I factored the design into the price of the job. We did the first 2 vans, gave then a copy of the new logo for stationery and then they got another company to do the other vans and all the shop signs.

Anyone got any good T&C's?

[4D Signs]

This has always been a knotty issue for us.

With corporates who want to specify and have lots of committees, presentations, etc. on the way to a final order. We generally charge for the time.

Smaller clients sometimes seem to be trying to get us to do the graphic design job they won't pay a designer for. i.e. we design a van then suddenly they want the logo for everything else, "seeing as it is on your computer anyway".
They think they are so clever to have "nicked" the work but usually they get charged by the printers and embroiderers who make rough facsimiles of the bitmap we send them.

I think it may be a "british" thing like our love of cheap shoddy goods which are sold as "Bargains" by big stores. And yet the world (recent ad for insurance) knows very well that we are rubbish at negotiating and exploits us mercilessly for our lack of common sense!

Good clients of any size always seem to appreciate the work we put in and expect to pay us for it. That's the ones we will bend over backwards for! We alway itemise what we have done and they always seem aware of the time needed to accomplish a job. So things go smoothly when we work for them and they get a very economic solution. Shame so many people think they can duck, bully or cheat the system into giving them a "blinding deal" to brag about in the pub!

Rant over!

[Dewi]

Originally Posted by James Kelly

Anyone got any good T&C's?

Aye... I'll get them across to you tonight James.

Cheers, Dewi

[Dewi]

Originally Posted by 4D Signs

I think it may be a "british" thing like our love of cheap shoddy goods which are sold as "Bargains" by big stores. And yet the world (recent ad for insurance) knows very well that we are rubbish at negotiating and exploits us mercilessly for our lack of common sense!

Half the reason that if you're any good at negotiating, you don't do half bad with the suppliers of the industry... was nattering with someone the other day about suppliers who make it hard to even get a price for goods, let alone buy them... seems a bit daft in this day and age.

It is weird that one section of the market readily accepts they need to pay for design, whereas another section point blank refuses to pay for design... tis very bizarre. The industry as a whole has thinned a little over the last year though, so maybe things will change... but I ain't holding my breath!

Cheers, Dewi