furnishings industry questions

Re: [spiers] furnishings industry questions

Slight correction...not "I take the samples to the same retailers and others to
get orders
sufficient to fill supplier minimums." but "I take the samples to the same
retailers and get
the names of the very best independent sales representatives for this kind of
product."

With the names of the best reps, and buyers ready to buy, you then pose the
promotion
problems to the reps, the professionals who do this kind of work. they'll have
the best
advice...

As to #2 below... that www.surtex.com site mentioned yesterday has interctive
access to
hundreds of designers and talent agents...perhaps you could poll them...

John

> I have developed a unique "high-design" water fountain that retailers told
> me was a great idea that their customers would buy. Two questions:
>
> 1. Samples: I now have samples. Under the Spiers model, I take the
> samples to the same retailers and others to get orders sufficient to fill
> supplier minimums. However, my fountains are difficult to transport due to
> size and location of the retailers. Only a few retailers are local. This
> must be a problem common in the furnishings industry. Consider armoires.
> To those of you with furnishings (or other large item) experience, how do
> you deal with it? I've considered making a small scale model. However this
> requires duplicate tooling (molds) and the pumps are unavailable to
> replicate the water flow. The product does show best live vs. photographed.
>
> 2. Design commission: Compensation to the designer may change. Does
> anyone know the common range of commissions for "lesser known" furniture
> designers? I've been unable to sleuth it out in the trade journals.
>
> Thanks much. By the way, I've been enjoying the saga of the basic cell
> phone search.
>
> Mary Kay

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