I’d like to design and build an improved cutting surface for these static machines that is less expensive and better optimized for in situ replacement. Do you know any cutting table owners in the southeast who are interested in working with a porous plastic manufacturer to develop an improved system?

Thanks,
Ken Milam
rkmilam@yahoo.com

I’ve learnt more reading this column than I have in all the books and articles I’ve managed to find on leather sewing.

Awesome

I suspect in this case it was immaturity or lack of confidence. I noticed them scouting their competition and suspect that the competition probably returned the favor. Given that the competition has figured out the pricing by now, the only reason not to publish your price is that you don’t think the customers will know a good deal when they see it.

If you want to see what good customer support looks like (pre- and post-sales), go look at Dallas Semiconductor (Maxim). You can look at any product, spec sheet, and application note, and even order evaluation kits and free samples from their website. They also happen to be very successful – is it because of or in spite of the way they give away information? I’d argue the former.

I had a conversation with my boss, yesterday, because I have preconceived notions about hiding your prices. She said her opinion was that it breaks down into two main categories: a) your product requires a lot of customized configuration, so pricing requires detailed analysis, and b) the marketing department believes that with their “stellar skills” they can sell more than you think you need.

Her opinion is similar to mine, luckily (it’s good to be of like mind with your boss). In any event, a piece of hardware is a piece of hardware if the price isn’t publishable, then it might fluctuate depending on what the salesperson thinks you can afford, how much commission they need to earn, etc (i.e. a car).

While this particular company has a kick-a$$ product, their marketing team is standing in the way to making deals by not disclosing the cost on their website. When customers are shopping for hardware, features are about 20% of the deciding factor. Most of the buying decision is price, let’s face it, there are any number of hardware options that will obtain the same result – some with a little more work effort to operate than others.

And what *is* it with the sewn good industry? Where did all the incredibly thin skins come from? And the reluctance to move into the modern era? From the perspective of someone used to an entirely different sales/customer service arena (my day job is in software development), it seems, well….childish.

Customers for leather goods? Make armored leather gear for female motorcyclists. It is 90% impossible for women to find leather armor that fits them.

When I say customer, I don’t mean the end user or consumer. I mean manufacturers, B2B. I know there are consumers who will pay $1,000-$1,200 for a jacket but I don’t deal well with people and couldn’t handle the hassle of custom clothing customers (some can be pretty arrogant and self important, thinking they own you). You don’t make much on one-shot deals so I’d have to charge them more than manufacturer customers because manufacturers would be repeat customers. However, if *you* wanted to manufacture these jackets you describe, you could be my customer .

FYI on steel dies – the price is going through the roof because the cost of steel is going through the roof. I buy osborne leather tools and normally I only buy what I need on a project and never buy tools I don’t need yet but due to the steel prices and osborne prices going up every year on their tools it pays to buy whatever I think I might need this year rather than wait until next year for a several dollar price increase.

Just for those who never had a steel die made – a tiny steel die (cheap kind with wood backing and knife edge) for a wrist cuff side piece would be about $25.00 so you can imagine what a die for a garment would cost and if you go all steel then it is hugely more expensive. We have a die maker left in NYC who gives 24 hour turn around if you are looking for smaller dies – Continental Die.

Make armored leather gear for female motorcyclists. It is 90% impossible for women to find leather armor that fits them. I got lucky and bought a pair of Vansons leather that are wide enough in the hips and don’t float too terribly much around my waist. However wearing them with the side pockets zipped creates an uncomfortable athletic cup effect.

More and more people are saying they are offering women’s riding gear but you can’t prove it by the rest of us. I do mean serious riding gear. Not Harley Davidson riding gear.