Fred Parker on fri 23 oct 09
Admittedly I am the worst when it comes to keeping up with inventory in t=
=3D
he
shops and galleries that carry my work. I have no clue how to go about i=
=3D
t,
and frankly, it doesn't interest me as much as making pots. I TOTALLY re=
=3D
ly
on the good intentions and thoroughness of the shop owners/managers, and =
=3D
I
KNOW this is naive.
Can anyone suggest a reasonable approach to tracking inventory in
consignment shops and galleries?
Many thanks,
Fred Parker
William & Susan Schran User on fri 23 oct 09
On 10/23/09 9:26 AM, "Fred Parker" wrote:
> Admittedly I am the worst when it comes to keeping up with inventory in t=
he
> shops and galleries that carry my work. I have no clue how to go about i=
t,
> and frankly, it doesn't interest me as much as making pots. I TOTALLY re=
ly
> on the good intentions and thoroughness of the shop owners/managers, and =
I
> KNOW this is naive.
>
> Can anyone suggest a reasonable approach to tracking inventory in
> consignment shops and galleries?
Do it by hand or on your computer.
MS Excel works well for this.
Label every pot that goes out of your studio with your inventory sticker.
Use simple letters/numbers - FP0109 (Fred Parker, pot 01, year 09).
Stick to bottom of pot.
Tell the gallery not to remove this sticker!
The gallery is welcome to apply their own with sale price
On the inventory sheet - your inventory code, description, sales price
(unless gallery sets that) and amount due to you.
Take two copies, one for gallery, one for you.
You and gallery representative signs both.
Each month when you get check, they should provide a list of sales with you=
r
inventory number, sales price and percentage due to you.
Bill
--
William "Bill" Schran
wschran@cox.net
wschran@nvcc.edu
http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
May Luk on fri 23 oct 09
I use Quickbooks to generate my consignment form, but I already have a
linesheet and style number in place.
If you are a visual person and your work is different from batch to batch.
With a digital camer and Photoshop, you can
1-take one digital photo of each pot.
2- Export all the photos of that grouping into a folder in your harddrive -
date and name gallery name accordingly.
3- In Photoshop > File > Automate > Contact Sheet II
4- Generate your contact sheet, save file and use proper name convention =
=3D
gallery_name_date_drop_off.psd
5 - You can then pencil in prices, consignment serial number, etc on the
contact sheet print out and make a copy for yourshelf.
6- If you are real clever with Photoshop, you can also add your own
anotation, file names and whatnot, but handwriting is probably easiest and
more intuitive.
Galleries would love that as a packing list.
It is a good idea to take snapshots of pots delivered in a group for quick
overview anyways.
Regards
May
Brooklyn NY
On Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 9:26 AM, Fred Parker wrote:
> Admittedly I am the worst when it comes to keeping up with inventory in t=
he
> shops and galleries that carry my work. I have no clue how to go about i=
t,
> and frankly, it doesn't interest me as much as making pots. I TOTALLY re=
ly
> on the good intentions and thoroughness of the shop owners/managers, and =
I
> KNOW this is naive.
>
> Can anyone suggest a reasonable approach to tracking inventory in
> consignment shops and galleries?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Fred Parker
>
--
http://twitter.com/MayLuk
http://www.flickr.com/groups/handmade_mugs/
Dolita Dohrman on fri 23 oct 09
Fred, I don't really have that much work in galleries but I am a firm
believer in the power of an excel spreadsheet. It is one of the best
programs around. You can keep all your gallery pieces in one 'book'
that has as many individual spreadsheets in it as you have
galleries. Keep an inventory for each gallery. You can keep info on
anything you like in the columns. Great tool.
Dolita in Kentucky
On Oct 23, 2009, at 9:26 AM, Fred Parker wrote:
> Admittedly I am the worst when it comes to keeping up with
> inventory in the
> shops and galleries that carry my work. I have no clue how to go
> about it,
> and frankly, it doesn't interest me as much as making pots. I
> TOTALLY rely
> on the good intentions and thoroughness of the shop owners/
> managers, and I
> KNOW this is naive.
>
> Can anyone suggest a reasonable approach to tracking inventory in
> consignment shops and galleries?
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Fred Parker
Sandy Miller on fri 23 oct 09
Fred,I drop work off and take a camera! =3DA0or your cell phone.When I get =
ho=3D
me I download the photos under the file set up for the gallery with it's in=
=3D
ventory sheet. =3DA0I don't know of gallery that accepts pots without an in=
ve=3D
ntory sheet. =3DA0paper work is a pain but worth the time,best,Sandy Miller=
ww=3D
w.sandymillerpottery.com
steve graber on fri 23 oct 09
if you have wall space, put folders on the wall and drop 3x5 cards into the=
=3D
se folders.=3DA0 each folder would be called "your gallery".=3DA0 the 3x5 c=
ard =3D
would be the product.=3DA0 add notes as required to the 3x5 card.=3DA0 ~ su=
ch a=3D
s what it is, price, if you felt that was a good or bad price, etc.=3DA0 en=
ou=3D
gh to make another.=3DA0 maybe if you can, add a=3DA0picture.=3DA0 ~ but le=
t's no=3D
t get carried away!=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0Apull 3x5 cards out when a product is sol=
d and =3D
leaves that gallery.=3DA0 or if it's transfered to another gallery.=3DA0 ma=
ybe =3D
put that card in your studio to make more.=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0Aadd notes to the =
folder=3D
cover for follow up calls.=3DA0 like a calendar.=3DA0 or TEAR up a calenda=
r an=3D
d tape to the cover to use.=3DA0 denote on the calendar when to call or fol=
lo=3D
w up with=3DA0these guys.=3DA0 ahead of time draw a circle on the dates you=
wan=3D
t to call them.=3DA0 blacken in the circle when you DO call them.=3DA0 add =
call=3D
notes.=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0Ai like walls because i do not cover them with "stuff=
".=3DA0 =3D
they could=3DA0be put on a desk - then covered with stuff.=3DA0=3DA0 these =
folder=3D
s could be put into a cabinet - then forgotten.=3DA0 a wall is always stari=
ng=3D
at you.=3DA0 they make you feel guilty in time with the right "do it" list=
o=3D
n them.=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0Askip computer schemes.=3DA0 you'll likely not m=
aintain th=3D
at.=3DA0 i'm on computers all day yet i keep my inventory straight at home =
vi=3D
a full or empty boxes.=3DA0=3DA0 =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3DA0Steve Graber, Graber's=
Pottery, In=3D
c=3D0AClaremont, California USA=3D0AThe Steve Tool - for awesome texture on=
pot=3D
s! =3D0Awww.graberspottery.com steve@graberspottery.com =3D0A=3D0A=3D0AOn L=
aguna Cl=3D
ay's website=3D0Ahttp://www.lagunaclay.com/blogs/ =3D0A=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A-----=
Original =3D
Message ----=3D0A> From: Fred Parker =3D0A> To: Clayart=
@LSV=3D
.CERAMICS.ORG=3D0A> Sent: Fri, October 23, 2009 6:26:12 AM=3D0A> Subject: T=
rack=3D
ing gallery/shop inventory=3D0A> =3D0A> Admittedly I am the worst when it c=
omes=3D
to keeping up with inventory in the=3D0A> shops and galleries that carry m=
y =3D
work.=3DA0 I have no clue how to go about it,=3D0A> and frankly, it doesn't=
int=3D
erest me as much as making pots.=3DA0 I TOTALLY rely=3D0A> on the good inte=
ntio=3D
ns and thoroughness of the shop owners/managers, and I=3D0A> KNOW this is n=
ai=3D
ve.=3D0A> =3D0A> Can anyone suggest a reasonable approach to tracking inven=
tory=3D
in=3D0A> consignment shops and galleries?=3D0A> =3D0A> Many thanks,=3D0A> =
=3D0A> Fre=3D
d Parker=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A__________________________________________________=
=3D0ADo Yo=3D
u Yahoo!?=3D0ATired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection arou=
nd=3D
=3D0Ahttp://mail.yahoo.com
Eleanora Eden on tue 27 oct 09
Hi Bill and all,
I actually do have my own inventory code system. I make a note on the
bottom of every invoice that the code sticker cannot be removed. They
are getting better at compliance but it is still a vigorous struggle.
My system has two letters for each style, then a # for vase, pitcher, plate=
,
bowl, teapot, etc. Then it is sequential for that style and form. ie, FC =
=3D fruit
and check, 2=3Dvase, so FC2044 is the 44th fruit and check vase. I keep a
list and double check each time I use it so that I know I am duplicating.
I photograph everything before it goes out so the photo log is
the permanent record of all the details, size, price, etc. that goes with a=
code.
I also have a spread sheet for each store that has a column for all the pot=
s I offer to
stores and columns for delivery dates. When I do a delivery I add another
column, using my codes. When something sells I highlight it. When the end=
-of-year
inventory comes along I highlight their list in a different color for each =
year.
So, at a glance I know what is there, what is sold, and what, when inventor=
y
time rolls around again, they are not declaring that they still should have=
.
Works for me.
Eleanora
>On 10/23/09 9:26 AM, "Fred Parker" wrote:
>
>> Admittedly I am the worst when it comes to keeping up with inventory in =
the
>> shops and galleries that carry my work. I have no clue how to go about =
it,
>> and frankly, it doesn't interest me as much as making pots. I TOTALLY r=
ely
>> on the good intentions and thoroughness of the shop owners/managers, and=
I
>> KNOW this is naive.
>>
>> Can anyone suggest a reasonable approach to tracking inventory in
>> consignment shops and galleries?
>
>Do it by hand or on your computer.
>MS Excel works well for this.
>Label every pot that goes out of your studio with your inventory sticker.
>Use simple letters/numbers - FP0109 (Fred Parker, pot 01, year 09).
>Stick to bottom of pot.
>Tell the gallery not to remove this sticker!
>The gallery is welcome to apply their own with sale price
>
>On the inventory sheet - your inventory code, description, sales price
>(unless gallery sets that) and amount due to you.
>
>Take two copies, one for gallery, one for you.
>You and gallery representative signs both.
>
>Each month when you get check, they should provide a list of sales with yo=
ur
>inventory number, sales price and percentage due to you.
>
>Bill
>
>--
>William "Bill" Schran
>wschran@cox.net
>wschran@nvcc.edu
>http://www.creativecreekartisans.com
--
Bellows Falls Vermont
www.eleanoraeden.com
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