Is anyone familiar with Custom Labs?

[The Toyroom]

It comes down to this, and I'm speaking not just as someone who sells, but someone who buys, if you want someone to do this stuff for you, you've got to play by their rules and work with their schedule. If you don't, they they go away and you've got NO ONE to provide these items and services you seek. No one here is getting rich working Mego custom parts for others, so there is only so much priority it can take in a persons life.

I can't say I totally agree...as far as it "their rules...and schedule" and we all gotta play by it. In most circumstances I think the first in, first out order of business would work fine for everyone.

It's when the seller drops the ball (for whatever reason...yes I know that "life happens") and DOESN'T communicate with the buyer. And the buyer is left hanging for 6 months to a year on their items. We've seen this happen ALL TOO FREQUENTLY with various custom shops and I don't think a customer (who paid money BTW) are supposed to sit back quietly and wait for something to happen when the seller sees fit to packaging up their little head or boot or jumpsuit.

If you're selling it on your website, with a picture and price, chances are you've already done the work as far as shrinking/enlarging (the hardest part) and just have to cast a new one. From what I've been hearing lately from LOTS of folks they're waiting the better part of 6 months to a year or MORE in some circumstances without even a "sorry I'm backed up" from the seller.
And for all they know the seller ain't following through on his end of the business transaction. Communication is the KEY!

And I'm sorry if the "hobby" part still doesn't wash for me...if it's trading for parts/services, it's a hobby....money changes hands, it's a business just like any other.

[Dave Mc]

Guess I should qualify with a "within reason". I agree, 6 months is way too long, especially if it's something that doesn't require designing, sewing, painting, etc... If it's just packing something up and shipping, 2-3 weeks is pretty reasonable. Unless of course it's stated upfront that it's going to take that long.

I'm talking more about things that need to be created in some form. Those can take longer. I used to have a waiting list for clothes orders that was a year long, but in that situation, I just put the person on a list and took NO MONEY until I was ready to start their order. That way if they lost interest, or whatever, I wasn't sitting on their cash. In the case of heads, I take the money upfront because I usually have to pay the head caster for the parts and sometimes they have to be shipped to me, making the process slower. I don't want to get to a place where I've paid my money for casts and then the person changes their mind. So I take the cash upfront, but again, I try my best to communicate the time frame and keep people updated and respond to all emails. I get called out of town for a week here and there for work. It happens, and sometimes on short notice. This also slows me down, hence the real life happens thing. But as Anthony said, communication is indeed KEY.

As far as it being a hobby vs. business, there is a fine line there and I can see your point. But don't really agree that trading parts for parts is a hobby and parts for cash is a business. I can almost agree, but not quite. In my case, every penny of the cash I get goes to buying parts or other Mego stuff for the hobby. In a way it's like trading for parts, it's just parts that the buyer doesn't have so is giving me the means to get them on my own. The cash doesn't support me, doesn't pay any bills, just allows me to play. I don't even really consider it real money, in my mind it's "mego money". It's part of how I keep it fun and part of the hobby instead of it becoming work for money.

[The Toyroom]

As far as it being a hobby vs. business, there is a fine line there and I can see your point. But don't really agree that trading parts for parts is a hobby and parts for cash is a business. I can almost agree, but not quite.

My reasoning behind this logic is if I'm trading with someone, they or I don't have any actual cash tied up so we usually have the understanding of "paying customers" first but I still try and get my end of the trade out in the same timeframe as if it was paid for. But if I need a day or two leeway I'll put the trade stuff off and fill the paid orders first.

But if a customer has paid for something then that definitely gets pushed up and put in line in the order it was received. It's also the same with custom requests...if it's someone I've done business with before I may do all of the design work they require before I invoice them. Once everything is designed, I'll invoice them, then once it's paid I'll print/build and ship. This way they're not paying and wondering where their items are while I'm still designing them. But they know that once they've paid the stuff will be shipping out the next day. Granted package design works a little differently than say casting heads but the general principles are still the same.

Now I also use cash earned to supplement my hobby but the customer doesn't necessarily know that (or care)....they just know that I got their cash and expect a product in return. What I do with the cash after the fact is irrelevant to them.

[starsky]

what's customslab website?

[Dave Mc]

I do see your point totally Anthony. It is pretty irrelevant to the person who's spent cash what you do with it, and you are trading work for cash , which I guess technically is indeed a business. I just have to choose not to look at it that way for my own personal reasons. I can't let myself think of it any differently than a trade or I start to take it too seriously and it's no longer fun. I have enough work and responsibility in my life and like to keep the Mego related stuff as fun as possible, so I've made myself view it as a hobby only. It's easy to do because I could walk away from the "business" at anytime and it wouldn't have any affect on my finances.

As I said, it's a fine line an in the end what it is, is something in between. It has aspects of both, and we each have to choose what we consider it to be. In the end, as long as both parties are happy it doesn't matter whether you consider it a business or hobby. The key is to do what you've promised to do and if you can't, be prepared to keep an open dialog or return what was given you for the parts.

BTW, this has gone way off the topic of Custom Labs for me. I don't mean any of this to say anything about Russ' situation. I'm speaking in general terms as it relates to deals of this nature.

[YANOULI]

There are a couple of people who've been waiting on stuff from me ( head shrinks mostly ) and what with one thing or another i'm behind on getting them finished, that's why i never ask for payment until they're ready to ship out.

[Ivaniski]

Is anyone familiar with Custom Labs?.....

It may not be fair...but if you realllllly want something you'll be patient
so you can get it.

Even I lose it after about 6 months though!

All points taken....and there all good. Sometimes...What can you do, if you really want that "Special Custom project" and the customizer says "not finsh yet"...The only recourse you have is to be patient and wait. The good thing is that there are other talented members within the Museum who are also willing to take the challenge of Casting heads and other custom projects, at probably a faster rate. I pre-paid Russ to cast my Bruce Lee head and a few others (It's going on three months now) because i feel that the quality of his work is great. However, It's a business and i know that i'm probably order no.#9,#10 or so down the line. Sometimes impatience can compromise the "Quality" of a particular order.

[Megospidey]

I only thought it was a business if you sent out Christmas cards each year to your customer base Just kiddin....

On a more serious note, the customslab website has been shut down. You can't order anything from him...at least right now.

[MIB41]

Well here's all I'll say on the subject since I did open this thread. As a rule when I do business with ANYONE I go in with an agreement to terms. No assumptions to shipping, no misunderstandings to the nature of my order. And when it comes to MY MONEY I never make a transaction where I don't have an out, meaning a sure fire way to get my money back (should the seller flake on me). You have a responsibility whether your the buyer or the seller. If you have terms, as the buyer you pay immediately. As the seller you fullfill the order based on those terms. If the seller can't meet those terms then he has an obligation to tell you immediately. This is not a cat and mouse game and it's not a hobby when money exchanges hands. Your not letting you neighbor borrow sugar and your not Michelangelo commissioned to do the next great sculpt of David. You've entered a binding agreement that has legal ramifications if not followed. So know your terms and cover your interests. Most people are good folks, but at the end of the day your still doing business with people you don't personally know, so it's a good idea to understand your options before you give them money. For those who take care of me as a buyer, I take care of them as the seller. They get my repeat business often and it builds a healthy foundation for continued enrichment on both sides.

[Ivaniski]

Is anyone familiar with Custom Labs? ......

Well here's all I'll say on the subject since I did open this thread. As a rule when I do business with ANYONE I go in with an agreement to terms. No assumptions to shipping, no misunderstandings to the nature of my order. And when it comes to MY MONEY I never make a transaction where I don't have an out, meaning a sure fire way to get my money back (should the seller flake on me). You have a responsibility whether your the buyer or the seller. If you have terms, as the buyer you pay immediately. As the seller you fullfill the order based on those terms. If the seller can't meet those terms then he has an obligation to tell you immediately. This is not a cat and mouse game and it's not a hobby when money exchanges hands. Your not letting you neighbor borrow sugar and your not Michelangelo commissioned to do the next great sculpt of David. You've entered a binding agreement that has legal ramifications if not followed. So know your terms and cover your interests. Most people are good folks, but at the end of the day your still doing business with people you don't personally know, so it's a good idea to understand your options before you give them money. For those who take care of me as a buyer, I take care of them as the seller. They get my repeat business often and it builds a healthy foundation for continued enrichment on both sides.

You my friend are ......................................100% Right/Correct!!!