customer deposits

[racerman 0]

For those of you who sell gear do you require a deposit and if so how much? Unfortuately I've learned my lesson after eating a complete rig.

[ufk22 32]

If you don't get at least 1/2 up front, you're taking a HUGE risk. If you don't get it all up front, your still taking a risk, just not as big.
And that up front money shouldn't be refundable.

This is the paradox of skydiving. We do something very dangerous, expose ourselves to a totally unnecesary risk, and then spend our time trying to make it safer.

[SansSuit 1]

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For those of you who sell gear do you require a deposit and if so how much? Unfortuately I've learned my lesson after eating a complete rig.

I'm sure that if I ate a complete rig, I be leaving deposits for days !!

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Peace,
-Dawson.
http://www.SansSuit.com
The Society for the Advancement of Naked Skydiving

[diablopilot 2]

50% to place the order, full payment to receive the equipment, no exceptions.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[sundevil777 93]

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50% to place the order, full payment to receive the equipment, no exceptions.

That should work pretty well, as long as there is in writing the agreement that after some set period of time the dealer keeps the equipment, with only a (small?) portion of that deposit possibly being refundable - kinda like a restocking fee?

A dealer can then sell the rig and likely still make a good profit. Even highly ugly (custom color) gear should be marketable when you start out with most of a big deposit in your pocket.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[BKR 0]

20% deposit, remaining balance before delivery.

Jérôme Bunker
Basik Air Concept
www.basik.fr
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Le-Luc-France/BASIK-AIR-CONCEPT/172133350468

[davelepka 4]

I floated this idea in another thread, and I still think it's a good one that protects all involved.

Have the customer pay a deposit of 75%, and have them make the payment directly to the manufacturer. This way, the dealer is protected as the gear is essentailly paid for. The 75% should cover the cost of the rig (or close), so if you never see the customer again, the manufacturer is not looking at you to pay for the gear (or they're just looking for the balance, which would be small and worth it to get the gear into your hands for resale).

The customer is protected because the dealer never holds the bulk of the money, and their name is attached to the order. If the dealer disappears, the customer can complete the transaction with the manufacturer directly, without losing their deposit.

Provided nobody disappears, and the sale moves forward without a problem, the balance is due upon delivery. At that time the customer has their gear in the their hands, and the dealer has the remaining balance of which they can pay off anything owed to the manufacturer, and then enjoy their profits.

In this plan, the customer is involved enough to be protected, but not so much that they are privy to the dealers pricing and percentage of profits.