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A co-op that I have been in since dec of last year on a consignment basis (I keep 60%) has offered a partnership to me. There are a total of 10 partners, co-op has been around since 2003. My sales have been okay but not over the top great there.

 

On the plus side I would then keep 100% of sales. 

 

On the negative side I would have to give up to give up 2 or 3 days a month, more in Dec, to work shifts there plus the responsibility of one extra duty (facebook for example) which would eat up more time. The rent seems okay. 

 

This is their initial comments:

 

- Buy-in share is $ 750, half of which will be returned to you when you leave
- Monthly rent is $ 96
- All other costs are covered by consignment income
- Approx. 2.5 shifts per month at the gallery except for December when we are open every day until Dec. 24th
- Take home 100% of your own sales
- One evening partner meeting per month
- Each partner takes on one area of responsibility, i.e. I am responsible for the consignees, one person does the accounting, one covers Facebook etc.
 
I would love to hear other peoples opinion on this, I'm leaning towards saying no.
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Questions I would ask myself:

 

1. Would becoming a full partner increase my sales? Do partners tend to sell better than those on consignment?

2. Does the cost of 40% commission to the store offset the time spent fulfilling full partner commitments, e.g., is regaining 40% greater than the cost of 2.5 days working, 1 evening meeting, and whatever time spent of responsible task, along with the new charges of monthly rent and "all other costs"?

3. What is turnover among partners and why do partners leave?

 

The "all other costs" being subtracted from sales means you will not keep 100% of sales. Any idea what those costs are? I'd rather have a higher "rent" each month, with no other charges, that is consistent than a variable charge.

 

I was invited to a similar enterprise and decided my time making wares, etc. was more valuable to me and said no.

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Bruce, those were the thoughts I had also. 

 

There are 2 groups of artists, the "partners" who gett full sales plus a number of artists who sell on a consignment basis. The "all other costs" are paid out of the consignee income so I was told I would get 100% of my sales rather than the current 60%. I was trying to think of other benefits, number crunching aside. I wondered about an increase in sales too. It stands to reason that if I was there I could boost my sales, either by being front and center or improving my positioning in the store. There is only 1 other potter, the rest are 2D artists plus a couple jewelers.

 

Chris, I'm with you on that! I've always thought all meetings should be done without tables and chairs so people get on with it. Not that I get impatient or anything :P

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What is the difference between the amount of commission you paid them per month, and the $96 monthly rent? If the $96 rent is cheaper, how many months would it take to break even on the $750 buy in? The amount of time this will take would drive the decision for me. When I spend this much on a selling opportunity I expect to earn it back with a healthy profit right away.

 

I'm afraid I agree with Chris about the meeting ... that could be a dealbreaker for me too :-)

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If you enjoy the company and interaction with other artists you might enjoy being a partner. The community aspects of a co-op are as important as the cost/benefit ratio. There could be ways to maximize the usefulness of being at the store-advertise the the artist on duty and have some work in progress that folks can ask about . Pump up your sales by show adding your work on those days.

And if you get your buy-in payment back, you could try it for six months and see how it works for you.

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I could not take the 2-3 days a month for small sales. If it's a great venue than maybe.

The meeting is good to keep on track.

For me all these co-ops are out at this stage in life. When I was younger and more hungrey they made some sense-now it does not.

I would tend to figure out your time vs income made then go from there.

My December time is my most valuable in terms of sales-since I do about all days in December myself.

I went thru this in detail with one of my Mentees also in Canada-she after a year bailed out never looked back.

If you have little to do in December this may work

I would also ask myself ow this will impact other areas in sales/work/production and life?

Mark

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Since you are getting into a partnership, I might even consider seeing a lawyer about the possibilities of liability and claims responsibility. You may find yourself in a pickle if for some reason or other the partnership defaults on financial matters or if some one gets hurt on the premises. Is this partnership an LLC? Some things to think about.

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Hey, Min;

I was a member of the Stoneware Gallery in Winnipeg for one year. Longest running pottery co-op in Canada. i remember that you said you were in Ottawa.

I will try a link to you tube here.

TJR.

Didn't work. Tried to paste it. It's In Plain View The stoneware Gallery   you tube.

I am also at In Plain View Tom Roberts You can see what I look like without a plate on my head.

TJR.

Oh! I was turfed out of the co-op, I replaced someone whose professor husband was on sabbatical for a year.

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Hi Tom,

 

Well done, nice to see the face behind the plate!

 

Looks like your old co-op was a great place to work. Do you prefer your current working set up to it?

 

BTW I'm in BC, I don't think I could take the snow in Ottawa.

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Hi Tom,

 

Well done, nice to see the face behind the plate!

 

Looks like your old co-op was a great place to work. Do you prefer your current working set up to it?

 

BTW I'm in BC, I don't think I could take the snow in Ottawa.

O.K. Some confusion here. The Stoneware Gallery is a retail studio /gallery that is THE go to place in Wpg. to buy pots. They also run classes in the back.

The second video is a studio co-op in the second floor of a warehouse that I was in for 26 years. I had a 200 sq. ft. space.Carried my clay up, bisqued and glazed there ,then hauled glazed and decorated pots to a gas kiln across town to be fired at my buddy Steve Jorgenson's. He also has a separate vid.

I have now built the Cadillac studio behind my house. No stairs!

TJR.

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