Can You Outsource Jewelry Making?
October 8, 2008 by Christine
Filed under Everything else
Is this a conflict? I received an outsourcing question from a reader recently.
She asked
I bought a silver disc from a jeweler and had him to inscribe it for me. Several people saw it and wanted one, and I had the jeweler to do several for me. Since I bought the discs and had the jeweler to inscribe them, would I be able to start my own busines of selling the engraved discs even though I am purchasing them from someone else and they are doing the inscribing? Thanks.
And here’s what I told her:
Yes- of course! Many designers “design” the jewelry but never fabricate it themselves. Of course, ethically I would recommend you not say you made them yourself. But you don’t have to advertise the fact you are outsourcing it either if you don’t want to.
Any thoughts? What do you think?
Popularity: 4% [?]
I think I’d want to know who designed the inscription. If the other person had a hand in the design, then it isn’t really outsourcing. If, however, the person doing the inscription was working completely on direction with no creative input, then I would consider it outsourcing. I also wonder if the inscriber knew that the pieces were going to be sold. Obviously, if it’s okay with them then there shouldn’t be any problem at all.
I recognize the dilema and I agree with the answer. It is your design and as long as that is what is conveyed to the customer everything is fine.
I went to a craft fair last weekend and saw some lovely glass pendants. I asked the vendor if he made them. The answer was no, almost with a tone of “Are you crazy?” In my case I would rather buy from the one who did make them but there is nothing wrong with his selling them that way.
Bev
Of course there is nothing wrong with it. You’ve paid the jeweler for his product and you can do whatever you want with it. If you had a hand in the design process, great, if not, you bought it from a wholesaler. Some people are great at selling, others hate it. If you have found something that you can sell, legally, do it.
ba