Need something engraved? Choose your price!

Former_MSE_Andrea

What's it about?

Engraving website Plate-engraving.com is offering its engraving products on a "pay-what-you-think" policy. Make your purchase first then, once you've received it, go back to the website and pay what you think it's worth.

Why's it doing this?

The site is part of a larger company, B & W Darts & Trophies, with several other areas of business that's been trading over 25 years. It's passionate about its trade and has set this up as a social experiment rather than a business model. It believes the public is paying over the odds for engraving at jewellers and shoe repair shops and feels this is potentially putting people off getting engravings done.

This isn't the first time such an experiment's been conducted. Recently the band Radiohead offered downloads from its website with the choice of paying what you think yet in that case you needed to pay beforehand.

So what do I pay and when?

In the case of plate-engraving.com there's no need to pay anything until you've received your goods and even then it's up to you what you pay.

Do remember the work the company has put in to making the engravings though; while the process is now much more mechanical than it used to be and takes a lot less time, the industry still keeps people in work so it's worth considering that when you decide what you're going to pay.

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StevenB_3

Speaking as both a keen money saver, and the owner of a trophy & engraving company, this sort of thing really irritates me!

I am about to invest in a new engraving machine, which will cost me in excess of £10k. There is every chance I could now have customers coming in expecting me to do their engraving for nothing, as otherwise, they will get it done 'on the internet'.
How am I expected to pay for updates in equipment such as this, in order to keep my business up to date & viable, if I generate no revenue from the work I do on the machine?

It's a slippery slope, and I think an ill considered one from the company concerned, and disappointing to see that they value their work so little.

System

Steve, too many companies are specialising in laser engraving/cutting on the internet. It's a saturated market, I don't blame this company for attempting to attract customers this way.

People will still choose workshops over internet based companies. I know that I'd much rather speak to someone face-to-face when ordering these products. But as the old saying goes: if you can't beat them, join them!

StevenB_3

The 3 companies you quote offer a different service - Laser cutting as in these cases is a very different service to the diamond engraving offered for free.

I know there are many companies that sell trophies online (often via ebay) that offer 'Free Engraving' of the type in this offer.
This often either means the trophy price has been increased to cover engraving, or the company is simply not valuing it's machines, skill & experience, cost of staff time to complete the job etc.

I know competitive forces are at work, but as an industry, I feel we should value our skills more, and make sure the public is aware that we are offering a quality service at an appropriate price.

Sorry if I'm on my soap box this morning, but at the end of the day, it's what pays my mortgage!

System

StevenB; Ever use a supermarket instead of your local shops? Why becuase it's cheaper perhaps? Why aren't you valuing the skills of the local shopkeep?

System

No, I agree with you completely, but my point is that the general engraving/cutting market is saturated. Therefore people are forced to promote themselves in ways such as this. There's little you can do!

Just because something is cheaper it doesn't mean it's of a lower quality.

plate-engraving

In response to StevenB's comments:We would just like to say that we understand his concerns, and would like to immediately clarify that the engraving plates are not free!

We ourselves like Steven have paid good money for engraving machines and our aim is not to put other people out of business by practising reckless business ourselves.

The whole ethos of the site is that whoever orders an engraved plate will on satisfaction pay an amount they deem fair. In the past (upto this point) the plate engraving industries pricing system to the layman has been very vague, and people have been ripped off.

Our Unique system lets the customer pay what they think is fair, and so far the British public have lived up to our expectations and a very high percentage have paid promptly and fairly.

Its ironic that you have stated that we value our work so little , its the simple fact that we value our work so highly that we can place this trust in our valued customers.

System

I think the problem here, is that this offer has been posted on a forum full of 'moneysavers' looking for freebies ... rather than people who actually need to use this service.

Former_MSE_Andrea

Just in case anyone was wondering, plate-engraving is from the company and does have permission to post on the forum to answer questions about their service.

Andrea

Chell

I've used this site recently for engraving, I can highly recommend them:

http://www.perfect-presents.co.uk/shop/index.php

fat_jedi

StevenB wrote: »

Speaking as both a keen money saver, and the owner of a trophy & engraving company, this sort of thing really irritates me!

I am about to invest in a new engraving machine, which will cost me in excess of £10k. There is every chance I could now have customers coming in expecting me to do their engraving for nothing, as otherwise, they will get it done 'on the internet'.
How am I expected to pay for updates in equipment such as this, in order to keep my business up to date & viable, if I generate no revenue from the work I do on the machine?

It's a slippery slope, and I think an ill considered one from the company concerned, and disappointing to see that they value their work so little.

I know exactly what you mean.

I joined a franchise a couple of years back with the idea that the product I was buying into would be sold in my shop and at summer fetes.

The basic cost of the item after making it including paying a royalty fee to the franchised company was around £5.00

The RRP was £18.99, but we sold them at £14.99.

Sales were slow and I turned to a popular auction website... There were fellow franchisees on there selling the items for £5.50!!!

It always seems that wherever you go - there is a company or individual willing to work for next to nothing and it kills the "sprirt" of the craft or industry you're in and cheapens the product.

Needless to say, I took a hit on the franchise fee and do not sell said items anymore!!

FJ