So you wanna be a cottage vendor

[DivaB]

My pet peeves to what I think is a good cottage vendor is one that is very active here on the forums, not just regarding their own "stuff", and also one that isn't out to screw us financially with claims of bravo that they don't come close to deserving with prices that are then just unreasonable for what they have...or what they claim they are sewing when in fact they are not doing half of that. Honesty, honesty, honesty.

Limited Liability is always what I see recommend for the small fry along with well written warnings and things such as "use at your own risk, injury and/or fatality is always a possibility". Heck, we don't know the abuse some may take on their hammock and suspensions, let alone we can't control where they may choose to hang those items. I think when dealing with "stupid is, stupid does" it should be on that person's shoulders, but regretfully that is not how it works. i.e I had to actually add into our contracts that our teacup dogs are not meant or built to be left outside in the winter.....pathetic.

I too would like to do this area full time myself, I've certainly got the time....but it's scary legally, and what is more important to me is that I want to keep my extended family here on the forums respect. For me, I think its something I'll do more outside the forum, with my signature line here showing my biz (so as not to be accused of "sneakiness"), but my concentration on sales not being stickily on my own posts. I like the position of activity that I'm in here and the friendships that I've made here and don't really want that part to change, although inevitably it would to a degree.

Just my two cents for what it's worth.

[gunner76]

Great thread. Althought I don't plan to get into the hammock grear making business (still working on sewing crooked stiches) ; it has my poor of brain cells humming.

Most of the vendors here seem to be very open about what goes into their products (material and process) and I can only think of one vendor who has been very closed about the material used to make his UQ/TQ.

[hppyfngy]

Just my two cents for what it's worth.

Worth at least three cents to me.

[SilvrSurfr]

If someone else picked up upon one of the other ideas I've posted here, sold it with a name that referenced me without prior request for permission, I'd contact the vendor about that. If one of the ideas I've posted are picked up and sold without any sort of attribution I'm not so concerned, although if the idea were clearly and distinctly _mine_ (as opposed to some modification to someone else's ideas or based on the grand soup of ideas one finds here,) I would appreciate some attribution, not necessarily in the name.

Part of this is just being part of a ``community" where respect for individuals is shown, even if they have funny avatars

This makes a lot of sense, especially when it comes to your designs, Grizz, which are always thoughtfully detailed and come with a tutorial on how to do it. A cottage vendor would be wise to consult with you before using a design that was clearly and distinctly yours. When people provide such explicit information and detail on a design, then it is clearly a design, not an idea or a picture of something you built.

Ideas are unrealized designs, for which no attribution or permission is needed (though it would be courteous). I could see situations where an HF member might think a cottage vendor stole their design, when in fact they've never posted a design, maybe just a picture.

For example, if you had posted a picture of GrizzBeaks, along with a comment, "look at the doors I made. I will call them GrizzBeaks," then that's not an idea, nor is it a design. It's a "picture" of something you made, and you shouldn't feel slighted if someone builds and sells something that "looks" like your idea, the details and design of which you never shared.

By the same token, if you posted an "idea" that you called GrizzBeaks, with some vague description of their purpose, then that would have been an unrealized idea, for which no attribution was necessary.

The challenge I see for a cottage vendor is the sheer wealth of information on this forum. You could google your brains out and still not find some design posted in 2008, parts of which you have inadvertently poached, for which you should give credit or at least ask permission.

Then there's also the issue of HF members reacting differently about the use of their HF names in describing a design. In these cases, the cottage vendor could simply reference threads that inspired them so that nobody's HF name is used for commercial gain.

It's a deep topic, but the key part for a cottage vendor has got to be remembering what you said about being part of a community - you're not just a business, but part of a community. Maintaining a good status in the community is just as important as customer satisfaction.

[SilvrSurfr]

Oh, and here is the one and only original design I've posted to the forum.



Oh wait, that's not a design. It's not even an idea. It's just a picture of a die I used as a whoopie bead stopper. Maybe if I had provided details of how I drilled a hole through the die, what size bit I used and how I secured the die in a vise grip to keep it still, it would qualify as a design, but I doubt it.

So cottage vendors, feel free to use dice as whoopie bead stoppers with no attribution to, or permission required from SilvrSurfr.

[Ramblinrev]

the key part for a cottage vendor has got to be remembering what you said about being part of a community - you're not just a business, but part of a community. Maintaining a good status in the community is just as important as customer satisfaction.

This is as true for Microsoft, General Electric, Maytag and all the multi-nationals as it is for the cottage folks. This simple issue is we are all part of a community of some sort. When that community votes with its feet and its wallet there is no going back without _major_ regaining of trust. I contract with small businesses to do the construction work on my home because they live and die by their reputation in the community they serve. But we have plants that have gone out of business right across the street because the world community said "No..."

[SoundMan]

SilvrSurfer-Thanks for a great thread. I do believe that "Hammocking" will continue to grow and develop as a past time. I often wonder if there will be a break out by a current vendor that will exceed Hennessy or ENO. The answer could be a cheaper product that appeals to the masses. ??

Thanks everyone for keeping the tone civil.

I like this line of discussion.

[DivaB]

SilvrSurfr, so what size bit did you use on that dice

[2Questions]

As a cottage vendor, a hammock hanger, and member of HF, I must admit the content of this thread sounds all too familiar. ZQ and I have had discussions about these things for years. I suppose any cottage business has had to wrestle with them.

ZQ and I have entered our 5 season making various items, some from the ideas and approvals of several HF members. We do it because we like the community, the comradeship , and yes , the extra income it provides for us.
We often evaluate our business trying to stay objective about what we do and what it takes to do it. ZQ would say it is more than a hobby for her...and rightfully so as she's the one who does all the sewing. (She works more hours than I do.) I would much rather be out hiking but see the benefit our business offers to hundreds of hammock hangers served already and hopefully more to come.

With that said, if we begin to see our community fall to a less than desirable attitude of negativism, slander, maliciousness, and greed, all for the sake of making money...then we will take our shingle down and find something else to contribute to. So far I haven't seen this, and am grateful for that, and may it never be. In this world, with the struggles of life we all have, it will take a concerted effort from everyone to maintain this precious balance, 2QZQ included. We have done our due diligence and have protections in place, but we also know we are only ever a step away from the possibility of a business crisis that will make it all just a good memory. ~2QZQ

[hppyfngy]

As a cottage vendor, a hammock hanger, and member of HF, I must admit the content of this thread sounds all too familiar. ZQ and I have had discussions about these things for years. I suppose any cottage business has had to wrestle with them.

ZQ and I have entered our 5 season making various items, some from the ideas and approvals of several HF members. We do it because we like the community, the comradeship , and yes , the extra income it provides for us.
We often evaluate our business trying to stay objective about what we do and what it takes to do it. ZQ would say it is more than a hobby for her...and rightfully so as she's the one who does all the sewing. (She works more hours than I do.) I would much rather be out hiking but see the benefit our business offers to hundreds of hammock hangers served already and hopefully more to come.

With that said, if we begin to see our community fall to a less than desirable attitude of negativism, slander, maliciousness, and greed, all for the sake of making money...then we will take our shingle down and find something else to contribute to. So far I haven't seen this, and am grateful for that, and may it never be. In this world, with the struggles of life we all have, it will take a concerted effort from everyone to maintain this precious balance, 2QZQ included. We have done our due diligence and have protections in place, but we also know we are only ever a step away from the possibility of a business crisis that will make it all just a good memory. ~2QZQ

Good for you both and good for the entire community! It is wonderful that a sideline that is also a passion can contribute to your well being and to the world, and you do contribute to the world at large.

I hope you and all the good cottage vendors have trouble and angst free explorations on commerce.

HFG