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[bigdave]

Following on from this this thread, I've just updated the ts&cs on my own site. They're by no means water tight (they were gifted to me by another designer and have been tweaked/added to over the past 5 or 6 years.) but they seem to set out responsibilities for both parties. If anyone can make use of them either as a starting point for your own ts&cs or a stop gap while you have something prepared, please feel free to copy them.. http://www.fourcolourspixel.com/legal-notes/

 

[@GCarlD]

Following on from this this thread, I've just updated the ts&cs on my own site. They're by no means water tight (they were gifted to me by another designer and have been tweaked/added to over the past 5 or 6 years.) but they seem to set out responsibilities for both parties. If anyone can make use of them either as a starting point for your own ts&cs or a stop gap while you have something prepared, please feel free to copy them.. http://www.fourcolourspixel.com/legal-notes/

Thanks this is great, very in-depth. Although, while it is all very reasonable to both parties, at first glance it is a bit intimidating, but no doubt of course necessary for the safety of your business. I may consider adding this to my site at some point with a few edits. Although I am not sure if I need it for the type of work I do.

As I am an (for lack of better words) 'all round graphic designer' are the terms and conditions of a signed contract not sufficient?

PS. I have noticed a few typos on your site for example: ' Specific fees and payment terms will be detailed propr to commencement of work.' and 'Don’t get me wrong, as a business owner I can see the the appeal of of something for nothing.'

 

[Dave L]

As a designer, I've always made a point of steering well clear of any involvement in the relationship between client and printer beyond providing a bit of support where requested. I will offer a client the names of printers I've worked with if they need someone (an introduction which I take pains to point out is not a recommendation), I'll organise quotes for the client to consider and I'll deal with handover but I will not sign-off proofs (I'll offer an opinion if required) and I will not ever act as a middle man in any financial transactions. Adding a percentage to print costs in the middle-man scenario (as some do) never felt right to me, especially when I can reasonably charge for any support or facilitation I offer a client on that front.

Designers design, printers print and clients need to be clear about who they owe money to and who's responsible when things go wrong - why carry the can for anyone else's cock-ups and, every bit as importantly, why risk having a printer chase you for payment when a client gets pissy?

 

[hankscorpio]

A friend of mine runs his own printing company so I get him to print my stuff for me. I get a massive discount under him that a normal punter wouldn't get.

So I don't mind acting as the middleman. If I charged for the design and they got it printed it would work out dearer than me just looking after it and I still make a bit extra out of it.

I don't see it as underhanded, it's just easier to bulk order with my printer for discount and the savings are passed on to the client, even though I make a bit extra from it, which is rightly so, as I have to pick them up and deliver them, so there's my time for that.

In the final email when the client says "That's good to go" I send a reply saying "Hi <client> Please ensure all details are correct, any errors or omissions are your responsibility."

I always get a message saying "Hang on I'll get my other half to read it".

Once they give a go ahead from this then it's all on them.

The good thing is though - I can get 10,000 a5 flyers overnight. So my service in providing print is valuable to my clients as they wouldn't get that overnight service or the discounts I can avail of.