A Few Questions, A Few Answers...
When Considering an Ornament Project
We have helped many groups make their ornament projects a reality and
along the way we have been asked many questions. In order to help you and
your committee in the discussion phase of your project, we thought that
perhaps these questions and answers might be helpful and make the decision
process just a little easier.
All of this information is on our website, but just not all on the same
page. We hope these questions help! Where appropriate, we did insert the
links to our website in case you wanted further information. Please feel
free to share this information with your co-workers/committee members either
via email (you can use the "Send this page to a Friend" link in the left
column) or by printing it out and taking it to your meeting.
Here we go:
Q. Tom, what are your ornaments made of?
A. The ornaments are made of brass which is then taken and chemically
photo etched and finally plated to give it its final tarnish-resistant
finish. If you wish to learn more about the process of creating an
ornament, please visit the following page. Make sure you read that page all
the way to the end to learn about the entire process. The
Process of Creating Custom Ornaments
Q. Will our art be custom designed just for us or do
you use clip art?
A. Tom Pollard Designs (TPD) will take any image you provide us with,
from photos to matchbook covers, and convert them into artwork. That
artwork will be sent to you via email to review. Our Art Department works
year round designing custom ornament artwork and our artists have many years
of experience, so if you are not sure of what you want, don't worry. Your
ornament will be unlike any ornament in the world as it is designed just for
you.
Q. We have a goal to reach. How much profit can we
make by selling custom ornaments?
A. Please refer to the pricing and benefits page and our packaging
page of our website at the following links to find some helpful
information. Since each ornament project is unique, there are many
variables that are considered when coming up with a profit margin. Some of
the things to consider are the number of ornaments ordered, whether or not
extra colors were added to the ornament to what type of packaging was chosen
and at what price you chose to sell your ornaments for. The tiered
per-ornament pricing structure for custom-designed ornaments is as follows:
100 to 199 ornaments are $7.00 each
200 to 299 ornaments are $6.50 each
300 to 399 ornaments are $5.50 each
400 to 599 ornaments are $5.00 each
600 to 999 ornaments are $4.60 each
Pricing and
Benefits of Custom Ornaments
Packaging Options
for Ornaments from Tom Pollard Designs
Q. Is there a minimum number of ornaments that must
be ordered for custom projects?
A. The minimum number of ornaments for a custom-designed project is
100 ornaments. Anything less than that makes the per-ornament price cost
prohibitive.
Q. Can we make changes to the initial artwork
produced by the artists at TPD?
A. We're happy to make changes to the artwork. We want you to have a
design you will be proud of.
Q. Will we have to pay extra for changes to the artwork?
A. No.
Q. What are your ornaments like? Can we see some
samples?
A. We are happy to provide you with some samples to review. All you
have to do is ask. There is no charge for this. We will try to pick out
some samples from projects that are similar to yours. We will also send
both types of packaging we offer along with the samples.
Q. How thick are your ornaments? I've purchased
some brass ornaments in my travels that are wafer thin; you can bend them
with little or no effort. How sturdy are yours?
A. As you know, ornaments that are too thin bend and break over time.
Ornaments made of metal that is too thick can weigh the Christmas tree
branches down and just look bulky. We use a thickness of metal that is both
durable yet light enough to hang nicely on the tree. Our artists also take
care when designing the ornament to make sure that the ornament is designed
in a way that will not make it too fragile to hold up for many years to
come.
Q. How long will it take from the time to decide we
want to have an ornament made until we actually have the ornament in our
hands?
A. Ideally we like to have eight to ten weeks from your initial
contact with TPD to the delivery of the ornaments into your hands. We have
done projects with less time, but in order to do so, decisions have to made
quickly. We always do our best to reach your deadline in time. See the
following link for a little timeline.
The Process
of Creating Custom Ornaments
Q. I imagine that if our order is large, that there
can be more than one box to ship to us. How much can we expect to pay for
shipping?
A. We pay all shipment costs for custom ornament projects, including
any reorders.
Q. Tell me about packaging. What are my options
and how much do they cost?
A. We have three options when it comes to packaging. Our slimline
gift boxes are 60 cents each. The lid and base are totally clear and there
is a black peach board liner on which the ornament sits. We also have a
plastic sleeve style package with a cardboard insert that the ornament is
attached to which is 30 cents each if we package them for you or, if you
want to save some money, you can package the ornaments in the plastic
sleeves yourselves and we will provide the sleeve packaging materials free
of charge. Regardless of which type of packaging you choose, we have the
ability to display in the back side of either packaging an ornament
information sheet. This information sheet has a lightened grayscale image
of your ornament as the background and on top of that some text, up to 140
words, that you choose to tell the history of your church, school or
business or you can display a slogan or a quote from the bible. You choose
what you want to say. The wording on the ornament has to be somewhat simple
but this info sheet gives you the ability to say more. After you send us
the initial text, we will format it and send it back to you via email for
review and final approval before we print it. We format and print the info
sheets at no extra charge to you.
Packaging Options
for Ornaments from Tom Pollard Designs
Q. Can we add extra colors to our ornament?
A. Yes, you can add color. Each color is $100 plus 10 cents per color
per ornament. If you choose to add two colors, the total cost for the
additional two colors would be $200 plus 20 cents per ornament.
Q. I'm not sure I want a gold ornament. Do you
offer any other finishes on your ornaments?
A. We can also make the ornament with a silver finish. Although gold
is the most popular, the silver ornaments look just as nice. It is really
up to you. The costs are the same either way.
Q. I notice on your website that the pop-up
ornaments are the same price as the flat ornaments. Why is that?
A. Although pop-up ornaments can provide you with a little 3D effect,
they really use the same amount of metal as a flat ornament. We have two
quick notes to consider when you are thinking about having a pop-up ornament
design.
1) If you decide to have your
ornament designed as a pop-up ornament, it is best to have a gift box
packaging rather than the plastic sleeve packaging as you don't want the
ornament to get smashed and lose the pop-up look. The individuals that
receive and/or purchase these ornaments will enjoy them for many years and
you really want the ornament to stay as attractive in the years to come as
it was when they original received it.
2) Sometimes a flat ornament works best
for your design. Although the pop-up ornaments are terrific, they are not
suitable for all designs. The flat ornaments are beautiful as well. The
Process of Creating of Custom Ornaments - Pop-Up Brass Ornaments
Q. How are payments handled?
A. When the artwork design is approved and we move the ornament into
the production phase, the art and tooling fee of $395 is then due. At that
point we will send you an invoice for the entire project but only the art
and tooling portion will be due at that time. When the ornaments are ready
to be delivered to you, a new invoice for the remaining balance will be sent
to you at that time. Payment for that remaining balance is due when you
receive the ornaments.
Q. What if our sale goes really well and we run out
of ornaments and we want more? What do we do?
A. Just let us know. It takes approximately four to five weeks for us
to produce the ornaments and get them into your hands. The reorder price
would be the same per ornament price you paid for your initial order. Let's
say, for example, your first order was for 300 ornaments @ $5.50 each and
you decide you want 100 more ornaments. Your price for the additional 100
ornaments will be $5.50 each plus packaging. If your first order was for
200 ornaments @ $6.50 each, that is what you would pay for the additional
100 ornaments when you reorder. The art and tooling fee that you already
paid is a one-time charge for the development of the artwork and tooling it
for the production phase so that will not be charged again (ever) for that
exact designed ornament. You could order ornaments the next year and the
art and tooling charge would not be assessed again as long as nothing,
including words and dates, is changed on the ornament design. As with the
original order, there will be no charge for shipping.
Q. I really have no idea how many ornaments we will
need. Can I take orders for the ornaments before placing an order with you?
A. Absolutely. If you have the time in your schedule to take orders
in advance and still have ample time to allow us to get the ornaments
produced, by all means do so. If you have already approved the ornament
design, we can provide you with the image to use on any flyers or other
advertisements you may have.
Q. Do you have references as we would really like to
see what past customers have said about your ornaments and working with your
company?
A. I have a testimonial section on my website. I encourage you to
check it
out.
Testimonials
If there are any more questions we can answer, please do not hesitate to
contact us at:
tom@TomPollardDesigns.com
412-761-4788
800-231-4788
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