Framing discount deal?

[Julie Deane]

Hi -

I'm finishing up a portrait for a university dean (sorry I can't unveil it - she doesn't want that done). My client contacted the gallery in which I show my art in order to get in touch with me. I will give the gallery owner her percent of the portrait price (she was okay with only ten percent).

My client wants to select the frame for the piece, and I want her to come to the same gallery to select it. I would charge the client for the frame as part of my invoice. In exchange for ordering the frame through this gallery, it seems reasonable to me to ask the gallery owner for a discount . I am thinking of asking for 25%. Since a local gallery gave me a 25 percent discount just because I am displaying my work at the local museum, I am guessing that 25% is probably a pretty standard practice.

Feedback? Has anyone else done this? Does this sound like a reasonable thing to ask?

[Julie Deane]

Well, apparently no-one knows. I'd rather err on the side of caution, so I guess I will leave the framing to her.

[Mike McCarty]

Do I understand that the gallery gets 10% for the referral, but then gives up 25% of the frame price? I wonder how those numbers work to their benefit.

[Julie Deane]

I think I'll avoid the whole issue. Although the frame shop would be getting considerably more money from the portrait commission than they would be giving up for a frame discount. I was just asking if there was a "standard" practice in this area. Apparently not.

[Molly Sherrick Phifer]

The framing shops regularly give a 30% discount to artists. One shop gives me 30% off no mater what and another gives me 30% off of frames for paintings I hang in their gallery.

[Julie Deane]

Thanks, Molly. After a local frame shop offered me a discount recently, I suspected that there might be a standard practice among frame shops. I imagine that they don't really advertise it much. So I guess it doesn't hurt to ask!