A guy calls looking for subcontractors to sew something that he sells. Didn't get around to talking about what it was. He needs someone with an industrial sewing machine.
He wanted me to sew 10 items at no cost to himself so he can evaluate my quality and craftsmanship. If he approves, I will sew more items at an agreed upon price. He will pay me every 6 to 8 weeks. He will only pay me for those items that I have sewn that match the highest quality.
I said, dead pan, that he will need to make 10 payments to me without me doing any work, so I can evaluate how well he pays. He will then pay me for 6 to 8 weeks worth of items based on an agreed upon price up front and I will then complete the items that... Hey. The phone went dead. I hope he calls back. This sounds like a great opportunity!
gene
That's not the usual sales call because he knew your craft. I've been getting two calls a day from what sounds like an overseas line. Always around 5pm. I answer - ask them to hold on and I hang up.
SA
It's possible that he was calling around to a lot of shops trying to get ALL of them to make him 10 free ones.
Then he'll turn in a big order to several shops with a promise of payment 6 weeks down the road. Odds are he'll be long gone by then.
I used to get a lot of "entrepreneurs" coming in my shop wanting me to do the sewing on whatever little gadget they've created. Before the internet, I just told them that I wasn't interested in working for sweatshop wages. After the web came along, it was easy to just go online and show them a similar item already being sold better and cheaper.
To bad the phone was disconnected before you could get his phone number. We could all call him and give him the same deal as yours. :D Just love people who think they will set the rules before they have even met you.