Our Overseas Friends

[Mojo]

Since we have several overseas members here and most of our talk centers around things in the USA I was curious to know how things are going in their respective countries.

I believe Suzi lives in Spain and that country has seen amazingly high unemployment and has had a big fiscal mess. Richard is in the UK and the Brits have been suffering a bad recession. I believe we also have another member in the UK.

Alan, my mate is from down under and from all that I have read and heard from my relatives there the economy has avoided ( for the most part ) the big financial downturns that the rest of the world has witnessed.

So how are all of our overseas friends doing with their businesses ? has the economy in your countries effected sales/orders ?

Chris

[sofadoc]

I wish we had more from outside the US on the board. Seems like every time we get a few from the UK, they post a couple of times, then disappear. I'm sure the time difference is a factor, as well as the fact that most of the conversations about the upholstery business, pricing, suppliers, etc. are geared toward stateside.

[Mike]

I know raf is in the uk one more too i think and out norther brother. Darren

[ajlelectronics]

I'm in the UK too. Still very quiet business wise.

[west coast]

I just came back from Spain and we hired a local upholster to help us out on the job. While his English was a bad as my Spanish we did make a bond and shared some storys and stuff. My new friend is a second generation upholster and was taught by his father. He is 4 years younger than I am and is hurting badly business wise. He is getting 180 euros for a chair I get 450 bucks for, the unemployment is around 60 percent in his area. We have around 7 percent at times its 5 but non existent comparably speaking however my business is as bad as his but for different reasons. I hope to be going back in the new year and he will be part of the crew if I am. Spain / Canada its all lousy for a ragtacker these days.

[Grebo]

Yes Chris the Spanish are suffering hard.
The Government doesn't help by taxing the heck out of those still working.
A lot of businesses have this attitude that if they aren't selling so much, put 'up' the price of what is selling.
Not do what most of us do & cut the price to get  more out the door. So keeping something coming  in as opposed to waiting for that one big sell & starving in the mean time   ::) ?

Personally, I am quietly busy.
The majority of my customers are foreigners, Dutch, German, Swiss, Canadian, French, British & a few Spanish.
I don't actively advertise so all my business is by word of mouth.
I have a dwindling handful of long time repeat customers which have keep me going in the quiet months. Currently picking up a few new one's with the seasonal visitors.
I do turn my hand to anything that can be stitched, all sorts of sun covers, bike seats, garden cushions, tent repairs, etc. When things get slow.  
I don't do 'proper' upholstery & only use the term loosely to describe part of what I do.
The real upholsterers are few & far between, I visit one from time to time for some supplies which has been going for years their 'pros' the old boys, are on part time.

I don't think it's the time difference sd, probably more like the price differences & suppliers as you said. It's hard to compare when you say you charge $450. for a chair when I would be lucky to get €150.
Also the language can  be confusing  ::) I am still not sure on welting  ???  Piping / binding.?  :-[

:-* Suzi

[Mike]

Also the language can  be confusing  ::) I am still not sure on welting  ???  Piping / binding.?  :-[

:-* Suzi

Heres a add that will confuse you  suzi
Vinyl Welt Cord Piping by the Yard Boat Upholstery White Thread
by Veada · Model MC300SW ·  (read reviews)


$1.75


the way  I understand it is piping is made with welt cord

[sofadoc]

Yes Suzi, welt cord (or welting) is the same as piping.
Don't feel bad. I LIVE here, and I'm still not sure what 'chip strip', 'fox edge', or 'slip seats' mean.

When I visited Europe several years ago, I had a severe case of "Euro-shock" everywhere I went. A Quarter Pounder, fries, and Coke from a Mcdonalds in Paris was over $10 USD (about 2 1/2 times what it costs here).

Is 150 Euro for a chair the normal going rate? Or is that price the net result of tough economic times?

[Allan]

Chris

I have only been home for a month as i have been working away for the last 18 months
I have done a few small jobs since i have been home but mainly working on my boat
The country is going well for most people but with fuel and power continually going up it will get tougher
Government is our biggest problem at the moment with an election coming up in September hopefully the country will get a kick start
Boat people and the carbon tax are our biggest problems at the moment
With a new government hopefully people will start spending again

Allan

[scottymc]

Aus. is in a funny place at the moment, no one is sure whether we on the up or down. Luckily the value of our dollar is dropping so imports will rise in price and people might stop spending there money overseas, online and with overseas holidays. don't know if the change of government will make much difference in September, the opposition will  win in a landslide, but voting for their leader is like eating sh## because you don't like spinach, but no doubt there is some waiting to dethrone him once elected. Don't know why anyone would like to be leader of our country, putting up with this.
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sCSGBqlgEho]www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUFgp3Axlbo]www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sCSGBqlgEho]www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUFgp3Axlbo

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=sCSGBqlgEho