Material sourcing

There is going to be a time where the client is going to purchase the materials without you ever seeing them first. It is not that the client wants to only save money, it is usually that they want something that they have already picked out, and most likely purchased. Should you turn them away? Maybe.

Typically, if a client purchases the materials they might not work for your work process be that a laser, rotary, or even sublimation. Most clients have no idea what it takes to get the job done, which is why they came to you. Trouble is that without the knowledge beforehand, they may end up with something that just won't turn out the way they see it in their mind.

Testing

If they actually have ordered a few extra pieces of the material, then you could test on it and find the process that works best. You will have to explain to the client as to why you need to do the testing and should things not turn out as they desire, they will be out the tested material(s).

If you know your processes well though, you should be able to judge pretty well if a material will work or not. Will the laser work, should a rotary or diamond drag be used, or will you need a chemical agent? All things to consider.

What you get

What the client brings you may not be what you talked about. Sure you can look on a web page at an image. Does that mean that what you see is what they get? Not always. The manufacturers are mostly honest, but you don't always get what you pay for. Products from any manufacturer can vary in quality, especially when mass produced.

Then there is the question of packaging. How was it shipped? Are there any damaged units? What happens if the units are damaged or defective? Do you take on that liability?

Process and quality

Before you whip out that quote for the client, does your process require any additional steps than are normal? Does each unit of material come individually wrapped? Does each unit have to go back into said wrapping? How much extra time will that require? If you cannot re-wrap the unit is that acceptable to the client?

Answer all these questions BEFORE you send out your quote. There is nothing worse than losing money because you had to go out of your normal process which costs you time, which as they say is MONEY.

The quality of the units is also something that you should discuss with the client directly. Should the client purchase a limited number of material, leaving none to waste, make sure that they understand that you will not be responsible for material defects that where present before the processing of the materials. Oh, and make sure that is in writing with their agreement to the terms before you start.