To team up or not to team up?!

[Former_Member]

That is the question. My shop (wedding stationery) has been booming and I'm having a hard time keeping up. I had the idea to have a friend join me and lend a hand. The person I have chosen has been trying to start up her own business with little success so I had mentioned maybe coming up with an idea she can sell on my site. I original didn't want her crossing into doing the cards too. But she seems interested in doing those too. I could use a second creative mind to help me make designs. My question is how would I go about paying her? Percentage of sales? Hourly? Only on her designs?

[Former_Member]

I wouldn't want someone else selling their stuff on my site. But if you need the extra help, I would hire her by the hour. Maybe working with you she can learn how to improve her own shop. I wouldn't combine the two.

[RomaMiaTradingCo]

I would bring her on and use it as a learning experience for her. It would all depend on what she would be doing. If she's going to be doing more than just designs, and doing other things as well, than I would pay her hourly. But if she is doing designs well, mabey you can build in a "commission" type of thing as well for all her designs, even if she's not with you in the future helping. But if you use her designs, make sure you get in writing that you can sell them.

[Plektra]

I also wouldn't like someone else selling their own things in my shop / site. I would want everything to be about me, my skills, my products, my name.

I'm not sure how this would look in customers' eyes. Of course, you would have to state that, but how will you justify it?

What if you help her and then expects more down the line? Do you know what her plans are for her business? Is it a hobby or proper full time job? How will she turn things around to make her business successful?

I would perhaps hire her and pay her by the hour, but wouldn't take her work aboard on my site.

[Former_Member]

Her shop is ceramic earrings. So it's not very similar. But she kind of gave up on it I think. She asked to do wrap around labels and then cards for will you be my bridesmaid etc.

[michellemach]

You could treat it as you would if you were a brick-and-mortar shop selling lots of different items -- offer to take the new designs on consignment and pay a percent only if they sell.

You do need to come up with some guidelines for her--will you sell anything she comes up with? Can you ask her for revisions? How long will you try to sell her items?