would you contact the digitizer and let them know? the reason I am asking is, if someone downloaded one of my designs regardless if it was free or paid, and they had a problem with it, I would want to know. The reason I would want to know is so that we could figure out what went wrong. and if the design really is bad I would take it off my site. I guess what I am saying is I want people to get quality designs. So I want people to let me know if they are not up to par. I am off to bed now, it is 11pm here. but I will look forward to all of your answers.

I probably would not contact you because I would not know if the design was bad or I messed up some how. I seem to have a poor rate of great results regardless.

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 01 Dec 2010

That would be the perfect reason for contacting a digitizer. Then they could help you work out what if you are doing something wrong or if the design is bad. This way you could improve your skills as well.

I understand, but like gerryvb I just delete it

I can see your point. But to be honest if the design disappointed me, I just deleted it (when it was a freebie),But you are right it should be better to tell the designer. I will remember that. Thanks for this post.

It might be helpful to include the picture after stitchout along with all info regarding machine, hooping, fabric, stabilizer , etc that was used for the design.

Hi Alice
Like you I would welcome any postitive comments,
I test stitch all my designs, and only show
photos of actual stitch outs :-)
I can understand variables with materials ect.
getting my head around different machines and how they work now thats hard..
for instance I can only test stitch a design in pes
either on my Innovis 700 or my PR600.. even these 2 machines can be different :-)
Have fun big hugs from London
Maria xxx

I would want to let the digitiser know but there are ways and ways of doing that. Diplomacy and tact are high on the list when reporting a faulty design.
No digitiser wants her/his name connected to mistakes but mistakes do happen - that's why test stitching should be carried by both the digitiser and the purchaser.
I think I'd rather take the chance on a sharp reply than ignore a fault but in the event that I did get a less than polite reply I'd not purchase from that site again.
AlmaG.

most free designs have a disclaimer that states there is no support for the design and i respect that. if i have a design that is poor quality i just delete it from my files and make a note of it in my log book.

If it was free or paid for, I would always contact the digitiser.I think it is important to give constructive feedback.I would not contact to complain but to see a): if the problem is mine ( bad thread, bad stabilising, hooping etc) B): if the digitiser is unaware of the problem it allows them to withdraw that design or redo.I wouldn't write off a designer purely on the basis of one bad design.We all make mistakes.Keep up the good work.

Sometimes I might get someone else to try the design and see if they get similar results to me. Especially if it's free for them to download, as well. I'd probably tend to think I'd messed something up if someone else hadn't tried it first! I know some have had dreadful replies from digitizers when informing them of problems, others take it well and try to work out why.

If I got the design for free and immediately stitched it out and it didn't work I might try it twice. If I rememberd where I got the deisgn I might email the designer. But I don't always stitch them out right away and I don't remember where I got them. So I just delete them. So far I have been really lucky and haven't had a problems with any of the designs I have stitched out. Including those who said they were beginners.

what is the name of your website? Thanks*****

I would be inclined to test a digitizer's expertize by using a freebie. If it didn't work, I wouldn't buy. Don't know about complaining, probably just wouldn't buy again.

I so dislike if people give free designs and do not test. Mostly I would say nothing if it was free. there is one site giving free designs and I am sure the person has no idea what she is doing. so I did send her 1 e-mail, but after that I did not bother to go to her site or to download her free designs.(did not want to seem to be rude as they are free)
If I sold designs I would want the free designs to be as good as the ones for sale, so as to show that my designs were quality (thoroughtly tested)and hope that a person will later buy from me.

2 comments

by mpo14011 30 Nov 2010

It does not matter if the design is free or not. It should still be tested and you should still expect to get back up service.
The reason some people don't test their designs is because it can be time consuming and these people like to churn out the designs as quickly as they can.
I prefer to take the extra time, get my designs tested and take a photograph or scan of the finished product.
It means I don't get as many designs on my site as quickly as some people, but it is worth it in the long run.

by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

Yes they absolutely should be tested. I have myself had a bad experience with a site that clearly was doing exactly what Ricky is describing, just churning them out and uploading. That design was not free either, I thought long and hard and then sent a very polite email to the digitizer, she did not reply.

Yes, in the most polite way possible. I would hope that the digitizer wants to be proud of their designs. They probably would lose business if word got out that the quality is bad.
I know of one digitizer that did an alphabet with problems. She didn't fix it well and didn't take care of the customers that got the original bad ones in a way that I thought was appropriate. She is about to start a new alpha and I'll give her one more chance.

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

Yes Sewmom I think we all want to be proud of our designs, one bad one and poor customer service and word will get around fast, they say that if someone is happy with a product or service they will tell 3 people, if they are not happy they will tell 10 people. I would prefer they just told me and then they could tell 3 people who happy they were with how helpful I was. lol.

As a digitiser and owner of a website, I expect people to let me know if they have a problem with any of my designs, free or otherwise.
I show only the photo of a stitch out on my site,never a computer generated image, and also include a photo of the stitch out in the files. That way people can see it stitched out fine for my testers or me.
I usually ask people what they did, if the design did not work out for them, and walk them through what I recommend they do to make sure the design stitches out satisfactorily.
There are variables to consider, though, even with people using the same machine as me or my testers, such as hooping, the type of stabilisers they use and how much, the threads and the type of needles, and the speed of the machine.
For example, if the hoop is not tight enough the fabric will move and the design will not stitch well. If the screw can't be tightened enough by hand, always use a screw driver supplied with your machine. The screw must be tight.
People must also remember that most designs are digitised to go on cotton. So, if you use a different fabric, for example a stretch knit fabric, the design may not stitch out like they expect.
Ricky

A couple of years ago I downloaded a freebie from a quality site and it just would not work. I emailed the company and the reply made out it was me deficient in downloading and saving. I replied again saying that as I had previously said I had gone through all the stages they had told me to do both before and after getting their email. I then had a very, very apologetic email saying yes there was a fault with the pes design and they had sorted it out and thanks for letting them know. And to this day I have not sewn the design out, but still plan too, well one day...

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

I see this sort of blame the customer thing happening a lot these days in so many different industries. I don't get it. I was trained as a shop assistant when I was 16 and it was hammered into my head that the customer was always right. Then I trained as a nurse and did that for 21 years and of course the customer there is a sick person, so making them happy and comfortable is the priority. I also don't understand how you can mess up a computer file or zip file by the way you download it. this makes no sense to me.

Alice, because you care so much about your designs - wouldn't you have them tested by at least one other - before you put them up for free? I trust that the design has tested before releasing - if I have paid for it and there is a problem with the design - I will let the designer know - if it was a freebie - I may not - unless I have worked with the designer before through a purchase. Hope that helps, but I will note it - that you would want to know. *4U

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

Thanks Shirlene,I test everything If I stitch a design and it has a problem I will fix restitch, if it is a design problem I will either fix the problem and restitch or throw it in the bin never to be seen again. I really do want to know if someone is having a problem with my designs. This is the only way to improve on my skills.

HI
I would let them know. for 2 reasons, first if there is a glitch in the design, it seems they would want to know so that people don't assume all of the designs have problems and not buy anything from--also it gives them a chance to show good customer service. Second, I do not have a lot of time for sewing, and it is frustrating to spend it and my limited resources to end up with nothing useful, if i have gone through and used my resources to stitch it, I would want to save others the same hassle.

So i would be kind in my response if it is free, but i would let them know, and it may be something i am doing and they can let me know that too :)

I have seen designers actually ask for feedback, as they have not tested the design themselves. I think that as long as you know that it works for everyone!

good luck

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

That is a very good point, your time is valuable and embroidery supplies are not cheap, this is why I think it is very important to offer good support for even free designs.

I just did a freebie from another site, Was thinking about buying some designs but the freebie did not come out as it should. Makes me think twice about buying hers as they are a tad expensive. I did not contact them on the free one but had I paid YES I would let them know.As digitizers who sell designs, They should take time to test before the designs are placed for sale. My 2 cents.

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

You are right, they definitely should be tested by the digitizer, this is why I use photos of the stitch-out and not images from my software. But I would want to know if it was my design so that I could fix it or just take it off the website.

I would feel odd telling someone who gave the design for free but then again, how would they know if you didn't tell them. I did let one person know as kindly as I could and they fixed it but it fell by the wayside with the holiday stitching so I haven't tested it yet.

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by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

I hope you get around to stitching that design out. You are right, if you don't give feedback the digitizer won't know.

If it's a free one, I don't contact them. IMO, and I may be wrong, but some people just digitize and don't bother to test them before posting them. If I was to post anything, design or pattern that I have made, I would want to test it and make sure it was good before I gave it to someone else. I would feel bad giving something to someone if it wasn't good.

If I pay for the design, I let them know.

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

I do think that some people digitize and don't test stitch, this is wrong. The digitizing course that I did drove home the point that an embroidery is not and embroidery until it is stitched out.

IMHO I would let the digitizer know. So many state their freebies are for you to try their designs so if the design does poorly you are not likely to try again. But.....since it wasn't a paid item if the digitizer then has a bad attitude I would make a note to never go to the site again. There is nothing worse than wasting your time on a poor design. You sound like you care so put a note on your site you WANT feedback--the good and the bad so you can improve your designs. Just my opinion. Becky

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

Thanks Becky, yes the free designs are a sample of the digitizers work and if they have a bad attitude when you contact them this is a sample of their customer service.

It was a purchased design, from a digitizer who always is generous with free designs. Stitched it out 3 times with problems,over digitized. Emailed with the problem, she imformed me I was her first complaint with the design. Tried on another fabric again same problem. I will not purchase any more designs from them.

1 comment

by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

Oh that makes me mad, just because no one else complained does not mean no one else had a problem. I don't blame you for not going back.

It depends. If I paid for it I would certainly tell them; if it was the first time I went there and tried out a freebie, I probably would not but make a note for myself never to go there again.

2 comments

by fannyfurkin 30 Nov 2010

mops that is exactly what I worry about. If someone downloaded one of my free designs and had trouble with it I would want the opportunity to try to fix the problem. Freebies are just as important as designs for sale. In a lot of ways the digitizers reputation depends on those free designs.

by mops 01 Dec 2010

Yes, I can see your point and you are right, the freebie is the only way to let people test your designs. But the only time I did it I got a rather rude reply, to put it mildly.

I never download a design when it says not tested as I too learned that a design is not a design unless it's tested.