# Somone introduced me to a good customer of mine and wants a cut! What do you suggest i do?



## ochoa_dean (Jul 30, 2009)

So just recently, someone from the neighborhood of my printing shop messaged me about his boss and how he needed some t-shirts done. So i called his boss and i asked him if he had a design ready, he said no, so i created him a design and he put in a very large order. About 600 shirts to be exact. 

Natually, i wanted to hook up the guy who actually got me the customer to let him know i appreciated that he introduced me and his boss. So i called him and i told him i was going to give him about $150 for simply introducing me and his boss. 

He didn't like this number, he said since i was getting paid a little over 1000 he wanted more than that. I explained to him that if he had been a broker on this job, meaning he be the one to take all the samples, he be the one to pretty much deal with the customer, Which he didn't, that he might of been able to get a bigger cut. But since i had to do all the work going back and forth from my place to his shop and mine, i had to do the designs, i had to do the production thats the reason why i get the biggest cut.

Still, this guy was pissed threatening me, telling me that he was going to tell his boss not to work with me, tell him that im a bad business man this and that. 

So finally i told him that i would give him $200, and that i didn't want to work with him after this job, i told him to go ahead and tell his boss not to work with me, but if his boss willingly came back to me as a customer, that he wouldn't get a cut out of any of the jobs.

obviously this pissed him off even more, now he's telling me he's going to run my name to everyone in my city and tell them im a bad business man and im greedy and this and that.

Now that the job is completed and he got his cut, he now knows that his boss wants to continue to working with me.

So now all of a sudden he apologized for everything he had said, he told me that he was ok with the original 10% of the profit that we had spoke about.

But now im thinking, should i even mess with this guy anymore? is 10% of profit way to high for someone who simply introduced me and my customer? should i sign any contracts with him? I mean i know the guy was thinking of himself when he hooked me up with this customer because he knew i would give him a cut.

what would you guys recommend that i do? should i tell him to go screw him self since he disrespected me and threatened me? risking possibly him going out there and talking crap to other people, and obviously telling his boss not to work with me and losing the client?


----------



## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Dump him. You were too generous in the first place. I would have told him I didn't make a penny on the deal to get repeat business. And if he wanted compensation in the future, he needed to become a broker and get you more business.

You charged $1,000 for a 600 shirt order??? Dang, I need to start using you.


----------



## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

forget this guy...you don't need this...and as Joe said...your price is too low


----------



## Urbankub (Jul 30, 2012)

What type of shirts ? Screened or transfers that's a really good deal for 600 shirts and dump the guy


----------



## ochoa_dean (Jul 30, 2009)

Well i actually made 1400 on a 400 t-shirt order. 5 color print, with printed tags.


----------



## gruntstyle (Aug 11, 2009)

I've dealt with people like that before and it's tough to reason with them because they are greedy. Dump him. Don't pay him another cent. If he brings you in a new customer after today pay him a finders fee. Small. 

Sent from my SGH-T889 using T-Shirt Forums


----------



## Corel Whisperer (Sep 1, 2010)

Wonder what his boss would think about him taking a cut from the job? If I was his boss I wouldn’t be happy with him…just my $.02


----------



## GordonM (May 21, 2012)

Finder's fees vary by industry, but for goods is often 1-2% of the selling price. You mention getting $1,000, then said that was the profit. Assuming the transaction was more like $2,000 or $2,500, then the actual finder's fee would be on the order of $50, not even $150, and certainly not more than that.

Asking for 10%+ on net profit is excessive for just a referral fee. 

Your friend is a loser. I wouldn't work with him even if I needed the work. As someone else pointed out to you, the fact that he's asking for a *kickback* for dealing you in with his boss is a sign of his general dishonesty. Depending on his boss your friend could get fired for what he did. This doesn't even count the fact that he extorted you -- that's a crime -- by demanding more money and then threatening you. Sounds like he wised up, but he's already dealt in bad faith, and possible broke some laws.


----------



## superD70 (Dec 22, 2010)

First of all this *** clown is no friend of yours, friends don't extort friends, at least mine don't. Second you were way to generous giving him 200$ just for a word of mouth recommendation, 50$ tops.
Third I would tell his boss the whole story, who knows, this jerk could be extorting everyone his boss does business with, possibly costing him more than he should be paying or losing work altogether.


----------



## headfirst (Jun 29, 2011)

I'm normally the biggest proponent of making sure those that bring you business get paid for it. That being said, he works for the client. That's a huge conflict of interest. In a situation like that I'd buy him lunch and give him a giftcard for a movie theater or a restaurant or something. 

Make sure he knows that you appreciate the referral and are thankful for it.


----------



## EnMartian (Feb 14, 2008)

Unless you had a standing arrangement with this guy where he got a cut of any business he brought you, I don't see where you owe him anything more than a thank you. Of course, good manners and good public relations would mean you would do something for the person who brought you a nice sized job, but I think you were certainly generous in what you offered him in the first place. I would definitely decline to work with this guy in the future, and I'd seriously consider letting his boss now how he's representing him in the community. I wouldn't want someone working for me who behaved like that.


----------



## Hegemone (Oct 18, 2011)

I wouldn't worry too much about this yahoo. He is not the client, his boss is. Just tell his boss how this dude tried to extort you and see if he changes the yahoo changes his tune. If this dude wanted a cut he should have said something before he tipped you. He has zero power or rep to support his claims if he ever tried to trash talk you. Don't give him any power by legitimizing his bs. People will listen more to his boss then this jerky treat.


----------



## ericsson2416 (Aug 29, 2007)

I agree, too much and get rid of him. Since the boss spend so much and will hopefully be a return customer drop by or call and talk with him. Don't send an email, go in and tell him what went down.


----------



## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

I agree with GordonM and the above posts!


----------

