Tails for Travel

[Kae]

Just something I was thinking about, no idea if it would actually work...

Since we have mers from all over the world, what if we could figure out how to barter between tailmakers and tailbuyers?

For example, a $3,000 to $5,000 tail would be a plane ticket, pick up from the airport, and either a paid for for room in a hotel or perhaps a stay in a guest room.

This would take a ton of trust, and probably a contract. But if it could work out it be a cool way for mers to meet other mers from all over the world. And even for tail buyers to get a somewhat discounted tail.

Thoughts?

[Gem Stone]

I'm confused as to how this would work? can you explain a bit more?

[Kae]

Okay, so what if "The French Merman" who lives in France, wanted a tail on this barter system. So he orders a silicone tail, but instead of paying $3,000 for it he pays for...

A plane ticket from America to France - $1,500 (for the tail maker)
A stay in a hotel/rental or his own house - Free or $700 ish (for the tail maker)

That is about $2,200 so maybe the tail maker and the "host" could decide on one or two more things like

A tour of the city and favorite local places $100
Dinner at a favorite restaurant $50

Etc. So the tail maker would make the tail before hand and bring it in the luggage to wherever they were staying with the host. So the tail buyer could possibly get a pretty large discount on a tail, and the tail maker would get an awesome vacation!

Did I do a better job that time? I make so much sense in my head. :lol:

[Mermaid Myu]

I'm a big fan of barter systems, but the problem with your particular example is that the purchaser of the tail is still paying cash money for the services he is exchanging. Unless the purchaser owned an airline or private jet, bartering a flight is not really bartering at all, it's simply spending money on something that the tail maker may or may not actually want. The purchaser could just as easily have paid $1500 to the tail maker, which the maker could have then used to buy an airline ticket, if he had truly wanted a vacation, LOL!

A true barter system would be service for service. Say someone wanted to purchase a tail who happened to be uniquely skilled in some art, such as marketing, web design, graphic design, etc. The purchaser could then offer the tail maker a website re-design (for example) worth $3000 in exchange for a tail. If the tail maker happened to be in need of a website renovation and felt that the value of the work was appropriate, then they could barter the tail for the service.

Personally I'd be a little embarrassed to make an offer of a service, only because it's kind of like walking into a restaurant and saying, "I can't pay, but I can wash dishes." It makes you seem cheap and, honestly, most people in this world just want money so that they can spend it on exactly what they want. If a tail maker were to publicly announce that they're accepting barter proposals, then we could talk, hahah. :D

[Blondie]

Oh that's interesting! Especially for those who live in other countries. The only thing is, the cost of materials is going to stay the same regardless, you know?

[Kae]

Myu- I'm a future tail maker and this is something I personally would go for, even if it meant a discount on a tail. I def should have made that part clear too!

Blondie- You're right, supplies would still cost monies....Hmmm....

[Anahita]

I agree with Myu and Blondie, I think bartering is great for some things, but what do I buy the materials to make the tail with if I'm not given money to do it? And it really is like telling a chef to give you a five course gourmet meal in exchange for washing dishes.

Also, trust is a huge HUGE thing here, and I would not personally risk bringing myself out to a foreign country to possibly stay in someone's house, or even in a hotel room booked by someone else. I may be paranoid because of where I come from, but that's often how girls (and some guys too) get sex trafficked and/or murdered, and immigration looks at you funny when you explain to them one of your reasons for coming to their country is to meet a person you've never met before anywhere but the internet. In addition, because I never travel anywhere outside of my locale without my partner, that means suddenly that's two of everything cost-wise...

If I want to go see a foreign country on an awesome vacation and customers want to help make that happen, they should just buy my tail full price so that I can save up the money and give myself the vacation that I want. One where I don't have to worry about the fact that I'm suddenly owing someone something who may have been nice and honest to begin with, but what if they become a holy terror bridezilla type once I'm under their roof because they suddenly didn't like the tail? On the other side of that, what if your tailmaker happens to be off their rocker? Besides, one person's version of an "awesome vacation" is another person's nightmare. I know there's no way a single tail would pay for what I would deem an acceptable vacation... Not unless I charged an exorbitant amount for it (in which case, no one would buy it anyhow...)

I'd also like to add that I've worked on expensive barter systems that involved dinners and things similar to what you've suggested before with more local people before for other costumes, and they've all been nightmares. The client becomes too casual with you, they suddenly feel like they're part of your life in a manner that is not professional; all because they offer to trade you goods and services like concert tickets, or dinner, etc. I've traded a dress for a concert ticket, and it turns out that girl was at the concert, waiting for me, treating it like we were suddenly great friends - and she wouldn't leave me alone afterwards either... Similar thing, I traded a dinner where I discussed the plans for the doublet I was making for some guy, and he took it as not a business dinner (even though I set it up so it happened while it was still daylight) but as an actual date with me... Same thing too, he would call me afterwards constantly, pretending to ask for updates on his doublet, and then suddenly turn the conversation over to taking me out for dinner again, despite the fact that I constantly told him he was being inappropriate and that I was married (for all intents and purposes, I am).

Business is really best done in money so none of this stuff happens.

[Merman Arion]

While i feel pretty much honored to have been chosen as a example of your suggestion, i think your idea is interesting. I would be interested if that gives me the chance to see Raven and a little "behind the scenes" of what she is doing as a tail maker ans as a performer.
Yet, i also think that Blondie, Myu and Anahita made valid points here. The bartending system sounds cool but i don't think that it applies for busy tail makers such as Raven and Eric.

[Kae]

Anahita, you present some very good points! Most of them I've never even thought of! This is exactly why I presented this here first. I have no experience with bartering, its always been a straight across sale, cash for product. So I'm happy you commented with your experience. (Yikes!)

Arion, the tail maker tail buyer meet up was part of why I thought this would work, I can see now my plan has lots of holes!

I personally love travel so much I thought it be a way for the customer and the tail maker to have a good experience and both get a good deal. I definitely see the problems with the plan now. (Sometimes it sounds so good in my head!) But that's why I put this up for scrutiny .