How do I check a tailor shop’s order backlog and promised pick-up dates?

Walk the racks with the order book in hand. Every ticket should match a garment, and every garment should have a ticket. Missing garments, untagged items or tickets without a deposit are warning signs of weak controls. Note which jobs are far past their promised dates and whether the customers know.

Then ask how the backlog compares with the usual flow. A shop that always runs a few days behind may simply be busy. A shop that is wildly behind may be short of hands, or may have taken on deposits it cannot honour. Ask who is doing the work now, and whether anyone has been quietly pushing deadlines.

Finally, work out what you would inherit. Customers will expect their garments on the promised dates whoever owns the shop. Ask your lawyer how deposits and unfinished orders should be handled in the sale, and ask your accountant how to treat prepaid work. Build any catch-up cost into your offer. A tidy order book is a good sign about how the whole shop is run. Ask the seller to walk you through a sample of recent jobs from drop-off to pick-up, so you can see for yourself how well the shop keeps its promises.

Key takeaways

• Match every ticket to a garment on the rack and every garment to a ticket.
• Count the late jobs and ask what customers were told.
• Settle deposits and unfinished orders in the sale terms before you close.