We had feedback from a customer today. He said the book we sent was as good as new but that he thought the postage was expensive. It’s not worth answering, but it may be worth looking at the reality of the situation.
The book is new. It’s a priced catalogue of cigarette cards and there is normally a new one every year. We were quite clear that it is the 2023 catalogue, so why he would think it was going to be second hand I do not know.
Now, the postage. We charged him £3.99. The Post Office charges us £2.70. eBay charges us approximately 20% on top as they charge commission and payment fees. That means it has, so far, cost us 2.70 for stamps and 54p in fees. A padded envelope costs 20p. That’s £3.44. It leaves us with 55p to pack the envelope securely (there is a weak spot at the flap end where a book like this, if dropped by the delivery man, can get damaged). It happened once and we were accused of all sorts of shoddy packing by the recipient. We put an extra bit at that end to stop this happening. I’m paid about 18p a minute. In order for us to make a 1p profit on postage I would have to pack the parcel in three minutes. IT can’t be done. Once again, we make a small loss on postage and packing and are accused of overcharging.
It’s sometimes very difficult not to reply in a sarcastic manner, or to block them from further purchases.
And now I have that off my chest, I am going to have a cup of tea and watch Pointless.
Photos are more of Julia’s cave pictures.
I did not think of your area as having “working” caves, and enjoyed learning about them.
Things in general are not what they were. I am sorry for what you go through to do a good job, and empathize with the aggravation you feel.
Some of the shops in the street where I had my shop had double cellars carved into the sandstone – not quite caves, but the only two storey cellars I have ever encountered. The hardware store used to have a workshop in the lower cellar.
The cave pictures!!
We are well known for our caves. 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_of_Caves
👍👍👍
I used to watch Pointless once. It would be good if that customer were to read your excellent post. When my grandson Malachi went, with his family, to live permanently in Australia, I sent him a book which I knew he would like for his birthday. Postage cost 6 times the cost of the book. Thereafter I sent Australian dollars.
We just sent money to Canada. They can get what they like and it doesn’t cost an arm and leg and get lost in the post. (Two things that happened when Julia sent a parcel – two things she couldn’t come to terms with). Me, I just shrugged, being used to it. 🙂
It’s not often I’m the calm one.
You are a saint for restraining yourself from making a sarcastic reply. Perhaps you should develop a reputation for sarcastic replies to customers so that you become famous for it and customers become disappointed if you are polite. Other people have made lucrative names for themselves by being rude.
It works if you see enough people – I have known several famously rude shopkeepers over the years but fame depends on throughput and that has fallen badly. eBay just isn’t the same.