Good evening everyone!
Back to my normal Monday slot, hopefully you will have seen that last weeks hiatus was because I was busy promoting European Day of Languages - if you are quick you can still get 10% off all languages toys at www.rachelstoyshop.co.uk until 1st October.
This week I was thinking about what happens when you don't work on something full time, as I don't currently on the shop - deliveries are a real problem (as you will have seen the previous arrangement of having them delivered to my mums office was bonkers). I often return home to a "sorry you were out" card, and it won't come as a massive shock that the main delivery companies don't have depots in Wigan. So I often have to drive to Preston, worst case scenario is near Liverpool airport. The amount I spend on petrol sort of negates me getting free delivery from my suppliers.
One thing I have noticed is that (male) depot staff often like to leave women standing in the rain at security gates. Perhaps I am reading too much into this, but I have often been standing at the locked turnstile, trying to resist the urge to press the call button repeatedly as I get soaked.
UKMail are the worst - they are like Fort Knox to get in there - but if you are dropping something off I have found sometimes they just say (without looking up) "leave it on the chair, love". Very security conscious.
One evening after being left in the rain for 10 minutes before I gave up and walked under the lorry entrance barrier, I left my parcel "on the chair" in the waiting room as directed. As I walked out a customer who was waiting for her parcel said to me as I left - "I wouldn't use them, love, they're useless". Thanks for the helpful comment I thought.
Well, maybe she had a sixth sense, as I checked the tracking next morning, and it just said "delayed". It stayed like that all day, so I phoned them just before they shut.
Me: "What does"delayed" mean? I paid for next day delivery"
Chap : "let me have a look, madam. Oh I see. Yes, I'm afraid we've sent it to Ireland by mistake, but I'm happy to say it will be back in the country tomorrow morning. "
Me: "you have to be kidding me, the customer paid for next day delivery, I'll have to refund it"
Chap: "I suggest you phone the IPostParcels number and ask for compensation"
Me: "you own IPostParcels!"
Chap: "yes but it's a different number for compensation"
So I phone and was fobbed off to an online query form. I got an email with my compensation - 10% off my next order, within 2 weeks. 60p then. Brilliant.
So I vowed not to use them again but they are the most convenient, and I haven't had any trouble since (touching wood as I type).
My favourite is TNT though - they phone me ( not the other way round) to rearrange delivery, they let me drive right up to the door, and they insist in loading my boxes into the car. I may be small now but one day......
....here's hoping! I quite fancy my own fleet of branded vans :)
Monday 30 September 2013
Wednesday 18 September 2013
A Money Belt and Alderley Edge
So I was all set with my gargantuan bubble wrap rolls, boxes and stock. I decided that I needed to test the water with some fairs too. I saw an advert for a baby sale in Alderley Edge, and although it said it was a mixture of new and used, I thought the lovely middle class mummies of Alderley Edge might appreciate my language toys and gorgeous unusual nightlights.
I had everything for the sale, except 3 things - float, bags and a money belt. Yes a money belt. I thought - this is the way to look professional - so I ordered a denim effect one from eBay. Dark blue denim, not an 80s stone wash, but I still don't really know what possessed me.
So that was sorted, next bags. I perused the selection available from my packaging man, Tony, and I thought that I would get some big blue recycled plastic bags for large purchases and some smaller white smart paper bags. As you would expect, you have to order quite large quantities - 250 for the paper bags, 1000 for the plastic. But it was still cheaper than ordering from someone on eBay and I didn't have funds to get nicer ones.
Well they arrived - and if you know me, and that disaster follows me like a bad smell, you will have already guessed that they were smaller than I thought. Who knew that when selling bags, manufacturers include the handles in the dimensions. LUNACY! What have handles got to do with it? I now had 1000 plastic bags, in a nasty food-hygiene blue, that basically I can get the turtles in and not much else. The white ones were the size and type you get with a takeaway in.
So the Sunday arrived, I packed up the car and set off for Alderley Edge. I set off a bit later than planned (business as usual) but I got a good car parking space outside the side door of the Festival Hall and went to investigate.
I was instantly disappointed. The Festival Hall was not very big at all, and my pitch, although I got double size "for free", was basically a pub corner sofa and table. The lady next door was very appreciative of my Spanish things, however, and I was starting to feel more positive. The doors opened and the initial rush was about 20 people. This is not good. If you have ever been to an NCT sale, you will know that mothers queue for a good half an hour before a sale opens and then there is a proper stampeed. Not here. And actually, I realised later that there had been a large NCT sale the day before, so this may have been why it was so quiet. And the people who came in, with a couple of exceptions, only wanted 50p bundles of babygros, and were not interested in full price toys at all.
I thought for a minute that the lady on the stall next to me was going to buy a Spanish wall hanging calendar, then she turned to me and said "I think its lovely but its dreadfully expensive, I'll just buy one cheap when I next go to Spain."
I wanted to yell "you can't buy them like this in Spain, and I've already knocked a fiver off, and actually its very good value" but of course I didn't. I started to pack my things away having sold nothing.
So I went to the main high street in Alderley Edge to buy a consolation brownie in Costa, where it was packed with lovely families having Sunday coffee. If only they had wandered down to the hall....
What did I learn? Don't buy cheap money belts. Check out the event before you book it (I hadn't 100% learnt this yet as you will see another time). Don't go to an event where secondhand stuff is also on offer. And don't make silly assumptions about people with a few bob, do your research properly.
You have to put these things down to experience!
I had everything for the sale, except 3 things - float, bags and a money belt. Yes a money belt. I thought - this is the way to look professional - so I ordered a denim effect one from eBay. Dark blue denim, not an 80s stone wash, but I still don't really know what possessed me.
So that was sorted, next bags. I perused the selection available from my packaging man, Tony, and I thought that I would get some big blue recycled plastic bags for large purchases and some smaller white smart paper bags. As you would expect, you have to order quite large quantities - 250 for the paper bags, 1000 for the plastic. But it was still cheaper than ordering from someone on eBay and I didn't have funds to get nicer ones.
Well they arrived - and if you know me, and that disaster follows me like a bad smell, you will have already guessed that they were smaller than I thought. Who knew that when selling bags, manufacturers include the handles in the dimensions. LUNACY! What have handles got to do with it? I now had 1000 plastic bags, in a nasty food-hygiene blue, that basically I can get the turtles in and not much else. The white ones were the size and type you get with a takeaway in.
So the Sunday arrived, I packed up the car and set off for Alderley Edge. I set off a bit later than planned (business as usual) but I got a good car parking space outside the side door of the Festival Hall and went to investigate.
I was instantly disappointed. The Festival Hall was not very big at all, and my pitch, although I got double size "for free", was basically a pub corner sofa and table. The lady next door was very appreciative of my Spanish things, however, and I was starting to feel more positive. The doors opened and the initial rush was about 20 people. This is not good. If you have ever been to an NCT sale, you will know that mothers queue for a good half an hour before a sale opens and then there is a proper stampeed. Not here. And actually, I realised later that there had been a large NCT sale the day before, so this may have been why it was so quiet. And the people who came in, with a couple of exceptions, only wanted 50p bundles of babygros, and were not interested in full price toys at all.
I thought for a minute that the lady on the stall next to me was going to buy a Spanish wall hanging calendar, then she turned to me and said "I think its lovely but its dreadfully expensive, I'll just buy one cheap when I next go to Spain."
I wanted to yell "you can't buy them like this in Spain, and I've already knocked a fiver off, and actually its very good value" but of course I didn't. I started to pack my things away having sold nothing.
So I went to the main high street in Alderley Edge to buy a consolation brownie in Costa, where it was packed with lovely families having Sunday coffee. If only they had wandered down to the hall....
What did I learn? Don't buy cheap money belts. Check out the event before you book it (I hadn't 100% learnt this yet as you will see another time). Don't go to an event where secondhand stuff is also on offer. And don't make silly assumptions about people with a few bob, do your research properly.
You have to put these things down to experience!
Monday 9 September 2013
Back to the story - muffins and bubble wrap
Sorry for the weeks gap, we had an attempted break in, so I was a bit goosed last Monday. To be honest I still am!!
Some people think I am just playing shop, but I think its just that I am excited by the little things....
So for instance, those of you that have an individual Costco membership (half the country seem eligible), you will know that you are not allowed in the warehouse before noon on a weekday. I'm usually at work, so I never really cared, but I had heard a rumour that the tasting of products was a lot better before noon (from a like-minded greedy person).
So I was very excited to find out what happened when you are a trade member - this may seem sad, but again, I like to get excited by the small things in life, and then the big things are more managable when they are disappointing.
I went in on the first morning to get a set of postal scales and some paper (playing shop you see) and to see what else they had that might be useful, and there was a big crowd around a table within 2 seconds of the shop opening. I went over to see if there was something free, and there was. Free pastries, muffins and hot drinks - if you have never had Costco baked goods you won't understand but they are so good (but also so bad). This was marvellous - not only did I have a trade card with my shop name on (first bit of proper trade kit) but here was free food EVERY MORNING. I knew that I would soon be the size of a house, and it felt good.
So I trundled off to buy things I didn't really need and then I went to my next exciting trade place. The packaging wholesaler.
This was a very strange experience. I got to the depot, where there was no sign of a reception. Feeling incredibly foolish, I rang a buzzer. I explained I wanted to speak to Tony (I had phoned in advance), and I was buzzed through and asked to wait in reception. In reception, there were 2 chairs, a large pot plant and the toilets. Tony and his sidekick came out, a bit like a tattooed Laurel and Hardy, and the proceeded to question me about my requirements - standing up. This felt very uncomfortable - I was expecting to be led to some kind of tabled area, where they would show me packaging brochures, and they would tap my details into a computer. Not a bit of it. We stood by the large pot plant for the entire 15 minutes, talking about box sizes, bubble wrap and jiffy bags. They scribbled my website name onto the back of an envelope and I fully expected them to throw it in the bin before I had left the car park. I didn't think they were taking me seriously (probably the chocoloate muffin smeared on me) so I was very surprised when Tony sent me a very useful follow up email later the day. But I still didn't have an prices. I guess they wanted to see what quantities I ordered in.
Which of course was the minimum. If you have ever tried to order the minimum size at a packaging warehouse, you will know that this is still quite alot. I think they enjoy, maybe once a day, watching some silly woman try and get an enormous roll of bubble wrap into her car. Tony told me to bring my car around to pick up my order when I went back a week later, so I drove it around to the loading bay where he was standing next to a roll of bubble wrap so large it was as tall as him, and as rotund. Internal swearing. I had to put the seats down, luckily the bubble wrap broke into two, still enormous rolls, and I just about managed to get my boot shut.
I won't tell you what my husband said when he opened the cupboard under the stairs and found one of them. I didn't have the heart to tell him there was another one in the garage.....along with a similar size roll of brown paper, 50 flat packed boxes and 72 rolls of logo'ed tape
Some people think I am just playing shop, but I think its just that I am excited by the little things....
So for instance, those of you that have an individual Costco membership (half the country seem eligible), you will know that you are not allowed in the warehouse before noon on a weekday. I'm usually at work, so I never really cared, but I had heard a rumour that the tasting of products was a lot better before noon (from a like-minded greedy person).
So I was very excited to find out what happened when you are a trade member - this may seem sad, but again, I like to get excited by the small things in life, and then the big things are more managable when they are disappointing.
I went in on the first morning to get a set of postal scales and some paper (playing shop you see) and to see what else they had that might be useful, and there was a big crowd around a table within 2 seconds of the shop opening. I went over to see if there was something free, and there was. Free pastries, muffins and hot drinks - if you have never had Costco baked goods you won't understand but they are so good (but also so bad). This was marvellous - not only did I have a trade card with my shop name on (first bit of proper trade kit) but here was free food EVERY MORNING. I knew that I would soon be the size of a house, and it felt good.
So I trundled off to buy things I didn't really need and then I went to my next exciting trade place. The packaging wholesaler.
This was a very strange experience. I got to the depot, where there was no sign of a reception. Feeling incredibly foolish, I rang a buzzer. I explained I wanted to speak to Tony (I had phoned in advance), and I was buzzed through and asked to wait in reception. In reception, there were 2 chairs, a large pot plant and the toilets. Tony and his sidekick came out, a bit like a tattooed Laurel and Hardy, and the proceeded to question me about my requirements - standing up. This felt very uncomfortable - I was expecting to be led to some kind of tabled area, where they would show me packaging brochures, and they would tap my details into a computer. Not a bit of it. We stood by the large pot plant for the entire 15 minutes, talking about box sizes, bubble wrap and jiffy bags. They scribbled my website name onto the back of an envelope and I fully expected them to throw it in the bin before I had left the car park. I didn't think they were taking me seriously (probably the chocoloate muffin smeared on me) so I was very surprised when Tony sent me a very useful follow up email later the day. But I still didn't have an prices. I guess they wanted to see what quantities I ordered in.
Which of course was the minimum. If you have ever tried to order the minimum size at a packaging warehouse, you will know that this is still quite alot. I think they enjoy, maybe once a day, watching some silly woman try and get an enormous roll of bubble wrap into her car. Tony told me to bring my car around to pick up my order when I went back a week later, so I drove it around to the loading bay where he was standing next to a roll of bubble wrap so large it was as tall as him, and as rotund. Internal swearing. I had to put the seats down, luckily the bubble wrap broke into two, still enormous rolls, and I just about managed to get my boot shut.
I won't tell you what my husband said when he opened the cupboard under the stairs and found one of them. I didn't have the heart to tell him there was another one in the garage.....along with a similar size roll of brown paper, 50 flat packed boxes and 72 rolls of logo'ed tape
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