Sep 8, 2008

I'm Speechless..."

You have probably heard that "desperate times call for desperate measures". Well, not always. Sometimes desperate times call for... well, putting on your "big girl panties" and stepping away from the computer.

This came by way of one of my members today. It was an actual email she received from a local, unnamed store (the spelling errors are not mine):

"We wanted to tell you all how much we really appreciate your business during the difficult economic times. We know it's frustrating to need something, drive to the store to get it and find we are out of what you wanted.

Since you care so much about the store and we care about our stamping/scraping family, we would like to explain the current situation. Sales have drop drastically. Without sales, we can't order merchandise. Without merchandise we don't make any sales. You see how we are caught in a downward spiraling circle? We really don't want to hit bottom.

We are doing our best to stay open to provide you with: a place to come for classes, a place to spark your creativity, and hopefully again soon, a place to get the products you want and need.

Since many of you have asked what you can do, we are taking any and all suggestions and ideas.

Many have asked if they could donate slightly used stamps /scrapbooking products or stamps/scrapbooking products that they no longer use or need. We answered YES!

So we will have a "store " donation table out front.

Many have suggested putting a donation jar at the front desk.

So we will be accepting donations to help keep the store alive until the economy changes for the better.

If any of you have any other ideas or suggestions, please e-mail, call or come by. We would love to hear them."

This email was followed up by one announcing that to save money, they would only be open 4 days a week. Then, it was followed by another one announcing they would be CLOSED 4 days a week to give them time to figure out how to stay open.

Since when is a retail scrapbook business a charity? I mean, plenty of stores in this industry act as "non-profits", but in a totally different sense of the word.

This takes the cake! I have never seen anything SO outrageously desperate and unprofessional!

Blaming the customer and then begging them to give you money is just plan bizarre and a little shameful. You're in business to serve your customers. Your customers should not be made to feel guilty or responsible for your demise.

What's next? Sending an employee out to hold a "donation" sign on the corner??

3 comments:

Musicmom-Amy said...

I'm STUNNED!!! Shaking my head and picking up my jaw off the floor. That's unbelievable and they would have completely lost me as a customer.

A "donation" jar ~ sheesh!

Anonymous said...

unreal! Goes to prove that so many people started a scrapbiz, cause they thought it would be fun. Jaw dropping!

Anonymous said...

WOW! This business has NO business BEING in business! This is pretty sad and pathetic! Yikes!