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Ridiculous request by email


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I own a family pottery with 2 full time, 2 part potters, and office / store staff.  We have a production line of goods that we all help out with, but each potter makes what they want to fill there part of the store.  We also have a private show room / conference room that is invite only and was let out of the bag in the google reviews.

About 8 months ago we started getting ridiculous request.  People have wanted me to make something, but let a different potter in the studio paint it.  I have been asked to make something, but use a different potters stamp.  I had someone telling me they were a potter, but wanted to send me all the materials to copy a pot they say they made 6 months ago.  I have had a few people flip out and cuss because they can not book our conference room.  Some was selling pottery classes and then giving us the email to schedule the class after they paid.  The list goes on.

Have other people started getting emails like this?

Thanks.  Lost 

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There have been a lot of NO's and a few $5,000 non refundable service charges paid in advanced for that service, but people do not want to pay it.

Were used some odd request, but they got bad in the last 8 months.  For years I have told people "It looks like we are not the pottery for you and that we do not need your business".  

Edited by LostClay
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Since google got me I had to change my listing (I never made a listing it just happened and then a few reviews popped up from customers) to manufacturing to cut back the calls on wanting to buy stuff (like clay, glaze ,etc) .  I still get calls  every other week as we only have one supplier in this whole area but its from folks who do not read the whole listing.-They seem to be in thier cars on cell phone a lot. For me its just a pain in the a--.

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No one ever reads the listing, lol! It doesn't matter if it’s google, Etsy or your own online shop. 

I don’t want to start threads where we wind up venting about customers, because it’s too public here. If and when the offended parties see it, it can come back to haunt. But we do need places to talk to people about some of the things we see that can’t even be made up. I think it’s an important part of coping when working retail of any kind.

If you need to commiserate with like minded folks online, I like S#!% Overheard at Art Festivals page on Facebook. It’s private, so you’re in a receptive audience. They take internet submissions as well as posting assorted chicken stroller/boa constrictor/interesting costume submissions. The page @smallbizmemez on Instagram will give you some good belly laughs as well. It’s the one place on the internet where you should read the comments.  You can submit your experiences anonymously (or you can reveal yourself but not the customer’s details) and meme-ing will ensue. The rules on that one involve not going after the offender: we’re there to vent, not get revenge. The person who runs the account is pretty firm on that one.

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I will use my Business as an example.

I never listed it with google but if you type in Liscom Hill Pottery in google up pops about 5-6 solid pages of hits about myself or pottery or what I have done in the past with shops and shows and the like. On the right hand side of the 1st page is a sidebar about my location and some reviews . In that sidebar one is called (suggestions or do you own this business) and thats where you can make some edits on what type of busines it is and hours if you like ( I do not want customers coming here so I did that edit to discourage folks) I have some reviews as well and there is a place you can edit that as well

Since I have been here  in this location for 50 years this coming May google found out about me somehow as its common knowledge in these parts -and some customers (which came  to buy pottery via a phone call to come over wrote reviews thinking this would help me ) I do not have many folks here anymore  for sales in the past decade as I really do not want to have the public here anymore.

I still get calls wanting clay materials or pots as folks never read much anymore and just call thinking I'm a store.

I did have  had 19 straight years of  two studio sales  a year at this location but stopped in 1992 before the google world took over. I sent out 1,000 postcards on a mailing list and before that I had a bulk mail permit for a single page mailer when that was cheaper . I stopped taking customers info in the 90s as I do not need to business wise. 

Edited by Mark C.
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I think that one of the most difficult things to do as a new business is to say 'no' to a customer. You're hungry for business and need the money, so you take on whatever project comes your way, including  a lot of horrible projects that you shouldn't, but you feel like to have to if you're going to survive. Bit by bit the business grows and learn where your time and energy should be spent, and you start to feel comfortable with turning people down because you know that you can survive without trying to make everyone happy. It's a great feeling when you've got enough business that can pick and choose what you want to do. I LOVE telling people no because it's proof that my business is successful enough that I can run it on my own terms.

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