Showdown at the Marketplace

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that nothing irks me more than internet drama. But this time is doesn't involve facebook, it involves a shopkeeper from Etsy. Next week is a home business show and I have been busily preparing for it. I made some prints of my products to sell and wanted to get some cellophane bags to put them in so they look nice and professional. I went to Etsy to buy my bags. I found a shop that had bags for a really great price. In the description of the products, however, it did not state what size of print would fit in the bags. Me being new the business, assumed I would get 8x10 bags for my 8x10 prints and 5x7 bags for my 5x7 prints. Simple, right? I ordered the bags, got a really sweet "thanks for your business" notes from the seller and they were delivered super fast. I was very happy. The 8x10 bags were great. They fit my prints perfectly. The 5x7 bags, however, didn't work. No biggie though. I will use them for other things. The quality of the bags was good, I was just bummed and a little bugged that the 5x7 bags didn't fit my prints. I wish the description of the product would have stated that. 


So like Amazon, Ebay, and other online shops, you can leave feedback for sellers and buyers (this is where I learned my lesson). On Etsy, you can choose to leave positive, neutral, or negative feedback with comments. I gave the seller a positive for the 8x10 bags and I gave the seller a neutral rating for the 5x7 bags with this exact comment, "nice, but need to be a touch wider to actually fit a 5x7 print. i can use them for smaller prints, though."  I didn't think that was mean or unkind. It was honest and I was just trying to point out to other buyers that these won't fit 5x7 prints. I didn't say anything derogatory about the shop or the service. I didn't demand a refund or exchange or rant and rave. In fact, I was going to order new bags that fit my prints UNTIL I saw this: under "comments for buyers" she left me a negative rating and said this "customer left Neutral Feedback because she bought the wrong bags. What does her mistake have to do with my service or quality of my products?!"  Ummm....WHAT?! First of all, I wouldn't have bought the wrong bags if your product description would have stated what size prints went in them! I felt like I need to explain myself to this person and here is our conversation:


I feel like the comment I left about your bags was fair. It was neutral, not negative and I didn't say anything derogatory about your service or the product itself. In the product description of the bags, it says 5x7 but does not say it doesn't fit a 5x7 print. In fact, it doesn't say say at all what size print it would fit, so I assumed it would fit 5x7. I was actually going to reorder new bags from your store.


Her reply:
True, it's not a Negative Feedback, but other customer look at even the Neutral comments. It sticks out like a sore thumb. I only sell the bags. I don't claim that I use and know exactly everything that will fit into them and neither do most of the other sellers. Why would you put anything but a positive feedback rating unless you were trying to say in some way that I somehow wasn't a good seller? Why are you blaming me for something you should have known or asked about before you bought them? I feel, as with all my customer sales, that I do a great job at packaging and getting orders mailed out fast and with quality products. I don't feel that any customer has the right to then give any kind of feedback other than Positive unless I truly have done something wrong. That's not fair. That's why I in turn gave you Negative feedback because you were at fault not me but you were trying to make it look like I made a mistake


My thoughts: She said I should have asked first, but also says she doesn't claim to know what goes in the bags. How would asking, then, have done any good? Also, I am beginning to get really upset because I am/was a PAYING customer. What happened to customer service? Also as a business owner, are you really going to freak out over a NEUTRAL rating. Anyone who reads my comment will still use her store. They just won't buy her 5x7 bags for their 5x7 prints.


My reply:
 didn't demand a refund. I didn't rant and rave. I thought my feedback was fair and I said it in the nicest way possible. Anyone who reads my comment is not going to think your service is terrible or the bags inadequate. I even stated that I can use them for smaller prints. I wish that the description would have said what size they held, that's all. Any buyer is going to assume that it holds a 5x7 print, that's what I wanted to point out. I am sorry for offending you or your business, but I will be going elsewhere to buy my bags from now on.


Her Reply:
That's fine if you go elsewhere to buy your bags. You'll probably be paying more for them. Read their descriptions...most don't tell you exactly what each size will hold. And by the way, any Buyer with half a brain will know that you don't get the same exact size bag for that size item that you'll be using it for. It will never fit unless it's just a tad bit bigger...the bag that is. Also, you can't demand a refund if nothing is wrong. Again, your feedback is not FAIR because you were at fault and not me. You should have been writing feedback for yourself not me. There is no NICE way to give Neutral or Negative feedback to someone when it's is clearly your fault and your mistake. If you were truly sorry for offending me and my business you would have said so in 1 sentence and that would have been that.


My thoughts: So now I am being personally insulted...I only have half a brain. And guess what? I am NOT sorry if I offended you or your business, I was just saying that to try to smooth things over. I actually have tact and manners. And BTW, I found this listing for 5x7 cellophane bags that DOES state what will fit in it, SO THERE! And I will happily pay more for bags if I don't have to deal with you again!


My reply:
Oh my goodness! How rude! Even though we are online, what happened to good customer service and being civil to one another? I honestly am shocked that a customer is being treated this way. You are a business owner and need to take critiques in stride. I loved your quick mailing, I was happy, mostly, with the bags. I was planning on being a returning customer until I was personally insulted and talked to so rudely. I hope you deal with other customers and issues in the future differently, for the sake of your business. I do not wish to hear from you again.


Her Reply:
I gave you wonderful customer service and then you were "rude" by not returning the favor and being a wonderful customer. After reading over the convos, you still are not willing to admit that you made the mistake in choosing the wrong size bag and should never have given Neutral feedback. You are saying that I am somehow being horrible for taking offense at any of your comments because I am a Shop owner and somehow it is your right as a customer to say whatever you want. You were being rude and inconsiderate from the beginning. The personal insult came because you stated in your convo before that..."Any buyer is going to assume that it holds a 5 x 7 print, that's what I wanted to point out." And I don't think anyone is going to take false criticism in stride. By the way, why am I suppose to accept the criticism and not you? I do not wish to hear from you again.


My thoughts: Oh really?! This is your wonderful customer service? I would hate to be the recipient of your "regular" customer service. And I was a wonderful customer by 1) choosing your shop and ordering your bags in the first place and 2) for giving you a neutral rating and not a negative one.  And it goes back to my ORIGINAL POINT: I was willing to accept my mistake and reorder new bags from you until you were SO RUDE to me and FREAKED OUT over my NEUTRAL rating. Sheesh! Correctly describe your product and I woudln't have bought your bags! Now who is unwilling to admit they made a mistake? hmm?


My Reply:
Oh you don't have to worry about that. Have a great week :)


I am mentally exhausted from this conversation. So basically, here my review of BJsRibbonsGalore: I WILL NEVER BUY FROM THEM AGAIN!

May Days

Wow, May is pretty much over and summer is here! We have stayed busy by: going for walks, playing outside in the sandbox and recently, the pool, playing at the park, Brooke has discovered she loves Legos, planting flowers and a new tree in our yard, and I have been hurriedly getting ready for a local home business show to promote my PB Designs products. I have actually been getting orders! yay!

The only women Porter will ever need :)

loves to be bundled and have his blankets close to his face

discovering hands

Brooke still loves to play with Porter

Porter decided to roll over! I love this video because of Brooke's cute commentary. She was so excited for him!

 

Since Porter got caught up on his gym, I wanted to get a video of him truly rolling over. By the time I got the camera, he was practically finished!

chalk footprints all over  my floors

yay for summer!

yay for lunchtime!

I went into Brooke's room to get her up from her nap and found this, but no Brooke anywhere

asleep in the closet

love baby feet

 In case any of you are in the market for a good double stroller, I would recommend the Graco "Ready2grow" I am loving all the different riding options. Porter is just big enough to fit in the higher, backward facing back seat (that holds up to 30lbs) while Brooke can still ride forward in the font. On longer walks, Porter's carseat fits perfectly over the back seat. If you remove the back seat, underneath is a sit and stand option for when Brooke gets older. There is also a large storage basket.

I know I am bias, but aren't his eyes gorgeous?

fast asleep by the time we got home

BRING ON SUMMER! WE'RE READY!

The Class of 2014

The kindergarten class of 2014, that is :) Last Wednesday Brooke had her preschool program/party to celebrate the end of the year. It was so fun to see her interact with her fellow preschool friends and show off some of the things they had done this year. (Technically, Brooke should be starting her first year of PreK this coming August, but since Brooke has a middle of the year bday and H. is AWESOME, Brooke got to sneak in a little early.)

They showed a slideshow video of pictures from throughout the year. Brooke pointed to every picture and said, "That's so and so" she knew all the kids.

Brooke got to pick a treat

Brooke and her teacher

Having treats afterwards

So happy to be one step closer to school!

Brooke and her classmates said their ABCs, counted to 20, and sang a song

Mother's Day and Other Stuff

This is what the kids made for each of their grandmas. I must say, it looked much cuter on the website where I got this idea. Porter wasn't very cooperative with his hand print, as you can tell by the white mess all over. I finally had to use his footprint.

 We introduced Porter to some new toys:

I heard Brooke making tons of racket in her room one afternoon during her nap and found her doing this:

 She piled all her blankets onto her footboard to make a saddle and was pretending she was riding a horse.

 And she was wearing a pair of Porter's socks...

 Brooke has been a great big sister so far. She asks all the time now to hold him and when she does she will pat his tummy like she is burping him. She is always by my side when I am changing him or putting him to bed and mimics me when he cries by saying, "It's okay, buddy, I know..." She was also excited to "play" with him.

 During this time, Brooke told me, "Porter is pulling my hair!" and "Porter, we don't push!" Then when he got fussy she said, "Mom, Porter doesn't want to play with me anymore!"

Porter loves blankets! He always tries to eat them and if he is fussy he will settle right down by stroking his check with a blanket. Blake also figured out that is a way to get him to eat. He was fighting me one day and wouldn't eat. Blake put a blanket up to his face and he started eating!

Mother's Day weekend, we spent some time at Danie's Summit Lodge and Restaraunt.

Flowers and tickets to see 'Wicked' from Blake and a tissue paper flower with a candy filled center from Brooke. As soon as Brooke gave it to me she immediately said, "I want some candy, let's share!" and Blake said, "yeah, I could have some candy." Isn't that the epitome of being a mother--getting a gift and then sharing it with everyone else? ;)

Love summer evenings!

  Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful, amazing women in my life!

3 Months and a Blessing

Before I begin my post, I must do a shameless plug for my new design blog: PBdesigns. If you haven't been over there recently, I have totally redesigned it and added tons of new products. I've arranged my products into categories and added links for you to easily navigate between sections. I have a large selection of children's/nursery wall art as well as some wall prints for your home that would make great mothers/fathers day, anniversary, birthday, christmas, or just because gifts! You can also "like" PBdesigns on facebook. And if you think others might "like" it too, please share!

I took these photos underneath our tree in our front yard. Porter was very serious faced as he was enchanted by the rustling leaves overhead. 

 

Porter at 3 months

• is more in a routine.  Likes to be in bed by 8 and sleeps mostly through the night.
• eats about every 2 1/2 hours except while taking his long 3-31/2 hour nap during the afternoon. 
• is a very social/smiley baby. With Brooke, she was smiley but we had to work to get a smile out of her. With Porter, all you have to do is say "Hi bud!" and he will give you the biggest, sweetest grin. He will fuss if he is in the other room and can hear us nearby. If we move his bouncer chair into the same room as us so he can watch what is going on, he's fine.
• giggles whenever I change his clothes. 
• uses his feet to push himself backwards
• is very close to rolling over

We blessed Porter on May 6th and what an event it was! We were so blessed to have lots of friends and family come celebrate with us. Most of our family live at least 3 hours (or more) away and it was so great to have them drive all the way out to see us.

Saturday night we had a fun BBQ. Brooke was in heaven having all her cousins around to play.

Brooke and cousin K. (aka "Yabba") spent a lot of time pulling each other around in the wagon.

 Sunday was the blessing. Even though Porter was pretty fussy in the morning, he was perfect during church. He was wide awake during his blessing, staring intently up at Blake, listening to every word (Brooke did the same thing during her blessing). Blake gave Porter a truly beautiful blessing. Blake and I have a lot to live up to! During the testimony part of the meeting, I got up to share mine and Brooke comes running up to the stand. The whole time while I am talking (and trying not be emotional) Brooke is standing by my side saying "mom!....mom!...." I had to do my best to ignore her and I am sure my thoughts made no sense because I couldn't concentrate. Afterwards, Brooke shared her testimony for the first time. It was so cute. We definitely do not have a shy daughter!

Blake with his sister Steph

Sunday afternoon we got together again and had a great lunch. The lunch was the cause of much stress Sunday morning as I was cooking the entire thing. Thankfully my mom and Blake came to the rescue to help me out. My mom transported food from our house to my inlaws house (where we had the luncheon) and Blake became an expert chicken enchilada maker (he filled probably 50 enchiladas).

Everyone from Blake's side of the family came out to support us

Brooke and Yabba

My friend Andrea came over to take some pictures of Porter. Here is one she's sent me as a little preview. I love it. I already can tell Porter's 3 month photo shoot will turn out better than Brooke's 3 month photos ;)