Wendy Hampton on sun 12 jan 97
Hi all,
I am faced with a new problem. (This seems to be a daily occurance!). I have
a customer that orders wholesale from Alaska. She has asked to return a
piece that didn't sell over the year and I agreed. It will be handled as a
credit against the next order. My question is - Do I include the shipping,
handling and postage in the credit, or should the credit be only for the
value of the piece.
Thanks for you input!
Wendy from Bainbridge Island WA
Kenneth D Westfall on mon 13 jan 97
On Sun, 12 Jan 1997 22:42:33 EST Wendy Hampton writes:
>----------------------------Original
>message----------------------------
>Hi all,
>I am faced with a new problem. (This seems to be a daily occurance!).
>I have
>a customer that orders wholesale from Alaska. She has asked to return
>a
>piece that didn't sell over the year and I agreed. It will be handled
>as a
>credit against the next order. My question is - Do I include the
>shipping,
>handling and postage in the credit, or should the credit be only for
>the
>value of the piece.
>Thanks for you input!
>Wendy from Bainbridge Island WA
>
Wendy I think you should not absorb the shipping or handling. Your
custormer had the item for a hole year and you are exchanging it for
something else. I don't think that to much to ask for. I send special
ordered pots out to customer all the time with the stipulation that if
they don't like them they can be return, but they pay the return
shipping. I do not ask for a down payment, just if they keep them send a
check if they don't, pay the shipping back. Don't be a push over most
commercial companies would charge a restocking fee.
Kenneth
Barb & Ray Sapergia on tue 14 jan 97
Wendy Hampton wrote:
> She has asked to return a
> piece that didn't sell over the year and I agreed. It will be handled as a
> credit against the next order. My question is - Do I include the shipping,
> handling and postage in the credit, or should the credit be only for the
> value of the piece.
Hi Wendy,
This is along the same lines as the discussions on pricing and the approach that
galleries/craft shops take with craftpeople (aka 'suppliers'). I can't imagine
other retail store asking their suppliers to accept merchandise back after the
buyer/owner from the store made a boo-boo in their assessments of what might sel
particular time frame.
That having been said, in our studio, we will offer a 'credit for work returned'
their initial order ONLY, within a year of purchase. We have a minimum initial
$2000 (wholesale value), and this makes first-time buyers feel less threatened b
possibility that they will be stuck with pots that don't sell for them. There a
returns allowed on subsequent orders, but there is also no minimum after the fir
order. Also, the stores always pay the cost of shipping. In 19 years in the biz
have never had any pots returned by a gallery, and the new orders are usually th
of stock sold, ensuring that they always have at least a $2000 value of our pots
In your situation, you've already agreed to accept the piece, so to answer your
question, ABSOLUTELY the store should pay for the shipping and handling - it is
of the cost of the piece, and not to charge it back only encourages more returns
future, IMHO. Many businesses do that and also add a re-stocking fee.
Hope it all works out for you,
Barb Springer Sapergia
(on Vancouver Island, where we are having a rare beautiful sunny winter day)
Dave and Pat Eitel on tue 14 jan 97
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hi all,
>I am faced with a new problem. (This seems to be a daily occurance!). I have
>a customer that orders wholesale from Alaska. She has asked to return a
>piece that didn't sell over the year and I agreed. It will be handled as a
>credit against the next order. My question is - Do I include the shipping,
>handling and postage in the credit, or should the credit be only for the
>value of the piece.
>Thanks for you input!
>Wendy from Bainbridge Island WA
Wendy--As a shopkeeper, my experience is that the credit should be only for
the piece--the shop should pay for return postage.
Later...Dave
Dave Eitel
Cedar Creek Pottery
Cedarburg, WI
pots@cedarcreekpottery.com
http://www.cedarcreekpottery.com
ken tighe on tue 14 jan 97
Credit only the piece. She should pay shipping both ways.
ZALT@aol.com on tue 14 jan 97
Wendy;
It all depends upon what you agreed to do. If there was no arrangement, when
you sold wholesale, about returns, you can specify what arrangements you want
to follow now.
Be warned, once you decide to exchange unsold work for credit you could end
up with the same difficulty affecting consignment. That of maintaining
inventory lists with suggested prices and accepting shipping cost of returned
work.
How do you know that they didn't triple your wholesale price and now that
they couldn't find a buyer they want you to take the hit. Are you sure they
were asking your suggested retail price?
It would be a good idea to review the amount of stock this store purchases
from you. If it is very little each year then I would suggest limiting this
return as an exception but not to become a regular occurance.
Terrance F Lazaroff
St Hubert, Quebec, Canada !!!
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