The main topic of conversation between small on-line businesses at the moment is what to do about the postal strike.
Recommendations about couriers - good and bad - are whizzing round the internet along with a great deal of despondency and panic.
I can completely understand the worry - my retail web sales had begun to build with organised people buying their Christmas presents - since the strikes on-line retail sales are down by 3/4.
It worries me though how quick we are to go from "lets save our local post offices" to " lets find an alternative to posties".
It isn't actually the performance of the postal service that I am worried about - it is customer confidence. Believe me - if you order your Christmas presents from a small craft business now you will get them by Christmas even if the maker has to deliver by hand. Thats just the kind of people who run small businesses - they care about the customer.
For the meantime - if it makes customers any more confident - the Snapdragon policy is that all retail orders over £40 will be sent via our lovely couriers and any small orders will be held off until a day after active strike. (Tuesday in this case). If this isn't good enough get in touch add we can add a bit of postage costs onto the order and send by courier.
But please do keep ordering from mail order businesses - I shall be highlighting some of my favourites here when I get time.
Now - back to the sewing machine - camper-van bottle openers this morning I think!
I wholeheartedly agree with you Jane, the strike impacts our small businesses and it is such a worry when sales are down so much. I have to say though that so far the post does not seem to have been disrupted in my neck of the woods and all parcels have been arriving in good time. I too am holding parcels back until Tuesday though.
Let's hope it gets sorted out some time soon!
Posted by: donna | October 30, 2009 at 08:53 AM
Very well said!!!
Posted by: Becky | October 30, 2009 at 08:58 AM
It must be really difficult & I hope that both you/small bizzes and the posties get it all sorted out soonest.
I have just been having a catch up but don't have time to comment on each post today - I have a writing deadline and shouldn't be reading this at all! Did want to say though that you are very inspirational. So pleased that you have got the new staff you hoped for. Good luck with it all. How exciting to have a 'new' house too! No idea how you manage to squash it all in but you do and do it so serenely.
CKx
Posted by: Calico Kate | October 30, 2009 at 10:12 AM
My policy these days is to ignore what's said in the media and carry on as normal so I'd recommend people continue to place their orders as normal. I'd agreed a swap with a fellow blogger and posted a jar of chutney on wednesday afternoon having forgotten all about the intended strike action the next day. I assumed my package would be sitting at the post office in Gloucester until next week but I had an email today saying it had arrived in Nottingham. We've both continued to have our normal postal service this week.
Posted by: nic @ nipitinthebud | October 30, 2009 at 03:03 PM
I, too, don't think it is quite as bad as is made out, certainly not in our area. Any delays have been certainly not more than a day or so.
Pomona x
Posted by: Pomona | October 30, 2009 at 03:42 PM
I don't think it is as bad as the media is making out either - and really I am getting very irritated with the news/newspapers over this.
Its the same as swine flu/credit crunch and all other self fullfilling prophecies.
The internet orders are down though - spojke to a friend this am and she was down from selling c. £200 a day off her website to just 2 orders last week. :(
Rant, rant, rant.
J x
Posted by: snapdragonjane | October 30, 2009 at 03:51 PM
I think the hype is defintely affecting internet sales Jane. Just hope it gets sorted soon and thanks for highlighting it x
Posted by: Pipany | October 30, 2009 at 06:26 PM
Hi Jane
Just placed a wholesale order with you yesterday and have now discovered your blog - hooray!
The whole post thing is such a worry. I must admit I have jumped ship and am now using my courier for everything. It's working well at the moment but not sure how happy I'll be feeling when the first invoice comes in next week. Gulp.
Love Charlotte
xx
http://www.cottontailsbaby.co.uk
Posted by: Charlotte Evans | October 31, 2009 at 11:24 PM
I have had no complaints from customers (yet) thankfully! People are generally understanding. Hope its all over with soon though X
Posted by: The Vintage Kitten | November 02, 2009 at 12:08 AM