Saturday, July 20, 2013
Customers.
Customers......well, we love them of course.
But some make us work very hard for our crust.
This morning a foreign couple came in; don't know where they came from - they didn't seem keen to be forthcoming with that sort of information. I suggested Italy, at one point. The Italians are renowned for demanding better than the best price. The woman just said ..."or some place".
Soon the desk was being piled with items of all kinds from seven different dealers.
The customers continued with the pretense (I assume) that these were all items they badly needed for their home.......but who needs a dozen sundae glasses?
If customers ask, it is arranged with all our dealers that 10% can be knocked off the ticket price.
But these two wanted much more than that.
Every one of the dealers was phoned at least once.
I think the things might have been bought even if rock bottom had not been reached, but I feel it is always best to ask the dealer their opinion.
Then we were wrapping and sorting out the finances.....making sure that each dealer got the right amount of money.
What a wonderful moment it was when I turned to the others and said that should leave £22 for TJ.....and there, on the desk, was exactly £22.
So that kept us all on our toes for an hour.
There were other sales of course.
Bill and Steve popped out to the pub for lunch.
I stayed in and was joined by Claudia.
The afternoon was quieter.
Bill and I went to have a look round Gertie's Emporium (or whatever it is called) opposite us.
It is an old fashioned tea shop - pots of tea and lovely china and cake plates loaded with wonderful cakes.
There are also displays of things for sale - both new and genuine vintage.
http://www.gorgeousgerties.co.uk/
http://www.gorgeousgerties.co.uk/?blog=
I think it looks lovely.
So the owners and we admired each other's shops - they said they loved my section in Pilgrims.
We didn't buy anything - but good to introduce ourselves. It is a shame that they don't open on Mondays, when we are normally in Dorking.
But as they said, they do need one day a week off.
I have had second thoughts about doing another window display.
The one I did last Monday has been admired by other dealers in the shop and also customers.
I tweaked it a bit during the afternoon and will do a bit more tweaking on Monday.
There will be no room for the lovely pram I bought last Thursday.
Tomorrow I shall go out hunting for more treasures to sell on.
I presume it will remain a bit cooler than it has been. For a while this evening, I felt a bit chilly - reaching for a cardigan.
We have enjoyed the last really competitive day of Le Tour de France.
Now for some strawberries, raspberries and water melon fruit salad, a cuppa and an early night.
I am feeling tired.....that shoulder and neck pain hasn't yet gone away and drags me down a bit.
But some make us work very hard for our crust.
This morning a foreign couple came in; don't know where they came from - they didn't seem keen to be forthcoming with that sort of information. I suggested Italy, at one point. The Italians are renowned for demanding better than the best price. The woman just said ..."or some place".
Soon the desk was being piled with items of all kinds from seven different dealers.
The customers continued with the pretense (I assume) that these were all items they badly needed for their home.......but who needs a dozen sundae glasses?
If customers ask, it is arranged with all our dealers that 10% can be knocked off the ticket price.
But these two wanted much more than that.
Every one of the dealers was phoned at least once.
I think the things might have been bought even if rock bottom had not been reached, but I feel it is always best to ask the dealer their opinion.
Then we were wrapping and sorting out the finances.....making sure that each dealer got the right amount of money.
What a wonderful moment it was when I turned to the others and said that should leave £22 for TJ.....and there, on the desk, was exactly £22.
So that kept us all on our toes for an hour.
There were other sales of course.
Bill and Steve popped out to the pub for lunch.
I stayed in and was joined by Claudia.
The afternoon was quieter.
Bill and I went to have a look round Gertie's Emporium (or whatever it is called) opposite us.
It is an old fashioned tea shop - pots of tea and lovely china and cake plates loaded with wonderful cakes.
There are also displays of things for sale - both new and genuine vintage.
http://www.gorgeousgerties.co.uk/
http://www.gorgeousgerties.co.uk/?blog=
I think it looks lovely.
So the owners and we admired each other's shops - they said they loved my section in Pilgrims.
We didn't buy anything - but good to introduce ourselves. It is a shame that they don't open on Mondays, when we are normally in Dorking.
But as they said, they do need one day a week off.
I have had second thoughts about doing another window display.
The one I did last Monday has been admired by other dealers in the shop and also customers.
I tweaked it a bit during the afternoon and will do a bit more tweaking on Monday.
There will be no room for the lovely pram I bought last Thursday.
Tomorrow I shall go out hunting for more treasures to sell on.
I presume it will remain a bit cooler than it has been. For a while this evening, I felt a bit chilly - reaching for a cardigan.
We have enjoyed the last really competitive day of Le Tour de France.
Now for some strawberries, raspberries and water melon fruit salad, a cuppa and an early night.
I am feeling tired.....that shoulder and neck pain hasn't yet gone away and drags me down a bit.
