The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Loobylou on July 27, 2015, 08:21:52 pm
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Does anyone else have timewasters? We have been selling animals for years, and spent a lot of time with people explaining what we do. We have had evenings where we have had to get lamps and torches to show our animals with our kids(while they should be in bed) I just don't understand why people are so
fickle! Rant over
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People who don't read the advert or look at the pictures or check the location , or ring at some ungodly* hour :rant:
*Other Deities are availabe
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I'm glad it's not just me :relief:
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Or even say we can collect tomorrow and then vanish off face of earth.... you know who you are!
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Timewasters are the absolute biggest pain in the a**e. Whatever you're selling. I used to deal in second hand motors some years ago and it was the messers that made me give it up. I'll never go into the livestock selling game as I simply haven't got time to wait around for people or to spend hours with them while they dither about.
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Yes,
People saying they will meet you on Saturday and have a chat about business!
But don't bother to apear and don't bother to get in touch and not give a reason........
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Years ago, I had a spinning and weaving workshop and we had many visitors who were just killing time but you have to be nice just in case. My most memorable was the woman who came in and chatted while I was weaving, then started to look round. She admired something and asked the price. I told her it was on the green label but she couldn't seem to find it so I left the loom and went to show her. She then asked how long it took to make it and was amazed when I told her. I went back to my loom while she moved on, asked the price, couldn't find it so back I went, told her the price and how long it took to make, went back to my loom. This went on and on until I gave up trying to weave and just followed her round. Eventually she had seen everything and appeared to be impressed. I was hopeful of a good sale. She got to the door then said, (and I quote), "I think your things are absolutely beautiful and I would love to buy some things but it would take you such a long time to make things to replace them, so I won't." and walked out. I think she must have been half a mile away before I could get my chin back off the floor.
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Whenever people call to see my animals I arrange a time for them to come and see them which is both convenient for me and them. I am sorry to hear about that, I know exactly how you feel. I've had this a lot with time wasters at stalls on markets and shows. The most common excuses are oh I just need to go get some money out, or my partner/husband or wife has the money and I need to find them. Another few are am just browsing and will come back later, that's different and in some cases I was insulted by people who didn't appreciate my product, or who were too ignorant to understand the difference between a cow and a buffalo. :rant: Also I found that some people thought the price was too high and that they could get my product in the supermarket, I had to explain it was unique and that supermarkets never stocked it. At one point someone laughed at my stall because of the name buffalo. :rant: :rant: :rant:
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Or even say we can collect tomorrow and then vanish off face of earth.... you know who you are!
I had this with one of my pups.this guy had reserved one of my pups years ago but never sent the cash and I kept calling him to ask him for it, he stopped answering his phone and my emails and ignored me completely, he then moved to Ireland and I never heard from him since. I gave the dog away last year to a really lovely couple who send pics of him and them to me and they're really good people who love him hugely and he looks really happy. :)
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Biggest time wasters round here are the lambs and the ducklings, I can stand and watch them for hours.
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Or even say we can collect tomorrow and then vanish off face of earth.... you know who you are!
Oh yeah! Had lots of these lately.
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I mostly sell stock as a result of breed society contacts. I charge a fair price, often the last one I got at a specialist rare breeds auction for a similar animal or bird. If folks are just starting out in keeping that particular animal/bird I recommend a book to read first and put them on a wait list for when I next have something suitable. I also make it plain they're buying a back up service and I can always be contacted by e:mail for advice or information. By the time they drive through the farm gates they're already committed. My stock is too good and, mostly being the rarest of rare breeds, too precious, for me to contemplate selling it to flibbertigibbets (lovely word, don't often get to use it).
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All the time :rant:
Although i sold the last of my Suffolk x mule shearlings today to a chap who travelled 3hrs for them and he has restored my faith in selling online.
When someone shows an interest in something, i ask for an email address and send them loads of additional photos as theres nothing worse than people turning up and trying to hammer the price down as they pick and prod my goods.
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It's a shame we can't charge for hours lost
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Think this is the same principal on many things - like selling a vehicle is a major one. The biggest biggest time wasters over my 12 yrs of being married to a farmer is women and horse livery - honestly I have never met so many liars and cheats!!! We ran a livery for a few years and I had never come across people who never turn up to view the stables or do love the place and tell you they are coming up next week (while you sit around cancelling yr weekend and kids fed up) and never turn up - you message them and they come up with the same honestly same excuse that their horse has gone down sick or sisters horse has gone down. Anyway at the end of my tether demanded a cash deposit on the phone - this sorted the wasters after spending hours and hours showing women around over my precious time. Anyway couldnt take no more after having so much trouble with liars not paying and the bull sh@t that comes with running a livery called it a day. Thank god. Lesson learnt - always gave them a time and be strict about it, get big cash deposit, mention about time wasters, do it to suit your time not theirs (children's bedtime), dont spend too much time (over friendly) Sadly there are too many people with too much time on their hands (aka tyre kickers)