unmitigated grah

[valis2]

What a crappy day.

So, my business concept for shows? First, I was selling my own supplies that I had too much of. Then I started selling supplies that I bought on closeout. I am not incredibly successful, but I have done okay in the past. Well, one of my friends who is in the same business was very intrigued by what I was doing, and then started selling her own supplies that she had too much of. Then she started selling supplies that she bought on closeout.

I used to do twice as much as her. Now I am doing half as much as her.

Today was not a loss, but it wasn't good. I am completely unhappy about it at this moment. Points to note:

The whole point of doing closeout stuff was so that I wouldn't have to make a cutesy display. I wanted people to think "closeout" when they looked at my table.

I had one customer who put together a $20 order, and then did not come back to pick it up. I really need that $20, yo. Another customer wanted to buy something in a color I didn't have with me; she wanted to pay the $2.50 tag price, and she wanted me to mail it to her. She acted like it was a great favor for her to pay that $2.50 now. I explained that I would charge $1 for shipping it (my usual price is $2, I was being nice) and she reexplained to me, as if I were a very dense child, that she was paying now and therefore I should give her free shipping. I told her I'm not in the habit of actually paying the customer to take my merchandise. She shut up.

My neck and shoulder is very tender and hurts. My lower back and hip are sending shooting shocks of pain whenever I get up, walk, stand still, etc. I sat for most of the show, but still, not fun.

I feel very weepy and doomy in general.

I need to rethink my entire business and it SUCKS.

SEND CHOCOLATE.

ETA: THANK YOU greenpear!!!!!!!!!!! NOM VIRTUAL CHOCOLATE!

Comments

[marginaliana]

*hugs* I'm so sorry things are sucking for you!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Me too! Hopefully tomorrow I'll be less grahful. :) *hugs in return*

[sara-merry99.livejournal.com]

::hugs::

I'm so sorry it was such a suck day. I hope things get better.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Me too. I think I'll be fine after the grah simmers down. :)

[droxy.livejournal.com]

Having your own business does suck. I like having a job. I cant think of anything else other than better marketing, perhaps.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

It has such wonderful moments, and such awful moments. Seriously. And yeah, my marketing needs serious work.

[greenpear.livejournal.com]

Chocolate is on the way...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

THANK YOU! They're so adorable!! AND TASTY NOM NOM NOM!

You are the sweetest, seriously. I can't thank you enough. *hugs*

[greenpear.livejournal.com]

You really, really sounded like you needed it. :)

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I so did. SO. DID.

[todayiamadaisy]

*offers chocolate, and lots of it*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Thank you SO MUCH. I have just eaten some chocolate with hazelnuts and some chai, and I am beginning to feel better.

*hugs*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Awwww!! Thank you SO much. *guides the truck to my front door*

:) *huge hugs*

[thedoingofit.livejournal.com]

:o( *hugs hugs hugs*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks so much! *hugs in return*

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

I told her I'm not in the habit of actually paying the customer to take my merchandise. She shut up.

Awesome answer!

I'm in the middle of seriously rethinking my business (for about the last six months and after another one and a half year of trying to rethink it). It sometimes scares the hell out of me. But I know I wouldn't want to change my situation for anything in the world.

*sends MILK CHOCOLATE with MACADAMIA NUTS inside*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I rarely can think of a good answer when people hit me with stupidity, so that was a great moment, definitely!

And I always think that I will just do business. Like, I'll hit on the formula and just keep going. But I always forget that businesses have to constantly change.

Thanks for the chocolate! *hugs*

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

Change is part of business. *nods*

And when I said that I wouldn't want to change my situation, I meant the fact that I have a business (and am not working for somebody else).

[jaelle-n-gilla.livejournal.com]

*sends hugs and virtual Belgian chocolate truffles* I hope you are better soon!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oooooh, yum! Thank you so much, sweetie!

[taradilien.livejournal.com]

*offers hugs and chocolate* I'm so sorry that things are so bad at the moment. Good luck with the business rethinking. *hits annoying customers over the head*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, sweetie! I'm really super grumpy and I just hope that I can pull out of this and get into gear. *nodnod*

[ms-hecubus.livejournal.com]

It has to be a tough business right now. Retail stores are marking stuff down so much that it's just as cheap to shop that route as it is to hit closeout places or thrift stores. When I can get Delia's tee-shirts for $1 at Old Navy, Target or Meijer why would I want to sift through Value World's racks, yanno?

Maybe there's something you can do to punch it up. A good display might help. People are expecting more for less these days.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think the display needs help. I think the merchandise needs to be revamped, both in content and how it's presented.

grah. I took this route on purpose, so I wouldn't have to make pretty displays and complicated setups. Damn.

[florence-craye.livejournal.com]

*hugs* I hope today is better!

I also share cute video of baby capybaras!!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Today sucked, too. It started off crappy and went downhill from there. Hopefully tomorrow will be nice!

Cute capybaras, I love them!! Thanks!

[verdenia.livejournal.com]

Boooo!

Here. Have some chocolate. It'll help. :P

[valis2.livejournal.com]

hahaha! Thank you so much, Remus Verdenia. ;)

[hardboiledbaby]

Iz late, but I hope you're feeling better now. Having your own business is hard work, and it does need constant revamping and rethinking. I think it's true of most businesses, but esp so for a small business and that much harder since you're wearing all the hats.

So, no wonderful words of wisdom, I'm afraid, but a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on, if you want it. Oh, and more virtual chocolate, if you need it (truffles, anyone?) *pets you*

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Having a small business really is a lot of work. Even if you're me, and you only work at it part of the time, there still is a lot of energy going into it.

I hate having to change things. I think that's the big problem. I want things to stay the same, and I just want to keep moving forward and doing better and better. I can innovate when things are going well; but when things are going poorly, I'm adrift. I just stare and stare. It's hard to isolate what's "wrong" with things, especially when the concept seems so sound.

Thanks for the virtual chocolate, m'friend, and I appreciate your support so much!