I'm fuming

[celicagtca]

I think Lindsay said that she would send the wholesale info actually, just not the products... or am I just getting super mixed-up here because it's 4.30am?

Lindsay probably did say that, but most wholesale suppliers I deal with, do not provide wholesale pricing without acquiring your business i.d.#. I have founid in the past that most people that email wanting wholesale information without a business # are usually other chandlers trying to figure out how to competitively price their items for resale purposes.

[cindym]

Sabrina, maybe it is better to offer freebies with a purchase. If people are really interested they will make a purchase for the freebies. Say, 2 free tarts with a purchase of 10 dollars or more. Something like that.

[cybersix]

Hi Cindy, yes you're right, but nobody knew about the freebies if not on my ML.

I offer freebies only a few times per year, so it's no big deal, until now I had ten regular request.

I could expect this also from the already existing memebrs, so no problem for now.

I only hate this behaviour. I'm not a big company, I'm an artisan, I think these people don't know anything about respecting other people hard work.

I will put a flyer in the envelopes describing exactly what and handmade product means.

I know it won't change things, but I just have to do it.

[sudsnwicks]

I only hate this behaviour. I'm not a big company, I'm an artisan, I think these people don't know anything about respecting other people hard work.

You're right, Sabrina. They have not tried this out for themselves, they don't know how hard it is to survive. If you gave out free samples to everyone who asked, you'd surely be bankrupt by now.

[cybersix]

You're right, Sabrina. They have not tried this out for themselves, they don't know how hard it is to survive. If you gave out free samples to everyone who asked, you'd surely be bankrupt by now.

You're right too.

And the worse is that this kind of people I know won't turn in good customers. People looking for free things rarely buy, just because they don't know the value of all!

You should see this site, they exchange links and information about every kind of samples, from medicines to pets food...

Oh well for ten tarts I can survive, but I hope none of them will ask more!!

[aromaz]

I don't know what to do!!!

this evening my site has been visited from a lot of people, they belong to a forum where they xchnge links of sites offering freebies.

I don't offer freebies, anyway I got the first email without knowing anything about this forum, so I offered the lady to have two free tarts, since I have a promotion going on for the members of my newsletter.

Then the second arrives... asking the same.. I think "oh what's happing" but I answer in the same way.

Then I check my visit tracking site, and I find the forum. I sign in (with a fake name) and find the discussion about my website, the first lady pasted my email so everyone is asking for freebies and signing up for the newsletter (I offer freebies but not every month).

Well, I go on reading the discussion, and one lady says my site is full of viruses and dialer... it's not!!! I suspect my hosting company put ads on it, so people who don't have pop up blockers see a lot of ads.. then I get a harsh email always from the first lady who wrote, saying my site loaded tons of virus in her PC.. and that i can keep my tarts because she doesn't even want them now (uh maybe viruses can infect tarts??)

I answered I am a serious person, I paid for my domain and for my hosting, because I care for every aspect of my business.

In the meanwhile I searched for a phone number to call but guess what, my hosting company doesn't offer assistance by phone for domains.. I should fill an online form, but there is no exact reference to the problem I'm having.

What do I do?????

I have a group of crazy people wanting freebies, then suddenly turning in angry people because they think I distribute viruses, and my hosting company... how can I stop this madness????

HELP!!!

OMG....I'm sooo sorry this happened to you. As far as the freebies...I never just give out freebies to anyone who is not a customer. The way I do it is I send 2 or 3 tarts of various scents with a paid order. When I finish my new web site I will have a promo which includes a free 5 oz. candle (scent of choice) for orders over $20.00 (limit 1 per paid order).

As far as the website goes, I would be totally ticked off. If I pay for something like hosting, have a problem, and I can't get ahold of you right away you can believe I will be taking my business elsewhere no other questions asked! It has been estimated for every 5 minutes your site is down or something is wrong with it, it could cost you a sale...Not Cool! I really hope you get all this figured out. I would be crazy!

[cybersix]

OMG....I'm sooo sorry this happened to you. As far as the freebies...I never just give out freebies to anyone who is not a customer. The way I do it is I send 2 or 3 tarts of various scents with a paid order. When I finish my new web site I will have a promo which includes a free 5 oz. candle (scent of choice) for orders over $20.00 (limit 1 per paid order).

As far as the website goes, I would be totally ticked off. If I pay for something like hosting, have a problem, and I can't get ahold of you right away you can believe I will be taking my business elsewhere no other questions asked! It has been estimated for every 5 minutes your site is down or something is wrong with it, it could cost you a sale...Not Cool! I really hope you get all this figured out. I would be crazy!

At this stage of my "business" I was very happy with this cheap hosting. It's cheap because it doesn't offer anything but disk space and the registration of my domain. It does'n have carts and any advanced features, but I have no big money to invest in this for now. I pay $25/year.

But it's paid!! It's mine!!!! They should tell they will put ads in it, so one can decide not to sign the contract. But they didn't tell.

I still don't have any answer, so willing or not I'll have to move my hosting somwhere else, losing my little $$ because the contrach has just been renewed!!! it sucks.

[celicagtca]

Hi Sab,

I would definately change the wording on your site to: For every minimum $20 order, receive 1 or 2 free samples. That way, you won't have people contacting you for samples and if they do...they obviously can't read and their really not the type of people you want to do business dealings with.

[cybersix]

Hi Sab,

I would definately change the wording on your site to: For every minimum $20 order, receive 1 or 2 free samples. That way, you won't have people contacting you for samples and if they do...they obviously can't read and their really not the type of people you want to do business dealings with.

Thank you, also I could stop answering people and propose them the deal that's for ML members.

i could simply say "sometimes we offer freebies and discount for our ML members only"!!!

[Everito Bandito]

I think I'd just tell them all to go to hades.... Seriously. I'd also let them keep thinking that my site had viruses, trojan horses and anything else that they don't want.

[cybersix]

I think I'd just tell them all to go to hades.... Seriously. I'd also let them keep thinking that my site had viruses, trojan horses and anything else that they don't want.

oh well they kept on visit the site even if they say they had viruses!! I read a message on that thread and was something like "I connected and did very fast to sign up for the ML, I hope viruses didn't catch me"

So, as you can see, there's no limit to certain things.

[sudsnwicks]

Did you hear back from your web hosting company, and if so, what was their response? I understand that these people are trying to get a freebie, but why would they bring the virus thing into it? That is the part I don't understand.

[cybersix]

Did you hear back from your web hosting company, and if so, what was their response? I understand that these people are trying to get a freebie, but why would they bring the virus thing into it? That is the part I don't understand.

Hi, I dodn't hear from the hosting company, anyway I'm looking for a better host. i was checking vodahost, ix hosting and bluehost. More for less in your country seems to be the rule. here we have less for less!

the virus thing is because (my supposition) they saw a lot of ads popping up, and thought they were viruses. Someone told he was asked to download a dialer. If it's the truth this means my hosting company is letting everyone's pop ups appear without checking their contents and safety.

I believe those people were not smart surfer, they don't know what a popup blocker is, and saying ads is a virus confirms that they are not so experts.

I'm not getting any help from the hosting company, this morning they sent me the receipt for the contract I paid but no answer. So I'll move somewhere else. I don't even have PHP or mysql on that server so i can't build a shop even if I'd want to. They IMAP email sucks, 9 times on ten it doesn't work (I use IMAP so i can check and re-read emails from any pc) and when i try to check it through the webmail I get always errors!