*****Following feedback from recent months, I am now pleased to offer PERSONAL COLLECTIONS on Saturday mornings ~still by appointment!~ between the hours of 9.30am to 12.30pm
*****I am asked so often the question: 'WHAT IS SHABBY CHIC??' answer to this is although the item is classed as NEWLY made, it has been artificially made to look like it is OLD. This will include intentional MARKS, RUBBING & DINGS to make it look like it has been around for CENTURIES. The paint will NOT be smooth, nor will the raw wood be perfect ANGLED & SMOOTH, which does not mean there is a fault or damage to your item, so do be clear that this FRENCH INSPIRED SHABBY CHIC is for the discerning few and NOT for the masses!*****
*****Delivery (boring but I have to mention) is to the FRONT DOOR & GROUND LEVEL ONLY! I mention as a certain buyer (and few) hold FEEDBACK to ransom and should my delivery people fail to take their item up the 14 steps and into their home then they will leave negative feedback. This is morally wrong, full stop!
1. My website is up and running :
www.lapetiteprairie.co.uk There is a great SALE section and also NEW ARRIVAL section as I have found it is not always possible to list everything I have. Also, newly added is a great 'chatbox' tool where you can have your queries answered ASAP if I am online or leave a message when I am not.
2. My avenues of trading is through my own website: www.lapetiteprairie.co.uk locally at our very 'unposh' warehouse & the great Ebay.
Whilst I do not claim that my products are unique...although there are some lines that you will not find anywhere else other than through me, I do stand firmly on my ethos of being the most honestly priced. I am always on the look out for newer lines, updated versions of classics and most of all am always working through the feedback that I get from my past customers. This is an invaluable source of information as this has been the true backbone of my business's survival.
The majority of my products are hand crafted from natural wood, some have been reclaimed but the vast majority will have come from a sustainable source.
3. Feedback that I have been working hard with is the ever frustrating issue of collection and shipping costs of your item. I am throughly exasperated, frustrated and sometimes down-right annoyed with the small number of bidders/buyers that DO NOT read the entire content of any given listing. You are considering a purchase of a very important item, the amount of thought that goes into purchasing an item of furniture is huge, more so in the current financial climate, therefore why is it I still get LOADS of emails about the cost of shipping to certain areas, when I have clearly stated on the listing, or whether you can collect your item on a Sunday evening, when again it is clearly stated that we are CLOSED???
Shipping costs are charged to my customers based on what I get charged, to the penny. I do not add willy-nilly a few extra £'s nor do I charge what many other sellers charge a 'packing' fee.
I am located all the way down in the SE of the UK, so please, please, if you are somewhere up the northern heights of the UK, expect to PAY for this. My nominated couriers are PROFESSIONAL furniture movers/carriers, they deliver furniture, original fragile antiques and not simply a man with a van that will swing by whenever he is going to be in the area!!
The amount of planning that goes into the delivery of one item is huge thus reflects on the transit time it takes to have your item shipped.
4. To expand on the above issue, if you are organizing your own collections, courier collections, access times is Monday to Friday between 9.00am to 5.00pm through appointment and advance notice! If you find a cheaper carrier, ask yourself the question WHY?? are they cheaper?? It is because the level of service you will get is more than often a little 'last minute dot com', as in the driver will arrive unannounced, I have had phone calls from some drivers collecting 'something' for 'somebody' at 6am on a SUNDAY!!! Likewise, these deliveries will roll up on customers doorsteps at midnight on any given day they just happen to be in the area!! You have been warned!!!
5. Whilst I have to set some guidelines and limitations I am throughly reasonable and will try my best to help my customers with regards to collections. BUT this is another issue to expand on. The new DSR (detail seller rating) feature has caused havoc so far as many, many buyers neglect to enter ratings. To clarify, I strive for a 5 star rating on all 4 headings, if for any reason you are intending on leaving anything less, please get in touch as any issues you may have I can not improve on if I do not know what they are!
6. Feedback is an invaluable tool for any business, this is where I congratulate eBay on. The changes in feedback has over the last few months has seen a surge in buyer confidence and has effectively stamped out all those rogue sellers. Sadly though there are a small number of rogue buyers that we as sellers cannot do a thing about. This is a great imbalance and although there have been slight tweekings on the feedback system, sellers cannot identify bad buyers to anyone else.
I had to leave some non-positive feedback for 2 sellers recently, which I am not happy I had to do, but these sellers left me with no choice due to the lack of communication to try and resolve my issues with them. Non-positive feed back is the ultimate LAST resort, and not as some non- nice buyers think a weapon to hold the seller to ransom over.
I strive to resolve any issues and will do whatever I can to help, but please treat me and other sellers the way that you would want to be treated yourself.
7. This is a full time job for me, and I pride myself in the level of care and attention I give to each and every buyer that enters into a transaction with me. I have made some great friends over the course of my time trading as I want everyone to feel comfortable when cyber shopping. It is very nerve racking to hand over money let alone give it to someone you have never met before, so if for any reason you feel less than at ease, talk to me and I will do what I can to help you feel more safe.
Finally, I am without a doubt throughly grateful for the source of comfort that my business brings me, I am grateful for your custom and repeat custom as well as your personal recommendations. I feel chuffed to bits when I get personal emails from satisfied customers, grinning like a lunatic for this is the fuel that keeps me going!!
Be safe,
Drinkwaterpink
