| Tariffs in action - a small business experience. 23:47 - Aug 21 with 414 views | FBI |
Skip the intro if you already know this bit:
You may know (and not care) but I sell vintage homewares online for a living, almost entirely through Etsy, the Waitrose version of eBay. Mid century ceramics & glass, art deco and studio pottery:that sort of thing. Very rarely do I price anything much over £30 and most of it is in the £15-£25 bracket. It turns over nicely and I'm doing OK.
That's not an ad. It's context.
I've just had to cancel an order for a 1970s toast rack. Here's the message I sent:
"Hi (name of customer)
I'm so sorry but I've cancelled your order. Nothing wrong with it per se but you may not be aware of the implications of the Tariffs your President has suddenly imposed on smaller packages from outside the US. In essence, just a few days ago he decided to remove the $800 lower limit which means tariffs are now payable on everything. And what I suspect hasn't been made clear to the American public is that it impacts on the customer rather than the seller: your $16 toast rack will cost you $94 by the time it passes through customs and USPS. In the light of that information I thought it best to cancel the order; it's nice enough but it's not $94 nice and, forgive my presumption, I didn't think you'd be very happy paying that amount for it. As it is, Etsy has actually decided to turn off shipping functions into the US with effect from August 25th but your order came in before that.
I'm desperately sorry to disappoint you but I really want you to understand that there's literally only one person responsible for making a $16 toast rack cost almost $100. His address is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 20500 Washington DC if you wish to register a complaint.
Once again, I really, truly can only apologise and hope some kind of sanity and common sense prevails sooner rather than later.
Yours
Dave
Mill Vintage And Retro"
And yes, I could have taken a more professional tone. But no. I won't. It was bad enough getting shafted by GPSR and now this. |  |
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| Tariffs in action - a small business experience. on 00:10 - Aug 22 with 349 views | Bigalhunter |
It’s been an issue for months now.
Over the last couple of years I’ve been systematically clearing out a huge collection of rare television related diecast model cars on eBay, that my late father-in-law had stored his loft.
Since early May, ebay have been blocking US customers from bidding on their global shipping programme, due to the uncertainty over tariffs.
As a result, I’ve had loads of Americans angrily messaging me because their winning bids have been cancelled by eBay.
No big deal for me but I can understand how important this is for any small business that relies on US custom. |  |
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| Tariffs in action - a small business experience. on 00:40 - Aug 22 with 283 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
I am sorry that tariffs have affected your customer base stateside from a cost perspective.
However, wow, in my opinion that it’s a terribly poor unprofessional and petty email to send to a customer based in an overseas territory based on market conditions in which you have no control. Especially when you (I presume) have no idea of their political persuasion or financial situation. Surely you’d offer an explanation of an increased cost and let them make a decision?
Even if I was the most loyal Democrat in the world I’d never buy from you again after reading that on an order I’d made from Europe. If it couldn’t be fulfilled for the price I’d paid I’d be annoyed enough but I’d at least expect to be consulted and then I could make my own call and form my own opinions.
[Post edited 22 Aug 0:43]
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| Tariffs in action - a small business experience. on 00:50 - Aug 22 with 238 views | Illinoisblue |
| Tariffs in action - a small business experience. on 00:40 - Aug 22 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
I am sorry that tariffs have affected your customer base stateside from a cost perspective.
However, wow, in my opinion that it’s a terribly poor unprofessional and petty email to send to a customer based in an overseas territory based on market conditions in which you have no control. Especially when you (I presume) have no idea of their political persuasion or financial situation. Surely you’d offer an explanation of an increased cost and let them make a decision?
Even if I was the most loyal Democrat in the world I’d never buy from you again after reading that on an order I’d made from Europe. If it couldn’t be fulfilled for the price I’d paid I’d be annoyed enough but I’d at least expect to be consulted and then I could make my own call and form my own opinions.
[Post edited 22 Aug 0:43]
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Yeah, the business owner’s email is not the problem here! |  |
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| Tariffs in action - a small business experience. on 01:01 - Aug 22 with 210 views | Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
| Tariffs in action - a small business experience. on 00:50 - Aug 22 by Illinoisblue |
Yeah, the business owner’s email is not the problem here! |
Sending that email to a customer you’ve done a financial transaction with abroad about the president in their country is unprofessional.
There’s basically a 50% chance depending on location they voted for the guy so you may have insulted them as well. People can find out the hard way why their costs have gone up for international trade or domestic product without reading that from an international seller to be honest.
Letting your own emotions get into your client communication isn’t really the way to conduct trade, in my opinion at least.
I had a good few years of mental policy affecting my line of work but wouldn’t talk like this to clients or suppliers over things I had no control. | |
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| Tariffs in action - a small business experience. on 03:22 - Aug 22 with 51 views | Illinoisblue |
| Tariffs in action - a small business experience. on 01:01 - Aug 22 by Joey_Joe_Joe_Junior |
Sending that email to a customer you’ve done a financial transaction with abroad about the president in their country is unprofessional.
There’s basically a 50% chance depending on location they voted for the guy so you may have insulted them as well. People can find out the hard way why their costs have gone up for international trade or domestic product without reading that from an international seller to be honest.
Letting your own emotions get into your client communication isn’t really the way to conduct trade, in my opinion at least.
I had a good few years of mental policy affecting my line of work but wouldn’t talk like this to clients or suppliers over things I had no control. |
Nah, fk that. Put Trump’s name on it. Put a dollar value on his stupidity. Hammer the point home until people get it. Too much tiptoeing around. | |
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