Goodbye Drama - Hello Serenity!

We've had a good time selling hatching eggs and chicks  I've loved the wonderful reports we've received from folks who've incubated our eggs and hatched out such cute chicks.  We already have reports of chicks that have grown up and started laying eggs.  It's like going full circle.  It has been a great experience except . . .

Out of the dozens and dozens of people we have dealt with, all but two have been wonderful and reasonable.  Twice, though, someone came along that wasn't going to be happy no matter what.  I'm not a salesperson, and I shy away from conflict of any nature. I bend over backwards to please customers.   I always send more eggs than people pay for.  I buy ridiculous amounts of bubble wrap in order to ensure eggs arrive in good condition.  I pack eggs in bubble wrap in one box - and then cushion that box with bubble wrap inside another box for an added layer of protection.  It generally takes me more than 30 minutes minutes to get one box ready to ship.

One person complained last fall because I sent her "old" eggs.  In the ad I placed, I listed the exact dates that the eggs were laid.  Yes - an EXACT list of dates.  Despite that, she raged on about "old" eggs.  She threatened to leave negative feedback on the website. Her FIRST communication about the situation was quite nasty.   Did she not even read the ad?   I totally refunded her money - including shipping.  After that experience,  I eliminated that problem by no longer writing the dates on eggs!  I still told everyone who bought eggs the exact dates they were laid - but I didn't write the dates on the eggs. 

About six months later (this week), a person complained that she only got 4 chicks to hatch out of a bunch of eggs we shipped to them.  Well YEA!  I've had ZERO chicks hatched from eggs I've had shipped to me - several times.  Did I complain?  Of course not.  It's an understood risk of buying shipped eggs.  A seller guarantees fresh and fertile eggs.  Beyond that - there are no guarantees because of what eggs possibly go through as they are moved through the USPS system.   If you get fresh, fertile and unbroken eggs, that's the extent of the seller's responsibility.   However, I want people to be happy - so I sent her more eggs free of charge - and she still complained.  Really?  She even talked about "word of mouth" to other buyers as an implied threat.  What was she going to do?  If she related the story honestly to another buyer, they'd think she was crazy.   I refunded every penny of her money - even shipping.  Good riddance!  I don't have time or stamina for such petty drama and stress.

While I understand that two people over the course of a year of selling eggs and chicks is an insignificant amount, I don't want the hassle.  I'm not making money on the eggs or chicks.  The cost of maintaining them is nowhere near covered by what I charge.  So why do it?  After careful consideration, I decided that there's no reason to.  All the negative folks can just enjoy their drama and pettiness elsewhere. I don't need or want it in my life.

Goodbye, Drama!  Hello, Serenity!