My Luddite Software

The software system - Merchant Miva - leaves a bit to be desired.  Slowly it keeps taking away things, if I had them in the first place.  In my low budget, semi-Luddite manner, I'm trying to work around it since I don't have the capital or interest to invest in a more refined system.  My latest way of working around the system in my Luddite, Quaker manner. (see my phone number policy comments here) I hope is working.

So, little Miva has taken away the ability for customers to select First Class as a shipping option (the method most often used for my lightweight products) and the third party software developers recently stopped providing a fix.

So, now:

 If you chose Priority Mail, I ship Priority Mail.  If you choose Parcel Post, I ship First Class and refund you the difference.

Orders over $50.00 are shipped free - US, Canada and Britain only.

These aren't quite discounts, but..I hope these help make up with a kind of personal interest and service for what technology isn't offering. 


My Miva software is a much older version- I think I've had it for nearly 10 years, having updated only once since I started this business in 2000. And though I realize it would probably increase business to invest in a better system, I don't have a lot of money or time to invest in a better system.  This is a tiny home based business, I'm not (at 64) hoping to grow this puppy into something huge and profitable.

That can't sound good to my customers.

(read also the post on how my system works with giving customers their discount)

You have an account but are you gettting your discount?

   Are you getting your wholesale or returning customer discount when you order your bookplates from me?

  Lately I've noticed orders coming in from customers who are listed as faithful return customers or booksellers, librarians, teachers or other shop owners. I can see they have have faithfully logged into their accounts - but there is no discount showing.   Since others are getting their discounts, I thought the answer might lie in the peculiarities of my software system.

First you need to set up an account.  Then you need to let me know you've set up an account by e-mailing me (check out the website for how to do that).  Wait for me to manually set you up. Now, the important part.

In order to get your discount you need to FIRST sign into your account, then place items in your basket.  The discount will ONLY apply to items you place in your basket AFTER you have logged in to your account.

If you wait to sign in until the check-out process, the discount won't apply. 

This info will be tweeted, too -  when placing an order - please log in first!

Coupons good til the end of the month

...I have tested out the coupons and they work for me. Still not sure why customers aren't using them, but of course 10% not used by you all is 10% more profit for me, allowing me to stay in business. If nobody uses them in January, I will probably stop putting them in.

Working on new designs to replace some of the Antioch designs that I will be out of stock on soon. It would be nice to get feedback from customers on these, so I will post the designs here and see what people think!

Shoveled and Mailed

There we go...6 inches of snow, as I measure it and more coming but all orders are shipped except two (7584 and 7585), which should go out on Monday. So, now I'm off for the week-end!

Meanwhile, can one of you customers tell me why nobody uses the coupon(s) for an additional 10% discount? Is it because you want me to keep the money? :)

It's a New Year!

Happy New Year! And here we all are, back at work!

I'm working on getting out orders, and updating the website. Out with the old, in with the new!
Stationery products are the newest addition -- and they are still in the works -- stamps, personalized stationery, letterhead, notecards and co-ordinated stickers.

Mini bookplates are growing in popularity and choices!

For regular bookplates (the rectangular ones) there will be new ones added later in the season.

As to coupons -- you don't need one for the rectangular bookplates -- FREE First Class shipping on orders over $50.00 for customers in the US, Canada and the UK.

If you order from Friendly Spirit Booklover Gifts there are always coupons there! Today's coupon is 20.10% OFF Binders,





T-Shirts, & Mugs! LAST DAY! Use Code: NEWYOUZAZZLE

And there are MORE coupons good for now!

Use Promotional Code: BIZCARDSAVE1


BINDERSDEAL1

10% off binders

10% of the binder net sale price will be deducted when one or more binders are purchased and the coupon code BINDERSDEAL1 is applied at checkout.

The net sale price is the price of the product (excluding shipping and taxes). Offer is valid from December 23, 2009 through April 1, 2010 at 11:59pm PT. This offer does not apply to past purchases and may not be combined with any other Zazzle promotional or volume discount offers. If a volume discount applies to your order, you will receive either the discount set forth in this offer or the standard volume discount, whichever is greater. Offer valid on Zazzle.com only.
Expires 4/1/2010.
Use Promotional Code: BINDERSDEAL1


15CALENDAR15
15% off calendars

15% of the calendar net sale price will be deducted when one or more calendars are purchased and the coupon code 15CALENDAR15 is applied at checkout.
The net sale price is the price of the product (excluding shipping and taxes). Offer is valid from December 23, 2009 through April 1, 2010 at 11:59pm PT. This offer does not apply to past purchases and may not be combined with any other Zazzle promotional or volume discount offers. If a volume discount applies to your order, you will receive either the discount set forth in this offer or the standard volume discount, whichever is greater. Offer valid on Zazzle.com only.


Expires 4/1/2010.
Use Promotional Code: 15CALENDAR15

Custom Buttons
Get up to 36% off Custom Buttons

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Cards
41% off 20 or More Cards!
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Stamps
$0.50 to $5 Off Postage Sheets
Make every letter a special delivery with your own customized postage! Volume discounts mean you can save $0.50, $1, $2, $3, $4 or even $5 per sheet.

The holidaze are upon us...

About last week, it seemed everyone (myself included) began to realize that Christmas is upon us... orders started flowing in right as I got this feeling that I wanted... or needed.. (whatever!) to get out and do some serious shopping!

Is the economy picking up? I don't know... I'm not entirely shopping with coupons and sales on my mind -- my youngest son and oldest grandson have things they want on their Wish List -- they seem to be like many others in their age groups (9 - 18) so the things they want aren't deep discounted.

And my dear customers stun me by somehow ignoring or not noticing the 10% discount I've offered through Twitter. My guess is most are my age or older and relatively clueless as to what Twitter is, let alone how to use it. I'm also a bit shocked at how many are a few cents (and I mean cents, not dollars) away from the free shipping, but ignore it.

Of course, I've done the same myself many times -- my own attitude has been something along the lines of "daggone it, you aren't gonna manipulate me into buying another bookplate I don't want or need, just to get your free shipping!"

I'd love to know, aside from good service and good products, what do customers want?