Okay folks, this whole USPS Flat Rate Box has ruined my life. I spent
much of last week and the weekend too trying to figure out a way we
can offer it. It doesn't work. We simply can't offer what needs to be
a volume-based shipping calculation alongside a weight-based
calculation at this time.
So here is our fix ... a temporary "band-aid" approach.
First, I am only telling the list about this right now. It's an
"insider deal" at this point. If it works I will add an page with the
explaination and "terms and conditions" listed below. Unfortunately,
if it doesn't work out for us, we are going to have to pull it.
The main way this is going to fail is if 1. customers choose it when
they are not eligible, that is, when they are buying something other
than green coffee, and more than 12 Lbs. and 2. when in generates
excessive emails for Maria and Derek and me, with people asking for
exceptions, additions, special circumstances.
Okay, here's the low-tech fix: Buy up to 12 lbs of green coffee ...
it can be 5 Lbs, it can be 8, it can be 10, whatever, but NEVER more
than 12 Lbs. It cannot be any other product except our cloth logo
bags matching the amounts of coffee purchased.
When you check out, chose the purposefully cryptic shipping option
:"Customer Pick Up - Hold for Harvey ($8.50)" We had to make the
option unattractive to those who don't know what it is, who haven't
read this email.
Why Harvey? Well, here's our USPS guy! Why $8.50? We have to add .80
for our USPS pickup fees and packing supplies.
Oh, duh ... this is only good for the U.S. and will work for Alaska,
Hawaii, PR, and FPO/APO too.
Remember, everything bad about the USPS still applies here- spotty
tracking, no insurance currently offered, occasional lost packages,
2-3 days is NOT a guarantee AT ALL - I get some Priority Mails in 2
days, some in 5 ... I have had ones that took 2 weeks!!! Nomatter
what you think about UPS, it's trackable, always insured up to $100,
and about 99% on time according to their time in transit map. If I
lived a few states away and UPS was a couple bucks more, I would
choose UPS personally!
SO this is out beta run of this, and I really hope it works. In a few
months I hope there will be a software upgrade for our system that
will implement it in a better way. Anyone who understands the rules
can try this out. I really hope this saves some money, and doesn't
create headaches for you all or for us.
Tom
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"Great coffee comes from tiny roasters"
Sweet Maria's Home Coffee Roasting - Tom & Maria
http://www.sweetmarias.com Thompson Owen george |
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 11:46:05 -0800, Tom & Maria - Sweet Maria's Coffee wrote <Snip> Tom, Harvey is also the Pooka in the old Jimmy Stewart film of the same name. So, having a customer pickup for your invisible friend works, too. Be well, Lissa |
Tom & Maria - Sweet Maria's Coffee wrote: <Snip> Ah; Tom. Harvey is a big invisible rabbit from a Jimmy Stewart movie. Now; PLEASE for the sake of the list, put down any sharp, or hot objects, and go tell Maria that you need a little vacation. Ben |
What is a POOKA???
<Snip>
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"Great coffee comes from tiny roasters"
Sweet Maria's Home Coffee Roasting - Tom & Maria
http://www.sweetmarias.com Thompson Owen george |
Great this will save me a fortune in Hawaii. Am sending in a 12 lb order today. |
Just saved over $25 on my 12 lb order |
watch out for the BIG rabbit... ginny |
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 12:20:16 -0800, Tom & Maria - Sweet Maria's Coffee wrote <Snip> In the movie "Harvey", a giant 6' tall rabbit that only the Jimmy Stewart character can see. Pretty harmless. Harvey is the name of the pooka in this movie. In Irish folklore, a pretty nasty entity. http://www.irelandseye.com/paddy3/preview2.htm. They are never named Harvey. Be well, Lissa |
PookaPooka. Easter Sunday '94. The ... (The Pooka, you may remember, appears as a 6" tall white bunny in the story Harvey the Rabbit). The ... www.resort.com/~prime8/gallery/commercial/pooka.html - 2k - Cached - Similar pages On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 12:20:16 -0800, Tom & Maria - Sweet Maria's Coffee wrote: <Snip> |
I apologize for that link, I did not screen it! Googled it, and posted. I'm sorry that that happened, kill it, if you can. Stupid. |
A mischievous spirit in Irish folklore. For more:http://www.geocities.com/harveytpooka/ |
On Jan 24, 2005, at 3:42pm, gin wrote: <Snip> Maybe the USPS could buy the naming rights to the Energizer Bunny. "Through rain, hail, sleet or snow, the USPS Energizer Bunny keeps going, and going, ..." While the video shows the bunny, wearing a little postal uniform, drumming his way from mailbox to mailbox in various conditions of bad weather. John Blumel |
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 14:54:54 -0600, Gary Townsend wrote <Snip> That page is not safe for work! It also isn't accurate. Their etymology is wrong, and "trickster" isn't a good description of pookas. Be well, Lissa |
<Snip>
I am of Welsh descent so I have an excuse for being ignorant (and
scared of Pookas!) -Tom
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"Great coffee comes from tiny roasters"
Sweet Maria's Home Coffee Roasting - Tom & Maria
http://www.sweetmarias.com Thompson Owen george |
I was in the middle of a google search, found that one, and just copied ,pasted and got sidetracked ( at work, no less, on my break,,,) And without realizing it hit enter. Then I came back to the desk and opened up the link. I'm embarrassed, to say the least. I was reading the description, then looked at the picture, and thought...Ohh No. From the description, it starts off innocent enough. Next time I'll look, before i paste! On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:23:16 -0500, Lissa wrote: <Snip> |
In Hawaiian its a hole |
Thanks Tom! I/We Appreciate your efforts on this. I love the name of the shipping option. That alone made my afternoon. Will |
Great,
I'll have a 12 pound order in - - - pay day.
Jim Gundlach
On Jan 24, 2005, at 1:46 PM, Tom & Maria - Sweet Maria's Coffee wrote:
<Snip> |
Well, if USPS did keep on going, then the Energizer might apply...
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:12:14 -0500, John Blumel
wrote:
<Snip>
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Regards,
Brett Mason
HomeRoast
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_(( )_ Please don't spill the coffee! |
Sorry I didn't check my email sooner. Can I still reach you at the phone number you gave this evening? If not, can you provide another?? Thanks very much, Doug On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 15:44:55 -0600, Gary Townsend wrote: <Snip> |
Oops, responded to wrong email :) Sorry about that Doug On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:48:28 -0800, Douglas Grove wrote: <Snip> |
You could call us all this evening, if you like.
Wish we had stock in your Telco, we'd get rich!
Actually, we all click reply to the wrong email, or send to the wrong
recipient, it's part of the fun...
Brett
On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 16:50:34 -0800, Douglas Grove wrote:
<Snip>
--
Regards,
Brett Mason
HomeRoast
__]_
_(( )_ Please don't spill the coffee! |
Tom, Even if I never make use of this shipping option, I'd still point to it as an example of why I (and so many others) buy from SweetMarias - if there's something you can do to make the customer's coffee experience better, then bygawd you'll do it or die trying! Thanks. Steve :-> |
Hey Gary, please tell us that you're not in charge of this year's Superbowl show!!! :-)) Mike, who still cringes when he thinks of some of the mistakes he's made... ROTFLMAO |
OK, "The Jury Is Still Out", because I just placed my order tonight, BUT ... I LOVE this option. Even with the 12-pound limit, and the limitations on other items, it's still wonderful for *me* personally ... We don't go through coffee very fast; I roast just for myself and my husband. We also tend to order just the 2-pound sizes, because 1lb isn't really enough to properly try out a coffee, and by the time we've decided we like something enough to order the 5-pound size, Tom's already out of it! What this flat-rate option does is makes it much cheaper - and a bit easier, too - for me to buy the smaller quantities. UPS Ground for 12 pounds would have been $14-something ($14.87?) - we're in Georgia, literally almost the other end of the continent. Usually the cost of shipping on a small order means an extra $1 per pound, so, I end up waiting to order until Tom has 10 or so new things we want to try, and then placing a 20+-lb order. Crap, you made it cheap and convenient to impulse buy! :) :) Thanks. I hope it works out. Sharon |
Harvey was also the name of Son of Sam's Dog. :-) Dwayne --On Monday, January 24, 2005 3:08 PM -0500 Lissa wrote: <Snip> |
Nice marketing Tom It made me order 12 lbs. But seriously it did save me money, now to see if gets here in 2 to 3 days instead of 8 days UPS. Thanks RK |
Ditto! I'm going to place my 12 pound order now! Thanks for trying it out Tom! Sue <Snip> <Snip> |