You can’t please everyone

[Millwab]

When I was an exhibitor at our county fair last year I had some small puzzles for sale. They were 5"x7" and cut two different ways. One was a typical horizontal/vertical pattern in 1" squares (35 pieces) and the other was a diagonal pattern in 1"squares (82 pieces).  The diagonal pattern leaves the outside edge pieces as triangles that don’t connect to each other except in the corners.  No, you can’t put the frame together first and then fill it in  Both were cut with my "figure 8" piece cut.  This adds a bit more of a challenge to the puzzle.  I got this comment on my website today …

"I got a 5x7 Teton Range 82 piece puzzle for Christmas and it is probably one of the most frustrating puzzles i have ever tried. No directions, only a small snail sized photo on a small piece of paper to try and work from. Yes, I have given up and gone back to simpler 500 and 1000 piece puzzles that are thought provoking but much more relaxing to work."

I don’t ever remember seeing a puzzle with directions, and the "snail sized photo" was 3”x5” (almost half the size of the whole puzzle).  I suppose I should be honored that my little 82pc puzzle was harder to do than a commercial 1000pc.  I guess you can’t please everyone.

[Fab4]

Hi Bruce:
Totally agree with your statement about pleasing people
I think it's safe to say that this puzzle won't make it to the " someone's heirloom someday"  stage
Keep on scrolling
Keep up the great work, I visited your site
Fab4

Edited January 7 by Fab4
added text

[JimNC]

9 hours ago, Fab4 said:

Hi Bruce:
Totally agree with your statement about pleasing people
I think it's safe to say that this puzzle won't make it to the " someone's heirloom someday"  stage
Keep on scrolling
Keep up the great work, I visited your site
Fab4

Directions should read: "Place first piece, then second piece, then next, unit all pieces are in place". 

I do puzzles all the time and this is my strategy! LOL

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

13 hours ago, Millwab said:

When I was an exhibitor at our county fair last year I had some small puzzles for sale. They were 5"x7" and cut two different ways. One was a typical horizontal/vertical pattern in 1" squares (35 pieces) and the other was a diagonal pattern in 1"squares (82 pieces).  The diagonal pattern leaves the outside edge pieces as triangles that don’t connect to each other except in the corners.  No, you can’t put the frame together first and then fill it in  Both were cut with my "figure 8" piece cut.  This adds a bit more of a challenge to the puzzle.  I got this comment on my website today …

"I got a 5x7 Teton Range 82 piece puzzle for Christmas and it is probably one of the most frustrating puzzles i have ever tried. No directions, only a small snail sized photo on a small piece of paper to try and work from. Yes, I have given up and gone back to simpler 500 and 1000 piece puzzles that are thought provoking but much more relaxing to work."

I don’t ever remember seeing a puzzle with directions, and the "snail sized photo" was 3”x5” (almost half the size of the whole puzzle).  I suppose I should be honored that my little 82pc puzzle was harder to do than a commercial 1000pc.  I guess you can’t please everyone.

Sure would like to see a photo of the puzzles and maybe a piece or 2. I use to love to do puzzles when I was a kid. The harder the better. Made it a challenge. 

[Millwab]

15 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Sure would like to see a photo of the puzzles and maybe a piece or 2. I use to love to do puzzles when I was a kid. The harder the better. Made it a challenge. 

John, here’s an example of the 5”x7” puzzle cut on the diagonal. Besides the triangles along the edge the "figure 8" cut renders the rest of the pieces having the same shape. They’re all different just by the nature of them being hand cut without a pattern, but they look the same from a 30,000 foot view

The other pic is the 35pc with a more traditional border. 

[OCtoolguy]

Very nice puzzles. They do look challenging. Hence, the word "puzzle".

[kmmcrafts]

This is very "puzzling" 

Your title here sure is true to a T...

I currently have a customer that bought a clock insert of my etsy store.. They bought the 50mm one and then left me a 1 star review because it's the wrong size.. They never once tried to contact me to ask any questions.. never inquired about a return.. nothing.. just left me the stupid 1 star review.. I reached out to them to see if I could help in some way and maybe they'd edit the review but it's all my fault because I should be advertising this clock by the size of hole that goes into rather than the overall size.. (which is the same way all other clock insert sellers sell is exactly how I sell them so not to confuse people ).. They mention the hole they have for the clock is 53mm and thought they would be able to stretch the clock out that extra 3 mm.. but turns out I gave them the wrong measurement by listing the face size.. That said.. my description shows the "mounting size" as well as I have one of the photos with a digital dial caliper showing exact size.. then they said there was no instructions on how to set or make the clock run.. I sent a instruction sheet which is also posted as one of the photos.. No matter what.. It's still my fault.. I refunded them their money and told them to keep the clock or throw it out.. blocked them from being able to purchase from me again, LOL

I get about 5 emails a week asking what size hole these clocks fit into.. IF folks would look over the pictures.. they all have the digital dial calipers showing that.. as well as written in the description.. You just can't make this stuff up... Getting ready to just take them off the site.. I don't have to sell them.. and markup barely pays for the packaging and ink etc for the label etc.. I only sell them to move my inventory so I don't have the batteries going bad just sitting in inventory.. but the hassle of the stupidity of questions I get asked and all the folks that buy one and then return it because it was the wrong size is not worth it. That or I'm going to price them as high as all the other folks do.. and accept no returns like they do to.. only exchanges.. 

  

Edited January 7 by kmmcrafts

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I see nothing wrong with the puzzles. Yes they maybe be challenging but hence the photo. That is the beauty of doing puzzles and so called PUZZLES. You want something to test the mind. 

Kevin never did understand why you sell clock inserts?? on a site you now have to be sure the battery is good or the movement works well. Yes you can offer returns and things like that but you added a layer of hassle. When I sell at shows I always tell the customer the insert has a life time warrenty and it does. I will replace any insert on my dime. Not batteries. I sell or at least I have a variety of themed inserts that customers can choose from when they are there I would never offer them on a web site for above reasons. That is why selling face to face has value. I would think the only responsible thing needed to be printed in the ad is the overall size of the clock. If you now ad the hole size you added confusion because as you know not all same sized clock inserts have the same drill hole size. But that is your call and then need to deal with fallout. The person should have tried working things out with you first for sure. I never trust reviews unless there is so many negative ones. Then I move on. 

[Scrappile]

I'm glad Kevin sell clock inserts, I've purchased a few and they are good ones.  

[kmmcrafts]

3 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

I see nothing wrong with the puzzles. Yes they maybe be challenging but hence the photo. That is the beauty of doing puzzles and so called PUZZLES. You want something to test the mind. 

Kevin never did understand why you sell clock inserts?? on a site you now have to be sure the battery is good or the movement works well. Yes you can offer returns and things like that but you added a layer of hassle. When I sell at shows I always tell the customer the insert has a life time warrenty and it does. I will replace any insert on my dime. Not batteries. I sell or at least I have a variety of themed inserts that customers can choose from when they are there I would never offer them on a web site for above reasons. That is why selling face to face has value. I would think the only responsible thing needed to be printed in the ad is the overall size of the clock. If you now ad the hole size you added confusion because as you know not all same sized clock inserts have the same drill hole size. But that is your call and then need to deal with fallout. The person should have tried working things out with you first for sure. I never trust reviews unless there is so many negative ones. Then I move on. 

I'm going to start a topic in the business section since I didn't intend to hijack this thread.

[meflick]

2 hours ago, Scrappile said:

I'm glad Kevin sell clock inserts, I've purchased a few and they are good ones.  

I agree, I have too but then, we don’t buy them through his Etsy site. (Least wise I don’t think I did - it has been a while. )

[Scrappile]

@meflick No I didn't either I used Kevskrafts.com Just made it feel more personal.  Don't know why.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

5 hours ago, Scrappile said:

I'm glad Kevin sell clock inserts, I've purchased a few and they are good ones.  

I am extremely happy for you. If you need the inserts he sells that is great. My comment was MY OPINION. And I stick with it. 

[Joe W.]

16 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

IF folks would look over the pictures.. they all have the digital dial calipers showing that.. as well as written in the description..

I have a theory - Our computer technology is making it easier for us to ask questions and get a response versus taking the time to look and think about the written information in front of them.    I think google and other search engines actually promote this behavior.  

 

[kmmcrafts]

11 minutes ago, Joe W. said:

I have a theory - Our computer technology is making it easier for us to ask questions and get a response versus taking the time to look and think about the written information in front of them.    I think google and other search engines actually promote this behavior.  

 

150% Yes.. I was just thinking about writing a topic in the business forum about social media promoting and getting engagement from your followers and how that boost your placement on the social platforms as well as if someone clicks a link to your selling site from that social post then that boost placement in for your selling site.. so yes 150% Etsy even has a program to praise or punish sellers if they respond within 24 hours of a message from a customer.. just for this reason.. as that boost their placement as a whole with google. 

[BadBob]

I have been fortunate not to have bad customers. However, I do get the occasional email asking about sizes, even when the size is in the photos and description.