Anyone Have Items "Disappear" During a Show?

[Chef Mary Rose]

I just had a show tonight and had brought with me the Sweet Cinnamon and Sweet Caramel Sprinkle. I deliberately had ordered those two since I knew that they were the Guest Special for February and I wanted my guests to see them.

While I was packing up, my host returned the SCinS to me (which had been opened. My dh and I enjoyed cinnamon rolls this morning...mmmmm!) But the SCarS (Which was brand new, never opened) she could not find. We tried to look around and it just was not to be found.

Meanwhile, my host was waiting for me to pack up so she could go drinking with some of her friends from the show. (We had a 7:30 PM show that started late due to all the guests arriving 15 minutes late.)

I'm a bit settled down now but was pretty ticked off an hour ago. My dh jokingly said that whoever got it, got the door prize! I laughed but it's the principle of the thing. I'm hoping it just got caught under the couch cushions and I would have checked if I didn't feel so rushed to get out of there. I also realize I left my utility knife there. (Not the FC, but the one with the self-sharpening case.)

I have to admit that as I drove home, I had this immediate "I'm-Never-Bringing-Any-Pantry-Items-Again" vow ringing in my head.

Has anyone else had items disappear from their shows? Maybe this is a good thing because I'm seriously considering now to just bring the tools I need for the recipe and no more display items. I'm just glad it was a Pantry item and not my beloved SA pieces or my SS saute pan!

 

[chefjwr]

Oh, that is so disappointing. I did have my door prize bag go missing and when I got it back the more expensive items were not there-- bamboo tongs, mini whippers. Luckily no larger products have ever gone missing. I am actually surprised they haven't.

 

[cincychef]

I've had this happen too many times to count. I have lost spatulas, knives, recently my micro cooker. Most of it I just replace, but I always wonder, Did they realize I left it behind? Wouldn't you call someone and tell them? Oh well I can never remember which show it was left at. The one that made me mad was my SA square plate. I never found it and the last time I remember having it I lent it to a friend who swears she gave it back. Oh well it wasn't worth ruining a friendship over. Also I bring all of the pantry items with me in a little basket and I have never had one disappear.

 

[Chef Mary Rose]

Oh, that is so disappointing. I did have my door prize bag go missing and when I got it back the more expensive items were not there-- bamboo tongs, mini whippers. Luckily no larger products have ever gone missing. I am actually surprised they haven't.

Ugh. It's enough to make me want to keep my bag with my door prizes under lock and key! I guess I get disappointed because we bring items so people can see them.

I'm going to be giving more serious thought on how I can avoid any possible "shrinkage" with my business. It's so weird. I know people shoplift at stores but I never thought about it happening with a home show!

 

[Chef Mary Rose]

I've had this happen too many times to count. I have lost spatulas, knives, recently my micro cooker. Most of it I just replace, but I always wonder, Did they realize I left it behind? Wouldn't you call someone and tell them? Oh well I can never remember which show it was left at. The one that made me mad was my SA square plate. I never found it and the last time I remember having it I lent it to a friend who swears she gave it back. Oh well it wasn't worth ruining a friendship over. Also I bring all of the pantry items with me in a little basket and I have never had one disappear.

Hi, neighbor! (I'm originally from Cincinnati!)

I am so sorry your lost your SA plate. That just stinks. Such a large item, too. Do you still carry SA stuff to your shows?

It's now making me wonder if there is any way we can deduct these missing items? Long ago, I used to work in the insurance industry and within businesses, they have various policies to cover them in case of catastrophes, business interruptions, etc. I wonder if our insurance policy covers loss?

 

[kcjodih]

Sure have. I did a show about 1/2 hour away last spring. The host was new to me - I had just met her at once at a show I did for one of my regular group of gals. She was the past host's sister. So she books for a month out, asks me to bring some cookware and whichever forged cutlery knives I have since her best friend was very interested.

I bring 3 pieces of forged and a couple pieces of cookware and we have only 3 guests and a child at the show plus the host! One of the guests was my past host (the new host's sister). So only two people new to me, one being the person interested in above mentioned products. After the demo and my closing this guest asks to see my knives at which point I lay them out, discuss them and then get called into the kitchen by the host and past host. I'm in there speaking with them and then starting gathering up my dirty stone and cookware and come back out into the living room to pack away the dirties. Then I do the two guest orders up, a couple outside orders I total and then I go to finish packing up the display and notice there's a knife missing. At this time all 3 guests and child are leaving, so I start going through my tote and dirty crate and by the time I'm positive a knife is gone the guests are too!

I casually mention it to the host, see says 'no idea, didn't see it'. I express my concern but no help from her. I dump everything and check a third time and then leave but I'm VERY upset. I mention it once during the closing of her show and she says 'no, never did turn up'. I'm then out one Santoku knife!

 

[Jennie4PC]

I have also had things disappear dont one was the measure all cup and I can not find one of my prep bowls I have also lost a spatula luckily for me it hasnt been something big like the santoku knife. My DH would kill me he loves that thing

 

[lockhartkitchen]

My son was going through the cupboards and couldn't find the executive saute pan. I'm getting short with him to keep looking. I then realize I left it at my show several nights before. I got home with her cheap stainless steel bowl and she had my pan. She left a message for me though. I had to joke with her on the phone. "You got the better end of the deal". I got it back.

I did leave behind a knife (cheaper one) when I first started pampered chef and a wine bottle opener. I knew where it was left, but getting the host to mail it back to me (far away show), never happened. I just wrote it off on my taxes. Those two are the only two lost. I now make a list and like Santa, I check it twice.

My pens are always the ones disappearing. I'm attaching flowers to the ends of them, and have guests put them in a SA bowl with coffee beans when closing out. Whose going to leave with a big flower?

 

[RebelChef]

Well, if they left with a SA plate or a Santoku knife, the flower is on the hit list, too. lol

That's sad that people do this. If one of my guests did it and I knew who it was, she'd never be welcome in my home again. If I didn't know who did it, I doubt I'd invite any of them again. These people need to understand that we have to buy these things, they're not given to us by the company.

I have no idea about the insurance but you can deduct it as a loss on your taxes.

Julie! Dang it, what was in the mystery box????? We're dying to know! lol

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I have had disappear a cranberry rimmed plate, 2 different cookbooks, a kitchen timer, an easy opener.....sad thing is, I don't realize it til later, and so I can't be sure where they disappeared. The easy opener and the plate - I'm pretty sure I know were they went....but the past host claims not to have them. :grumpy:

 

[vwpamperedchef]

You know what I do with the cinnamon sprinkles (and granted any other spice) is I bring the container with like 1/3 remaining and tell the customers how my Dh and I enjoy (the cinn. rolls, or dips) and I can't keep them in my house for long.

Reasons being A) I sell more, and B) no one wants to walk off with used products. They can still sniff the bottle and get the idea.

HTH for future reference

 

[chefann]

Julie, the flowers on the pens don't necessarily work. I did that one season, and lost MORE pens because everyone thought they were so cute. Use pen flags instead. They're stickers that stick out from the pen. You can get them at The Booster.

 

[kdremian]

I also have had things disappear at my shows... meat tenderizer, cookbook, chef's tongs and even my pens with flowers on top!!

kendra

 

[cat]

Guess I'm one of the lucky ones!I've never had anything "disappear" from a show! I have certainly left things behind before, but fortunately, had very honest hostesses who gave them back to me! I almost always leave at least one thing behind (terrible, I know), so I just started bringing less to shows so I remember what I brought.

The funny thing with pantry items is that most guests I've come across don't wanna stick their nose in the bottle! People pass it around without smelling it, even though I tell them it's fine...So unless I USE the pantry item, no one knows what it smells/tastes like!

 

[finley1991]

Lesson learned... at a show I did at family friend's house, I left about 4 things behind. She had put them in the sink when normally I put everything in my dirty dish bin... she saw they were dirty on my table so she picked them up. As I packed up for my next show, I realized they were missing. I called her and here was her response: "Well, you mentioned how you get most of your stuff free so I thought it didn't matter since you didn't pay for it. And I really didn't think you would notice it was missing!" WHAT?Lesson learned. I also did a vendor show once and people kept picking up my products and putting them in their goodie bags they got at the door. I had to "police" my area and tell people they weren't free goodies (the small saute pan!). I was constantly asked why I had everything out there if it wasn't free. Goodness!

 

[Chef Mary Rose]

Wow! It's amazing to me how some folks will be so brazen as to actually rationalize that since we may get stuff "for free," then it's okay to take them! Sheesh!

I guess what I am wondering right now is how much stuff should I really be taking to my shows. I never had anything taken before (and to be fair, I'm still not sure if the Sweet Caramel Sprinkle was really "taken" or just was misplaced somewhere), but this episode reminded me that I am in a roomful of strangers and I cannot expect everyone to abide by the same set of ethics I have.

I don't want to let this sour my attitude on bringing items so guests can look at them, but I don't like feeling as though there's the possibility someone may grab something behind my back. I suppose I can chalk this up as one of the risks you take when you have your own business. I know a large retail store is actually closing nearby because they've had so much stuff stolen from them.

For the most part, my hosts (and I think the majority of our hosts) are honest. They'll return stuff if we've left it behind. I've left a few items and didn't even realize it, thank God for my honest hosts who returned them!

I didn't realize we could write if off our taxes as a loss. I probably won't do that for a pantry item but if it's something more expensive, you betcha!

This also has me tipping my hat to all of you who have had your PC business for many years and still maintain a degree of openess, trust, and helpfulness. :thumbup: I'm hoping I can do it, too!

 

[DebbieJ]

Lesson learned... at a show I did at family friend's house, I left about 4 things behind. She had put them in the sink when normally I put everything in my dirty dish bin... she saw they were dirty on my table so she picked them up. As I packed up for my next show, I realized they were missing. I called her and here was her response: "Well, you mentioned how you get most of your stuff free so I thought it didn't matter since you didn't pay for it. And I really didn't think you would notice it was missing!"

Okay, I have to pick my jaw up off the floor here! That is ludicrous!

 

[RaggedyAunt]

Thankfully, I've never lost anything! I'm fairly anal, so I keep a close eye on things and go through my mental list as I'm packing. What I have started doing with pantry items is getting 35mm film canisters and putting a small amount of the sprinkles in them to pass around. That way, it's more hygenically sound (I don't want random people sniffing spices I'm going to consume!) and they also can see the texture and so forth. If you want to do it, just go to any place that processes film on site (1-hour services) and ask them for a few. Just a thought...

Tammy

 

[raebates]

Are you sure this woman was actually a family friend? Sheesh!The month that a free spice blend was the guest special, I had a customer try to take my sample. The next person ordering wanted to sniff the one the other lady had taken. I went over to ask her if she had it, and she said, "Oh, I thought I got this for my order." I pointed out that what she had in her hand was only 1/2 full and assured her that she would be receiving a new, full bottle with her order.

 

[daniellemorgan]

People can be so unbelievably crappy!!! I'm a true believer in karma, so whoever took your stuff will get their's somehow. Sorry all of you have experienced this:-(

 

[Teresa Lynn]

I gotta say I have left things before (sometimes it gets returned otherwise I just replace it) but on the FLIP side I have taken the hosts productsI always tell them not to have their PC stuff out because I take all my things home dirty and I will accidentally pack their stuff.& when it comes out of my DW & there are 2 pizza cutters one goes into my drawer with 5 or 6 others I won't think twice that it might not be mine that my family used while it was gone

 

[chefsteph07]

The only thing that has really been taken from me on a regular basis is the mini serving spatula...most of the items that I am demoing I will put in my crate after I am done using them, don't wash them at the hosts house...and I have been guilty of taking some hosts items as well..it happens. A few years ago, I made something on one of my stones, the host had the same stone and they looked pretty much the same, when we were both cleaing up our things on each of our stones they were sitting side by side and when I got home I realized I grabbed the hosts stone instead of mine...they both were pretty much seasoned the same, so it was REALLY hard to tell.(but, of course I know my own products!)..I just called her and told her we switched and she said no biggie if I didn't care to exchange neither did she, and we just kept each others! LOL

I've lost more pens than I can count...usually I have them on my table and if someone "needs" one, they can grab one, but typically all my hosts have pens in their purses so my loss on pens has been minimal lately...

 

[Bren706]

I only once have left something behind, and it was the kitchen timer. But, I had also mistakenly taken the host's pizza cutter protective cover, so of course we swapped! I find myself packing up stuff that belongs to the host, more than I find myself missing something. Last night, when unpacking from the show I found an extra mini-serving spatula, which of course, belongs to the host! Last week it was the SB that I give to the host after the guests signs. At the end of the night, we could not find it, but the next day, I found it amongst the catalogs, etc.

 

[RebelChef]

When you stop and think about it, people are just crazy. It's actually funny to read some of the insane things they do and their logic (or lack of) behind it. Why would anyone think a product worth over $30 was a freebie? And just because we 'earn' products does not mean we get them free. We work hard to get those things. There's no justification for stealing whether we get it free or not. And how can you not notice one of your tools for work is missing? Much less 4 of them? That's like being a mechanic and someone walking off with your socket set. duh

 

[luvs2cook]

I've had my ice cream dipper and my all the best cookbook taken at two of my shows. I finally tell people at shows that everything you see tonight is mine so they are not free to take. I know it takes a lot of nerve for me to say this, but it's more nervy of people at my shows to take products that aren't theirs.

 

[legacypc46]

I called her and here was her response: "Well, you mentioned how you get most of your stuff free so I thought it didn't matter since you didn't pay for it. And I really didn't think you would notice it was missing!"

I've run into this mentality a couple times as well. One host got me twice (shame on me, huh?). I'm convinced she rationalized it based on my getting lot's of 'free stuff' and her having had a $1000 show (and hence my getting a nice commission).

I no longer use the words 'free' and 'consultant' in the same sentence. Instead I mention how great it is that we can earn sample, because "instead of putting my income back in my business, I can put it towards our bills and things for my family."

leggy

 

[raebates]

Hey, Leggy, I like that wording. I think I'll, um, "borrow" it.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I gotta say I have left things before (sometimes it gets returned otherwise I just replace it) but on the FLIP side I have taken the hosts products

I always tell them not to have their PC stuff out because I take all my things home dirty and I will accidentally pack their stuff.

& when it comes out of my DW & there are 2 pizza cutters one goes into my drawer with 5 or 6 others I won't think twice that it might not be mine that my family used while it was gone

I do this too! In fact, when I opened up my container of spices at my show today, I realized I had my Thurs. Host's ScinS!!! I know this, because I am out - but there was a full bottle in there!

 

[wadesgirl]

I've left a couple items before but never had anything gone missing before that I know of.

 

[KellyTheChef]

I didn't realize we could write if off our taxes as a loss. I probably won't do that for a pantry item but if it's something more expensive, you betcha!

Mary Rose~

Just wanted to be sure that you ARE writing off your pantry items! Any products that you purchase for TESTING (up to twice per year) or for USE in your business are tax deductions. So, your bottle that was taken would be deductable, as will the next one you buy!

Don't cut yourself short on tax items! Every little bit adds up...

Oh...and to answer your question, I have lost very few items over my 4+ years. Thankfully, I have had pretty honest hosts and guests! I pray it stays that way too! Hopefully, your will show up!