I just have to get this off my chest, it has really been bugging me all day. I did a show last night for a friend. I always find those shows much harder than the ones for people I don't know. Anyway, I knew everyone at the show, and we had 8 people, I had collected 3 outside orders ahead so I thought great she will get the towels for free! Well... 3 people combined on one order and another 2 combined so with 8 people we only got 5 orders. I told them that she would loose the towels and that their warrenties might not be easily tracked and they did it anyway. I know it is not a big deal but it really bothered me. I guess because I know them and we are all supposed to be friends. I have avoided order combining with people I don't know but not with ones I do. Thanks for listening!
Maximizing Savings with Order Combining: My Experience with Friends
- Thread starter cincychef
- Start date
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Discussion Overview
This thread explores participants' experiences and challenges related to combining orders among friends and acquaintances in the context of Pampered Chef shows. Participants share personal anecdotes about the implications of order combining, particularly regarding shipping costs and warranty tracking.
Discussion Character
- Anecdotal
- Opinion-based
- Exploratory
Main Points Raised
- One participant, identifying as a consultant, expresses frustration over a recent show where combining orders led to a loss of free items for the hostess and complications with warranty tracking.
- Another participant shares that friends often ask to combine orders to save on shipping, but they feel it's unfair for one person to cover the shipping costs for others.
- Several users mention that they clarify to customers that they will not track warranties for combined orders, emphasizing personal responsibility in these situations.
- One participant notes that they only combine orders for elderly customers or when it seems reasonable, but generally find it adds extra work and complications.
- Another participant recounts a complicated situation involving a defective product that arose from combined orders, highlighting the challenges of customer service in such cases.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Views differ among participants regarding the practice of combining orders. Some express reluctance due to warranty concerns, while others are more open to it, particularly in specific circumstances.
Contextual Notes
Participants' experiences reflect a range of personal interactions and the complexities that arise when combining orders, particularly with friends and acquaintances. The discussions highlight the balance between customer service and personal accountability.
Who May Find This Useful
This discussion may be of interest to Pampered Chef consultants navigating similar challenges with order combining and customer interactions.
DebbieSAChef
- 2,144
I know how you feel, some of my friends are always asking if I can tag their order onto someone else's bigger order to save them on shipping.
I tell them that it's really not fair that someone else pays their shipping for them so I usually just split up the shipping between those combining orders. They usually agree and pay their share. But come on $4! That's cheaper than parcel post or priority mail at the post office. I really try to stress that, there is hardly nothing you can buy on eBay with that low of shipping! It's a great deal! Some listen, some don't care.
It's hard when people feel they HAVE to purchase something and then try to be as cheap as possible because they bought a $10 item. And I know these people can afford it. Oh well, I don't worry about it anymore, I just usually let them know they won't be getting a receipt, it goes to the person who ordered the most stuff.
You did everything right! And it's easier to convince those we don't know about this, instead of people we know.
Debbie
I tell them that it's really not fair that someone else pays their shipping for them so I usually just split up the shipping between those combining orders. They usually agree and pay their share. But come on $4! That's cheaper than parcel post or priority mail at the post office. I really try to stress that, there is hardly nothing you can buy on eBay with that low of shipping! It's a great deal! Some listen, some don't care.
It's hard when people feel they HAVE to purchase something and then try to be as cheap as possible because they bought a $10 item. And I know these people can afford it. Oh well, I don't worry about it anymore, I just usually let them know they won't be getting a receipt, it goes to the person who ordered the most stuff.
You did everything right! And it's easier to convince those we don't know about this, instead of people we know.
Debbie
jrstephens
- 7,085
When my customers want to combine orders, I tell them that is their choice but THEY will be responsible for keeping track for warranty purposes. I make it CLEAR even with friends that I do NOT keep track.
And I HIGHLY discourage it if they are ordering something with more than a year warranty. Normally when I do that, people agree with me and just combine on things like cookbooks and spices and twixits - things that the warranty really does not matter.
And I HIGHLY discourage it if they are ordering something with more than a year warranty. Normally when I do that, people agree with me and just combine on things like cookbooks and spices and twixits - things that the warranty really does not matter.
christinaspc
Silver Member
- 1,245
You know I totally relate to you about this I only do this for elderly women who may order something small that it just seems stupid or I just pay 1.2 of the shipping but I don't like combining orders either cause of the warranty and such and then it just seems like more extra work for the hostess as well. I am finding our shipping isn't that really bad at all and yet there is a few in every bunch that have to pitch a fit about it.
ChefBeckyD
Gold Member
- 20,320
Okay - just have to add to your vent, because this has caused such a headache for me lately!
This all stems from a catalog show from NOV. where there were 2-3 people on each order!
One person got a mini muffin pan, said it was defective, and wanted it exchanged. She technically hadn't placed an order, because it was in someone else's name. But I did the exchange under the other persons name anyway. HO didn't require a return on the first "defective" pan. (remember this fact, because it gets important later in the story!)
She got the 2nd pan - said that one was defective too..turns out, neither pan is defective, she just doesn't like the indentations between the cups of the pan. She now wants her money back. BUT - she doesn't even have an ordered placed.......and it is now after th 30 day warranty period.
So, at this point I give the 800# and let her know she can return her pan and arrange for $ back....but, since I have no record of purchase or any of her personal info, it's now between her and PC. A couple of weeks later, I see that there is a reference # on my shipping tracker for an adjustment, so figure it has been taken care of. (this is in January)
Fast forward to the end of May, when I get a nasty email from the host of the show saying that the guest still hasn't gotten her money...and that PC says that she has to return the pan in order to get her money back....but that I had told her she could keep the pan. So, it was poor customer service and PC had horrible policies because they were told one thing by me, and something else by PC. WHAT???? This all goes back to when I thought the first one defective, and PC said it didn't have to be returned....so now - the "customer" had 2 perfectly good pans, has not paid shipping on either one, and wants to keep them - but wants the full purchase price back. IS THAT NOT INSANE???
So I try to explain to the host that PC cannot issue a check for a pan that is perfectly fine, and still in the hands of the customer...and that yes, she will have to return it in order to get a refund. (and technically, should return both...but I didn't say that.)
Well....a couple of weeks go by, and I get a call from HO that a complaint has been called in by a customer about me! The customer called and complained that I made her handle the return herself!
Thankfully, when I explained the situation to the Rep. I talked to, she laughed! And agreed that I had done nothing wrong!
All of this started from someone combining orders.:grumpy:
This all stems from a catalog show from NOV. where there were 2-3 people on each order!
One person got a mini muffin pan, said it was defective, and wanted it exchanged. She technically hadn't placed an order, because it was in someone else's name. But I did the exchange under the other persons name anyway. HO didn't require a return on the first "defective" pan. (remember this fact, because it gets important later in the story!)
She got the 2nd pan - said that one was defective too..turns out, neither pan is defective, she just doesn't like the indentations between the cups of the pan. She now wants her money back. BUT - she doesn't even have an ordered placed.......and it is now after th 30 day warranty period.
So, at this point I give the 800# and let her know she can return her pan and arrange for $ back....but, since I have no record of purchase or any of her personal info, it's now between her and PC. A couple of weeks later, I see that there is a reference # on my shipping tracker for an adjustment, so figure it has been taken care of. (this is in January)
Fast forward to the end of May, when I get a nasty email from the host of the show saying that the guest still hasn't gotten her money...and that PC says that she has to return the pan in order to get her money back....but that I had told her she could keep the pan. So, it was poor customer service and PC had horrible policies because they were told one thing by me, and something else by PC. WHAT???? This all goes back to when I thought the first one defective, and PC said it didn't have to be returned....so now - the "customer" had 2 perfectly good pans, has not paid shipping on either one, and wants to keep them - but wants the full purchase price back. IS THAT NOT INSANE???
So I try to explain to the host that PC cannot issue a check for a pan that is perfectly fine, and still in the hands of the customer...and that yes, she will have to return it in order to get a refund. (and technically, should return both...but I didn't say that.)
Well....a couple of weeks go by, and I get a call from HO that a complaint has been called in by a customer about me! The customer called and complained that I made her handle the return herself!
Thankfully, when I explained the situation to the Rep. I talked to, she laughed! And agreed that I had done nothing wrong!
All of this started from someone combining orders.:grumpy:
janetupnorth
Gold Member
- 14,814
ChefBeckyD said:Okay - just have to add to your vent, because this has caused such a headache for me lately!
This all stems from a catalog show from NOV. where there were 2-3 people on each order!
One person got a mini muffin pan, said it was defective, and wanted it exchanged. She technically hadn't placed an order, because it was in someone else's name. But I did the exchange under the other persons name anyway. HO didn't require a return on the first "defective" pan. (remember this fact, because it gets important later in the story!)
She got the 2nd pan - said that one was defective too..turns out, neither pan is defective, she just doesn't like the indentations between the cups of the pan. She now wants her money back. BUT - she doesn't even have an ordered placed.......and it is now after th 30 day warranty period.
So, at this point I give the 800# and let her know she can return her pan and arrange for $ back....but, since I have no record of purchase or any of her personal info, it's now between her and PC. A couple of weeks later, I see that there is a reference # on my shipping tracker for an adjustment, so figure it has been taken care of. (this is in January)
Fast forward to the end of May, when I get a nasty email from the host of the show saying that the guest still hasn't gotten her money...and that PC says that she has to return the pan in order to get her money back....but that I had told her she could keep the pan. So, it was poor customer service and PC had horrible policies because they were told one thing by me, and something else by PC. WHAT???? This all goes back to when I thought the first one defective, and PC said it didn't have to be returned....so now - the "customer" had 2 perfectly good pans, has not paid shipping on either one, and wants to keep them - but wants the full purchase price back. IS THAT NOT INSANE???
So I try to explain to the host that PC cannot issue a check for a pan that is perfectly fine, and still in the hands of the customer...and that yes, she will have to return it in order to get a refund. (and technically, should return both...but I didn't say that.)
Well....a couple of weeks go by, and I get a call from HO that a complaint has been called in by a customer about me! The customer called and complained that I made her handle the return herself!
Thankfully, when I explained the situation to the Rep. I talked to, she laughed! And agreed that I had done nothing wrong!
All of this started from someone combining orders.:grumpy:
WHOA Becky - glad HO always understands that the customers are usually the sneaky crazy ones!
ChefBeckyD
Gold Member
- 20,320
janetupnorth said:WHOA Becky - glad HO always understands that the customers are usually the sneaky crazy ones!
It was pretty easy for her to understand, since when she looked up the show - the person wasn't even listed as a guest...and she had a record of what I had already done as far as adjustments etc....
I was flabbergasted that she thought she could just keep both pans, and still get her money back!
mpkegley
- 844
ChefBeckyD said:It was pretty easy for her to understand, since when she looked up the show - the person wasn't even listed as a guest...and she had a record of what I had already done as far as adjustments etc....
I was flabbergasted that she thought she could just keep both pans, and still get her money back!
All I can say, OMG!!!!! The nerve of some people - I can't believe that she thought that she could keep both pans and get her money back.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is order combining in direct sales, and how can it help maximize savings?
Order combining is the practice of pooling orders from multiple customers to take advantage of bulk discounts, reduced shipping costs, or special promotions. By coordinating with friends or family, you can increase the total order amount, which may qualify you for better pricing or free shipping, ultimately maximizing your savings.
How can I effectively coordinate order combining with my friends?
To effectively coordinate order combining, start by discussing your needs and preferences with your friends. Create a shared list of items everyone is interested in, set a deadline for placing the order, and designate a point person to manage the order. Communication is key to ensure everyone is on the same page and to avoid any last-minute changes.
Are there any specific Pampered Chef promotions that work well with order combining?
Yes, Pampered Chef often runs promotions such as discounts on certain products, free shipping thresholds, or special offers for hosts. These promotions can be particularly beneficial when combined with group orders, as you can collectively reach the minimum purchase required for discounts or free shipping, enhancing your overall savings.
What are the potential drawbacks of order combining?
While order combining can lead to significant savings, there are potential drawbacks. These include coordinating payment from multiple people, managing different delivery addresses, and the possibility of items being out of stock. It's important to weigh these factors and ensure everyone is committed before placing a combined order.
Can order combining be used for hosting a Pampered Chef party?
Absolutely! Order combining can be a great strategy for hosting a Pampered Chef party. By encouraging guests to place their orders together during the party, you can increase the total sales, which may qualify you for additional host rewards and discounts. This collaborative approach not only maximizes savings but also enhances the party experience for everyone involved.
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