At TFL, one thing that never changed all these years is there will always be random strangers asking for a discount.
Okay, not exactly strangers.
They can be your friend's cousin's ex-neighbour's colleague's sister-in-law's Pilates classmate
You get the drift.
Emails are sorta anonymous.
The most personal thing I will know about the shopper is only the mailing address.
Although Gmail now shows a photo of the email holder, most of the time, I can't make out the face either.
The picture is that tiny.
As we all know, with anonymity comes courage.
The courage to ask for things that you won't dare to ask in person.
The courage to ask for things that you shouldn't.
"I'm buying for the first time, do I get a discount?"
No, no first-timer discount.
This is not a facial trial, whereby after that, you get thrown into a pressure cooker to sign for a package, so that the salon can make back the money they sacrificed by giving you a 50% discount.
This is not a facial trial, whereby after that, you get thrown into a pressure cooker to sign for a package, so that the salon can make back the money they sacrificed by giving you a 50% discount.
"I'm XXX (some famous blogger)'s blog reader, discount for her reader?"If there is, I would have stated so in the advertorial with the blogger.
That would have been a fairer way, wouldn't it?
Honestly, if there is, I will state so on TFL's site."I'm buying 2 bags, got discount?"
You're not the only customer who buys 2 bags.
There are girls who buy 4-5 bags at one shot.
I must be fair to all.
"I'm XXXX's so and so, got discount?"Pull ranks, like what we used to joke.
The thing is, you won't walk into Charles & Keith and tell the cashier you are Keith's kindergarten playmate or Charles' ex-girlfriend and think you deserve a discount for old times' sake, would you?
I bet the cashier will just tell you to spend S$300 (support lah, since you all once so close!) and get a Charles & Keith membership card.
She might also be tempted to suggest buying your shoes from CK department store.
And of course, there will be shoppers who write semi-lengthy emails explaining why I should give them a discount.
That really need some guts there. The guts to be reckless.
I have the same amount of guts to tell them why they are not deserving of a discount too.
Politely, of course.
The S$1 discount TFL Facebook Fan Page promotion has been going on for a while, yet strangely, there are still shoppers who will email asking for a discount.
Without taking part in the Facebook promotion.
"If you give me discount, I will tell my friends about Tian Fen Lan and bring you more business."This is like bribing me.
I just don't think you will do that work for a few dollars off.
If you really do, what's going to happen when all your friends come and ask me for discount?
"My friend asks if got discount, haha."
How is it "haha" when asking for something that is to your personal advantage?
Funny? Amusing? Hilarious?
Making a joke out of...?
I'm not sure who need to think twice here.
The proxy that is asking, or the 'friends' who egged the proxy to ask.
And after I replied, most become deadbuyers.
And after I replied, most become deadbuyers.
A blogshop is a low-margin-high-volume business.
If you don't hit high volume, you are dead.
We watch our costs tightly because mistakes too often can be fatal.
If everything sell, great.
But not everything sell.
Sometimes, it's luck when you hit jackpot with one nondescript item that morphs miraculously into a hotseller.
Other times, it can be pure 'suayness' when you bank on this item to fly off the shelves but end up stuck.
So profit from the hotsellers are sometimes used to cover the losses of 'cold-sellers'.
That's how a business works.
People who ask for discounts might not be those who are concerned about my shop's profitability and sustainability.
They might be thinking well, you have been around for a while so should be good! Aiyah, a bit discount only what.
That's taking things for granted.
TFL didn't get to here by being casual with price reduction.
Point is, if I go around giving discounts just because you ask, I might as well close down Tian Fen Lan.
That is a lousy and unreputable way to earn your money.
I would have been extremely unfair to those who never ask.
Be it whether they don't dare or simply they don't see the need to.
Yes, I would rather lose the deal than to succumb to such pressure.
有一次就一定會有第二次。
Then how am I going to run my business proper?
Remember Nanz Chong, the founder of the $1.99 store?
She wrote in her book that one huge problem she faced was when she employed relatives to work for her.
They would be opening up the snacks (the store's products!) to eat while working and more.
That definitely eat into the profitability of her business.
This reminds me.
We, the blogshop owners, can also start a series of books.
True Singapore Blogshop stories.
Or, one blogshop 101 unfair encounters (the people who ill-treat us. Hahaha!)
We also can be the #1 National bestseller or have our 1st print sold out in 3 weeks or maybe even less!
Publishers, you hear us?
Everyone loves a good deal.
But to be greedy about it is another thing.
Point is, if I go around giving discounts just because you ask, I might as well close down Tian Fen Lan.
That is a lousy and unreputable way to earn your money.
I would have been extremely unfair to those who never ask.
Be it whether they don't dare or simply they don't see the need to.
Yes, I would rather lose the deal than to succumb to such pressure.
有一次就一定會有第二次。
Then how am I going to run my business proper?
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| Source: Google images |
Remember Nanz Chong, the founder of the $1.99 store?
She wrote in her book that one huge problem she faced was when she employed relatives to work for her.
They would be opening up the snacks (the store's products!) to eat while working and more.
That definitely eat into the profitability of her business.
This reminds me.
We, the blogshop owners, can also start a series of books.
True Singapore Blogshop stories.
Or, one blogshop 101 unfair encounters (the people who ill-treat us. Hahaha!)
We also can be the #1 National bestseller or have our 1st print sold out in 3 weeks or maybe even less!
Publishers, you hear us?
Everyone loves a good deal.
But to be greedy about it is another thing.
And you know what?
The true regulars of Tian Fen Lan have never asked for a discount.
Most of them don't even participate in TFL Facebook Fan Page promotion.
Another group of people has never ever ask me for any discount too.
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.
.
.
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.
.
.
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My friends.
That's Ei Leen. My team girl from SQ.
The big brown and mustard bags she's holding are the famous N09 Herms Bag that are always out of stock no matter how many times I stock them in.
Think I've sold at least a couple of hundred of them.
They're no longer listed on TFL site, in case you're wondering.
Gotta love this girl for her eccentric and quirky wardrobe!
I'm totally in love with her style! So un-Singaporean! So inspiring!
Even when overseas, she would be totally dressed up and a walking fashionista.
I don't know how she pack that luggage of hers.
I was over the moon when she placed her order through TFL online order form.
Go stalk her on her fashion blog and check out her online store, Raw Raw Rad!
Not for the faint-hearted.
She has bought about 5-6 bags from TFL.
Never once did she ask for a discount.
Nor any odd favour, just because we're great friends.
That's Johnathan. A friend I knew for more than 10 years. *gasp*
Never ask him for permission to plonk his pic here, but since his face is in a helmet, I reckon it should be okay.
He probably doesn't even know of my blog's existence anyway. Hahaha!
This boy registered his marriage on 11.11.11. Congrats, newly wed!
He texted me a week before his wife's birthday.
TFL certainly has a number of male shoppers, but I just never thought one of them will be my guy friend!
Guess what Johnathan ordered for his lovely wife?
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.
.
.
.
He picked the bestsellers from Series 60!
On his own! Without anyone's help!
To think I was all prepared to ramble on a list of "Things to consider when getting a bag for your wife."
Johnathan, all these years, how come I didn't know you have designer taste in bags???
Why didn't you teach my Husband???
(They are NS mates.)
He initially ordered the Zara Shopper in Bubblegum Pink, but his email came in 3 hours after the launch.
Too late, mate!
We were hoping that there would be deadbuyers, but no, everyone wanted the Bubblegum Pinks for real.
In his words, "i think personally i like the simple design of the 6002. the other is the typical trendy ones."
Did he just refer to TFL bags as 'typical'?
Oh well, at least he said TFL has trendy bags.
So girls, if you are thinking of which bag to get & highly to be approved by your boyfriend/husband, 6002 Zara Shopper is the one!
I couriered the parcel to Jonathan's office, even though he opted for registered mail.
True friends want to see you succeed in whatever you pursue.
I'm really thankful for them. =)
Metta,
欣雨 Xinyu
