The Saga of the Wardrobe

I'm only human and every so often I make a mistake - like I did before Christmas when for some mysterious reason an order slip made its way into the 'orders sent' pile before I'd actually processed it. The order in question was for a Moulin Roty Grand Family Wardrobe going to the US. I don't normally send this overseas due to the weight etc but the customer had sent a lovely email asking if I could make an exception, so I'd done all the necessary weighing and quoting, sent an invoice, she had paid it... and then the mix up occurred.






A couple of weeks later I had an email from her asking if I could track the parcel as it hadn't arrived. I had a dig around in my records and realised right away what had happened - I hadn't sent it.

To make matters worse I had, in the meantime, sold out of the wardrobe - and didn't expect any more in that side of Christmas.

Oh dear.

I had to write one of those difficult emails, confessing to my mistake and crossing my fingers that I hadn't just ruined someone's Christmas. There was still time for the recommended last posting date to the US so I had a trawl around the internet and found a couple of alternative suppliers to suggest to her.

Later that day I had a really nice email from her saying not to worry, these things happened. She had managed to source one from one of my recommendations. I refunded her original order, sighed with relief and thought that was that.




The next day she emailed me again. Her 'fall back' shop were refusing to send it overseas (I was not entirely surprised, as I said it is a heavy little toy) so could she please arrange to have it sent to me so I could send it on to her?

It meant me taking the £20 odd hit for the postage but I didn't hesitate - it was the least I could do, given my original mistake.

A couple of days later the parcel reached me, I re-wrapped it and sent it on to the US, still with a day or two to spare for Christmas delivery. Once again I sighed with relief and thought that was that.

Not so.



A couple of days before Christmas I had an email - it still hadn't arrived. She was very nice and understanding, there was nothing I could do. We both just hoped it would arrive soon. I closed Cottontails for a couple of weeks over Christmas and New Year and was appalled to find it STILL hadn't arrived when I reopened on the 10th January.

Just as I was going into worry overdrive, thinking I was going to have to sort out a refund for a second time, for an order that had gone to a different shop etc, I had an email to say it had finally turned up. No less than a month after I had sent it.

Thank goodness she was very gracious and understanding about the delay and even offered to pay for the postage. I refused but did say that if it was no trouble, I would love a photo or two to share with you all - and these are the photos you can see on this blog post.



At least it looks like the little girl in question loves her toy, even if it was terribly late.

I think maybe Father Christmas may have got the blame..?