09/30/2026
TLDR: I'm annoyed and people suck. Being nice is something I will have to start putting on the backburner.
Long Version: I need to say something about this homecoming season because, honestly, this has been one of the most difficult seasons I’ve had as a small business owner and not because of the orders, but because of the way some customers have spoken to me. Too many people are comfortable being disrespectful as if it basic decency isn't a thing.
This season alone, I have completed almost 100 monogram orders, or maybe I have hit it since I last counted, and no that doesn't even include the mums.
Out of those "100" monograms, only a handful have had issues.
And yes, things happen.
Envelopes get stuck.
Packages get delayed. (like my buyer in Katy whose order took a week to get to her from Cypress.)
USPS makes mistakes. (like my buyer in North Houston whose order was somehow routed to Louisiana before making it back to her here in Texas.)
Tracking doesn't update when it should.
When those things have happened, I have gone above and beyond to make things right. I've followed up on packages, communicated with customers, and in some cases, I've even sent replacement orders so customers would have what they needed at my own expense when I wasn't the one at fault.
There have literally been situations where a customer ended up receiving multiple versions of their order because I would rather make sure they have what they paid for than leave them without something they need.
I understand that people are excited about homecoming. I understand wanting your order on time. I understand checking tracking. I understand being disappointed when something doesn't go exactly as planned.
What I do NOT understand is being rude, condescending, or disrespectful when the information about an order was available before the purchase.
I want to share a recent situation, not to name or expose the buyer, but because I think it's important to show what small business owners are sometimes dealing with behind the scenes. Those times when I'd rather just step away from all of this altogether for weeks at a time.
• Order placed: September 10
• Delivery date selected by the customer: October 2
• Order shipped: September 25
• USPS first scan: September 26
• Estimated delivery: October 1
At the time of this post, the package is still in transit and is approximately 30 minutes from its destination. The customer also left a 1-star review(on 9/30), stating that the order “didn't come in time to use” and that it was a “waste of money and time.” YOU chose the date you'd receive it.
And THIS is where I have to be honest: this particular situation feels like a weird episode of Pranked.
Not because I expect every customer to be happy every second. Not because I think small businesses should never receive criticism.
But because there is a difference between having a legitimate issue with an order and being nasty to someone simply because you feel like you can. She messaged me and I responded to her with her order details and screenshot of tracking. She didn't like my response. Not everyone likes facts, I suppose.
The order was made.
The order was shipped within the stated processing timeframe.
Tracking was provided.
The package is moving through USPS.
And the delivery date was still within the timeframe associated with the order.
She chose Oct 2 to receive her order.............
It's Sept 30................
What's the issue for real?..............
Somehow, I'm the one being treated as though I intentionally did something wrong.
That is the part that bugs me.
Because behind every Etsy shop, every handmade business, every package that arrives at your door, there is a person.
A person who spent hours designing it.
A person who purchased the supplies.
A person who made it.
A person who packaged it.
A person who is trying their absolute best to make sure you have what you need.
I can control when I make your order.
I can control when I ship your order.
I can provide tracking.
I can communicate delays when they happen.
I cannot control USPS once your package leaves my hands. (And this one situation isn't even on them.)
This season has reminded me that you can go above and beyond for people and still have someone decide to treat you terribly.
That's the nastiest part of all of this.
Not the delayed envelopes. Not the USPS issues. Not the occasional mistakes.
It's realizing how ugly people can be toward another human being simply because they feel like there are no consequences for doing so. That's my issue within this community too..............but that's a post.../video for another day.
You can be disappointed without being disrespectful.
You can ask questions without being condescending.
You can have an issue with an order without treating the person who made it like they don't care.
I care VERY much. That's why I've gone above and beyond for the handful of customers who actually had problems this season. And THEY will tell you. They will say yes, she remade it perfectly with less than 1 hour before UPS closed and spent her own money to overnight a replacement. They will tell you how they received multiple because "hey one of them has to get there on time". They will tell you that I communicate effectively every time but if you pay for Ground Advantage.............. Well, you're going to get that. It's not always fast. It doesn't always up to date.
I will always own my mistakes when I make them.
I will always try to make things right when something genuinely goes wrong.
But I will not continue to accept responsibility for something that was clearly communicated before purchase (like the date you will receive it) or for how USPS moves a package after I have handed it over.
However if something does go wrong, please remember that there is a human being on the other side of that message.
You don't have to be happy.
You don't have to leave a glowing review.
But you can choose to be kind. Because I'm a small business owner. I'm a human being. And I deserve the same basic respect back that I give to you. 💛
