I just had a "friend" ask to buy my soap at wholesale. I'm kinda miffed at this!

They will be custom bars for her 35th HS reunion,which take extra time. At first, I offered her a 25% friends/family discount since it will be quite a large number I'll be making,but she "did not understand" why I would not sell wholesale to her.

A good friend of mine once told me to "never cheat your friends" when it comes to business. If they offer a discount, fine. But you would not otherwise ask for "wholesale" from a stranger, would you?

I'm leaving it at the 25% discount and,if she wants it fine. If not, then I won't offer more. This products takes time, energy and resources. HER business consists of product that is manufactured/packaged elsewhere so she does not have to do anything but sell.

Would you be mad or am I thinking wrongly? I know we are all in business to make money. I'd purchased a gift set from her a few months ago from friends on her internet site and never asked for money off.

The sad thing is we have been good for one another in helping "brainstorm" for business prospects and selling tips. NOw this!

[ February 03, 2006, 12:52 PM: Message edited by: Di ]

Its always the relatives or so called friends that seem to think your "little" business isn't a serious money making endeavor. I have faced this same exact thing in the past and handled it the same way. You stand firm and if your generous offer isn't good enough for her thats her loss. She should be ashamed of herself.

Di, when I bought my Dairy Queen I had "friends" come in expecting to get everything free. One family that I love came in after church one Sunday and of course, they all got Blizzards and I picked up the tab. They showed up the next Sunday and I made them pay. They never came in again!

Don't ever give anything at your price or it will be a never-ending process. Business is business and if friends don't understand that, they have never owned their own business. Stand firm!

I've been there too Di. When I owned different service businesses, my friends all thought I should give them my services for free. I finally learned to just refer them to others in the office.

Strangers often ask me to write whole musicals to raise funds for their organizations. At performances of my musicals, people come up with stories of relatives and events that they just know would make a great musical, and all I have to do is all the work. I am polite, but I ignore them.

A friend is publishing a compillation book of inspirational stories. She pays a pittance and wanted some of my stories. When I got them back from the editor she had added some rather glaring grammatical errors. Being gutless, I sent my friend an email withdrawing the stories. She called and was upset. I confided in her about the errors which she said others had complained about. She fired the editor and promised my stories would go in without the errors. But when I saw the galleys, the erors were still there. The book came out this week and she says she fixed the errors, but I have been afraid to even look.

Then this week was the topper. I have a friend who wants to write a book about her life which is really not that exciting, but... Months ago she brought me what she had written and asked me to edit (for free of course). It was obvious to both of us that it needed a total rewrite.
Well, yesterday she called to say "she" had 'important' things to do and didn't have the time for rewriting so she would just tell me the story and I could write it (under her name of course). Then she would read it and tell me what needed to be changed. And when it got published, she would give me some of the profit. Wow! I couldn't believe my ears.

My work is obvioulsy worthless in everyone's eyes. People seem to believe I have nothing more important to do than write 'their' story in 'their' book or musical. My time and effort seem to have no value. It hurt my feelings. Like you Di, I was miffed.

I'm trying not to dwell on this, but it is really getting to me. I am about to decide writing is just not my thing.

My advice to you Di is ignore these so called friends. You're doing them a favor by letting them buy your product at a discount. I'm trying to ignore my so called friends too.

Sorry to vent.

Does anyone else have these types of "friends?"

smile

[ February 17, 2006, 12:40 AM: Message edited by: smilinize ]

The sad thing is the "friend" DOES have her own business! I purchased something from her, online, and never asked for a discount. I know we are all in business to make money.

I did give her 25% off and she took it. Funny, now she is even asking me if I want some money upfront.

Also, DH was supposed to do her website for her,but she kept asking if he would do a 60-day term. Don't THINK so!! Unfortunately, he "told her off".

I've known her for about a year and we've really been good for one another as far as encouragement for our businesses.We are not in competition, thankfully. But both of us are really good at giving/getting ideas from the other one.

But I must side with my husband on this. Very strange.

We have a three-day show and our booths are next to one another. We are still talking but I feel kinda awkward now.

Di...she is not a friend. I'm with Chatty Lady here. I'm in business as well. My true friends never asked for "money back" and when I did do it, they were so overwhelmed and grateful. It's the "acquaintenaces" that ask. What audacity!
to want you to give her wholesale!!Throw her off your boat!!! My sister owned a bridal shop for decades. It was always the "friends" that were never happy with the 25% discount.

Sandi and others are right on the money (no pun intended). Friends help you to succeed, they do NOT ask for discounts or freebies.

I had a business a bazillion years ago for a while. The only person that EVER asked for anything discounted, or free, was my partner's best friend. This person was also the one who gave us our only bad check.

When my book came out, the ONLY person who asked for a free one was a close friend of mine. She was offended when I didn't give her one. She proceeded to go to others and say, "Can you believe she charges her "friends" for books?" My REAL friends told her to get over herself and she should be ashamed to even think it...

Plain and simple this woman sounds like a user and also, VERY IMPORTANTLY, she sounds like someone who doesn't know how to handle money, her business, or ethics. Even though you two are in sync with your ideas and brainstorming, I see a potential problem that could escalate or rear it's ugly head again, even though it may be in another situation, or much later...Personally, I would stay away from her and BRAVO! to you hubby!

Remember this...BUSINESS IS BUSINESS... treat it as such. Never treat your friends any differently than you would any other business associate when doing business. Gifts are gifts...but BUSINESS IS BUSINESS and it should be respected as such.


JJ - been there, done that, got burnt....never again.

What stories!

I also had friends who expected free books. My publisher gave me 12 free copies and I gave them to the people who had helped me with the book (editor) and family members. Gave one to the local shelter too.

Then, there were women who would call me on my business phone, telling me their story, sometimes their very long story, and wanted to write their book. Would I help them? I always directed them to my editor who trys to make a living working with writers but not rewriting an entire manuscript.

I had realtors cozy up to me just so they could get their foot in my husband's office door and present a relocation package. I began to suspect every person who was nice to me!

Right before my book was released I had a lot of opportunist that tried to get their business mentioned in the back of the book! I mean, it's a book on domestic violence and they sell insurance?

I love to help people but people who don't expect it.