Can you tell if a product you purchase is from a smoker? I purchased some very pretty cards from a fellow vendor who smokes. When I opened the box, it WREAKED of smoke and made me sneeze!

Should I tell her that this could hinder sales? Should I not tell her and not buy anymore?

This has happened before, years ago with someone else,and I think it's just very rude when people just don't recognize they could be hurting others.

What would you do??

I would probably tell her, only because I would want to know if it were me. But I wouldn't mention "rude when people don't recognize they could be hurting others".

I think I would just tell her it had the smoke smell and that you'd love to buy more, but just can't see sending out cards with that odor.

Ah, ok. I know that smokers that don't smell it......so I just may say, first "Do you get a lot of repeat customers"? If so, then may be I'll say nothing. If not, maybe I can give her a "guess" as to why!

I doubt seriously that smokers are trying to be rude; a lot of them truly don't realize how much the items in their surroundings have picked up the smell. Besides, everyone is not a nonsmoker anyway. Why play guessing games? I'd suggest what DD said: just tell her that the stuff had the smoke odor and she may not have realized it.

I don't care for the smoke smell, but items that are overly perfumed bother me as well. I'd just tell her. If she gets offended or doesn't care, at least you spoke up.

OH, I realize they are not "trying" to be rude, because like any addiction, there is a "veil", but it just does not make good business sense to me when they do not consider that it just "might" be offensive.

Well, sure, but business owners do all sorts of things that make some customers happy and turn off others. And it could be anything: the music that plays in the store or when you are hold, the ways people can pay on a website (or music on a website, which will send me away forever), insisting on trying to upsell when it should be obvious that the customer knows exactly what she wants, and so on.

Maybe I'm just naive, but I'd guess that there are very few smokers who just don't care if their merchandise literally stinks. I think they really aren't aware that it even *has* a smell, so don't think it's a problem that needs fixing. I have heard so many ex-smokers say they never knew how much everything around them smelled until they quit and their sense of smell returned to normal.

Maybe sellers should have a checklist of practices that might tick people off, but nonsmokers might discover that they can do also do things that others interpret as rude or obnoxious -- and I'm pretty sure they aren't trying to be rude or thoughtless either.

maybe not rude so much as clueless.

All porous products will pick up odor -- paper, yarn, cloth. If someone smokes, there's absolutely no way of avoiding that odor in items made at home. If I know that person smokes, I won't buy porous items from them.

Dianne, I'd just tell her outright that her product reeks of smoke.

Yes, Meredith. I agree. It's absorbent alright! One time I got soap (in a swap years ago) from a smoker! Icky, phew, phew. Threw that one out!!

I don't allow smoking in my home, not ever! I hate the smell and since I crochet items I later sell, I don't want any odor on any of my merchandise...

I bought a vest from a woman once, made all by hand with woven leather strips, and it reaked of cigarettes when it arrived. I paid $175.00 for it and sent it back immediately. She was insulted that I said it stunk and gave me a hard time until she asked someone there with her and they verified that it did smell of her Marlboro's. So I guess if you're a smoker you don't know how bad you or the things around you can smell.

Just tell her..kindly..without judgement or morals..but tell her. I am a smoker..trying to stop now..and it wouldn´t hurt me, if it was said without the ugh you are no good attitude. Because things do smell of smoke..if you smoke. I don´t allow smoking in my home either..but I am a smoker (was a smoker) and a non smoker can tell and react, if they are allergic or anything like that.

And yes, I have been doing something for so long..and known that it´s dangerous for me..totally silly..stupid. But aren´t we all in some way???