Still Alive

I am here. We are here. I have tons of pictures to post, but am too tired to post them. I am still avoiding this blog b/c again, I just don't feel like talking much. Presently I am just pissed off. I love my store but am not sure it is worth all of the fighting, blood, sweat and tears I continue to put into it only for people to go to diaperswappers, or ebay, or another online store, or an online co-op. I can't compete with that crap. And I can't compete with Target & Babies r Us and many diaper companies and baby carrier companies are sellouts and go to those places. Big Box stores pay a fraction of what I pay for merchandise and they have billions to advertise with. And if the product doesn't sell, often they can return it to the manufacturer and get their money back. Not so with small retailers. We just have to clearance it and eat the loss.



I am done with people coming into MY store and telling other customers that they can check on ebay or where ever and get something cheaper. Then when they have a problem with that cheaper diaper who do you think they call? The person who sold it to them? Nope. They call me. So, I guess it's ok with them that I work for free . And part of this is my fault. I have been entirely too nice, and I think I may have just gotten over that sickness tonight. I had a woman come into my store today and ask me 5,000 questions only to tell me she was going to make diapers. She was buying them elsewhere so she could break them up and copy them--hello--illegal. AND--she was taking pictures of the products with her cell phone. Incidentally, she owns a small business. I told her it was wrong for people to come into my store and spend an hour of my time and then tell me they are going to sew diapers. I said "you own a small business, you know that's wrong." She bought some things that I am certain she will return. My friend saw her taking the pictures, not me, but I may say something when she returns the diapers.



Kelly was in the store today and I told her all of this, and that I am not sure if I should scrap and fight to make this store work or not. She said very wise words, "Sunny, you've had to do a lot of fighting for the kids as it is. So, its no wonder you are just over it and don't have much fight left in you". And that's where I am. I have always been a fighter--a never say quit-er, but that may change if things don't pick up. I bend over backwards to help people, and have put so much time and energy into this that it would be hard to walk away, but it is getting less difficult to consider every day. Maybe today is just a bad day, and maybe tomorrow I will feel better. Time will tell.