Krazy KT: Warehouse sale NIGHTMARE!

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ETA: If your local and would like to know about things in the area I'm doing, please leave a comment in this post and make sure you say something about being put on the local newsletter. I figure that's better for everyone so customers that are not close by don't have to get those emails too. And if you are not currently on my newsletter and would like to be you can also leave a comment and just meantion being put on the general newsletter. Thanks!!

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I think the title of my post says it all!! I'll take you through a run down of the whole thing. Friday night at about 11pm I finally got the key to the hall so I could start setting up, Jeff had forgotten about me so I couldn't get in there sooner. Two trucks and one SUV got everything there in 4 trips, with the assistance of Brandon, his Dad, My Aunt Polly and Jeremy. I guess by about 1am everything was there, then it was time to set up. The guys called it quits so they could get some sleep and be ready for the morning. Aunt Polly and I stayed there until about 4am setting up. We still had plenty to do but I was just too tired and figured I would finish in the morning when we got there. Who knows what time I actually went to sleep, but I was up at 7am. I headed over to the hall to get things in order so everyone could set up while I went back and got a shower. I got back there at about 9:30 and things were looking awesome thanks to the awesome help from Brandon, his Dad, Aunt Polly, Courtney, Mandy, PJ (my brother's best friend) and his girlfriend April. There was already some people there.. whoo hoo, right?!?

I guess I should first recap a little about Friday's credit card issues first so you fully understand. I had a guy come out from my credit card company earlier that week so I could get a credit card processor. Normally every things done on-line with my store, so I don't have one. Well I was super excited because it was so little and perfect! It actually is a cell phone so I don't have to worry about running cords to it or being able to get a signal.. so I was really psyched about that. I was told it would arrive at their office Friday from corporate and someone would drive it out to me, sounds easy right? I mean what could go wrong with that right? ahhhhhhh.. well it's me were talking about so ANYTHING could go wrong. Friday, I received a call saying that the card was corrupted for the credit card processor. Back and fourth I went all day with them trying to recover it, well they ended up not being able to. So about 3pm Steve calls, (the guy I'm dealing with in charge at the processing company) he has a solution. He's going to overnight me an imprinter (one of those old knuckle busters), the only problem is they don't have any imprint slips. He told me I could get them at Office Depot or Staples. Well Brandon and his Dad drove to 5 different places, and none of them carried them anymore. My mom called around too only to find out that no one carries them. I'd have to order them on-line and there's no way I would get them by the next day. The game plan was once I imprinted the cards, I was suppose to call in the credit card numbers with my merchant number so I would know if the card was good or not and they could put a hold on the account for that amount for 72 hours. Since I had no slips the imprinter was pointless. Keep in mind it's like 7pm by this time. I'm freaking out at this point trying to figure out what to do.

Fast forward to Saturday, I came up with the idea that I could copy the customers drivers license and credit card and have them sign the paper with their signature, phone number and the amount. But of course no ones too crazy about that idea. I promised I would shred them when I got home (which I did). I was still going to call them in while they were there so I knew if the cards were good or not. Well, after 15 minutes on the phone with the customer service for my credit card processing I found out I was given the wrong merchant number... so I had no way to verify the cards were good. I felt horrible for the women standing in line. It was at that time that I was informed the address was incorrect on their website. The address that I had posted on my blog, sent out in my newsletter, had others blog about and was using was wrong. The women informed me they had drove up and down Liberty road for quite sometime before they stopped to asked where the hall was at the bank, or the scrapbook store up the street, or wherever else they might have stopped. I thought they were joking. My heart stopped. The address that was posted everywhere, was for the Burger King up the street. Apparently over 8 years ago that is where the location of the hall was, and the web site was never updated. Oh and I almost forgot, the imprinted that was over-nighted to me, which I wouldn't of been able to use anyway though, didn't arrive until Monday. So that wouldn't have done me any good either.

So to sum up my wonderfully planned warehouse sale.. it was horrible. I had a whole 20 people come all day. It took over 3 hours to pack everything back up and put it back in the warehouse where it still sits, untouched in boxes. And to think I only brought about a quarter of the store there. I cried a good bit during the day, but tried to hold it together. I couldn't help but think if my Dad was there he would have made it right. He would have been at Burger King waving a huge sign directing people to the right address. I guess he's right. He always said what would you do without me, and look at me now. I can't even seem to do something like a warehouse sale right without him. I got home that night at around midnight and signed on-line to see all the emails I had received from people telling me they drove up and down Liberty Road, but never found it. It wasn't until that point that I pretty much lost it. I worked so hard to put together this sale only for it to end up being a nightmare. I just feel like I can't catch a break these days, no matter what it is.

After many tears, and moping around I decided to give it another try. This time with the correct address and I'll be sure to include contact information in-case anyone gets lost! I figure what do I have to loose, everything is already all boxed up and priced. I know people obviously wanted to come because of the amount of emails I received, so I'm giving it another go. And this time I'll be sure to have all the bases covered.

SOOOOOO The Warehouse Sale will be Saturday, September 20th 2008, from 10AM to 8PM. 2253 Liberty Road is the CORRECT address of the Hall. I hope you'll come out and join me!

Here are some pictures .. not the best photos.. I'm surprised I even took any actually.. (1)Aunt Polly & my cousin Courtney making things look pretty. (2)Mandy checking out a customer. (3)I couldn't help but take a picture of this, even if it's not that great. When I was driving I looked over and saw this and it made me laugh. Jeremy seat belted in the Fancy Pants Biggest Boards. (4 & 5) Annie came and brought Max and Lucie, in her adorable onsie I got her!

Comments

sorry so much went wrong-I would have totally lost it-so great that you can still have a positive outlook. Good luck on your next sale.

Posted by: Bobbi in KY | August 08, 2008 at 01:50 PM

KT, you will be ok. You will make it. you are doing well. You can pick yourself up and do it again. You are a strong and I believe you can do it!! Thanks for posting my cute kids too!!

Posted by: Annie | August 08, 2008 at 06:58 PM

I am so sorry I never made it there, I really wanted not only to shop, but to help!! My weekend was a nightmare, too, involving a 16 hour round trip to NY to spend 4 hours at Niagara Falls and 4 hours in an ER in Buffalo while my husband was knocked out cold on pain meds for a kidney stone!! I would sooooooo much rather been with you figuring out the madness!! Take care sweets, and we will do it again!!

Posted by: Meg | August 08, 2008 at 07:45 PM