What Does "The Devil Wears Prada" have to do with Shipping?
During a scene in Paris, Miranda Priestly, sans makeup and wearing comfortable clothes, asks Andrea (Ahndreaa) for a file that she has tucked away in her messenger bag. Andrea, who has just come into Miranda's room, startled to see Miranda in such a state, begins rummaging through her bag for the file as Miranda waits with her hand out stretched as if the file will magically just appear. *Poof*
Expecting immediate results and not getting them, Miranda delivers a cutting remark "By all means, move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me."
Image courtesy of IMBD
Over the past two years, I have noticed that products are being moved from place to place in a slower fashion. I haven't looked into the reasons for this, but it doesn't thrill me. I have quoted Miranda's line from The Devil Wears Prada more than once while waiting for a product to arrive.
Just last week, I paid for "overnight shipping" on an order. The order shipped on Friday, only to be delivered on Monday. That is not overnight. Remember when "overnight" meant "the next day"? Now, I know what you are thinking about "business days" and what not, but no where did the company say anything about business days. I expected "overnight shipping" to mean I'd receive my product the next day.
Then I wondered, if I was having this kind of trouble, were my clients having trouble as well? If they ordered directly from their gallery to my lab, were they getting their products promptly? Turns out, no, they were not. So I contacted my supplies, who were telling me it was the shipping companies (FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc).
As for these shipping companies, Miranda would say "The tales of your incompetence don't interest me." (I sometimes wish I had a bit more Miranda in me.) I just want my clients to have their orders in a timely fashion!
Now that my book Working Tails of the Pacific Rim and it's accompanying calendar are available to order, I am setting low expectations for shipping time and asking that those who purchase these products give at least 14 business days to receive them. Yes, I said business days. See what a difference that makes?
I am not sure why shipping is moving at a glacial pace and, I suspect, that things will slow down even further in the near future. I have no control over this and am asking for your patience while waiting for your products to arrive. The books and the calendars are being shipped via USPS and I will provide tracking information.
I will not be shipping orders until January 1, 2025 because I do not want to overwhelm the humans who have to do the actual work of delivering things since it's almost Christmas. I don't blame them, either. The problem is much higher up their food chain, but that's not something I can fix. So, please be patient if you place an order.
That's all.
Image courtesy of IMBD