Frustration

As those of you who read this blog probably know, The Willows is struggling a bit right now. As I've also explained, I'm still doing my best to meet the needs of everyone who has subscribed. If I haven't made this clear already, you will still be receiving any issues you paid for. I am shipping issues as quickly as I can, given the financial straits we're in right now. But I have never taken any orders we can't fill. It's just going to take a little time, that's all.

And many subscribers have been most sympathetic and kind about the situation; I'd like to call a bit of attention to Lucien Spelman (who may be a tad embarrassed at the spotlight). As soon as he heard of our troubles, he began sending me encouraging emails:

I can identify! I used to run BBT Magazine (www.bbtmagazine.com) solely out of my own pocket like you are. It's horribly difficult... Don't worry about sending my contributor copy. I know every dime helps, so use it to help keep the mag alive. I have paid for a copy and would like that, but hang on to the contributor copy.

Verbal support like this has actually been a big help. I'm not sure, Lucien, if you know just how much.

Now, several of you have emailed me saying "I'm missing an issue; do you know what's become of it?" Of course I'm happy to track down your issue, and make sure you receive it posthaste. Yes, it does happen occasionally, but we're able to resolve it. So you email us, and we do. We've just been two adults who perceived a problem, and cooperated to deal with it in a sensible manner.

Others, howe'er, have not been so understanding. One purchaser wrote to tell me that she was "furious" with me (yes, with me personally) because she had not received her order yet. When I explained that a) other orders were ahead of hers in the queue, and b) one of the issues she'd requested was an out-of-print special that took extra time to have ordered, she steadfastly refused to believe me about that either (some of you have ordered back issues before; as you might know, they're $2 more and take an extra trip to the print shop, which adds a week or two to the shipping time). But despite all that, I'd specially packed her order--I even told her I was ready to make an exception and ship it today, bumping her in front of other paying subscribers--when she sent me another email saying that even that wasn't good enough!

As she told me in no uncertain terms--and with a liberal scattering of suggestions that I wasn't running a very professional operation here-- she would rather have a full refund than wait three more days to receive the package I had already prepared for her, because I really ought to have shipped it much sooner anyway. That is, she should have the right to jump ahead of other subscribers in the shipping queue.

Oh, and she wanted me to know that it was entirely my fault that a back issue takes extra time to order and pick up, and that she was enraged I would even suggest I was doing her a favor by selling it to her below its usual cost. So I issued the refund, and gladly, but the point is that she could have received what she'd paid for if she'd simply waited three more days for it to arrive. Like I said, I had the package sealed and ready to ship today!

I am unable to understand the thought process here; I truly am. What explanation, what more apology, did she want? I told her the truth; that's all I have to tell.

And, let me tell you, this person's rage--for it was rage, expressed clearly and directed solely at the person of Ben, all while I did my honest and polite best to take responsibility for the problem and resolve her dispute--was hurtful to me. It hurt me as an editor who always strives to do his best; to satisfy every customer with personal attention to detail. It made me lose just a little more faith in humanity, to do my best to honestly explain the situation, and receive "I am furious" as a response. It just didn't seem worth it, somehow...for that much anger to be generated by a six-week delay on a special order of magazines.

I'm not much of a businessman, I suppose, saying things like this, but if a bunch of scraps of paper are really that infuriating for you, let me ask you here and now to please refrain from ever ordering The Willows. Rant and froth at me all you want, but don't bring money into it, I beg you. I'm tired of answering peoples' rancor with punctilious apologies, only to get still more rancor in return. Aren't we all adults? Can't we resolve our debates as equals, without lobbing rage bombs at one another?

If, by chance, you read this post and relate to the indictor, or see what I've written as a criticism of something you've said or wanted to say...well, then perhaps it is just that. And I stand by it, because I believe what I've written here. If someone is trying to help you, to get your issue resolved, they deserve some respect, kindness, and patience in return, even if it's not going well. I would think that's just common courtesy, but clearly it isn't.

If, on the other hand, you read this post and relate to being stepped all over, maybe you could do with a little speaking up for yourself. Seems to've helped me.