Race Ready Shirts Please Read!!!!!!!!!!!

[JustSmile]

I'm so sorry, Mel, that you have to deal with this. I'll be happy with whatever you decide. I think it would be easy to cover up with a touch of paint, but I understand others being unhappy that it is wrong.

 

[jeanneg]

Hi Mel, So sorry for your trouble in all this.

Personally, it is really not a big deal to me. No one can hardly see it anyway and life is so full of other important issues, I really try to never sweat the small stuff. I've done several events with my shirt and I don't believe people can clearly see the URL since I always have to tell them what it is.

That said, the owner DID make a mistake and common decency should be enough to have him offer some small compensation. I also know how hard it is to run a small business and would hate to see him have to eat a major loss. I think alot depends on his attitude. I tend to be very forgiving of things when people are apologetic. I can see this being a major nightmare for you and I definitely don't want that to happen. You have been generous enough to put your time and effort into getting us these shirts and for that reason in and of itself, I will be happy with my mispelled shirt. Not a problem for me at all. Thanks for all your work, Mel.

 

[cdotla]

This is a bad situation for all and there are no easy answers. Mel I am sorry you are having to deal with this, before you even begin the process of physicially shipping out 2,000 shirts!!!

I do not propose to speak for all, just myself.

But here is my take on it. I think the mistake is a minor and insignificant one. I would be happy to wear the shirt as is. (I would of course have a different attitude if the Dis was wrong on the front where it is more prominent and larger font).

IF we were to force the owner to do a reprint, all I can think of is the sheer waste of all those shirts, leaving aside the cost to the small business owner.

If we could receive a small discount I think that would be fair. However, I am also fine if we don't get anything. If the owner shaves something off the order for the inconvenince that is too small or insignificant to split among the number of shirts ordered, I would be all for Mel keeping it to nominally compensate her for all of her time, effort and energy on this order.

 

[Creativebeth]

I am another that doesn't think it's a big deal. I like the shirt, and find the "dishboards" kind of amusing.....at least I can get a laugh about it myself! I don't think that anyone can actually see that line anyway....it's really small, and I am running to fast!!!

Maybe a small compensation for your hardship Mel, would be appropriate. You had a lot to deal with, and should get something back from that.

I want the shirt though.....if that is what everyone decides.

Beth

 

[twoWDWfools]

Mel - you've done so much work on this already then to have this happen. I'm sorry you have to deal with this and thank you again so much for all you've done so far. (I was the person in charge of dealing with the vendors for DS's high school band so know how much goes into this.)

As for the error, the owner really should refund part of the cost. You just don't re-do a file sent to you w/o sending it to the customer for a final approval. I will still wear the shirt (it'll be my first one & am doing the Minnie) but believe it's not fair to pay full cost for something that is not correct.

 

[Steffwalks]

I am good with the shirts, as is. I don't want the poor guy to have to file bankruptcy. And like Beth, I think it's kind of funny. I would like to have my shirt.

We can start a chain and pass around the same bottle of paint, to cover up the tiny little "h".

 

[Lynn G]

I agree with Beth and cdotla, I would wear the shirt with the mistake, I think we should get some discount, and I am willing to let Mel keep the discount, especially if it is small enough that it would take more money to refund the discount than the original discount! Thanks Mel for all your work.

 

[SamSam]

I'm with some of the others, that if a small discount is offered, Mel should keep the differences. A project like this is tons of work and to have the additional headache of the mistake...I think Mel deserves a little compensation.

 

[gsu1988]

I tend to agree with the last few posters. It is not a big deal to me. For all those who ordered we can look at this as a bonding experience and we all will be wearing an inside joke. As for any discount I sure could use another pair of RR shorts (JK). Seriously I agree that Mel should get some type of compensation for having to deal with this whole thing and any refund short of a total refund that RR offers should go to her for the trouble.

 

[padisneyfan]

Mel if it took you looking at the shirt 3 times to find the mistake, someone running past me in a race certainly isn't going to notice it. And at my pace everyone is going past me.

I'm fine with just taking the shirts I ordered just the way they are.

Thanks so much for doing this Mel. We all appreciate your hard work.

Nancy

 

[deekaypee]

Sorry, I don't want to misrepresent the owner here. I don't think he was ambivalent, but more trying to figure out how to deal with a $2600 order that just went horribly wrong. He also wanted some time to try to find a way they might be able to fix the shirts.

Thanks for the clarification, Mel. It eases my mind. I know that the misspelling isn't a major catastrophe in the overall scope of things or even an error that would be distracting in terms of the shirt's message. But I look at it this way. I wouldn't have ordered a Race Ready shirt at full price if I'd known about the misspelling, although I might have ordered it at a discount. Because, yes, I am that cheap.

And I do think it's important that the owner take responsibility for his product and customer satisfaction. I now feel more hopeful that this will be the case. Despite my frugality, for me it's not about the money potentially saved. (Or any of the rest of us who ordered the shirts as, heck, we're spending bucks to feed our WISH addiction ). It's about the principal.

Mistakes happen, I understand that, and so I'm more focused on the owner's response to the mistake than the error on the shirts--though the two are inextricably linked. I'm all for giving the owner a break, about not wasting the shirts, about having an insider joke, etc., if that's where we as a group want to go and if the owner tries to work with us. Again, I trust you completely as to the outcome.

If we could receive a small discount I think that would be fair. However, I am also fine if we don't get anything. If the owner shaves something off the order for the inconvenince that is too small or insignificant to split among the number of shirts ordered, I would be all for Mel keeping it to nominally compensate her for all of her time, effort and energy on this order.

This is the best idea I've heard yet! This order was large & extensive as it is, with taking orders & collecting payment, let alone all the communication & technical problems on various fronts. I bow to you for dealing with this with grace, patience, and humor.

 

[Minnie]

Mel -

Wow the shirts look great and the color is sooooo much better than the ones that we have now

On the misspelling - IMO I think the shop should have to redo the shirts. I truly can't see $2600 putting a company out of business and I think it was in poor taste that he made those comments to you

Thank you once again for all your hard work. The time and effort into coordinating this effort is greatly appreciated

 

[Kristi1357]

Ok, I am going to respond as a person whose job depends on correct spelling.
Because, well...it does!

It really is inexcusable. I would be written up for a mistake like that. I know my job is different in that I do graphics that wind up on live television. But it is kind of the same idea. Lots of money involved. To not double, triple & quadruple spell check, then have someone else also proof it, is absolutely unacceptable in a job such as this!

Please don't get me wrong, I do feel for the small business owner. I really do!
But, they made a mistake. They need to make it right.
And how they handle this could be huge for them, either way.
They don't take care of us to our satisfacation - we don't reorder.
They take care of us to our satisfaction - we order lots and lots!
We are a huge group!

 

[Steffwalks]

I am willing to give Mel the refund! YOu deserve it. This has been a lot of work!

 

[funwalker]

I did not order one of the shirts, but WISH I had!

I am sorry you have to deal with this Mel.
I am glad the owner was not rude. I know it had to be a terrible shock to him too. And so often when surprised by a Not So Good Thing we react badly.

But WOW ... I love the way you guys have responded to this error. We all make them although some are more drastic than others.

I too would wear the shirt. I would just make an X over the h.
So if someone would rather not take one I will buy it

 

[jeanneg]

I basically agree with what everyone has said. The owner did make a mistake and it is his responsibility to fix it, but we really need to look at the logistics as far as it concerns Mel. If we had each ordered the shirts directly and individually it would be a completely different story. We could choose to deal with it however we see fit. But this is a totally different scenario. Mel has graciously devoted her time and efforts to the cause and I'd like to make it as hassle-free as possible for her. Was the owner wrong and do we deserve to get a full refund, etc, etc, if desired? Absolutely! In the grand scheme of things, is it worth it to make Mel do all the exta work? I think not! As someone pointed out, if it took Mel 3 checks to actually spot the error, it can't be that significant. Forgive me for this, but Dr Phil always asks "Do you want to be right or do you want to happy?" Happy wins everytime.

 

[Steffwalks]

You put that beautifully, Jeanne!!!

In the grand scheme of things, is it worth it to make Mel do all the exta work? I think not! As someone pointed out, if it took Mel 3 checks to actually spot the error, it can't be that significant. Forgive me for this, but Dr Phil always asks "Do you want to be right or do you want to happy?" Happy wins everytime.

 

[cdotla]

In follow up to my last post regarding the waste (as I would see it) in having the shirts re-printed, check out this video:

www.storyofstuff.com

It is rather compelling. Yes, I drive an SUV, and yes, I buy a lot of things. But since watching this video I try to consciously think more about what I consume on this planet.

I hope this doesn't come across as a soapbox, but entirely leaving out of the mix the cost to the owner of the business, is the error significant enough to force a re-order? At least to me it is not.

Plus, the added incentive of not re-printing and instead having any discount be paid to Mel is that we can allow her to receive some small token of thanks for handling this order.

 

[smileyk8]

Mel as far as i'm concerned post them out! You've put in so much work i don't think it would be fair on you to try to handle discounts and reprints etc. Plus it is printed in such small writing i'm not sure anyone would notice. I would love any lime green ness for the minnie that i don't mind. I acknowledge that it was the fault of shop owner and he should've checked his changes, but he didn't and this is what we have and i'm still thrilled!!!

 

[TXBelle]

Poor Mel! No good deed goes unpunished, right? I think a discount off the price of each shirt is in order. I will wear it with the mistake. It will be a collector's item, just like my 2006 WISH team shirts (which we all got with the date printed on them until someone pointed out that if we made the shirt without a date we could wear them for more than one year ). Thanks for all of your hard work on this Mel! The shirt looks great despite the minor typo.