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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

am I being too sensitive? Rude Avon lady

100 replies

AshleyWilkes · 25/11/2015 21:20

Had the same Avon lady for around 6 months now, she's always been ok. I never spend huge amounts, just the odd piece of jewellery or bottle of perfume.

Last week I ordered a body spray for my MIL, was £1.50.
Avon lady texted to say she would deliver tonight, I was working late so asked DH to pay her (he had afternoon off and was at home).
He had no change at all, so I told him to pay with his card (she had previously let me pay with her card machine for an £8 order).

So she turned up and basically got really pissy with him.
"I'm not using my card machine for £1.50. Haven't you even got £1.50 on you?" Her exact words.

He explained no sorry, had absolutely no change, he wasn't even aware that she was coming before I'd texted him.

She was apparently really snotty then and was all like "well I suppose I can call back tomorrow evening, how's that for you?" with an angry tone and a condescending head tilt.

So DH wasn't bothered when relating it, but I'm quite annoyed, as I'm giving her my business, (plenty of other Avon ladies in the area to choose from!) and a pissy attitude is not what I expect, simply because on one occasion we didn't have change.

There's a chance I'm possibly just being over sensitive though Smile

OP posts:
Imknackeredzzz · 26/11/2015 03:05

YABVU

coconutpie · 26/11/2015 05:29

YABVVVVU. She's not running a big business that can absorb card transaction costs for a lousy £1.50. When she comes back with the spray, you should be the one apologising to her for the inconvenience you've put her through.

And regarding your day from hell, maybe she had a day from hell too. It was unreasonable of you to assume that just because she took a card payment for £8 previously that on this occasion it was acceptable to use a card for £1.50.

BumWad · 26/11/2015 05:36

You should drop the £1.50 off to her to save her the trouble

Enjolrass · 26/11/2015 06:34

She was annoyed because she text you telling you she was coming and you didn't text her back saying 'really sorry I am not in and dh doesn't have any change, can you do another night and I'll have the money ready.

It's entirely unreasonable to pay small transactions on cards, especially to small businesses. It ends up eating up all their profit.

Is 2015. We're in the age of technology.

Don't know what this has got to do with anything. Bank charges on card machines are horrendous.

TheHiphopopotamus · 26/11/2015 06:38

I'm amazed that an Avon lady had a card machine Shock

Mine only takes cash. Oh, and YABU.

WizardOfToss · 26/11/2015 06:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 26/11/2015 06:43

The amount that tesco will pay to their bank on a £1.50 card transaction is negligible, possibly 0 whereas a small business or sole trader who has rented a card machine will pay a % of every single transaction. It's fine to pay by card for any amount in a supermarket but in this case it was completely unreasonable to ask

ThenLaterWhenItGotDark · 26/11/2015 06:45

We don't know what her tone was like when she it either, do we?

Your husband was being more unreasonable than you by thinking it necessitated a huge whinge when you got back tbh, but yes, as others have said, I'd drop the money off myself and apologise.

Branleuse · 26/11/2015 07:00

shes not a big business, shes an avon lady. She will be making literally a few pence for your order. If you use the card, she would likely make nothing at all, and have come out to your house in the freezing cold so you can have one body spray. You knew she was coming

londonrach · 26/11/2015 07:10

Yabu. At £1.50 she would have been paying for you to have that spray. Why didnt you have the change. Im surprised you can pay by card full stop and certainly for items under £5.

FuckyNell · 26/11/2015 07:21

Well, I think if you've used your card before then you would be right to assume you could use it again. As a pp said the days of a minimum charge are long gone (Apple pay, contact less etc are all about encouraging small amounts.) I would certainly been annoyed if she'd said that to me.

However, these things should be made clear when placing orders if they do charge for card use under a fiver.

For the attitude alone she would never darken my door again Grin

I too can't believe you only ordered a body spray, i don't use Avon but have never been able to order just one thing!

Only1scoop · 26/11/2015 07:27

Yabu

It's 1.50 leave a bit of pocket change in a pot somewhere for your Avon emergencies.

She probably was a bit pissed off having to make 2 journeys whilst you scratch around for a couple of coins.

IncidentalAnarchist · 26/11/2015 07:35

Yabu for drinking Chardonnay Wine

Only1scoop · 26/11/2015 07:36
Grin
trufflehunterthebadger · 26/11/2015 07:51

so by your own admission you hardly order anything, expect her to deliver a £1.50 body spray, think you should be able to pay on a card then not only moan when she won't take it, you come on to an internet forum to slag her off.

i'm sure she won't mind if you take your negligable amount of business to one of the other avon ladies. you sound like a total pain in the arse

cdtaylornats · 26/11/2015 08:01

How will you feel when the next time you want change she says "I'll just credit that back to your card".

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 26/11/2015 08:08

Fuckynell Apple Pay and contactless are not available for sole traders who rent a card machine! I assure you they pay a % of every transaction.

FellOffMyUnicorn · 26/11/2015 08:13

Our work shop and canteen have just put up a minimum charge for any card payments - this week!!

So it's not 'long gone'

VelvetSpoon · 26/11/2015 08:21

Am I the only one Shock that you didn't have £1.50 change in the house somewhere? I very rarely have much cash on me, but I always have at least a pound or two in change knocking around the house - mainly a hangover from my DCs primary school days when I'd get a last minute request from them for £1 to take to school for dress down day, or a bake sale or something.

YABU to expect to pay by card. I shop in a few independent retailers, so a sole trader in sane way as your Avon lady, and pretty much all of them say no card payment under £5, which I think is reasonable. Indeed there's at least one I can think of who is cash only.

swisscheesetony · 26/11/2015 08:27

YABU.

What's your hourly rate? Someone said up there she'd maybe get 35p from your measly order and yet she has to make two trips - an hour of time plus petrol...

I'd have been embarrassed to place such a small order.

Whatthefreakinwhatnow · 26/11/2015 08:49

I'm with truffle, your order was pennies,so I don't think she was at all out of line to be annoyed that you didn't have it to hand. card transactions cost money, this coupled with her other costs means she must massively out of pocket now Sad

I don't think you will need to worry about going elsewhere, as I sincerely doubt she will bother bringing you a book again!

hackmum · 26/11/2015 09:10

I'd have been pissed off in her position. Using a card to pay £1.50 is taking the mick.

Original poster
AshleyWilkes · 26/11/2015 09:11

To clarify:

DH was not "whinging." As stated above, he mentioned her attitude but wasn't bothered in the slightest. (it takes a lot more than that to rattle his cage.)

No we didn't have any change in the house at this time. I normally have some in my purse but wasn't there as was unexpectedly working late, and DH didn't have any either.

She texted at 4pm yesterday asking to call round that evening so I was already not there and DH was at home enjoying his afternoon off.

Yes I only ordered something worth £1.50. What's wrong with that? Confused

She previously put my order through on card machine and assured me with a bright smile she accepted card transactions"for the times you don't have cash on you." No mention was made of any minimum spend.

I'm fully aware of how much Avon ladies make (not much.) However, there is no "minimum spend" stated, if that's an issue for them, they need to make it clear. Sometimes I've ordered £50 worth of goods, sometimes its only £1.

To the poster who said I sound like a pain in the arse, why, exactly?Confused

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 26/11/2015 09:15

I think your own common sense should tell you that expecting to pay that tiny amount by card was pretty inconsiderate.

Only1scoop · 26/11/2015 09:16

You do sound like a pita.

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