To think I am not body shaming or ripping larger people off?

[BimBamBoomer]

I've NC because this is potentially outing!

I have my own tiny but fairly successful business making clothes. Mostly I make a few specific lines to order (via Etsy type websites) and have sizes 6-26 available. However I also have occasional sales on Facebook where I have a page and sale group. The sales are a mix of returned customer orders, things I made to the wrong size or colour by accident, slight seconds, unsold stock from events (festivals etc) and some one offs made with amazing material I've picked up or pieces I've upcycled. I tend to end up with most of my stock for the sales in sizes 10-16 just because a) that's what most people order so that's what I have most seconds of, b) if I'm making stock for an event I make more of the most popular sizes for obvious reasons, and c) if I get a bit of amazing material I try to make the most of it especially if it was expensive.

I've recently had my end of 2019 sale and since then have had a flurry of messages from unhappy larger people. I suspect I've been named and shamed somewhere as it's come out of the blue in the last week. They're not happy that I don't have enough stock in their size, and that the more unique one off pieces are mostly in the middle sizes. I've been replying explaining why and that they can order larger sizes from my standard range and have them made. If they wanted a replica of a one off they've seen, I can give a quote but it wont be cheap! But I've now had a few bad reviews on my page from people who think it's unfair that the some of the larger sizes cost more. I agonised over this but in the end felt I had to have sliding pricing on some items (not all - I charge the same for all sizes for about half my range). But a size 8 in some styles uses literally half the material of a size 24 - and I charge for materials plus an hourly rate for my time (at a rate that covers overheads etc). The materials I use aren't cheap and I don't know how to make this fair or how to answer the bad reviews. I'm quite upset and feel really down that people think this of me.

Am I body shaming, really and honestly?

No you aren’t at all. It’s other people being bloody ridiculous!

No, you are being completely reasonable.

Nope, I think your pricing and explanation of why most of your sale items are in standard sizes make total sense.

I wonder how many of the complainers are affected by the higher prices and how many are jumping on a bandwagon?

Hold firm and polite OP

I would answer with a breakdown of the costs. If you make clear that you aren’t making any more profit or anything then I don’t think they can be angry.

No, you are not body shaming.

Of course a larger size using more material will cost more, and if the complainers were genuine they'd spend as much time moaning about the lack of size 6 and 8 as 24 and 26.

I'm so sorry you've been harassed by these horrible people.

I think you're fine. Suggest to them they target someone who doesn't make larger sizes at all! I'm a 20 at my biggest and plenty of retailers don't even go up that high.

I don't think your body shaming.

You aren't doing anything wrong. No reasonable person would think so. A lucky escape not making for those people they would probably find something else to complain about.

No YANBU

I would report the bad reviews or if you can put a publicly visible response so that the reasonable people out there will understand

If you are getting these issues from a select few sizes then maybe reduce the size offering you do ?

You definitely are not

Could you add an FAQ to your online shop, explaining how you price / why some sizes are more expensive?

Oh, and YANBU or body shaming. More material costs more!

Could you give us a link to your site? I’m intrigued!

Do you charge a size 6 less than a size 12?

I'm bigger and I totally get why you would need to charge me more to make something in my size than a size 8 because well, it would use more material and take more time..... I have been fat shamed before but this isn't fat shaming, it's logic.
I have a horse and used to have a pony - big size difference and therefore the rugs I bought for the horse used more material and cost more money than the pony. That's not discrimination.

YANBU. And I say that as a "larger" person. It makes perfect sense. Of course the more material you use, the more expensive something is to make, especially when you're a small business who can't swallow the extra costs easily.

YANBU at all. Absolute madness to call it body shaming. You’ve said yourself you literally use half the fabric for a size 8 than a size 24.

It’s like asking a carpenter to construct a new kitchen and charge the same as one that’s half the size. That would obviously never happen because it requires more materials and time to do so.

No you aren’t. They are being idiots.

If you want to answer the reviews try something like this.

“I’m sorry you weren’t able to find the size you were looking for in my recent sale. Unfortunately the items that I discount cannot be guaranteed to cover all the sizes that I offer, as they are; list all the things you want to describe. I am always happy to discuss a special order and will always aim to price the items competitively in regards to materials and time.”

YANBU I would formulate a reply explaining as you have above and cut and paste it as a reply to their reviews. You are not a large retailer who can afford to absorb the cost of differing sizes needing different amounts of material.

Are you reposting the bad reviews? Please do.

YANBU at all! It will blow over in a bit. Try to google your business and your own name and see if it has been mentioned somewhere online.

Don't feel bad. And hey. GREAT job on running a business!

You are not being unreasonable. Larger clothes use more fabric and it makes more sense to make more items in the most popular sizes.

I remember times when all catalogues charged by size...

You are not being unreasonable. As others have suggested reply to the bad reviews with a breakdown of your costs. Also note you are a small business and cannot afford to make losses like some of the large companies who can absorb the costs.

Not unreasonable at all. Ppl will always find something to complain about.