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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

"Inbox me hun" ?!?

84 replies

VeloHostage · 12/09/2021 17:21

We're on the lookout for a local gardener to keep our grass cut.

Saw an ad on our local FB page from a young lad who's just trying to start his own business in that area.

Was thinking to pop a message, and then noticed in the comments ...

Could you give me a quote ?

reply ?

Inbox me hun

at which point, I stopped being interested. Sorry, but I can't begin to describe how patronising I found the "hun" bit. To a stranger and (presumably) because they had a feminine name.

It's true how much patience you lose as you get older.

(I've swallowed my dislike of the use of "Inbox" as an imperative rather than noun, so that is not my beef here )

OP posts:
CantBeAssed · 12/09/2021 17:23

Ooh! This would really put me off, especially coming from a young lad...but I openly admit,I have become an old fartGrin

Silverswirl · 12/09/2021 17:24

To be it just sounds unprofessional. Not something you would want to put on a business page

thatsnotmyzoo · 12/09/2021 17:31

It’ll 100% be a page run by his mum or girlfriend.

Either way not inspiring of confidence and very unprofessional.

Sweetchocolatecandy · 12/09/2021 17:39

Yeah that would have put me off too. Far too personal and unprofessional. I cringe whenever I see this phrase used on social media to be honest.

DixonD · 12/09/2021 17:41

I wouldn’t deal with anyone who used “hun”. I can’t stand it.

Noshowwithoutpunch · 12/09/2021 17:45

I wouldn't expect much from the service so I'd definitely not be dropping them a message.

FTEngineerM · 12/09/2021 17:46

I’m not an old fart and this would fuck me off.

SandyY2K · 12/09/2021 17:48

It's not professional and I would only expect the term to be used with a friend. It would put me off using the service

ParkheadParadise · 12/09/2021 17:49

That would make me think it's a female answering maybe his girlfriend or mum.
It wouldn't put me off sending a message.

girlmom21 · 12/09/2021 17:49

I don't mind so much about the 'hun' because I'm assuming he knows her but I hate when people ask for a quote for any kind of service or product and they're not just given a price in a comment reply - they're told they'll be DM'd instead.

I feel like a private message makes you feel more pressured to accept the price than a generic comment does.

I always assume if someone isn't willing to post their prices (or at least a rough quote) publicly it's because they'll charge over the odds.

I understand that some people do it so they can't be undercut but it still puts me off.

goose1964 · 12/09/2021 17:54

Inbox me hun is often for for I want you to join my MLM

Sagaz · 12/09/2021 17:55

Yeh, I couldn't bear to work (employ) that person.

BlusteryLake · 12/09/2021 17:59

I would not do business with anyone who called me hun. On the flip side of that, when I was getting gardening quotes, one man kept calling me ma'am, which I found equally off-putting!

1forAll74 · 12/09/2021 18:04

NO , that would put me off engaging with a person who calls me Hun. maybe you should tell him, that he won't get much business using phrases like this to women. He will be calling you babe as well,if he comes to cut your grass.

Inthemuckheap · 12/09/2021 18:04

Anyone who uses "hun" in whatever context is dead to me.

InFiveMins · 12/09/2021 18:09

I voted YABU because yes its unprofessional and I roll my eyes when I see the word 'hun', but it isn't the end of the world. You are asking for a gardener, so long as they do a good job who cares if they call someone 'hun' on social media.

PumpkinKlNG · 12/09/2021 18:11

Wouldn’t bother me

user1493494961 · 12/09/2021 18:11

His Mum is doing his admin.

GemmaRuby · 12/09/2021 18:14

YANBU.
I think hun is mainly used by women to other women though, still hate it though.

5128gap · 12/09/2021 18:18

I agree it sounds like a woman answering for him as young men don't tend to use hun. It wouldn't bother me in the least as I wouldn't imagine his mum or GF or even his, use of a harmless form of address would have any bearing on his gardening ability. There are some names that suggest sexism, darling, babe if used by a man but I don't put hun in that category as its usually a woman to woman thing. Theres just a lot of snobbery directed towards people who use it.

ImprobablePuffin · 12/09/2021 18:22

@Inthemuckheap

Anyone who uses "hun" in whatever context is dead to me.
Amen 🙏
GreyhoundG1rl · 12/09/2021 18:24

@user1493494961

His Mum is doing his admin.
She needs to try harder!
VladmirsPoutine · 12/09/2021 18:25

It wouldn't bother me in the context you've described. In fact it wouldn't bother me at all I imagine. A young man trying to launch his own little business doing something actually quite helpful yet his use of 'hun' is where you draw the line. Ok.

JackieCollinshasnoauthority · 12/09/2021 18:28

The last guy I found on Facebook to do some gardening had face tattoos so my standards are restricted to cheap and turns up to do job.

ParkheadParadise · 12/09/2021 18:28

@VladmirsPoutine

It wouldn't bother me in the context you've described. In fact it wouldn't bother me at all I imagine. A young man trying to launch his own little business doing something actually quite helpful yet his use of 'hun' is where you draw the line. Ok.
100% agree.